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Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
#1619214
21/04/2018 14:38
21/04/2018 14:38
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,367 Staffordshire
Nigel
OP
Forum veteran
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OP
Forum veteran
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,367
Staffordshire
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Last week, Motormech had a 20VT booked in for a service, cambelt, clutch and MOT When it turned up, it was instantly clear that it needed a fortune spending to make it roadworthy When we got it on the ramp, the car's fate was sealed It looks like it has been standing on grass or soil for a number of years and the damp has got everywhere - we had to prise a front caliper off the disc to move the car - it was seized solid. We then had to remove the aux belts to start it, as the alternator had seized. Another one bites the dust.... So - PLEASE, if you have to store your Coupe, try to keep it dry and definitely don't park it on grass or soil In the end, the unfortunate owner just told us to dispose of the car as we saw fit and handed us the logbook.
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: Nigel]
#1619224
21/04/2018 15:57
21/04/2018 15:57
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pstruck
Unregistered
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pstruck
Unregistered
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Yikes! What a sorry sight. Good advice though Nigel. Not everyone can stretch as far as a heater and dehumidified garage, but lesser measures can at least prevent horrors such as this occurring.
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: Nigel]
#1619225
21/04/2018 16:03
21/04/2018 16:03
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,466 Kent
Submariner
My job on the forum
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My job on the forum
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,466
Kent
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By putting it on a driveway or road would of prevented most of that, must have been stood for a couple of years?
Last edited by Submariner; 21/04/2018 16:06.
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: Nigel]
#1619228
21/04/2018 17:06
21/04/2018 17:06
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 73 Essex
Desmond
Reaping the fruits
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Reaping the fruits
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 73
Essex
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: Nigel]
#1619246
21/04/2018 22:01
21/04/2018 22:01
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,783 In the coupe.
magooagain
Club Member 259
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Club Member 259
Forum is my life
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,783
In the coupe.
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Fmic soon for sale. Shame about the coupe.
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: Nigel]
#1619249
21/04/2018 22:34
21/04/2018 22:34
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,645
JKD
Forum is my job
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Forum is my job
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,645
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I read on a forum once how brand new cars can spend considerable time parked in a field before they get into the showrooms and they seem to be fine?!? Makes me wonder, if there was a properly under sealed Coop that had been driven out the factory in 1994 and parked in a field next door and then left there in the open for the last 24 years, how bad it would be by now, having had to only deal with acid rain at worst, as opposed to salt and water too. It seems that a car that's in a good condition to begin with can be parked up and left for a long time and it will be reasonably ok. It's when it's not in a good condition that the issues are worsened.
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: Nigel]
#1619261
22/04/2018 01:55
22/04/2018 01:55
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SVC
Unregistered
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SVC
Unregistered
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Salty winter roads could do that too?
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: AnnieMac]
#1619268
22/04/2018 09:17
22/04/2018 09:17
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,477 Scottish Borders
G_Man
Club member 1656
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Club member 1656
My job on the forum
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,477
Scottish Borders
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My Coupe is kept on the road and it had an advisory on the MOT last year for underbody corrosion. However, no advisory at all for corrosion this year. Strange but it could be down to different perspectives of the tester? Could be surface rust that when brushed down, treated then coated will probably be ok and it's either worth flagging up or not. Structural rot then that's a different ball game altogether!
77 77
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: Nigel]
#1619278
22/04/2018 16:05
22/04/2018 16:05
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,367 Staffordshire
Nigel
OP
Forum veteran
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OP
Forum veteran
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,367
Staffordshire
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I’ve seen worse body corrosion - weirdly, the boot floor on this one is fine. The sills have gone and the floor pan is very flaky in quite a few places. However, just about all of the running gear is shot - brakes, suspension, subframes, wishbones, ARBs - everything is thick with rust
The fact that it stood motionless for years has also been its undoing - it took the recovery driver more than two hours to get the car on his flat-bed and he had to reverse into the workshop between the two post ramp so that we could lift the car off the flatbed with the ramp
It could be rescued, but the bill would be huge - I’m guessing £5k without even touching the bodywork - £7k with paint
We think the engine is OK - we’ll compression-test it in the next week or so, but we may already have a customer that needs it (burst an oil cooler pipe and the light came on, so it was driven half a mile back home.....)
FMIC should repair - the bottom panel was caught on the low-loader, but the rest seems OK - I think it’s a ProAlloy
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: Nigel]
#1619361
24/04/2018 15:03
24/04/2018 15:03
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,466 Kent
Submariner
My job on the forum
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My job on the forum
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,466
Kent
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Make much more in the current market by selling for parts though.
My Coupe has lived outside for 14 years (not on the road), I wash and wax and have had the underseal re-done and the boot floor seam etc. Wish I could garage but consider her my everyday car, I do keep on top of the upkeep and she still looks good.
Last edited by Submariner; 24/04/2018 15:20.
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: Nigel]
#1619416
25/04/2018 10:45
25/04/2018 10:45
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,072 South Cambs
Barmybob
Hon Club Member: 003
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Hon Club Member: 003
Je suis un Coupé
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,072
South Cambs
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So - PLEASE, if you have to store your Coupe, try to keep it dry and definitely don't park it on grass or soil Despite this being the usual knowledge spread over the internet I know of a number of people who would disagree. Several of my former colleagues were "Banger" racers, one was a National champion. When I was working alongside these fellows, back in the 90's they collected a LOT, and I mean A LOT of OLD cars. It was mainly Mk 3,4 & 5 Ford Cortina, Granada old P5 rovers and Jags. These fellows regularly commented that of the cars they collected those stored on open concrete were by far in the worst state. And then there is a local farmer friend, who has a huge collection of old farm equipment and vehicles. He says that if he can't store future projects under cover he stores them off hard standing. And it's not like he is short of concrete space! So I'm not sure if the grass thing is a myth or not?
