Am I crazy?

[Sprinty]

Hi,

I’m thinking of getting a Westfield but here’s the problem - my garage has been converted so it would have to sit outside (under a cover I guess)

Am I totally crazy and would end up with a pile of dust or is it do-able?

Thanks

[CraigHew]

Sure is, lots of people do it very sucessfully.  In terms of covers, they range from an expensive, excellent pop-up garage type tent to very well made insulated, breathable covers.

[XTR2Turbo]

Dave Eastwood to the boardroom pls

 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Keep it outside, pah, I built the last one outside!

With a suitable cover, it's absolutely fine, just be aware of keeping on top of any preventative maintenance as far as rust etc goes.

I use mine all year round anyway, so use products like ACF50 on the suspension parts come winter and salted roads. (Though I have been a bit tardy in this the year before last, due to other distractions). The main thing is if you get the interior soaked on a run, try and dry as much as possible before covering it back up again.

[DonPeffers]

What's the insurance angle of westie parked at home but outside?

I know my insurance states must be garaged 10pm to 6am at home address.

[TAFKARM]

Get an Elise

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

15 minutes ago, RussH said:

Get an Elise

No better/no worse! early ones at least, are little different to a kit car when it comes to how well they cope with being kept outside. (As told to me by a long standing Elise specialist).

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

28 minutes ago, DonPeffers said:

What's the insurance angle of westie parked at home but outside?

I know my insurance states must be garaged 10pm to 6am at home address.

Without wanting to state the obvious, that'll be because you've stated it's kept in a garage normally. It's not an uncommon clause on specialist policies, from what I can see.

There doesn't seem to be a huge difference in premiums, if any, for my area, between stored on the drive, and stored in a garage. Funnily enough, I have a similar clause to your's but mine involves not keeping it parked on the road when at home.

I do have to have an immobiliser fitted, but that's only because I happen to have an unusual set of insurance circumstances. (It's complicated and all to do with not having any "normal" car insurance for a daily driver - I have a pickup through the business on commercial insurance).

[Rory's Dad]

Read somewhere that a leaf blower is the thing to dry off your car!

[darve]

45 minutes ago, Rory's Dad said:

Read somewhere that a leaf blower is the thing to dry off your car!

Given the other thread about using the dishwasher......... just use the wife's hairdryer......

[Lyonspride]

The cover is important, it's got to be breathable and preferably not touching the ground.

I had mine outside one winter after a house move and it made a right mess of it, most notably the carbs went from shiny/clean to covered in corrosion, brake discs, brake calliper pistons (siezed) and suspension parts corroded, took a lot of work to get right again.

If I had to do it again, the cover would be supported off the car where possible, it would not touch the ground and I would rig some sort of ventilation system using PC fans, just to keep air moving under there to stop moisture attaching itself to the car and rotting anything.

[toys4x4boys]

I've never had a garage, nor had a car on SORN over winter.

 

My Boxster lived outside for 4 years, much to the amusement of members of the Porsche owners club who kept theirs in heated air conditioned garages that would put my living room to shame !

The Westy will do the same.

 

 

I've got a soft bits for sevens storm cap on it, over the half roof, and have the full side screen fitted.

If it gets really wild out, I have a cheap nasty cover that can go over it.

I also have a cheapo waterproof rucksack over the air filters, you can just see it poking out the bonnet in this pic ( yeah its colour coded yellow )

 

 

If it can't survive a few years outside without falling to bits, it'll be the last one I have.

It's a car, made from parts that have survived since the 70's in some cases.

 

The secrets are

Use it, keep it outside by all means, but get it out and used, they rot outside because they aren't loved enough to be used

Don't wrap it up too tight, you want airflow, not moisture build up.

 

Oh, and after really heavy rain, the excess water runs out of the holes you will have drilled in the floor !

 

 

[Mark (smokey mow)]

28 minutes ago, Lyonspride said:

If I had to do it again, the cover would be supported off the car where possible, it would not touch the ground and I would rig some sort of ventilation system using PC fans, just to keep air moving under there to stop moisture attaching itself to the car and rotting anything.

You've just described a Carcoon, which is what i'd be using if i had to store mine outside for any length of time.

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

I have a Carcoon Veloce and its a great piece of kit.

I dont use it outside though.

 

[Lyonspride]

3 hours ago, toys4x4boys said:

I've never had a garage, nor had a car on SORN over winter.

 

My Boxster lived outside for 4 years, much to the amusement of members of the Porsche owners club who kept theirs in heated air conditioned garages that would put my living room to shame !

The Westy will do the same.

 

 

I've got a soft bits for sevens storm cap on it, over the half roof, and have the full side screen fitted.

If it gets really wild out, I have a cheap nasty cover that can go over it.

I also have a cheapo waterproof rucksack over the air filters, you can just see it poking out the bonnet in this pic ( yeah its colour coded yellow )

 

 

If it can't survive a few years outside without falling to bits, it'll be the last one I have.

It's a car, made from parts that have survived since the 70's in some cases.

 

The secrets are

Use it, keep it outside by all means, but get it out and used, they rot outside because they aren't loved enough to be used

Don't wrap it up too tight, you want airflow, not moisture build up.

 

Oh, and after really heavy rain, the excess water runs out of the holes you will have drilled in the floor !

 

 

 

Your going to find that water gets in via the windscreen skuttle/bonnet gap, gets on top of the foot wells and then seeps into the foot wells themselves, which then pools and starts attacking things.