Should i garage my car?

[M104]

Hi everyone,

My current car is a 96 Mercedes E280. Is has low miles, no issues at all except for a leaky exhaust and a sagging headliner. All my cars are daily drivers but this is by far the nicest one and i'd like to keep driving it for years and look decent. These cars with 6 and 8 cyl engines are getting more and more expensive and saught after where i live and i might not be able to find another one in the future.

My plan is to make it last as long as possible. I maintain it very well and don't let issue pile up and avoid parking next to other cars as much as possible. The issue is that i don't have a garage where i live and would like to know your opinion on how bad it is and what i should do to make the car last a long time.

The climate where i live is oceanic, mild and very humid during most of year (i guess i would be kind of similar to Seattle or Vancouver) but summers are often very hot for about a month or two. Road salt is not a concern as we only have a couple of days below freezing usually and i don't drive the car at all when road salt is used.

I clean the car as often as i can and spend some time removing wheel well liners to remove all the mud that gets trapped behind every time i do an oil change. I also applied fluid film everywhere under the car and where there is a pinch weld but am still concerned about constant exposure to humidity. I guess UVs aren't the best for the car during summer either.

I have access to a friend's garage for the winter but it would mean not driving the car much if at all for a few months as it a few kms away from my house. This garage also isn't ventilated so i'm not sure it would be good for the car either. In the past i tried using a tarp on another car but the condensation was horrendous and the interior had mold. Same thing with a garage that was a bit damp.

What would you do? Try keeping the car away from the elements for a few months or keep driving it? I have limited space but could also build a small car port. Is it worth it?

 

[Lubener]

You could rent a storage space for the time you want to store it.

 

[harbor]

Since the garage is sketchy, I’d do the carport and keep the Benz waxed and on the road. The carport may also block UV rays in the Spring/Summer.
I assume you’re in the UK?

 

[M104]

I live on the west coast of France, which is similar to UK in term of climate, maybe not as cold as most of UK.

I've been thinking about finding some garage to rent but found nothing close enough to my house.

 

[Escape08]

You may want to consider an all weather outdoor car cover protection.

 

[crashz]

You said oceanic atmosphere? Do you live close enough to the ocean that sea spray and salty air are common? I've seen cars and homes damaged from this. If you're far enough inland where its doesn't smell of salt air, and the car is not driven on salt covered roads, it will last a long time. As others have said, keep a good coat of wax on the paint, the fluid film is great underneath and fix everything when it breaks.

 

[fantastic]

Sounds like preserving it in any protected fashion & not driving for the winter time would make it last longer.

 

[M104]

You said oceanic atmosphere? Do you live close enough to the ocean that sea spray and salty air are common? I've seen cars and homes damaged from this. If you're far enough inland where its doesn't smell of salt air, and the car is not driven on salt covered roads, it will last a long time. As others have said, keep a good coat of wax on the paint, the fluid film is great underneath and fix everything when it breaks.

I live about 50 km away from the ocean, salt is not a concern at all here fortunately. I used to live near the beach and some cars would rot like crazy!

 

[shortyb]

Do you have the space for a standalone carport? Could have open sides/ends, or closed on side(s) that are sun exposed. I'd do this over an enclosed garage that has little ventilation. It also allows you to drive it, which will keep it alive. Cars that sit, die a slow death. Not a fan of car covers outside unless you can eliminate any wind flapping. That can really do a number on the paint.

 

[M104]

Yes that is a possibility. I've never been a fan of letting a car sit too long either and i would be worried about other issues. I usually drive the car 2 to 3 times a week, always 1 hour drives and up.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I live on coastal South Carolina - extremely hot, extremely humid summers. Mild but humid winters. Did I mention its humid here.

I bought a Rav4 in 2019 - first year of that model - and it sits in a garage mostly. Still looks new. There are a few others near me - its a popular car - that sit outside all the time. They look terrible - all the plastic faded.