Gone Audi mad!
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: Nigel]
#1619420
25/04/2018 11:14
25/04/2018 11:14
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 754 The South of the West
JonH
Enjoying the ride
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Enjoying the ride
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 754
The South of the West
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Besides the damp, is it not also to do with the chemical composition of grass not being friendly to steel (my chemistry knowledge is generally limited to an 'H' , a '2', and an 'O' )?. Must have a good look under my first 20VT soon... been stored outside for a good 10 years now, whilst my Plus has been outside stored only for 2 !
No.199
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: Nigel]
#1619426
25/04/2018 12:16
25/04/2018 12:16
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,924 Going North on the A9
dante giacosa
My life on the forum
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My life on the forum
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,924
Going North on the A9
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I pay £(a significant amount, which is over 100) a month to keep mine in a garage.
All cars need looked after. and if they are this age and Italian, perhaps they need more looking after.
Despite the garage, a few years back, I spent months under the car attending to everything I can see, If you want to keep 'em; you've got to do something about it.
A car cover goes a very long way, to keeping sun from paintwork, glass, rubber & interior leather & plastics. I also keep a W-plate Alfa which is stored in this manner. (the Coupe gets the garage as I reckon it's more important)
It never fails to surprise me, how the kind of corrosion shown here, is a 'surprise' to owners. You have to move forwards 'through the water' to fight this stuff off.
It's the only way.
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: cyborg7]
#1619502
27/04/2018 07:06
27/04/2018 07:06
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,390 Essex
Trappy
Forum is my life
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Forum is my life
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,390
Essex
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What causes a car that's 'sitting' to corrode more than say a daily driver that's parked in the same spot when not being used?
F****** b****** thing...
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: Trappy]
#1619504
27/04/2018 07:45
27/04/2018 07:45
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,842 Auld Reekie
Edinburgh
Club President, member225
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Club President, member225
Forum veteran
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,842
Auld Reekie
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What causes a car that's 'sitting' to corrode more than say a daily driver that's parked in the same spot when not being used? If a car is parked on soil or grass the rising air current is going to be laden with dampness whereas tarmac will at least dry out from time to time.
BumbleBee carer
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: cyborg7]
#1619510
27/04/2018 10:28
27/04/2018 10:28
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,466 Kent
Submariner
My job on the forum
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My job on the forum
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,466
Kent
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Leaving salt corrosion and stone chip damage to one side, it's all to do with dew points and humidity. I've looked into this (to the point of it becoming an obsession) and if you can find a way of lowering the humidity then you are home and literally dry. I stored my coupe in my garage for 4 years before I got a humidity meter and realised that it was hitting 70-80%. The garage appeared dry (it was new build and completely watertight). Clearly I'm not quick off the mark but following getting this meter it dawned on me why the surface of tools like saws were flash rusting. Unfortunately the poor coupe was doing the same. I also realised why every year the brake fluid needed changing as it had become damp.
I've now completely sealed the garage (at least as far as practical) so there is no ventilation. Instead I'm running a dehumidifier and it's currently the climate of Arizona in there. I've taken a lancia fulvia back to bare metal and since Oct. till now there is not a hint of rust on the bare metal. No heating required just kill the humidity.
I've got a fiat 124 that's in a carcoon and although they are ok-ish, it's had mould on some of the interior vinyl surfaces after about 4-5 months of being in one. I think this proves that ventilation alone is good to a point, but given that your only pushing around ambient air (with all the ambient humidity that goes with it) then these are limited in the speed of corrosion they can prevent.
I think grass -v- concrete is probably down to all sorts of factors from the amount of standing water, extent of drainage etc. as well as condition of car etc. but at the end of the day irrespective of this it all comes down to water/humidity as the primary cause of the corrosion.
Best solution is air-tight garage with dehumidification (think museums storing mummies).
2nd best is maximum ventilation - and whether this is a outside or in a garage depends on loads of factors.
Like I said (after 30 years of owning Fiats) it's become a bit of an obsession... Good points guess why some of the advice points to a car outside as a better option than one inside a 'normal' garage creating the humidity issues you identify.
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Re: Why you shouldn't store your Coupe outside....
[Re: Edinburgh]
#1619518
27/04/2018 13:29
27/04/2018 13:29
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,390 Essex
Trappy
Forum is my life
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Forum is my life
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,390
Essex
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What causes a car that's 'sitting' to corrode more than say a daily driver that's parked in the same spot when not being used? If a car is parked on soil or grass the rising air current is going to be laden with dampness whereas tarmac will at least dry out from time to time. I declared my coop SORN recently and intend to park her on a raised, paved area I have to the rear of my house for a year or so (under a car cover). There are no issues with drainage here but, even so, I'm beginning to wonder if the outlay of a year's MOT, Tax and Insurance would work out cheaper than the work involved in fixing any issues that arise from corrosion like this... It'd certainly be no trouble taking her round the block every other weekend or something. I'd expect the yearly cost to be around £1,000. Any thoughts?
F****** b****** thing...
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