Everyday classic, garage or not?
Discussion
I'm considering an MGB GT as a daily, I have a garage that appears fairly waterproof, but there must be some dampness as the MDF shelves on my racking has a light covering of mould.
Just wondering if garaging the MG in those conditions would be better or worse than leaving outside?
Obviously it would be out of the sun for longer
Would it be worth ventilating the garage? (it's got a roller door at one end, double-glazed window and door at the other, trickle vents over the window)
Car would be in and out nearly every day, all weathers. I'm in and out doing stuff as well, so not it's worth dehumidifying it (especially as the garage isn't fully sealed)?
Anyway, all thoughts gratefully received and appreciated
Just wondering if garaging the MG in those conditions would be better or worse than leaving outside?
Obviously it would be out of the sun for longer
Would it be worth ventilating the garage? (it's got a roller door at one end, double-glazed window and door at the other, trickle vents over the window)
Car would be in and out nearly every day, all weathers. I'm in and out doing stuff as well, so not it's worth dehumidifying it (especially as the garage isn't fully sealed)?
Anyway, all thoughts gratefully received and appreciated
My midget and alpine were okay in a similarish garage. Leave the roller door open a bit to increase ventilation.
Eta I made the mistake of a dust cover once, it trapped moisture. Better open, with air flow. Crack the car windows open too.
Eta I made the mistake of a dust cover once, it trapped moisture. Better open, with air flow. Crack the car windows open too.
Edited by PositronicRay on Friday 14th April 09:56
Inside will always be better than out, just make sure there's good ventilation - you want to keep water out but let air flow through.
And the "Garaged within 1/2 mile of home" insurance clause is only the default value. Many/most insurance companies will let you add "outside" to a policy, it will just cost you more (as it's less secure/easier to be stolen or hit by someone else, so a higher risk of a claim). I've got 2 cars and 1 garage and my insurance co. we're happy to (charge me to) have 1 down as "Must be garaged overnight within 1/2 mile of home" while the other's only down as "Parked on driveway".
And the "Garaged within 1/2 mile of home" insurance clause is only the default value. Many/most insurance companies will let you add "outside" to a policy, it will just cost you more (as it's less secure/easier to be stolen or hit by someone else, so a higher risk of a claim). I've got 2 cars and 1 garage and my insurance co. we're happy to (charge me to) have 1 down as "Must be garaged overnight within 1/2 mile of home" while the other's only down as "Parked on driveway".
john2443 said:
Some? All? classic insurance says cars must be garaged overnight when at home so that might be the clincher.
Since when? I've had classics on and off for over 30 years using classic insurers (including TVR, Porsche and Lotus) and I've never been told it HAS to be garaged. Perhaps in a city centre / dodgy area maybe but even then, unlikely for an MGB. I keep a 1975 Triumph Toledo outside but it only has the front bumper and a bit of trim left that is chrome. The more chrome / brightwork a car has, the more I'd be inclined to suggest it would need a garage, for this sake, not insurance protocol but if you avoid the worst of the winter / salted roads, the better it''ll be. A 60s Jag for example will not look superb for long kept outside. Don't buy a mint one (aka garage queens) if you are keeping it outside, it WILL deteriorate. The most important thing really is if it is watertight in the rain.
There have been other threads suggesting having a car garaged can actually cost more than just stating 'drive / off the road' due to potential accidents at home.
These cars typically had a short life back in the day as they were badly corrosion treated (if at all) were full of water and condensation traps, and leaked like a sieve.
I have tried keeping classics outside, and personally, they have deteriorated really quickly.
I have had lots of BMC etc stuff and not a single one was water tight.
Personally I can't witness nice stuff going downhill under my custodianship. It's a problem for me, so if I haven't got good storage, I tend to abstain.
You could elect to put the car into professional dehumidified storage from say October to April, and use it at the time of year where it will dry out quickly if it gets wet...
I have tried keeping classics outside, and personally, they have deteriorated really quickly.
I have had lots of BMC etc stuff and not a single one was water tight.
