damp and moisture

[kingofhearts1961]

Hi all

my pride and joy was kept garaged since i owned her, now due to divorce (dont go there) i have to park my tuscan on the drive, no garage.

I have purchased a cover from halfords tripple ply waterproof etc, i also purchased 2 condensation gizmos place inside the car.

Inside the car both the windscreen and rear window are dripping wet, im worried this will cause problems over the winter. Anyone have any ideas or thoughts on this matter. Thanks

[lestershaw]

Hiya
i have 2 car covers
a hamilton classic which is supposed to fit a chimaera, but its not a great fit, but it does a great job of keeping the car dry and its breathable, although i you havent got a garage do you roll it up at night.
i also have a great fitting "noahs" cover but that isnt completely waterproof but it doesnt sweat, i use that one in conjunction with a half cover
:-)

[ajp70]

I use Classic Additions fitted covers, the expensive all weather ones. In the past many covers have been used and the cheaper ones are OK for occasional use but often disappoint. I think I paid £225 but it really does the job.

[Goaty Bill]

Albeit mine was always garaged, I always left a small fan heater inside on a low setting with the windows down a 1/4 - 1/2 inch for the winter months.

I see no reason why this wouldn't work outdoors (under a car cover), probably ideally with a dedicated RCCD unit.
Any decent electrician can advise you on the safest way to do this for both you and the car, (and assuming that your not in a fourth floor flat or something).

If parked outside, it's probably not a bad idea to throw the cover into the clothes drier as often as possible as well.

I've done all of the above any time mine has been outdoors out of necessity (ditto on "don't go there"), and had no problems.

[JonathanT]

I'd have thought that if the inside of your windows are "dripping wet" then you have a water ingress problem that should be looked at. I've had my Chim parked outside in the cold and wet in the past and it's been absolutely fine - nothing more than misting up on cold mornings.

[KillerJim]

Yeah, I'd be more of the opinion that you have a significant water ingress problem.

When not parked in the garage the Sagaris is covered 24/7 with a car cover, and I've never had any water inside the car.. even steamy windows, but the car's never out in the wet to gain moisture off clothes or wet coats.

[C3BER]

You need some air going through the car to keep the damp away. Plastic covers aid in keeping the inside wet if you have a water issue and can bubble your body work. Keep some towels below the glass and dry often before you atart getting mildew growth. I'm sorry not the answer you want but use it once a week at least to keep the damp down but that can be catch 22.

[RedSpike66]

You need to check under your floor mats... you might find a litre of water or two... My Sag lives outdoors (the selfish basrds round here won't rent me a garage even tho they don't use theirs !!!!! ), and it has prooved a challenge to get rid of the leaks - doors seals 99.99% of the time the culprit. Seems to be fixed now, but it took a hairdryer a full day to dry it out (with the windows and the tailgate half open)

Grrrrr.

Not my hairdryer I hasten to add

[lestershaw]

i had leaks on my last chimaera in which the heater was brilliant
i found a hoover attachment that fitted to the vent under the dash and just let the hoover hose aim at whatever damp patch i wanted to dry, it was a great excuse to go for a drive!!

[geoffphead]

As a time served sparky I would not like a fan heater left running any any circumstances, better to use a green house tubular heater which is water proof and safe to be left on for long periods of time.The biggest problem is exhausting the damp air otherwise it heats up and condenses back onto cold surfaces.I seem to remember that someone does a cover with a vent system.I have a golf GTI mk1 that lives outside(Tam stays in the heated garage)That I use a rechargable dehumidifier which does help

[GAjon]

Heating promotes the growth of mould and fungus so should be avoided.
Try a local caravan / campervan shop, they usually have a good selection of moisture catchers ( I use 2 Aldi ones on my van) also you may be able to get some silverscreens to cover your front and rear glass, which should help keep the condensation down.

[Stone Cold]

I have just purchased an S3 and as I dont have a garage she will also be kept outside on the drive. I have a fully waterproof half cover (Leven) that covers the front/rear screens and removable panels only and I have purchased a Custom (made specifically for the S3) Outdoor Breathable Car Cover from Classic Additions to cover the entire car. From all the threads I read on the subject it seemed that you must go for a fully breathable weatherproof cover, rather than fully waterproof to prevent condensation etc. the downside is the covers from Classic Additions are not cheap £200+ for mine so I hope they are as good as people say (mine has not arrived yet)

Edited by Stone Cold on Tuesday 29th November 17:27

[Goaty Bill]

lestershaw said:

i had leaks on my last chimaera in which the heater was brilliant
i found a hoover attachment that fitted to the vent under the dash and just let the hoover hose aim at whatever damp patch i wanted to dry, it was a great excuse to go for a drive!!

Personally I see little benefit to your solution Lester.
Without the attachment, you have a reason (no excuses needed) to take a longer drive



Okay seriously; it's quite a good idea for when you are in a hurry (being mostly serious) or just any time it's needed.
You got a part number for that attachment, in case I should ever need it?

[blueg33]

I was just wondering if a Carcoon would be the answer? I guess it depends on where your car is parked and how easy it is to access it. They do an outside version.

[lestershaw]

Goaty Bill said:

Personally I see little benefit to your solution Lester.
Without the attachment, you have a reason (no excuses needed) to take a longer drive



Okay seriously; it's quite a good idea for when you are in a hurry (being mostly serious) or just any time it's needed.
You got a part number for that attachment, in case I should ever need it?

i will see if it has a part number, its from an old hoover, i may have to check the model, but i am sure any attachment would fit to a certain extent<
only quite a good idea :-)

[Goaty Bill]

blueg33 said:

I was just wondering if a Carcoon would be the answer? I guess it depends on where your car is parked and how easy it is to access it. They do an outside version.

Those are surprisingly good prices I would have thought, (without comparing to anyone else).
Navigating the web site is a bit of a nuisance, but it is possible...

Under £500 incl. vat for a 'blow up' garage.

[swisstoni]

I kept a Chimaera outside for some years without ill effect. I had a Leven half cover, purely to keep the worst of the water out. Anything larger will be more trouble than it is worth because putting on, taking off, keeping clean and storage will be such a faff that you will end up not bothering anyway.

Obviously fix any gross leaks but be prepared for a trickle from somewhere. This will obviously accumulate at the bottom of the car. Lift the front mats so they do not rest on the floor. They will not soak up water that way. Mop up any pools that accumulate in the footwells. Rear carpets, if soaked, will have to be dabbed as dry as possible from time to time.

Let the car air out as often as possible.

Be glad they are made of plastic!

[AdvocatusD]

I use this in my T350T, which in winter has a thin film of moisture over the front and rear windscreens.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

I only got it last week, but I do think it is helping.

[blueg33]

Goaty Bill said:

Those are surprisingly good prices I would have thought, (without comparing to anyone else).
Navigating the web site is a bit of a nuisance, but it is possible...

Under £500 incl. vat for a 'blow up' garage.

Considering some covers are £250, I reckon £500 is an excellent price.

[Longers]

blueg33 said:

Considering some covers are £250, I reckon £500 is an excellent price.

£250 is still cheap compared to the cost of a garage. And you can take the cover with you