Kit car...without a garage?
Kit car...without a garage?
Author
Discussion

m1spw

Original Poster:

5,999 posts

249 months

Sunday 19th March 2006
quotequote all
If you drive a kit car (*cough* Locost/Caterfield *cough*) do you really need a garage?

I'm not allowed the use of the garage for my car (selfish bloody woman )so I was thinking leaving it on my drive down the side of my house, possible with a canopy/car port type thing.

A stupid idea? Its going to be cold in winter anyway, but is this pushing it too far?

UncleDave

7,155 posts

255 months

Sunday 19th March 2006
quotequote all
I wouldn't have thought so..? Obviously chances of it getting nicked will be greater but that would probably be about it..

It's 00:53 go to bed

UncleDave

7,155 posts

255 months

Sunday 19th March 2006
quotequote all
£3200 for a 1.4 Locost just found the post!!

Where the hell are you getting your quotes.. I got quoted about 5k to insure a TVR 350i, so that seems a bit much for the locost..
Tried confused.com?

dern

14,055 posts

303 months

Sunday 19th March 2006
quotequote all
Mine lives outside with just a tonneau type cover.

m1spw

Original Poster:

5,999 posts

249 months

Sunday 19th March 2006
quotequote all
UncleDave said:
£3200 for a 1.4 Locost just found the post!!

Where the hell are you getting your quotes.. I got quoted about 5k to insure a TVR 350i, so that seems a bit much for the locost..
Tried confused.com?

The £3200 was fully comp. Not sure how much it would be TPFT, I'll have to call them and check. I will point out that that quote was done through one company (Footman James) so by shopping around I'll be able to get it down. I should also be able to get it lower by saying I've got a years road expereince and bike NCB (maybe just a little discount!) and also adding other people onto my insurance. Now to find some old relatives who I can put on my insurance as other drivers...(my mums got 6 points, not good for insurance!)

dern said:
Mine lives outside with just a tonneau type cover.

Did it come with the car or did you buy it separately? How much was it? I did think about a tonneau cover, what does it look like with one on? That would also mean I don't need a windscreen

Sorry for all the annoying questions guys, thanks for being so patient

dern

14,055 posts

303 months

Sunday 19th March 2006
quotequote all
m1spw said:
dern said:
Mine lives outside with just a tonneau type cover.

Did it come with the car or did you buy it separately? How much was it? I did think about a tonneau cover, what does it look like with one on? That would also mean I don't need a windscreen

Sorry for all the annoying questions guys, thanks for being so patient
It came with it but had been made to order. Doesn't look that difficult to be honest. I'll take a picture in a bit - just fixing some stuff at the mo.

Mark

Kiwi XTR2

2,693 posts

256 months

Sunday 19th March 2006
quotequote all
m1spw said:
If you drive a kit car (*cough* Locost/Caterfield *cough*) do you really need a garage?

I'm not allowed the use of the garage for my car (selfish bloody woman )
What about renting a garage ?


Or the covert procurement of a Mistress with a garage

m1spw

Original Poster:

5,999 posts

249 months

Sunday 19th March 2006
quotequote all
Kiwi XTR2 said:
What about renting a garage ?


Or the covert procurement of a Mistress with a garage

There are no garages that could be rented within easy distance. I do have free use of my Grandmas garage, which is currently used for storing stuff my family don't have space for, like a few ancient pedal bikes owned by my cousins. Its about a 10 minute drive away though. If it was going to be a fun weekend or a track car then it would be ideal, but otherwise it would mean running 2 cars, one to go get the other one.

I'm going to check out how much it would cost to put some kind of canopy over my drive down the side of my house, and then just put a car cover/tonneau over it to keep the crap out of it. Its unlikely to get nicked anyway...

Wacky Racer

40,697 posts

271 months

Sunday 19th March 2006
quotequote all
m1spw said:
I've got a years road experience and bike NCB



Errrr, I thought you'd crashed it.....






m1spw

Original Poster:

5,999 posts

249 months

Sunday 19th March 2006
quotequote all
No, nothing like that ever happened. What are you talking about? No one was hurt, no police called, no insurance companies were told. I just dropped it in my garage, thats what the big bill was for, definately didn't have a crash.

Now keep quiet you

Wacky Racer

40,697 posts

271 months

Sunday 19th March 2006
quotequote all
m1spw said:
No, nothing like that ever happened. What are you talking about? No one was hurt, no police called, no insurance companies were told. I just dropped it in my garage, thats what the big bill was for, definately didn't have a crash.