Personally I can't witness nice stuff going downhill under my custodianship. It's a problem for me, so if I haven't got good storage, I tend to abstain.
You could elect to put the car into professional dehumidified storage from say October to April, and use it at the time of year where it will dry out quickly if it gets wet...
vx220 said:
I'm considering an MGB GT as a daily, I have a garage that appears fairly waterproof, but there must be some dampness as the MDF shelves on my racking has a light covering of mould.
Just wondering if garaging the MG in those conditions would be better or worse than leaving outside?
Garaging is better, but get as much crossflow ventilation as possible.Just wondering if garaging the MG in those conditions would be better or worse than leaving outside?
Garaging will help stop sun damage of paintwork, seals drying out, bird mess damage, tree sap, vegetation clogging drains, moss growth, water ingress, clean car getting 'dirty rain' on it, cats jumping on & scratching it, dog/foxes marking it, connections rusting, vandalism etc.
The other issue it may stop is rodent damage & nesting. One of my cars had an old nest, a friends car had rodents eat some wiring stopping it start, & Damian from 'The Car Guys' Youtube channel needed around £6k electrical work after rodents visited his newish Porsche.
One thing though, is your garage wide enough so you can easily get past the car, without scraping/hitting it whilst doing your other stuff?
My car insurance saved £50 by garaging it. If you have an integral garage, with an older house, you may have to check on fire proofing of walls/doors before house insurers will accept it.
sixor8 said:
john2443 said:
Some? All? classic insurance says cars must be garaged overnight when at home so that might be the clincher.
Since when? I've had classics on and off for over 30 years using classic insurers (including TVR, Porsche and Lotus) and I've never been told it HAS to be garaged. Perhaps in a city centre / dodgy area maybe but even then, unlikely for an MGB. :
PS I am semi rural
If you're not going to dehumidify, definitely vent it better, try to get positive airflow through, don't rely on modern building standards to give you a damp-free garage, and open the doors and air it as often as you can.
What you've got now isn't good enough if there's mould on some shelves, so make the necessary changes to get that sorted (and prove to yourself it's sorted in that the mould goes away and doesn't return, not "that ought to do it") before you put a car in there.
No good committing to the car, sticking it in the garage, then finding next winter that your ventilation wasn't good enough or you hadn't aired the place often enough after all.
If you need to do any building work to sort the garage out, bear in mind water is released from mortar and concrete for some time afterwards and that will get into your car's metalwork without a doubt. So make sure it's completely dried out before putting a car in there. I'd guess at a month after work done, but that's a guess.
That aside, just to prevent bird muck and water leaks alone, I'd garage if I could. But I lost a long-cherished classic to condensation (in that I couldn't afford to restore it so had to sell it on) and wouldn't wish the same on anyone else.
What you've got now isn't good enough if there's mould on some shelves, so make the necessary changes to get that sorted (and prove to yourself it's sorted in that the mould goes away and doesn't return, not "that ought to do it") before you put a car in there.
No good committing to the car, sticking it in the garage, then finding next winter that your ventilation wasn't good enough or you hadn't aired the place often enough after all.
If you need to do any building work to sort the garage out, bear in mind water is released from mortar and concrete for some time afterwards and that will get into your car's metalwork without a doubt. So make sure it's completely dried out before putting a car in there. I'd guess at a month after work done, but that's a guess.
That aside, just to prevent bird muck and water leaks alone, I'd garage if I could. But I lost a long-cherished classic to condensation (in that I couldn't afford to restore it so had to sell it on) and wouldn't wish the same on anyone else.
I assume your " daily", classic will not be used when there may be Salt down?
Any 1960s or 70s vehicle used in winter salty weather ,will likely achieve MOT failure due to structural corrosion within 6 to ten years.This is why they just generally got scrapped.
So, unless you wish to use a classic,until you destroy it ,then scrap it,or then do a full rebuild ( which may mean a new shell) every decade or so?etc.
Any 1960s or 70s vehicle used in winter salty weather ,will likely achieve MOT failure due to structural corrosion within 6 to ten years.This is why they just generally got scrapped.
