Outdoor storage

Non owner

Non owner

New Member
Hello all. I'm in my late thirties and have always liked P6. I don't need a car for work so low mileage, I don't have a garage though. Would Waxyol and covers be sufficient to protect one or would the body panels corrode too much with rust? I live in Yorkshire - UK. Thank you.
 
Depends how you look after the car. A cover can very often do more harm than good by destroying the paint, especially long-term. The panels wouldn't necessarily rust by just being outside, it's trapped dirt & winter salt which are the main enemies rather than a shower of rain & these are a consequence of driving the car, not having it parked. A good wash, dry & wax will protect the paint adequately, clear leaves from the crevices & wipe off bird droppings ASAP & you should be fine. If you have a drive perhaps you can erect a car-port. These keep the worst of the rain & detritus off but let the wind get into & under the car which is quite important for drying out those little moisture traps. If you can't do that don't get paranoid about it but just take sensible precautions. Plenty of cars live in the street.
 
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Thanks RM, I have read a few articles on the risks of covers. Are there any particular corrosion risk areas beyond drain holes and rubber seals and standard old car risks you'd recommend checking the threads for?
 
I think that it also has to do with the initial condition of the car. If it is structurally sound, particularly around the heater box and bulkhead area, the various seals on doors, screens, boot, fuel filler etc are doing their job and don't let water in, the doors and heater box are draining down properly, then the car will be fine outside without a cover. However, if the car is rotten somewhere and / or lets water in, then it will definitely deteriorate very quickly if it stays out.
 
My one experience of an outdoor cover was that it produced mould inside - this was in Melbourne, Oz, not as damp as Yorkshire I think! You would need to remove the cover, and open the windows regularly to air it out in a damp climate, preferably drive it also. Just running for a while does not do the job of keeping a car in good nick, they need to be driven.
 
Thanks all, useful stuff. This would be the oldest vintage I've had to date so trying to get a sensible idea of what to budget for maintenance and niggles. As always, buying the best I can is the starting point. Thanks again
 
Non owner said:
Thanks RM, I have read a few articles on the risks of covers. Are there any particular corrosion risk areas beyond drain holes and rubber seals and standard old car risks you'd recommend checking the threads for?
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There are many P6 corrosion sensitive areas to check for. There should be a buyers guide on here. It's really the base unit you need to be checking. All panels are easily removable & replaceable though NOS ones are getting quite expensive.
 
funny you should say that about a buyers guide, someone has done a you tube video and posted it.
i watched it last night and there a bloke who has worked on them since he was 15 (now 55) and they went through some areas of where water can get in and what to look for when buying a p6 , hence the title of something like, " a guide to buying a p6."
learnt an interesting fact that i had happen, and he said that sometimes the trans oil is dumped from the converter for no reason, through the breather pipe. He said people freak but dont worry just top up. mmm?
well i had left an embarrassing puddle of trans oil from mine, but have yet to check to see if theres damage as its been off the road since then.
 
HI Nonowner,
I've praised the use of cover before, and here I am saying again. And I will get shouted down.

OK, so you can't keep the car inside. Yes, treat the car and use a good quality cover. From my experience, they will keep the car better than a car with no cover. That was your question wasn't it. You didn't ask if they don't mark the paint or outdoor covers are better than a garage.

We kept our P6 outside for a few years, no cover.
The car was OK it survived. Moss grew in the corners of the windows, water marks got ground into the paint, UV matted the paint work, UV dried the window rubbers, the dash clock stopped working and the inside started to smell worse. But it survived and I enjoyed it.
We then replaced some window rubbers, painted the whole car, treated with Dinitrol their complete car kit and again kept the car outside.
This time I bought a cover from Cover-zone Stormforce, for 2 years it was under the cover, still used but always put back under the cover.
The car stayed clean, no moss, no UV degrading the rubber or paint, the brakes kept free, the clock kept perfect time twice a day. The paint work after 2 years, was ever so slightly marked. A short time with a polish would take out the marks, I still haven't polished the marks out years later.

So, good on you for getting a P6. Use a cover or not, it will survive outside you look after it.

My tips for keeping car outside:
- Park on flat ground to allow the car to drain water as designed.
- Park on a sealed surface, under the car will dry quicker.
- Keep out from under trees etc, help stop weeds growing on it.
- Put a quality cover over it.

P.s. The P6 has a new cover and is back outside, this time I've gone for a CarCoversFactory, better fitting but not as thick, we'll how it fairs. I'd only expect to get 2 years out of a cover, no matter what the guarantee says.
P.P.s if you do go for a cover, cover the top the of lights front and rear, their pointy tops will punch holes in the cover in no time.
 
Gargo said:
HI Nonowner,
I've praised the use of cover before, and here I am saying again. And I will get shouted down.

OK, so you can't keep the car inside. Yes, treat the car and use a good quality cover. From my experience, they will keep the car better than a car with no cover. That was your question wasn't it. You didn't ask if they don't mark the paint or outdoor covers are better than a garage.

We kept our P6 outside for a few years, no cover.
The car was OK it survived. Moss grew in the corners of the windows, water marks got ground into the paint, UV matted the paint work, UV dried the window rubbers, the dash clock stopped working and the inside started to smell worse. But it survived and I enjoyed it.
We then replaced some window rubbers, painted the whole car, treated with Dinitrol their complete car kit and again kept the car outside.
This time I bought a cover from Cover-zone Stormforce, for 2 years it was under the cover, still used but always put back under the cover.
The car stayed clean, no moss, no UV degrading the rubber or paint, the brakes kept free, the clock kept perfect time twice a day. The paint work after 2 years, was ever so slightly marked. A short time with a polish would take out the marks, I still haven't polished the marks out years later.

So, good on you for getting a P6. Use a cover or not, it will survive outside you look after it.

My tips for keeping car outside:
- Park on flat ground to allow the car to drain water as designed.
- Park on a sealed surface, under the car will dry quicker.
- Keep out from under trees etc, help stop weeds growing on it.
- Put a quality cover over it.

P.s. The P6 has a new cover and is back outside, this time I've gone for a CarCoversFactory, better fitting but not as thick, we'll how it fairs. I'd only expect to get 2 years out of a cover, no matter what the guarantee says.
P.P.s if you do go for a cover, cover the top the of lights front and rear, their pointy tops will punch holes in the cover in no time.
Click to expand...

I spotted that bit :cool:
 
Would agree with Gargo, it'll survive outside for a few years uncovered, but it will deteriorate, put it under a decent cover and it will survive a lot longer with less work needed... The key is the cover, get a decent one, the £50 are not worth the plastic they are made from...
 
I saw that YouTube video I think if someone sees that before they buy a p6 they would run a mile
Very scary the way that guy puts it.
 
Is the section from 14:20 about panel availability correct? I have (very) basic welding skills but not fabrication. I thought panels etc seemed relatively well supplied when I Googled them.
 
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