I’ve seen this play out in my own neighborhood. There’s a guy two doors down who’s been “restoring” an old Mustang for at least seven years. It’s got more rust now than when he started. On one hand, I get wanting to hold onto a project, but at some point, it can start affecting property values—and honestly, it’s a headache for insurance too if there’s leaks or critters. Curious if anyone’s city actually enforces these rules, or is it more of a warning thing unless someone complains?
Funny, I’ve always wondered how strict cities really are about this stuff too. In my area, it seems like unless someone files a formal complaint, it’s mostly ignored. Has anyone actually seen a city tow or fine someone for a project car? Or is it just empty threats most of the time?
Honestly, in my neighborhood, it’s all about whether your project car looks like a total eyesore or not. If it’s up on blocks and covered in tarps for months, someone’s gonna complain eventually. But if it just looks like a regular car, even if it doesn’t run, nobody cares. I’ve only seen the city get involved once, and that was after some guy left half an engine on the curb for weeks. Usually, it’s just empty threats unless you really push your luck.
Honestly, that's pretty much how it goes in my area too. The city mostly leaves you alone unless things get out of hand—like, parts everywhere or a car that looks abandoned for months. I get why some rules exist, but a lot of these new ones feel like overkill, especially if you just want to keep a project looking tidy in your own driveway. It’s a pain for folks who don’t have garage space.
Yeah, I hear you. My neighbor got a warning for having his ‘72 Nova on jack stands for a week—just because the hood was off. Meanwhile, there’s a busted trampoline down the street nobody cares about. Feels like they’re picking on car folks sometimes.