Exige with no garage

[ColinM]

I fancy an Exige S but I dont have a garage just a driveway long enough for 2 cars. I am a bit concerned about buying a car that has an engine bay with just a grill covering that lets rain in and leaving it outside all year. Don't fancy any kind of cover because I've nowhere to put it when its off the car. Will the engine be a rusty heap after 5 years ?

[Arun_D]

My Exige lives outside. Has done for the three years I've had it, no adverse issues.

[pthelazyjourno]

It's a car, it'll be fine.

Do it, and enjoy.

[Thorburn]

The K-series cars could get a bit funny with water in the spark plug wells and disti cap, but the Toyota ones have big plastic covers over them.

[jock mcsporran]

It's fine, mine lives on the drive.

[ColinM]

jock mcsporran said:

It's fine, mine lives on the drive.

From your login name I guess you are also in Scotland

Seems like the consensus is that it'll be fine, which is good to hear.

[Kosmo]

I have the same concerns with my recent Exige purchase.... Going to get SWMBO to make a custom shower cap that will extend over the engine compartment for extra piece of mind and protection from snow and heavy rain.

[jock mcsporran]

ColinM said:

jock mcsporran said:

It's fine, mine lives on the drive.

From your login name I guess you are also in Scotland

Seems like the consensus is that it'll be fine, which is good to hear.

From Scotland but exiled in Yorkshire.

Just clear the snow off the grills before you drive it so the radiator can get some airflow.

[alicrozier]

Will be fine.

I recall one winter my Exige sat outside and ended up covered by more than a foot of snow. The snow had gone through the rear grilles and there was at least 10" on top of the engine block. Scooped the worst of it out and no problems.

A cover could be useful but can cause paint damage if it's windy. Personally I wouldn't bother.

[Dodgey_Rog]

My brother had an S1 Elise and had a rain cape, did the job just fine, no issues at all.

[AlexRS2782]

Arun_D said:

My Exige lives outside. Has done for the three years I've had it, no adverse issues.

So did mine for the 2+ years I owned it with no problems at all with the rain, etc.

Just before the heavier snow came I just got hold of a decent car cover and popped it over the car, and had no issues

[Arun_D]

AlexRS2782 said:

Arun_D said:

My Exige lives outside. Has done for the three years I've had it, no adverse issues.

So did mine for the 2+ years I owned it with no problems at all with the rain, etc.

Just before the heavier snow came I just got hold of a decent car cover and popped it over the car, and had no issues

It's suprisingly resilient to the flurries!

[Watcha]

I would say the only real problem is the very cold. For the last few years when it gets really cold I have had trouble with things freezing such as door locks, handbrake cable and throttle cable.

[Captain Muppet]

Watcha said:

I would say the only real problem is the very cold. For the last few years when it gets really cold I have had trouble with things freezing such as door locks, handbrake cable and throttle cable.

I keep my Elise outside all year. The door locks I give a spray with motorcycle chain wax every couple of years and they don't freeze up. Obviously on the newer cars you don't need to unlock them, but it still stops them freezing so you can't push them in (or just as annoying freeze stuck in, leaving the doors flapping around unable to latch shut).

I've not tried driving it below -10 though.