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VERY amateur question here so please feel free to slap me **)
Anybody just covering their cars and letting them sit in the snow outside?
What kind of fun is a New England winter going to create with well covered car/truck which won't reveal itself until the spring?
Anybody renting garage space for the winter?
Much appreciated, I've done some thread searching but not much info came to light.
Covering a car can often do more damage then just leaving it outside bare in your nice damp area of the NE - especially if the wrong cover is used. Dampness seeping out of the ground - causes condensation then rust. If a cover can't breathe well, and regardless of any advertising hype they don't, then almost any day that it warms up, condensation will form - then rust on steel and corrosion on aluminum parts. Of course there is the ozone effect on tires, wiring and vinyl interiors.
Brake systems will absorb ambient water
To do a test to satisfy yourself, put an 8' x 10' piece of 4 mil plastic on the ground, on your driveway or often even in a garage. Make sure that it is held down. Wait until the sun hits it the next morning - water(condensation).
Yes, people do store cars outside - and covered. I wont:HMMM:
With a bit of advance searching to find a good deal, indoor winter storage is well advised!!! Usually around here, the nice stuff stays inside and the daily driver sits in the driveway.....!!!!
I'm not that far from you and agree with the others, don't toss anything on it and if you can't rent space then check out those "portable" buildings. A couple guys near me use them with good results. They are just a simple pipe or conduit frame with a cloth type or tarp covering. I've seen them for 4 or 5 hundred for a decent size. Let us know what you decide, just curious!Quote:
Originally Posted by Gretsch
Be very careful of the temporary buildings. You have to keep heavy snow loads off the roof or they will collapse. Don't ask me how I know!:CRY:
I'm with Dave-the dailey driver stays out in the elements-baby--gets a heated garage;)
Now there's a man with his priorities well adjusted!!!!!! Just like me!!!!!:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by bigdude
Gentlemen, thank you for the kind responses. I'm just testing the waters. Not purchasing until next spring but I'm the type who looks into EVERYTHING with so big a purchase. We've never owned a third car before and our home only has a one car garage! Admittedly I haven't looked too terribly hard for garage space being I don't have the pickup yet but I'll poke around the area here.
You may be able to find a nice portable shelther for less on sale at northern tools or harbor freight. How much snow do you get during the winter? If not too much, you could easily knock it off the shelter to avoid problems stated above. If you get 10 inches of snow in one day, maybe one of those aluminum or other metal roofed car ports would be better. Letting a project sit out in the elements will create more work for you than you want. Just look at all those nice rust free old cars from the dessert, vs. the cancer ridden carcasses of 6 yr old cars living outside in New York. Weather and salt are hard on steel.
It's a tough one for sure. I remember while living in Wyoming, during the winter, that my room mate and I would get up around the same time and try to start our cars. When it was really cold, we jump one off the other. Then I'd plow a path out to the main road in my old landcruiser. Snow was so high one day I heard a bamm! Got out and found somebody had left their car in the middle of the road, under 3 ft of snow. Didn't phase the landcruiser, car was gone when I got home that night, think the snow plows might of hit it too!:eek:
It's really hit or miss around here with snowfall totals. Mostly due to the ocean. We start off warmer but, once the ocean temps fall then we stay colder longer. I think it was back in the winter of 99/2000 that we broke the hundred inch mark. Last year was a b..ch also. I lost my 3 foot chain link fence in one of last years storms but that is a rarity!Quote:
Originally Posted by Gretsch
My neighbor has a temp building made of 1.250" pipe or tube with a canvas covering and it does really well. The cover snaps into place and the sides can zip open /closed / off and the ends can have a square opening like a garage door size. All in all I was impressed with it.
Also the "self storage" places down here are now catering to the car storage and RV storage needs. You can't work on them there but it beats leaving it outside!
When I lived in Omaha my buddy and I went together and rented a 2 car garage. Actually it was closer to 2.5 car. It had electricity and we were even able to work on them in there. Cost was not too bad and split two ways we had a good value.
Mine had heavy pipes that were 2" covered with a heavy canvas, but all it took was a couple of days of wet snow while we were away. Bent the pipes into a V. (right into the hood of my car.)Quote:
Originally Posted by 34_40
Sorry to hear that! Like I said earlier, we had some 15 inches come down last year and with the drifting I couldn't find my 3 foot fence! All the flat surfaces had 12 to 20 inches on'em. I wonder if the different manufacturers give some type of load rating? It's a good point to be aware of in any event.Quote:
Originally Posted by RestoRod
Well, it was a lesson learned. :(
This would be my main fear - the structure failing/deteriorating. Honestly I don't think my wife would dig the look either. However this was the basis of my original question. For the price of some of these tube and canvas units I think I would just choose to pay $50 a month for dry storage.
Just need the truck! Haha. Browsing Ebay and Hotrodhotline is killing me. So many beauties...
If u have a single car gatage ,put it there and the daily out. Thats the way it with us. She don't like it ,but I pay for the cars.
My neighbor has his 78 buick outside and the plucking BMW of his wife is in the garage!!!. Also his 42 power wagon ambulance outside. !!! Never moves. Shame.
I stored my unfinished at the time 31 chevy outside for 2 winters and lost the motor. and had to start all over from scratch. Don't get divorced over it.:whacked:
don't do it!:whacked:
i've had two good quality tents over the years!, do you want to talk about high humidity,even in winter! yes they have vents. but way too small! i noticed a ton of surface rust showing up on frames,brakes etc etc. lets not even talk about snow loads, or wind storms!
beg borrow or rent a wooden structure garage,baby will thank you for it!:D
I've used those quonset hut shaped fabric garages and had very good luck. The snow just slides off them if there is too much.
Never let your car sit over dirt as the moistture in the soil will rust anything over it if the car itself is covered. Put down a waterproof tarp/poly for the car to sit on.
I have had to leave a car out during a winter or two while building another. Get a soft cover, then a waterproof tarp or polyethelene that extends all the way down to the asphalt/concrete/tarp so minimal moisture get underneath. I've used rope to keep the tarp/poly in place so the wind does not blow it off.