Car covers, portable garages, garages...

Hi Everyone, I've got a couple of questions about car covers...or car protection, in general, and would appreciate your thoughts. I know some people love car covers and others hate them. I've always avoided them in the past for fear that they'd do more harm (e.g., marring the paint, allowing too much moisture through, freezing to the car, etc.) than good but now I've reached a point where I'm considering them as an option. Essentially, my issue is that I�ve got a 2 car garage with 4 cars vying for a spot. - 1 spot is easily claimed by my vintage Saab simply because it would not survive very long if stored outside. Oh yeah, I live in CT along the coast so we see 100F in the Summer, 0F in the Winter, snow, sleet, hurricanes, blizzards, etc. - The 2nd spot was previously cinched by my '04 C4S Cabriolet which hibernates during the winter but becomes my daily driver during the warm months�until recently. It was more or less a no-brainer until recently. I just bought a CLA45 AMG and the idea of leaving its brand new, flawless red paint in the snow, ice and freezing rain makes the detailing nut in me...well...nuts. The same is true of the P-car. I've been toying with the idea of building a 2nd garage for a while but it wouldn't happen until the Summer, at earliest, and we've also talked about moving, too, so plans on that front are uncertain and unpredictable. In the meantime, I'm trying to find a solution. 1. Keep the P-car inside during the Summer, outside during the Winter and buy it a car cover for the Winter. 2. Keep the 45 inside during the Winter, outside during the Summer and buy it a car cover for when it's not being used for long periods or in particularly bad Winter weather. 3. A combination of #1 and #2 -uy car covers for both the P-car and the 45. 4. Buy one of those portable garage things. I've never really liked them but I can probably hide one away in an area of my driveway -- although I'm not sure how well they handle wind, snow, etc. -- and just keep the daily driver in the garage, the 'stored' car in the portable garage. In a perfect world, I'll figure out the stay or move issue this Spring and either move (and buy a house with a 3rd garage) or stay and build enough garage space for all 4 cars...but I can't rely on that. I'd also love to hear your recommendations or experiences with certain car covers (or even portable garages). In my research, it seems like NOAH and Weathershield HP are the best year-round car covers, but I've also found a lot of reviews that where owners say they leak...which kind of defeats the purpose of a cover as long term protection in my eyes. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. -Eric

How high is ceiling - get a 4 post lift

Hmmmm.....I hadn't thought about that option. I think I've got a 10ft ceiling in the garage. -Eric

Can you find a storage facility nearby for your Saab or whichever car you drive least? This might range from an unheated 10x20 cubicle to a heated secure facility. I did this for one winter when I knew my garage situation would be changing in the next year.

lift is a great idea. At the minimum for your C4S, throw one of those windshield sun protectors in the car. I parked some of my cars outside year round, with and without a cover. IMO I liked the no-cover option best.

I've been down this road recently and you'll need a min. of 12' clear or so for a lift and 14' would be advisable. I just got a 2nd 911 and have nowhere to put it. :-( No way I can kick my wife out of her garage and I've got my DD in our other bay of our 2 car garage. An add'l garage is a ways down the road. Since my latest P is a track 911 which will have very limited road use, I've opted to store it in a secure, local 10x20 storage unit which runs about $120/mo.

I'd be a little leery of any cover outside. Even if it doesn't leak at all, there will be a lot of condensation built up under the car and under the cover from sitting outside in the northeast all Winter. I had an older Italian car that I kept covered outside when not used, and I was never comfortable with it. So, I'd say +1 to a 4-post lift. Or, if you like to work on your car a lot then it could be time to put a 2-post lift in and kill two birds with one stone. The 2-post will leave the suspension in droop, but that's not the end of the world for the relatively short winter time period. You might have issues with clearance when your garage door is up, but they make wall mounted garage door openers that can take care of that (along with running the tracks further vertically).

