Garage, car port or...?

[hunta]

What's the recommended optimum storage for a regular (if not daily) driver? I have a garage and don't want to be put off by driving in the wet, but equally don't like the idea of putting away a wet car.

I also have space to put up a car port - covered but open to the sides for ventilation. I could probably get power out to it for trickle charging. Then again, those winters have been cold lately...

The collective opinion would be appreciated.

 

[MarkMas]

Well, I store my QP on the driveway. It seems to have survived so far.....

 

[Felonious Crud]

My GTS lived outside and never complained more than when it was under a cover. My Vantage now lives outside and if I ever get a cover it will be for clean summer / keep-the-dust-off use only. My point is, these cars need to breathe. Unless you have a big airy garage then I'd say you're better off with it outside or in a carport, unless your garage has low humidity, well ventilated or you can keep it in a carcoon or similar. At some point soon I'll be sticking a 2-car carport on the side of my house and I reckon that'll do the job just fine.

 

[hunta]

Well, I store my QP on the driveway. It seems to have survived so far.....

Too many trees and birds around for that. It needs some sort of protection from their high velocity and at times astonishingly prodigious onslaught!

 

[Felonious Crud]

Too many trees and birds around for that. It needs some sort of protection from the vertical onslaught!

You have my sympathy! The rooks round here are shite-filled flying feathered feckers, and a bloody good shot, too. I'd say a carport is the way to go (unless security is a worry and you prefer to keep your car away from prying eyes).

 

[zagatoes30]

Apart from Red Alfas I am not overly bothered where my cars sit. The Spyder spent most of its time on the drive and the QP has been outside for years.

Requirement of next place however is large airy garage or space to build one

 

[JonW]

Wouldn’t give a moment’s thought to parking mine in the garage if it’s wet, so for me - Double garage. Trickle charger attached to the rear wall. Job done.

 

[daverichardson]

Garage

 

[lifes2short]

cant beat a well built and insulated garage to keep your pride and joy in if funds and space available, otherwise car port or a really good quality "breathable" external tailored cover, check out Classic Additions web site

 

[markp4200]

Car Port every time but do make it a bespoke one, not a plastic and aluminium off the shelf version. Your car deserves better than that.
If you put a car away wet underneath, that moisture will do untold damage if left to work.
A car port gives you fresh air blowing underneath constantly.
I agree with the trickle charger and have both my proper cars (not the everyday one) under bespoke car ports with trickle-chargers. Never take either out when the roads are wet.
It is always the underside of the cat that suffers - you can spot what happens on the surface, but not underneath. Mind you leaving it out constantly is not so bad - again the fresh air blowing under will dry out those vulnerable bits.
I bought my first new car in 1982 - a Renault 18 estate.
Kept it outside and generally kept it dry when I could. I became a bit of an anorak about it but the air blowing underneath did wonders. The R18 was notorious for rust but doing this with care meant that when I put it in storage 14 years on, the underneath was virtually perfect - a bit of rust on the top though.
AIR FLOW IS VITAL.

 

[namaste]

Car port for mine. I made my own as the prices are pretty stupid for what they are. My only regret was it was originally made for a Triumph Spitfire I'm restoring (not the most waterproof of cars) so its about 6" too short, so my GT gets a little wet at the ends.

 

[markp4200]

I had mine made to suit the cars I have, with the uprights missing opening doors etc.
So will have to keep the cars now forever ...no hardship there though.
Can you add a little to the front of the car-port to cover the bonnet and boot - probably worth it.

 

[namaste]

I had mine made to suit the cars I have, with the uprights missing opening doors etc.
So will have to keep the cars now forever ...no hardship there though.
Can you add a little to the front of the car-port to cover the bonnet and boot - probably worth it.

Yeah its pretty simple to do and I've been meaning to do it, just shipping costs are dwarfing the small amount of material I need.

 

[Corranga]

Mine is kept garaged. Normal double garage, slight tight fit next to the Lotus, dehumidifier runs 24/7 so if it goes in wet, it comes out dry.

 

[Nibby]

For anyone who intends not to use their car over winter who doesn't have a garage I throughly recommend a Carcoon, I'm using one at the moment until I've built my garage in the Spring, bit of faffing at the moment whilst still using it at weekends but gives great protection against damp and rust.

 

[Matt82]

I'm about to build a car port for my GT, what have those of you with car ports used for roofing and the structure? I've seen timber framed with felt roofs and grey alluminium structures with Perspex. Not sure which direction to go in, it need to look 'pretty' as it's essentially the view from the back garden!

 

[Wanderer]

I have a double garage, but it's full of boxes, POWER5/6 and SPARC servers that I *might* sell on, a dismantled home gym, two bikes, two huge suitcases the ex-M-I-L dumped on my in a fit of pique, and my 1970's pörn collection, with hairy fannies, a fair bit or Scandi-pörn in there since UK largely did airbrushed or asterisked genitals at that time.....

 

[namaste]

I'm about to build a car port for my GT, what have those of you with car ports used for roofing and the structure? I've seen timber framed with felt roofs and grey alluminium structures with Perspex. Not sure which direction to go in, it need to look 'pretty' as it's essentially the view from the back garden!

I went with angled aluminium and blue clear corrugated roofing. Its a cantilever design with some extra support at either end. Looks fine from front and back because there's upvc fascia covering it, but underneath it you can see all the angle and nuts and bolts, which the bought carports do a better job of covering up. Also some **** that drops on the roof is obviously visible under there.

 

[CatmanV2]

I have a double garage, but it's full of boxes, POWER5/6 and SPARC servers that I *might* sell on, a dismantled home gym, two bikes, two huge suitcases the ex-M-I-L dumped on my in a fit of pique, and my 1970's pörn collection, with hairy fannies, a fair bit or Scandi-pörn in there since UK largely did airbrushed or asterisked genitals at that time.....

If you're interested in selling the gym. Or some of the other pieces .....

C

 

[Felonious Crud]

... a Triumph Spitfire I'm restoring (not the most waterproof of cars) ...

Wonderful car! I used to have a mkIII. Not reliable, but a peach when it ran.