16 replies to this topic

[Mobile Chicane]

Hello all,

 

As my own garage is being discommissioned, I've decided to rent a garage.  The garage I'm renting has no power, or anything - it's just four walls and a roof - it's similar to the picture attached below.  What should I do when garaging my VX220?

 

- I've got the official Speedster car cover, should I be using that?

- A mate suggested putting a dehumidifier under the wheel arches?

- How to deal with the battery as I hear it's a bitch to take out/in?

- How often should I drive it to blow away the cobwebs?  (see previous question)

- How should I beef up the security?  The property letting company is happy for me to add in any security as long as it's removed when my letting period is over.

- Anything else?

 

Many thanks!

 

 Garage.jpg   39.75KB   7 downloads

Edited by Mobile Chicane, 13 October 2019 - 01:57 PM.

[ayresyy]

Easiest fix is just to keep driving it!

Solar panel on the roof for a trickle charger, may help if you can’t?

[Richard041077]

Mine is garaged without power etc, I put a cover over her, and make sure I take it for a few miles run every 2 weeks or so. No faults or problems since I’ve owned it 3 1/2 years 👍🏻

[Dan r]

Some ventilation in there would be good, hopefully it's not damp at all?
Taking it for a spin every couple of weeks is great but if its wet then you shut it away in a garage with no ventilation it'll get pretty mouldy and rust whatever it can.


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[Horace]

Attach some large bubble wrap to the drivers door side.

[Sutol]

I stored mine for 4 months last winter, covered it and disconnected the battery. Came to start it and it fired first turn. Did think about disconnecting the coil pack and to turn it over to get the oil pressure up but didn't bother in the end.

[TheRealVXed]

Mine lives in a simialr garage.  Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery and tuck it away saves draining if you can't trickle charge it.

 

Mine gets driven every couple of months at most, and usually never between November and March, and seems to be fine re starting and electrics, but does mean oil and coolant change every spring as a minimum.  The worst bit about leaving cars stationary for ages as I have discovered is the bushes and suspension components and basically anything that is meant to be rubbery and move, which can go hard/seize.  The engines seem to cope fairly well with prolonged periods, but as Sutol mentions above, anything more that a few weeks, it might be worth cranking without fuel/spark to get the juices flowing, not that I ever do...

[Mobile Chicane]

OK, so I've picked up the keys to the garage - it's a bit smaller than I expected, but in a fairly good condition.  It has ventilation which is good.

 

I took a picture of the roof and I don't think it's easy to securely fit a solar panel to it - remember I'm letting it, so I can't drill or anything.  There's plenty of gaps to run cables through, though.

[Jason]

Attatch a solar panel with 3M double sided pads, just clean the roof contacts point first. The small panels for keeping topped up batteries are small and it can all be undone - not sure how well these work though in UK winter..

www.amazon.co.uk/ALLPOWERS-Maintaner-Maintainer-Automobile-Motorcycle-18W/dp/B01N1OUIA3/

Edited by Jason, 18 October 2019 - 09:30 PM.

[Mobile Chicane]

Perfect, thanks.

 

How many watts should I go for - 10, 20 or 30?

 

Also, which 3M tape should I use?

 

Many thanks!

[aquilaproejct]

How long you expecting between each start? Battery should last easily a month between starts. Especially if disconnected.

[Sutol]

If the battery is sound and is disconnected it will stay charged for ages. After all when you buy a battery how many do you see on charge?

[ayresyy]

Only issue I can see with disconnecting the battery is if you have a car with central locking. Not that these cars are anything like secure, but you would either need to leave the bonnet up or the car unlocked to be able to open it when you return to reconnect the battery.

[Sutol]

Ha ha that reminds me of a friend of mine that never locked his car. He said that if they're going to nick his radio he would prefer they didn't wreck the car doing so. He was a traffic cop btw.

[jonnyboy]

Just diss the battery. Solar on the outsude kind of advertises there's a car in there and local yobbis will probably nick the panel.

[Ivor]

Just diss the battery. Solar on the outsude kind of advertises there's a car in there and local yobbis will probably nick the panel.

How about a spare battery jumped to the main battery, effectively doubling the capacity?

[Ivor]

Or even spare battery plugged into cig socket?