So I think your enemies are 1) UV light, 2) oxygen / oxidization which is everywhere. Humidity isn't great, but its likely the same in the garage as outside.

In the end a car you can't drive is sort of worthless. I would just keep it. If you can keep it out of the sun at home all the better.

 

[M104]

I agree that i want to be able the drive the car and enjoy it. Not related but i'm impressed by your 395,000 miles Nissan!

 

[Boomer]

As a chemist, I agree. UV light, high moisture levels and oxidation caused by ozone and oxygen in the air and catalyzed by light are real enemies. I will not discuss salt as it does not seem to be an issue for you. Clearly, keeping the car under cover to avoid sunlight will make the internal and external plastics as well as your tires last a lot longer. Same for your paint. Ozone will build up in bright sunshine (think summer) and near highways and some manufacturing and electrical generating plants. I am thinking that where you are this is not going to be a major problem.


Solution: What others have suggested. Build a carport with a roof large enough to keep the majority of the direct sunlight off of your car.
Open sides will allow for maximum ventilation and give you a reasonable control of humidity around your car as compared to a sealed garage. Use an interior detailer that has a UV blocker in it (read the label) and make sure you apply it to the dashboard and tops of plastic trim just below the windows (do all the door trim but pay particular attention to these areas). Address any leaks into the interior in a PROMPT manner so that you don't get rust under the carpet. If your seats are leather or vinyl, treat them with the appropriate cleaner/preservative on a regular basis to slow down cracking and seam failure. Keep the carpets well cleaned and don't allow dirt and sand to build up. On weatherstripping, I always apply a SILICONE grease (think dielectric grease) to the surface every few years to keep the rubber soft; do NOT use petroleum based grease.

 

[M104]

Thanks, this is really helping me deciding what to do.

The other day i was paying attention to houses and their garages an i was amazed to see that most people let their brand new car/SUV sit outside while most of the garages are just full of stuff they probably don't even use.

 

[ecotourist]

I like Boomer's suggestions in #13. I kept my 2000 BMW in good condition for 20+ years by keeping it in a garage when not being driven. Most of those years were in a dry location with cold winters (Edmonton). We then moved to a mild and humid location (Vancouver Island) where we have a de-humidifier running in the garage for much of the winter.

Since selling the car to my nephew who keeps it outside in a dry location it has deteriorated in only 2 or 3 years.

I wouldn't use a tarp. I saw a Triumph which was parked when fairly new that had been kept under a tarp in a garage in a dry location having very cold winters (Winnipeg). It was quite rusty at body seams.

 

[gfh77665]

For vehicles kept outside, especially in the brutal TX sun, a DashMat does wonders for your dash and interior.

https://www.covercraft.com/c/dash-covers?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=*Search - Dash Covers&product_id=&adtype=&utm_term=dashmat original dash cover&utm_id=624179018&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=624179018&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgMmZnOXEkAMVMVN_AB1cQgI_EAAYASAAEgIpg_D_BwE

They are stupid cheap, too.

 

[Kurtatron]

M104, let me give you the best answer.

I have a 1991 Toyota that I have learned a lot trying to maintain.

If you truly want to keep this vehicle for decades, you are better off storing the vehicle. Cars wear from use.

Naysayers will say a car sitting is awful, but it’s not. Seals and leaks are easy to fix. Worn metallic components are not. Metal wears from use, not sitting. Clean oil prevents corrosion.

The key is to use something called a Car Jacket. I had the same problem with my Toyota. I stored the vehicle in a garage over winter, but humidity rusted the vehicle while it sat!

I learned the solution is something called a Car Jacket. It’s basically a sealed tarp blanket. You throw some desiccant into the tarp and zip it closed. All humidity damage is immobilized.

Worked wonders for storing my vehicle in a humid garage. Practically arrested all wear.

Do yourself a favor and store the vehicle over the winter. You eliminate UV damage, cold start wear, and heat cycling. No brainer to me.