Keeping a Caterham outside

[sone]

If and when I buy my car might have to stay on the drive. Security isn't to much of a concern just the well being of the car. Any advice as to which covers to use etc.

Thanks

Steve

[Ult-Jim]

Talk to seven speed, here's a link http://www.sevenspeed.co.uk/collections/types?q=Ca...
Not a problem if not a garage queen

[framerateuk]

I bought the stormforce cover for mine.

Plans were to keep it outside but now it's hidden away in the other half's parents' garage. The covers seem pretty good. Easy to fit once you've worked it out too.

The only problems you'll run into are that you can't attach it while the car is wet, and also you won't be able to put it straight on since the exhaust and engine will be warm! So you need to give the car half an hour or so to cool down to a more reasonable temp.

[trixical]

Another vote for a stormforce here, I've just tucked mine up in it. It comes with a rubber tag on each side halfway along the long side as well as the straps, I'm going to hook an elastic strap between them under the car over the winter in case of high winds catching under the cover.
& From my findings with all the rain this summer I would advise putting some boards or similar between the windscreen & rollbar if there is heavy rain due as it can create quite a swimming pool between the doors (on the cover) otherwise!

[sone]

Thanks for advice , will get one on order(-:

[Dr Slotter]

I have a Stormforce too and have modified it for extra wind resistance with a pair of holes near each wheel (when on the car obv.) that I hook some rubberised bungee cords through after passing them through spokes of my wheels.

[TangoGTR]

Steve, you can borrow mine until you get some extra garage space sorted.



No idea which make it is, as came with the car, but does have raised section for headlamps, plus straps for underneath to keep it safe in any wind

Dave

[sone]

TangoGTR said:

Steve, you can borrow mine until you get some extra garage space sorted.



No idea which make it is, as came with the car, but does have raised section for headlamps, plus straps for underneath to keep it safe in any wind

Dave

Feck me Dave what under that the Bat car. I

[TangoGTR]

I just want to wait for your missus to see a covered car out the front of your house and kick off

[sone]

TangoGTR said:

I just want to wait for your missus to see a covered car out the front of your house and kick off

If its wrapped like that ill kick off(-:

[framerateuk]

That cover is quite huge compared to the car! The Stormforce one from SevenSpeed is pretty tight to the car.

Actually, because of the strange angles at the front, I've had someone ask me if I'm keeping a Morgan under there

[TangoGTR]

framerateuk said:

Actually, because of the strange angles at the front, I've had someone ask me if I'm keeping a Morgan under there

Or as someone said to me it reminded them of speed buggy

[sone]

Ult-Jim said:

Talk to seven speed, here's a link http://www.sevenspeed.co.uk/collections/types?q=Ca...
Not a problem if not a garage queen

Thanks for advice, ordered one online yesterday from seven speed, the site says email confirmation would follow which it hasn't , emailed them no response and called them twice but no answer.
Hopefully they are still trading as my account has been debited.
Hopefully they're just very busy!.

[framerateuk]

sone said:

Thanks for advice, ordered one online yesterday from seven speed, the site says email confirmation would follow which it hasn't , emailed them no response and called them twice but no answer.
Hopefully they are still trading as my account has been debited.
Hopefully they're just very busy!.

Only got mine a fortnight ago so I wouldn't worry too much, I'm sure they've just been busy!

[sone]

framerateuk said:

sone said:

Thanks for advice, ordered one online yesterday from seven speed, the site says email confirmation would follow which it hasn't , emailed them no response and called them twice but no answer.
Hopefully they are still trading as my account has been debited.
Hopefully they're just very busy!.

Only got mine a fortnight ago so I wouldn't worry too much, I'm sure they've just been busy!

Can I ask how long it took from placement of order?.

[framerateuk]

I think I ordered on a Saturday, and it arrived on Thursday.

[sone]

framerateuk said:

I think I ordered on a Saturday, and it arrived on Thursday.

That's quite good then, fingers crossed.

Cheers

Steve

[delmatt]

Without wanting to come across as all doom and gloom you should give some thoughts to the general preservation of the car if you plan to keep it outside even under a good cover. I have recently bought a 1998 car that had been kept outside under cover and it is actually quite a pain. My previous Caterhams had more miles but had been garaged since new. The problems are all small but it has been a real pain to undo any of the usual nuts and bolts on this new car, mainly due to corrsion that has grown between the ally and steel wherever they meet. Everything is much harder to undo from the windscreen bolts through to the bolt on the oil tank and I can only put this down to the fact that it has lived outside. Maybe making sure the bolts you undo regularly are clean and possibly lightly greased. A spraying of WD 40 on some exposed suspension areas might also be worth a try. I know they are meant to be used but they do not last as well as a mainstream car if they are not cared for in a loving way!

[sone]

delmatt said:

Without wanting to come across as all doom and gloom you should give some thoughts to the general preservation of the car if you plan to keep it outside even under a good cover. I have recently bought a 1998 car that had been kept outside under cover and it is actually quite a pain. My previous Caterhams had more miles but had been garaged since new. The problems are all small but it has been a real pain to undo any of the usual nuts and bolts on this new car, mainly due to corrsion that has grown between the ally and steel wherever they meet. Everything is much harder to undo from the windscreen bolts through to the bolt on the oil tank and I can only put this down to the fact that it has lived outside. Maybe making sure the bolts you undo regularly are clean and possibly lightly greased. A spraying of WD 40 on some exposed suspension areas might also be worth a try. I know they are meant to be used but they do not last as well as a mainstream car if they are not cared for in a loving way!

Yes I can see your point and thanks for your comments. To be honest I think its only a short term issue for me and the car will hopefully be garaged shortly.

cheers

steve

[MadHatter7]

Steve i take it your car cover arrived ok then ?