Inflatable car cover

[turbomoggie]

Hi everyone,

Our garage is a bit damp and I'm worried about my R32 Skyline GTR rusting in there. I'm hoping to do some work on the garage to improve this, but this will probably be summer 2025. I'm looking at getting a carcoon type cover. Space is very very tight in the garage already so I think it's going to have to be one of the fully inflatable models (rather than the freestanding units which have rods in to keep them expanded even without the fans running).

Does anyone have any advice? I was going to go ahead and order a Carcoon but the recent reviews and feedback is making me feel a bit hesitant (I've also recently tried calling and emailing them with a query and neither have been answered). Are there any good quality alternatives? Any advice from anyone otherwise about these covers?

Thanks!

[Super Sonic]

If the damp is in the air, covering your car won't keep the damp out. In fact it could make it worse due to lack of ventilation. Condensation will settle on your car in the morning, but won't evaporated in the daytime.

[Gericho]

You could run a dehumidifier in your garage and may not need a car bubble at all. Some info here https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

I sugggested using a dehumidifier tub as a starting point (see link in the thread posted)

[turbomoggie]

There's plenty of ventilation - the back door allows plenty of air to pass through around the frame and there's a few gaps between the roof and walls on the sides which allow air to circulate but don't allow rain in. The main issue is that one of the side walls of the garage is bordering my neighbour's garden. Their ground level is higher than ours. So the wall of the garage on their side gets wet/damp when it rains.

Eventually I would like to use some tanking slurry or something on that side to try and stop the water passing in to the garage.

I think the garage is too "leaky" to use a dehumidifier - its not sealed well enough.

[MarkwG]

I have a carcoon I use outside: works fine, if you have the space it should be fine inside. I'd be sure there are no protruding sharp points that could pierce the skin as it inflates, otherwise it should do what you need it to.

[blueg33]

I used to use an outdoor carcoon and put a dehmidifier inside it. Worked very well.

[Hippea]

Has anyone used a carcoon in a barn without power? Wondering if you can run them off a car battery?

[andy43]

Oh. I thought this was an insurance question.

[oobster]

MarkwG said:

I have a carcoon I use outside: works fine, if you have the space it should be fine inside. I'd be sure there are no protruding sharp points that could pierce the skin as it inflates, otherwise it should do what you need it to.

Any pics Mark?

[MarkwG]

oobster said:

MarkwG said:

I have a carcoon I use outside: works fine, if you have the space it should be fine inside. I'd be sure there are no protruding sharp points that could pierce the skin as it inflates, otherwise it should do what you need it to.

Any pics Mark?

Don't think so - I'm not using it this year, made other arrangements. I'll have a hunt through just in case.

[Miserablegit]

Hippea said:

Has anyone used a carcoon in a barn without power? Wondering if you can run them off a car battery?

The old ones used to be able to do that- they had a connection to the battery which trickle charged the battery - if mains power was lost the battery then powered the carcoon fans but I think they might have changed this to avoid batteries going flat.
It’s fairly simple to run the carcoon from a battery rather than the mains but will require a cable to be made up.

[swisstoni]

They are very good for fighting condensation by constantly changing the air. I have 4 cars living in airchambers (the framed versions) and even the brake disks show no rust after months.

[turbomoggie]

Thanks for the opinions everyone. I think I'm going to order one.

[Odds]

I've been using Carcoons inside and outside for many years - currently have my old Mini in the outdoor one.

Good products let down by poor customer service (as you've experienced)

[blueg33]

Odds said:

I've been using Carcoons inside and outside for many years - currently have my old Mini in the outdoor one.

Good products let down by poor customer service (as you've experienced)

They can be difficult to buy too.

I used my outdoor carcoon (bought from Demon Tweeks) for 2 years and sold it on facebook marketplace for more than I paid!

[so called]

I have a Carcoon.
The first time I used it, I had to leave the car for 4 weeks due to a business trip to North America.
After a week, my wife called and informed me that it had deflated.

When I got home I sorted the Carcoon problem, (electrical connection), BUT discovered that in a number of places on my car, the paint work had blistered.

Weather this was due to some kind of chemical reaction between the paint and the new Carcoon materials, I suspect, but have no proof.

The respray cost me about £8k and I've not used the coon since.

[swisstoni]

Just to add; other makes are available. All mine are Airchambers.
Less bulky frame and thicker gauge plastic.

But they all have their pros and cons.

[paulguitar]

andy43 said:

Oh. I thought this was an insurance question.