Do you leave your wedge outside in winter

[Nick Brough]

Hi,

Started the same thread in the Griff section just wondering if the wedge boys are softer.

I know it has been asked before but how many people leave their wedge outside and use it in winter and it still prove reliable.

Regards

Nick

[Aeroflop]

Definedly not

19th of February, -20C - see the amount of snow on the top of the doghouse:
http://aero.1g.fi/kuvat/misc/_DSC1718.JPG

[mrzigazaga]

I sold a harley chop to buy my wedge and done the stupidest thing ever..Gave up my garage two weeks before i bought it..So yes mine has spent its first winter outside, Under cover..I did use it on the odd day but there was a lot of snow on the road and there was very nearly a few 360ish brown trouser moments..

[400SE Dave]

Stays in the garage but no issues in driving it in sub zero temps as long as it is dry.

No need to more about road salt these days, the councils never do the roads

[Tasmin 200]

I did last year, but I've cleared the garage since then so no it'll be tucked up next winter.

No idea about reliability though as it doesn't go in the sunshine either...

[jmorgan]

I use mine in the winter. Or rather I used to, only managed 350 odd miles last year. As long as it is not too cold I will go for a drive.

[grahamw48]

Wedgeless at the moment, but always used mine year-round (top down of course) with no issues. More power too !

Got to be better for them, being used.

Garaged though, and any muck cleaned off.

[jmorgan]

If I had been out after salting I would give the underneath a god rinse and get the hose in the awkward bits.

[dixiebabes]

First year i bought it, was outside for the winter now stays in my mum's garage all tucked up with a blanket on the concrete floor (Thanks to gas wegde that one)

Dix

[combine]

No way !

[adam quantrill]

Mine is garaged but there isn't much rain over here anyway, and I use it all year round with the top down. Totally reliable.

[wooly350i]

Left mine outside last winter under a cover and it still leaked and bugged the carpet all coz the boys mini needed the garage,its now back inside

[adam quantrill]

When leaving outside for any length of time it's definitely worth picking up the footwell carpets and putting them on the parcel shelf, that way they don't act like big sponges.

[matt-man]

Just thought I would add my ten pence worth in!

My car sat out side covered when not used for the first year of ownership and although it didn't kill it, it certainly didn't do it any good at the time!

The carpets were old and tired and the water finished them off (good excuse to retrim!!) and the other thing was that the cover in the sun (in winter!) managed to blister the paint which is really common on fibreglass cars...

In short, if you have no choice but for this (and I say this for any classic car) to sit outside, then go for it-life's too short! If you can get it inside, it will pay itself off, I promise!!!!

[chedder]

Mine has lived outside for 6 years now, no problem with electrics, or getting it started, only visible evidence is deterioration of the paint finish.

Helps to find the leaks to the interior and then cure them fast too!

Chedder

[SuffolkFox]

The Wedge spent a number of years outside with the previous owner so carpets and underlay are now dry but have that interesting fungal whiff to them and the runners on the drivers side seat is shot. Another thing you need to be aware of though is the effect on the paintwork. GRP can get moisture in it as water can track into it from the back along the fibres and the long-term effect can be pimpling of the surface (bits of ours feel like a teenagers face) as the moisture delaminates and micro-blisters the face. This is very much dependent on the quality of the work done in the first place so two identical Tivs outside, one could be spotless and the other spotty. Ours now lives in garage when not in use and I would suggest inside if possible to be on the safe side with any GRP vehicle.

[wedgeinald]

Mine had "micro blistering" which the spray guy only spotted when he started the rub down, eneded up being a back to fibreglass job in the end. Put the bill up by a fair chunk (although I did ask why he didn't see it when he quoted for the job!) but was well worth it in the end and hopefully sorted now.

Apart from when I'm out in it (or away like Classic Le Mans etc) mine stays in the garage.

In fairness it had been sat idle for 13 years before I got it, so not suprising it had a few issues!

Norman