Now keep quiet you



OK........

dern

14,055 posts

303 months

Sunday 19th March 2006
quotequote all
dern said:
m1spw said:
dern said:
Mine lives outside with just a tonneau type cover.

Did it come with the car or did you buy it separately? How much was it? I did think about a tonneau cover, what does it look like with one on? That would also mean I don't need a windscreen

Sorry for all the annoying questions guys, thanks for being so patient
It came with it but had been made to order. Doesn't look that difficult to be honest. I'll take a picture in a bit - just fixing some stuff at the mo.
Here you go. Went for a play in it all afternoon so the pictures are a bit dark and the one of the whole car with the cover on didn't come out at well so have a picture without the cover so you can work out where it sits...





The car has sat outside all winter with just that on. The reason the cover has a 'peak' is that there's a bit of wood on end so that water doesn't pool in the cover. The strap is to keep it down when windy as a couple of the poppers are missing on the other side. When we go away for the weekend I put a full cover on it but only so that it's a bit more out of sight.

BTW, I took all the carpets out (not the transmission tunnel carpet though) and drilled some holes in the floor just in case it got wet inside.

Regards,

Mark

>> Edited by dern on Sunday 19th March 18:32

daxman

8 posts

241 months

Sunday 19th March 2006
quotequote all

Depends where you live. If you live near the coast you benifit from the better weather, but the increased salt in the air is a bummer. Id say a cover would be fine as long as it dosn't touch the paintwork, tends to rub when it gets windy! Make sure the is plently of antifreeze in and you are sure it cant be nicked. Take the battery out that tends to stop starting!

m1spw

Original Poster:

5,999 posts

249 months

Monday 20th March 2006
quotequote all
Hi Mark,

Thanks for the pics. It doesn't look that bad with the cover on! I think what you've done (removing carpets etc) is a great idea, and maybe keeping a small towel to wipe the seats down when they get wet.

I love your car, the bonnet bulge and vents look mint Now to persuade my mum...

dern

14,055 posts

303 months

Monday 20th March 2006
quotequote all
m1spw said:
Hi Mark,

Thanks for the pics. It doesn't look that bad with the cover on! I think what you've done (removing carpets etc) is a great idea, and maybe keeping a small towel to wipe the seats down when they get wet.

I love your car, the bonnet bulge and vents look mint Now to persuade my mum...
Thank you but looks can be deceptive... the bonnet has scrapes all down it where it parted company with the car at 60mph (via my head)

CorseChris

332 posts

257 months

Tuesday 21st March 2006
quotequote all
Our Westy has to sleep outside for 6 months of the year. It's lucky enough to be able to hibernate under cover though.

Normally it has a tonneau cover if the weather is OK but if it rains a lot, we put the roof on it (it has a 'normal' windscreen). Left the carpets in but have drilled some holes in the floor to let the water out on those ocassions we get caught out by bad weather.

If it's a gel-coat finish car, be careful about trapping moisture between the cover and the body - it gets into the surface and makes it go all 'milky' and you can't get it out. If it's a paint finish, no worries.

Worked like this for 15 years with no problems.

m1spw

Original Poster:

5,999 posts

249 months

Tuesday 21st March 2006
quotequote all
CorseChris said:
Worked like this for 15 years with no problems.

This is what I need, positive stories about how well people can cope. I've been thinking about it and I think I'll be a wimp and go for a windscreen and "roof" for the winter, maybe changing to an aeroscreen for summer...

Can't wait for this weekend at totalkitcar live

UncleDave

7,155 posts

255 months

Tuesday 21st March 2006
quotequote all
m1spw said:

Can't wait for this weekend at totalkitcar live


More info pleeeease..

Edit: you took so long I've found it myself! Might join you, need to see more of these beasts in person.

Dave.

>> Edited by UncleDave on Tuesday 21st March 17:46

CorseChris

332 posts

257 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2006
quotequote all
m1spw said:


Can't wait for this weekend at totalkitcar live


...come say hello on the SuperStratos stand - I'll be in the very green CAE Corse. We can talk Westies!!

denisb

509 posts

279 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2006
quotequote all
A guy here keeps his Caterham outside all year without problems. It has the hood on it.

I keep my 'enclosed' kit car outside all year. Asides from having to be fix water ingress and drill/unblock a few drainage holes again no problem.