im taking my car off the road for 6 months at the end of october but dont have a garage to keep it in so will have to be outside on my driveway!

is there any tips you can give me?

plus how do you stop the interior from becoming mouldy?

 

its a tuff one all I can say is if you cover it up make sure you get a very decent cover as the cheaper ones hold moisture and in icy weather etc stick to the cars paintwork causing damage, My sons has been under cover for near on 2 years outside, and his still smells fresh inside with no mould and just rust on the discs etc

 

Id say dont use a cover as they do more harm than good! the car will get very damp and never dry out. I had one but would never use another! and mine cost 160 lol it was an all singing all dancing breathable one. Even when it had dryed out and the weather was ok the car was still very wet under the cover

 

What car is it?

 

Protect your car from moisture. Keep it covered with a waterproof car cover. Mold is caused primarily by moisture, so you should keep interior of your car as dry as possible. Moreover, make sure that you car windows and doors are rolled up tightly to prevent moisture and debris from getting into your car.

 

Might be an idea to keep the car on axle stands too, so if it does snow the car will be off the ground, protecting tyres etc

 

If you can get a heavy duty tent/small marquee that would be best, i did see them in costco once for Ł60 but when i went back to get 1 theyd gone
That way the cars protected from the elements but loads of room to breath.

 

Couple of bags of dessicant inside should sort any moisture problems

 

if its only six months just leave it outside......why would you cover it?

make sure you have no leaks, thats what causes moisture and mould.

 

over inflate ya tyres,get a good cover and get some de humindifiers inside her,take the cover off once every month or so for a day and she will be fine

 

forget covering it. iys only six months, get some of those moisture absorbing bags like the ones in trainer boxes etc. they should help keep the moisture down.

maybe extra air in tyres to prevent flat spots.

a good coat of wax over the paint work.

i wouldn't put it on axel stands, the car doesn't naturally sit like that and the suspension may not sit the same or have annoying squeaks when its back on the road

 

Id put it on some axle stands to keep the tyres from going lumpy. Or what ever its called. And if the cr is relatively new id keep it outside without a cover tbh. Should be fine. An put the battery on tricle charge

 

its a fiesta st! iv got a corsa work van so taking it off the road for 6 months to save road tax and running costs etc etc!

might look into a heavy duty marque/tent if i can pick one up cheap enough!

do any of you have links to the car covers you used?

 

Best idea is find a rentable garage or a proper stair age place for six months... Not the exspensive and you have piece of mind.

 

yeah, its called dessicant, as stated earlier.

 

Don't forget to disconnect the battery as well

 

Ok ther the way to do this is to get the external car coon - the one with the battery trickle charger....

Dries you car out stops any shit getting anywhere near it and can now condition and top up the battery! They are the BEST!

http://www.carcoon.co.uk/outdoor-carcoon.html

I once kept my fiesta in one for 4 years!

 

Just use it and use a steam cleaner to give it a wash down every week.

 

right found a company who does fitted quality car covers, heres the link if anybodys interested! lot of ford models listed!

http://www.carcarpets.co.uk/ford-121-c.asp

also looking at getting silica gel to trap any moisture! would a 500g bag be enough? or should i get a couple? also where should i place them?

 

Not being funny mate, but a cover at less than Ł50 ain't goin' to be up to much....trust me. If you want a proper quality one, you'll need to pay for it

 

get a gallon of wd40 and spray it over, will come out fresh and shiney

to stop mould i usually us a kitchen disinfectant spray or wipes and give it a once over

 

yeah i know mate, thats the cheapest indoor one! once you select your car theirs more options, im getting the diamond outdoor waterproof one for Ł139!

 

I'd just leave it and maybe just wash it and take it round the block once a month or so

 

I left my old skoda octavia vrs on my mates mums drive for 6 months, just started it every now and again and moved it forwards and back on the drive to stop the brakes seizing and tyre flat spots, also dont leave the handbrake on, leave it in gear.
A cover seems very drastic for a car that aint that old and is only been parked up for 6 months.

 

I used to keep my escos outside every winter. Good coat of wax and sealant. Very good cover that is breathable ( Company and technology I am involved in makes the nonwoven for the better covers). Fill the fuel tank full. Rotate the wheels every couple of weeks.

 

Why it just rent a garage ?

 

Good man you gets what you pays for....

 

I live right on the edge of a forest so need a cover to stop the car getting covered in tree fallout and bird shit etc!

Should I blow up the types to maximum psi rated on the tyre wall? Or would I get away with going a bit higher?

 

If its only 6 months and on your drive just leave it. Wash it regularly and once a month start it and turn it round. That way any water traps will run off and nothing will sit too long in one place. Theres only ever 2 weeks of ice and snow really and standard maintenance applies then, correct tyre pressures, anti freeze etc.

 

I just have my cossie a good jet wash and polish cleaned it out and stuck some water absorbing pots from pound shop inside and started once a week and washed it when it got dirty, I also opened doors on a nice day to air it out snd had no problems!!

 

It's quite a new car, it it'll be fine. Just make sure it's got enough anti freeze in it, keep the tyres properly inflated, maybe take the battery off and keep it in the warm somewhere and forget about it.