Storing cars outside

[TB2]

Some of you have quite a collection. Where do you store all of those cars? Do you have huge barns or do you own a garage?

I don't have space for another car in my garage so one of the two BXs has to stay outside. I'm thinking of getting one of those full body covers.

1) Has anyone had any positive experience with these?

2) Do they keep the body dry? Are they any good for keeping humidity out?

3) Is the heat reduction in summer significant?

4) Are they really any good against hail? Some claim they are but I doubt it.

5) What kind of material should I be looking for?

Thanks.

[Dollywobbler]

I've got four cars, only one of which fits in my garage at a time. The rest stay outside. Personally, I think that's fine as long as they're being used/de-salted during winter.

[MULLEY]

I've been thinking about buying a cover, i've seen a few on the bay of grot, supposedly breathable & waterproof along with anti scratch as well. Anyone got any experience of car covers? or do they actually cause more harm than actual good?

[Tim Leech]

I've been thinking about buying a cover, i've seen a few on the bay of grot, supposedly breathable & waterproof along with anti scratch as well. Anyone got any experience of car covers? or do they actually cause more harm than actual good?

Ive got some car covers which were bought at the NEC one year, they were about £80 each, but are waterproof and a good fit, the only problem is they do sweat a bit so when its dry I take them off and let the car breath.

As Ian says leaving them outside isnt too bad as long as they are protected, a regular clean and good coat of polish wont do any harm on top and waxoil underneath.

[MULLEY]

I presume they aren't breathable Tim?

[TB2]

From another source I got the hint that apparently these are supposed to be beyond awesome...

http://permabag.com/index.php?locus=htt ... pyjama.php

Scroll down for the Auto-Storm AQUA or CLASSIC. At the bottom are the prices. Expensive! Well I'll think about it.

I never polished a car. maybe I should start doing that.

[DFF53]

I dont have a garage, so all my cars live outside. As far as you keep them clean and used regularly there is no problem leaving them outside. With car covers, they are designed to keep large quanties of water from the car and also dust. On cold mornings you'll find condesation between the cover and car body which i can't imagine is good. The only real option is as above a sealed car sleeping bag.

[Tim Leech]

I presume they aren't breathable Tim?

They are apparently

[KevR]

Mine live outside most of the time. I think if they're in regular use, it doesn't do them any major harm - the get wet, but they dry properly, you're keeoping the tyres flexible by using them, etc, but if they're just sitting, I think they deteriorate much more quickly if they're outside.

[Linegeist]

This is an interesting subject for me.

We have a 2-year-old, top end VW Bora which we bought new simply because the dealer was almost giving them away as long as you paid cash. The bright idea was to have a 'car for best' which we'd use but rarely, cosset, and keep in the garage nice and snug until we felt like being posh. Big mistake.

Now this is a new garage - we got it built 3 years ago, so it's dry, clean and weatherproof - nevertheless, since garaging the Bora for a year I had to replace all 4 discs (rusted, flaking and rotten) along with the pads, unseize the handbrake mechanism (corroded) after a 2 month peroid of non-use with the handbrake off, and I spent a happy Sunday removing green mould from trim and rubbers with a tootbrush in soapy water. Also, when servicing the car in the spring (yeah I know it's a new car - but I don't trust garages any more), I was horrified to find flaky rust appearing on the subframes.

I waxoyled the car last year, and we've kept it outside since - with no further problems at all.

Now I have to build a blasted car port for it - so I'm currently demolishing as 200-year-old drystone wall and barrowing around about 5 tons of large rocks. I should have let the Bora rot........

[DavidRutherford]

Garages are not good places to keep cars. Really.

They are often damp, and because they have limited airflow in them, any damp on the vehicle simply stays there, and causes corrosion.

"Built in" garages to houses are a bit better, as you get some heating effect from the house, which will keep some of the damp out, but they're still not good.

The best place I have ever found to keep a car is under a carport. This will prevent the car from getting rained on, but the massive airflow around the car will keep it dry. Any overnight condensation will go as soon as there is airflow or sunshine.

The alternative is something like a carcoon. Expensive (~£200 per car) but the forced feed airflow will keep the car dryer than anything else.

[Wooscary]

Just spare a thought for me, I have to store my car on the streets of inner city Manchester! Never know what I'm going to find in the morning.

[Linegeist]

Just spare a thought for me, I have to store my car on the streets of inner city Manchester! Never know what I'm going to find in the morning.

Gosh! Car fairies. That must be a bitch! It must make life difficult with insurance and stuff.

I can imagine the suspense as you wake up in the mornings .............. "Hmm, I wonder what I'll have out there today. A Roller or a Reliant .......... ?????"

[cavmad]

Just spare a thought for me, I have to store my car on the streets of inner city Manchester! Never know what I'm going to find in the morning.

Gosh! Car fairies. That must be a bitch! It must make life difficult with insurance and stuff.

I can imagine the suspense as you wake up in the mornings .............. "Hmm, I wonder what I'll have out there today. A Roller or a Reliant .......... ?????"

If it was Liverpool it's be a couple of bricks and some broken glass!

[Wooscary]

Luckily so far the worst has been the gangs of magpies crapping all over it.