So, unless you wish to use a classic,until you destroy it ,then scrap it,or then do a full rebuild ( which may mean a new shell) every decade or so?etc.
hilly10 said:
sixor8 said:
john2443 said:
Some? All? classic insurance says cars must be garaged overnight when at home so that might be the clincher.
Since when? I've had classics on and off for over 30 years using classic insurers (including TVR, Porsche and Lotus) and I've never been told it HAS to be garaged. Perhaps in a city centre / dodgy area maybe but even then, unlikely for an MGB. :
PS I am semi rural
I'm pretty rural too.
Perhaps your policy requirement depends on what you tell them: presumably the premium would have been a bit lower if I'd told them it was garaged?
hilly10 said:
sixor8 said:
john2443 said:
Some? All? classic insurance says cars must be garaged overnight when at home so that might be the clincher.
Since when? I've had classics on and off for over 30 years using classic insurers (including TVR, Porsche and Lotus) and I've never been told it HAS to be garaged. Perhaps in a city centre / dodgy area maybe but even then, unlikely for an MGB. :
PS I am semi rural
Equus said:
Funnily enough, I insured a Ginetta G15 on a policy with Adrian Flux just yesterday - their online form specifically asks where the car is stored and I ticked the 'on driveway at home address box'; no problem.
I'm pretty rural too.
Perhaps your policy requirement depends on what you tell them: presumably the premium would have been a bit lower if I'd told them it was garaged?
Yes I told them I garaged the car to achieve a lower price, plus the car is mint so no way would I leave it on the drive as TR6s rust for fun. I'm pretty rural too.
Perhaps your policy requirement depends on what you tell them: presumably the premium would have been a bit lower if I'd told them it was garaged?
vx220 said:
I'm considering an MGB GT as a daily, I have a garage that appears fairly waterproof, but there must be some dampness as the MDF shelves on my racking has a light covering of mould.
Just wondering if garaging the MG in those conditions would be better or worse than leaving outside?
Obviously it would be out of the sun for longer
Would it be worth ventilating the garage? (it's got a roller door at one end, double-glazed window and door at the other, trickle vents over the window)
Car would be in and out nearly every day, all weathers.
Has this MBG already been restored (new shell maybe?) and been modern rustproofed afterwards, or is this an original unrestored car?Just wondering if garaging the MG in those conditions would be better or worse than leaving outside?
Obviously it would be out of the sun for longer
Would it be worth ventilating the garage? (it's got a roller door at one end, double-glazed window and door at the other, trickle vents over the window)
Car would be in and out nearly every day, all weathers.
If the later, how long do you envisage using it as a daily for?
sixor8 said:
john2443 said:
Some? All? classic insurance says cars must be garaged overnight when at home so that might be the clincher.
Since when? I've had classics on and off for over 30 years using classic insurers (including TVR, Porsche and Lotus) and I've never been told it HAS to be garaged. Perhaps in a city centre / dodgy area maybe but even then, unlikely for an MGB. I keep a 1975 Triumph Toledo outside but it only has the front bumper and a bit of trim left that is chrome. The more chrome / brightwork a car has, the more I'd be inclined to suggest it would need a garage, for this sake, not insurance protocol but if you avoid the worst of the winter / salted roads, the better it''ll be. A 60s Jag for example will not look superb for long kept outside. Don't buy a mint one (aka garage queens) if you are keeping it outside, it WILL deteriorate. The most important thing really is if it is watertight in the rain.
There have been other threads suggesting having a car garaged can actually cost more than just stating 'drive / off the road' due to potential accidents at home.
largelunchbox said:
All my classics are only insured overnight if in the garage from 10pm till 6am unless you are not at home with the car,so it is a thing
I never denied it was a 'thing,' just that I read the post stating that all classic insurance stated a garage as a requirement. I had misread it and apologised further down if you read the while thread. I've never had it as a requirement, but some do, depending on postcode, value, make etc and all the other variables on insurance.
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