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I had a Weathershield which I used for outdoor storage in the summer. It is meant to breather so it does let water through, but it also allows it to dry off and not hold moisture in. After 4 years it held up well, but started leaving "fuzz" on the car from the interior liner. I do believe they offer a weather proof option that keeps water out depending on what level of protection your looking for

I like the NOAH cover and use it on another car from time to time if I anticipate heavy snow or chance of hail; the cover won't help in hail but it makes me feel like I made the effort to protect the car. The only rub I have experienced is the cover will freeze to the car if the car is wet and removal can rip a thin layer of "skin" from the inside of the cover. Overall having a cover is a pain (removal, airing out, re-folding to fit the storage bag and such but I like having it around for the rare instances I use it. On another note..I recognize the name from Swedespeed. Did you have or still have a S60R? My V70R is the car I cover every once in awhile. It got booted out of the garage; a one car stable and the Carrera now takes up the space.

I think the key is to not leave an outdoor car cover on the vehicle for weeks on end. How about this: http://www.automotion.com/clear-disp...car-cover.html crosssell=Homepage_Featured_Category_Car+Covers or this: http://www.automotion.com/car-cover-...ory_Car+Covers or this one: http://www.carid.com/universal-car-c...-16913376.html

I've got two 4 - post lifts, making my 3 car garage into a 5 car garage. They are one of the best purchases I've ever made. Great not only for storage but also for wrenching and detailing. Some people put a sheet of plywood between the runners and you can store lawnmowers, bikes etc on them. If $$ are not an issue, one company makes a double lift so you don't have the middle set of posts. One thing I learned the hard way is NOT to get the tall model because you won't need it with a 10 foot ceiling and the regular height ones can be wheeled outside into the driveway so you can clean out the garage. The tall model won't clear the garage door, so tough to clean out the garage because we have those plastic drainage tiles in the garage.

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Yep, that's me. My S60R gave up its spot for the Porsche after 6yrs holding the spot. I just sold my R this month after 8 yrs, 11 mos and 55,562 miles of ownership...but whose counting? It was an awesome car (MT, of course). The R gave way to the AMG and the garage battle commenced. Based on a couple of earlier posts I'm not sure the ceiling in my garage is high enough to accommodate a lift...at least not without modifying the garage doors, etc....even if I went with the regular height lift. As much as I'd REALLY love a lift to help with detailing and working on my cars, if I'm going to get into that much modification just to fit a lift, it might make me think harder about just building the other garage. I'm not sure that's actually better than leaving the car out without protection -- the plastic is just going to end up marring the paint...although it's not far from what I've got going on now. In my haste to find a solution I threw an interior use dustcover over the Porsche and then wrapped it in plastic. The paint is protected by the dust cover and the cover is protected by the plastic. It doesn't breathe at all...but it is effective at keeping the car safe from snow, etc. It's not a long term solution. Based on the description, I'm guessing it's not much different than the NOAH, or Weathershield HP covers...which isn't a bad thing. I'm less concerned about water getting through in the warm months, although I don't like the idea of the car getting wet and not drying thoroughly (my property is heavily shaded by large trees). I'm more concerned about it in the Winter when the whole melt and freeze thing happens. That thing wouldn't last five minutes in a snow storm. I was also thinking about one of these things... http://www.homedepot.com/p/ShelterLo...7?N=5yc1vZbtyo ...but I really kind of loathe the idea of putting one up on my property. I do have an area in my driveway where I could hide it between a large rhododendron and a couple of oak trees but my wife would probably cringe every time she saw it. I want to explore the lift option a little more. It sounds like a cover might not be the best solution. My wife asked about building a nice car port...but once I get that far into something, I might as well slap some walls on it and call it a garage. I've thought about off site storage, too. It might be something worth reconsidering but it still leaves me with a car stuck outside from the Spring to the Fall...which is why I've never really followed through with it. I really appreciate everyone's feedback! Thanks, -Eric

Eric South Norwalk Maritime parking garage offers monthly parking to get you through this winter. I personally like the 4 post lift idea. If you have a friend who works in an office building with secure parking, that would be an option too if you can get your license plate registered with the building office. My office's parking slots are full. Otherwise, you can park in one of my spots for this winter. If you get in a jam, PM me and I can temporarily hook you up short term. My office is 200 Connecticut Ave. Across the street from REI on the post road.

The four post lift will work with a 10' ceiling, but you'll probably have to sacrifice the door open or get a side mount opener. They are a good way to add space for a very reasonable price. I was able to use my opener, but including the high lift door track, I think I have $2,500 in mine.

