carcoons

[Sally Ferry]

Does anyone have any experience of the 'carcoon'? I have an early 911E which doesn't like the cold, damp concrete garage it lives in when the winter arrives! I have been told that this might be the solution. Constructive comments please.

 

[jamescharnley]

I have one []

Good points: Well made & easy to use. Ideal if you leave your car in the garage for a couple of weeks at a time. Does what it says on the tin [] Will 'dry' the car if you put it away wet.

Bad points: Pain in the ass to take the car out / put the car in if doing it every couple of days.

Make sure you carefully measure the space in your garage before ordering it. I have size 6 ( I think) and it is a tight fit in my garage ( my solution is to build a new garage in 2006 [] )

I would like to see one of the Air chambers in operation to compare BUT I would deffo recommend a Carcoon

 

[early 911]

I've heard that carcoons are very good, but the hassle of getting them in and out put me off (i.e. you have to plan your outings a little).

I was taken by this (although haven't bought one yet). . .
http://www.hamiltonclassic.co.uk/ProductInformation/CairOPort.htm

Phil

 

[Sean]

I had an external one for my old S. It was the best purchase I ever made for the car. Only drawback was the neighbours thinking that E.T. had landed in the front garden

Sean

 

[Ian Gunney]

Carcoons are effective as James says - I keep my 912 in one usually over winter - but they do take up a lot of space when inflated. However, the Airchamber takes up even more and whilst it is easier to get the car in and out, you do need a big garage...

 

[Sally Ferry]

Thank you for all the info/advice. I think a bit of careful measuring before going ahead is next on the agenda, as our garage space is pretty limited..i.e, 2 inches to spare on the left and just enough to get out on the drivers side. Doesn't look as if a carcoon will fit..maybe time for a bigger garage!

 

[912UK]

I have two and they are very good tip hang them up with string so when you need the car out it makes it very easy to get out..

mark

 

[Guest]

I`ve been using one since 1999, its great, put the car in November and use a car cover from April on. I dont have an access problem as I`ve got a very large double garage. Make sure the cover does not touch the sides or door. The battery condition monitor will keep knackered batteries going so be ware, I found out one summer when I didnt connect the car one night, the next day it would not start.

Michael

 

[petercook]

Sally,

Another option - if space is limited - is a dehumidifier. About £200 and if you buy the right one it has a built in heater to enable it to be run at very low temperatures. A high extraction rate model is also recommended. I have mine extracting to outside via a tube; saves emptying the container every few days (a cut off stops it overflowing).

I've used one for the past 18 years - my current (only my 2nd in all that time - the first lasted 16 years) is dealing with a 3 car garage but it does have to work hard. I leave it on all the year round - cheap to run.

Regards,

PJC

 

[2.4te]

Agree with the dehumidifier option- it's what I use. Far better than the awful and inefficient Permabag I once wasted £200+ on.

 

[38F3E1]

ORIGINAL: petercook

... is dealing with a 3 car garage but it does have to work hard. I leave it on all the year round - cheap to run ...

Are you sure it's cheap? I have a similar set-up in a 4 car garage and also leave it on all year round. I monitor the humidity and it keeps it at a constant 50% all year round. The running cost is about £800 a year in extra electricity.

Ian.

 

[912UK]

[&:] are you sure you got your sums right. As the manufature goes to great lenght to let us know it costs pennnies a year to run and I got a 5 car garage[]

 

[Sally Ferry]

Thanks for the suggestion Peter..I hadn't thought of that option. Do you recommend any particular make, or are they all much the same? The carcoon would have been quite a challenge in my ONE car garage!!

Come on boys...someone must have a SIX car garage?!!

 

[38F3E1]

ORIGINAL: 912UK

[&:] are you sure you got your sums right. As the manufature goes to great lenght to let us know it costs pennnies a year to run and I got a 5 car garage[]

Absolutely convinced. The garage has its own power supply so I can see from the bills. It also matches the calculation from the power rating of the device (1.5KW) plus the manufacturers estimated running costs.

It all depends what sort of cars you are trying to look after. I have some old pre-galvanised cars and want to keep the humidity around 50% at all times which means they don't rust at all when in the garage. Even bare metal stays shinny no matter how long it is in there. But to achieve this level of preservation costs a price.

Ian.

 

[38F3E1]

Sally.

As a fellow early 911E owner I can testify how effective a de-humidifier can be on cars like this which almost seem to rust in front of your eyes if kept outside. The car has shown no signs of deterioration at all during my ownership due in a large part I think to the conditions it is kept in.

I would also back up everything Peter has said about the features you require for running a de-humidifier in an unheated garage.

Somebody posted a link to this http://www.dry-it-out.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3_6 a while back on another thread. There is a Car Storage FAQs link on the page to an article taking about the subject.

Ian.

 

[38F3E1]

ORIGINAL: Sally Ferry

... The carcoon would have been quite a challenge in my ONE car garage!!

Come on boys...someone must have a SIX car garage?!!

Sorry I was trying to put my running costs in context not brag about the size of my garage.

 

[Sally Ferry]

Ian, thanks for the info. Oops! The size of garage comment was not meant to be facetious, it was meant as a gentle send up, not aimed at you, as some of the threads can end up with serious one-upmanship, which I am sure you have seen in the past.

 

[912UK]

[] so was my comment. It was getting higher and higher..very funny [][][]

I got a two car garage and I can get 3 in but only like this...

sorry it's on it's side and yes that is a valuable 1954 356 about 5foot off the ground...[] but I got all 3 in in the end. The 65 silver is right under the 356 to about halfway up the bonnet..ops[]

 

[simpsona]

Hi sally,

Another option...

I have a cheap (£30) Tubular heater in my garage with a car cover - which Is fine at keeping the moisture out. I'm told these types of heaters use about the same power as a standard light bulb.

Wouldn't it be nice to live in a climate where we didn't need heaters for our Cars!!!

Andrew.

 

[912UK]

I agree living some where hot and sunny would be nice ...what's sun? I did see a bright light once er about June time then it went again....I though it was an Alien coming [][]