After years of covering up the BX each time I parked at home - zillions of pine needles fall every day blocking the sunshine roof drainage channels and scuttle, I bought one of these
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... r2_PcY_BIN
Excellent value - all the pieces fitted first time and there's plenty of room to work on car. Took four hours single handed.
I'd costed making my own in 1inch steel tubes, but apart from the hassle of delivery, welding, painting this one fits the bill. (Even the materials for a wooden structure cost more)
Near-Instant Garage
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Gareth Wales
- BXpert
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- Location: Snowdonia
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ken newbold
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- x 5
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AlanS
- BXpert
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This is where you guys over there have the advantage on us down here.
We've had a couple of these for emergency covers and in the tropical sun with the high UV readings, believe it or not, they last about 3 months maximum before the sun just eats them away like acid.
Then of course if you're really lucky like I was, you get a bloody great cyclone come through a week or do after I'd erected it and strapped it down to all kinds of sturdy structures and in the middle of the 100 MPH winds throwing stuff everywhere, I go outside when it's finished and ........ as they say in the Kindergarten...."all gawn!!" The only way I got Insurance was that we still had a couple of ropes and pegs with small pieces of the cover still attached, I think the rest is still flying off somewhere in space.
As I say, what works for over there isn't a go out here quite often so don't take these comments as derogitory, but there's something you can get from my experience and that is, if there's any heavy weather predicted, be sure you strap it well down as the force that can build up in them is pretty phenominal. The one I had was nowhere near as sturdy as that one either, so should be a good long term investment and should pay for itself in less weather damage to the car.
Alan S
We've had a couple of these for emergency covers and in the tropical sun with the high UV readings, believe it or not, they last about 3 months maximum before the sun just eats them away like acid.
Then of course if you're really lucky like I was, you get a bloody great cyclone come through a week or do after I'd erected it and strapped it down to all kinds of sturdy structures and in the middle of the 100 MPH winds throwing stuff everywhere, I go outside when it's finished and ........ as they say in the Kindergarten...."all gawn!!" The only way I got Insurance was that we still had a couple of ropes and pegs with small pieces of the cover still attached, I think the rest is still flying off somewhere in space.
As I say, what works for over there isn't a go out here quite often so don't take these comments as derogitory, but there's something you can get from my experience and that is, if there's any heavy weather predicted, be sure you strap it well down as the force that can build up in them is pretty phenominal. The one I had was nowhere near as sturdy as that one either, so should be a good long term investment and should pay for itself in less weather damage to the car.
Alan S
By the time you're old enough to know it all, you can't remember why you were learning.
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Gareth Wales
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AlanS
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- Location: Queensland, Australia
Here's a little tip for anyone who may go for a day at say a track or anywhere that there's those temporary gazebos are used. (The 10' X 10' variety with a pole on each corner and open sides and waterproof roof; I expect you know the ones)
Take a few empty soft plastic fruit juice bottles, 3 litre ones preferrably, and when the cover is erected, go fill the bottles with water and tie to each of the 4 legs oe if they have fittings attached at the top of each pole, tie onto there. The same trick also works well in windy weather if attached to the corners of those light plastic or el cheapo blue tarps to stop them either blowing away or flapping and damaging the paintwork.
When you've finished, you can either empty them and take them home or dump the bottles.
Sounds like the one you've got was much better designed than the ones we see out here.
Alan S
Take a few empty soft plastic fruit juice bottles, 3 litre ones preferrably, and when the cover is erected, go fill the bottles with water and tie to each of the 4 legs oe if they have fittings attached at the top of each pole, tie onto there. The same trick also works well in windy weather if attached to the corners of those light plastic or el cheapo blue tarps to stop them either blowing away or flapping and damaging the paintwork.
When you've finished, you can either empty them and take them home or dump the bottles.
Sounds like the one you've got was much better designed than the ones we see out here.
Alan S
By the time you're old enough to know it all, you can't remember why you were learning.
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Vanny
- Merseyside resident
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BX 16v Ph2 - XPO - x 95
The technique i know of while slightly stolen works pretty well, if your tracking then you usually have a good couple of rims and tyres kicking about. A load of marque straps with the hooks (like ratchet straps but a hook one end and a loop the other) ad over the corners of the tent and onto the tyres, easy!
I am looking at buying a full gazebo sized tent come next summer, would like something canvas but have no way to store it properly so a plastic one it will be, there none to expensive really, certainly less than my current 4 man tent!
I am looking at buying a full gazebo sized tent come next summer, would like something canvas but have no way to store it properly so a plastic one it will be, there none to expensive really, certainly less than my current 4 man tent!
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Gareth Wales
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Nice ones Alan and Vanny.
But the trick that REALLY works* is to anchor the whole thing down with four short lengths of railway line - all we've got left of our railway thanks to a guy called Beeching eho closed all our stations to save money and get him a gong - which is why we now have catastrophic road congestion.
*Don't try this at home.
But the trick that REALLY works* is to anchor the whole thing down with four short lengths of railway line - all we've got left of our railway thanks to a guy called Beeching eho closed all our stations to save money and get him a gong - which is why we now have catastrophic road congestion.
*Don't try this at home.
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Stewart (oily!)
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Just back from a family camping weekend we took a LARGE gazebo for cooking/socialising, worked a treat the make is Winster, the thing has six poles and mesh sides and a fully waterproof top, about 5 metres in diameter, pegged down securely it withstood a reasonable blow, couldnt get the BX in there though, bro in law had his new Audi A6 TD in there 
Stewart
Stewart
TZD 19 TD one of the few
Xantia Td estate, going soft
Xantia Td estate, going soft