This is another option if you have the yard space. It can be put up by yourself with hand tools in a weekend. Don't have to worry about rust, mold, etc. comes with the floor so no need for concrete slab. You can disassemble it and take it with you if you decide to move. I was thinking of this route as it isn't a permanent structure so I wouldn't need to deal with needing a permit. In my area at least, permits usually means getting architects, engineers, contractors, and inspectors involved. With permits and building structures also comes with increased property tax increases usually too. Plus your neighbors won't be upset that you got the tent garage which can be an eyesore. Just another option to throw out there. http://www.costco.com/Lifetime-11'-x....11523335.html

I have used these with very good results - no affiliation just a satisfied customer https://www.carcoon.com/carcoon-double-skin-outdoor

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You most certainly have not been down this road , other wise you would know for a 4 post, the only way to go for a non commercial user, a 10 ft ceiling is more then enough for any p car or any sports car for that matter.. 99% of lifts will not go over 6 ft anyways..

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Yah as long as your can extend your garage rails to the top of the ceiling and get a door opener that is wall mounted. I've seen some people who don't have a room above garage, open the roof up and coffer the ceiling where the lift is. Here is mine used Liftmaster 8500C garage door openers.

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What happens when it's windy and car is not in the garage to hold it down?

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First of all, thanks to everyone for their ideas...it's really helpful. Chao, thanks so much for the offer! I think I'm too paranoid to leave any of the cars in an unattended garage for any real period of time. I have looked into short term storage but it doesn't really resolve the problem (which is year long, not just during the Winter). It's just a temporary stop-gap. I like the 4 post lift idea, too...especially because I've always wanted a lift. My Sonett is only 47" high and I think the Porsche is only a few inches taller (51"?). Between the two cars, we're talking about 8' and a few inches plus the height of the platforms the cars sit on and the space needed to keep the cars apart...figure 9'...ish. Forget about fitting the CLA (57") and Porsche (51") together in the same space. With the Porsche and Saab I've got about a foot of space to play with which still isn't a lot of room. The garage door is going to be the biggest hurdle. I wonder if I'll need new garage doors, too, if I have to move the track. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world -- we've been talking about getting new ones but it's still an added expense to consider. At a minimum, I need new tracks to increase the rise height...for $2,500 all in that's not bad at all...and I can take the lift with me if we move. Hmmmm...interesting. The tents are a major eye sore -- no offense to anyone with one in their yard. They're cheap enough that I would have just picked one up if they weren't. My neighbors are far enough away and I can 'hide' it in a place that I don't have to worry about them but I don't like them and my wife would grumble about it for as long as it stood there...and for some time thereafter. lol For a little bit more though I can get a pre-fab one that looks like this... Of course, I wouldn't be able to take it with me if I move, it molds and I have to deal with the city (permits) and pay taxes on it. Then again, if we decide not to move, I've just invested $3K in a big plastic shed that I could have allocated towards the cost of a new garage. Hmmm... They might withstand the cold but there's no way those cocoons are going to take the weight of snow. I don't have a room above my garage but I don't have that kind of room! I'll definitely need new rails and I know that whichever company I use to do the work is going to push new doors on me, too, even if it's not required -- which it might be. Ever see the Wizard of Oz? I have to imagine they include (or you can buy) something to keep the garage planted. I do wonder about its ability to withstand hurricane or storm level winds even if there is a car inside. -Eric

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Is that your "home" garage? Holy cow that is big. That's like a 12 car garage right there.

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Yes , its the home garage. 4 spots are good for now. I don't want to crowd it up with lifts until I need to. The height is great to have a full size SUV or Truck parked under a lift. I am thinking once I add a another car I will get one so I can have the space for another car.

Your garage is probably as big as my house. LOL. Very nice!

stacker trailer is another option if you have a tow vehicle that can move it.

Thanks, Os Inspector. I have a vehicle that can tow but no real need for a trailer. I can't imagine a closed trailer costing less than a lift or even one of those pre-fab garages. And, then I'd have to have some place to put the trailer which would be the biggest issue. I think my wife would sooner go for the car tent. -Eric

considered keeping a car or two at an indoor RV storage? Should be around 50 bucks a month while you figure out your long term goals as far as parking goes.