Car tent

[jmgtp]

I need some input/experiences with those car tents that I've seen for a few hundred bux. I recently acquired another vehicle and the total count is up to three. 2 of them are summer cars. I don't have a garage at my place. In the past the gp was garages at my parents house but they both have new cars now and want their garage. I found a winter home for he vette and the gp is currently homeless and that's where the tent comes in.

The tent would be on a grassy area with a slight slope so water drains. We get decent snowfall. Will water make it's way in? I was thinking tarp under the car and maybe up on wood blocks. Bad idea? I know if I leave it outside unprotected it will turn to shit.

[WrathOfSocrus]

I don't know how but my '89 Cutlass Supreme has been a freaking CHAMP living outdoors. It's been outside for most of its life as far as I know. Of the 3 vehicles in my backyard it is the only one that has air in all the tires and no mold creeping inside. Daily summer rains here in Florida have yet to make the Cutty bow to the elements. If there are any chips or bubbles in the paint it's a lot easier to at least lightly sand and prime it so it doesn't spread and make sure all your door seals work well. Probably wouldn't hurt to take the wheels off and grease the hubs and lugs and maybe cover them up. The tent things work ok outside of tropical storm conditions. I noticed mine struggling and went to the depot to get stuff to reinforce it. Well, sure enough the thing was folded over by the time I got home, 10 minutes too late I guess

[jmgtp]

Better ten minutes late than ten minutes earlyand being inside it making repairs when it collapsed!

My GP has been a garage queen all her life. She hasn't seen snow/salt. You can't find rust anywhere on her. I just know 1 winter sitting outside will do her in! Well maybe not but in all honesty I'd rather sell it than let it suffer/deteriorate outside all winter - undriven.

The Vette is my new moneypit/modmobile/gofast machine. My Mazda6 is my reliable winter driver. The Grand Prix is my beloved first car that I can't part with.

Now, I've been tossing around the idea of making the GP more driveable and reliable and turning her into my winter car. That means 3400 swap (yes that means parting with the twincam HEART of the beast!), my spare good condition 284 going in, stock front springs going back in and a lot of rust-proofing.

Am I crazy to consider this? Probably. But if I pull it off then I should have a reliable winter car. I could sell the Mazda and come out on top dollarwise which I could either A)put into my house saving fund or B)put into the Vette. I'm scared that I will choose B. I promised myself that after buying the Vette that would be IT for cars until I owned a house, but I've already been busying myself shopping around for 4.11s.

Now that I've strayed far off topic... still need input on the tents! Particular brands used? materials? Especially concerned about water/snow resistance.

[Ghettoracer]

My experiences with car tents is that they hold up well in rain. I lived on the coast of Oregon for several years and had 3-4 cars. Well, I had this car tent for a couple years but never held up against 40-100 mph winds. One night we had wind gusts of up to 100 mph and it just collapsed and looked like it wanted to get airborne. It was bolted down to the concrete and all. What I would recommend is getting one of those all metal car tents. The roof is sheet metal and the legs can be bolted to the ground. I usually goes for $500 or so for a small one. If you don't want to get your car in snow I would probably get a car cover thats water proof and put a tarp underneath or over it if you don't plan to drive it during the winter. Then you can put a nice little engine heater in the engine to keep the oil and any other thing from freezing.

[pocket-rocket]

The tent would be on a grassy area with a slight slope so water drains.

Check your local laws. I know around here if it isn't on a concrete driveway, it needs to be parked in gravel or driveway rocks of some sort, not in grass. Besides, from what I've heard, parking a vehicle in grass is bad for it because the grass releases something acidic that can eat away at the metal.

[mickaz]

Neer park a gcar on grass for winter. It will eat your car like salt. park it somewhwere you have a sandpit or concrete.

[1988GTU]

I've had one up for 5 years! I have made my little alterations to it though. I think it was under $20.00! Greatest deal ever for a tent garage!

[bszopi]

If I was that concerned about my car, I would just rent a storage unit for the winter.

[jmgtp]

Storage units are too expensive around here. 1 months rent at a storage unit buys me a tent/carport!

I would never let it sit on the bare ground. Even when I store it in the garage for winter I have a tarp under it, a car cover over it and then wrap the tarp around it to make a cocoon.

I believe the issue with grass is usually that it holds a lot of moisture.

Found out one of my roomates keeps an old car in his parents backyard in you guessed it - a car tent. I checked it out and it seems fairly solid, has withstood a few winters and the car is none worse for the wear. It is big enough for a huge 53 chevy and has feet of space all around. I think I may get something like that, it is just a matter of finding the right spot at the parents house to place it.

[asylummotorsports]

For one thing snow will NOT hurt your car.

It's the salt that does the damage.

I have had no problems with my car sitting outside in the winters.

Covered in snow (This IS CANADA)

Doesn't cause rust at all. It's just water.

And don't go brushing it off. That will scratch the car. It will fall off on a film of water when the metal warms up.

And definately not on anything but a solid surface.

I'd be afraid of the damn "tent" collapsing in a storm and doing ALOT more harm than some frozen water.

[pocket-rocket]

For one thing snow will NOT hurt your car.

It's the salt that does the damage.

I have had no problems with my car sitting outside in the winters.

Covered in snow (This IS CANADA)

Doesn't cause rust at all. It's just water.

And don't go brushing it off. That will scratch the car. It will fall off on a film of water when the metal warms up.

The cheap car cover my mom got me for Christmas a few years ago for the 92 got all ripped and torn apart by the wind ($25 Walmart special). so yes, the 92 sits outside in the winter when I have other cars to work on. I agree with asylum, the snow hasn't done anything to my car. Although it does sit half on the drive, half on driveway rocks, not on grass.