23 replies to this topic

[cooperdan]

Been outside for 7 years. Gets abused all year

[DFulton]

Had a 92 Sprite at Uni that lived in student car parks for several years.  Got my first job and replaced it with a brand new 00 Cooper mpi, which is being lovingly garaged to this day.

 

Both regularly washed and waxed and a given a good clean on the undersides.

 

Both rusted 

 

As others have said, I'd worry more about security.  Get a good crook lock.

[Montytom]

Thanks all I appreciate all your comments.

Seems from the comments best idea is to sort out some security for it.

Thanks again Thomas

[Dzmarc]

There is several other threads on this kind of topic, and in the end it is always down to you but When mine is finished, (hopefully in the next couple of weeks), i'll be in the same boat.

 

I've gone to repainting the whole underside with POR 15 and will over coat that with Bilt Hammer wax coating to hopefully make the panels last longer.

I've also got wheel arch liners to protect the front arches. There are also a few tips on what you can do. I like the idea of putting tights filled with cat litter under the carpets to absorb any moisture that gets in. 

 

If you get any bubbling of paint in the little areas, sand it back, mask it off and just paint over. you can get colour matched paints made up these days. 

So, so long as you mask of to a suitable area you should see any difference.

 

Plus like every one else has said a good clean every week or so to remove any salt won't go a miss at all.

[AVV IT]

You don't even need to leave it outside either, unless your garage is heated and damp proofed, a mini will rust away under cover too. Most garages are dark, damp environments that rarely see the light if day. If you store your mini outside at least it stands a chance of being exposed to the occasional dry / non damp environment on dry days when the sun is shining.

The reality is that cars tend to rot from underneath and most corrosion actually occurs from the dirt, salt and rain water that's thrown up under the car whilst it's being driven. Storing it outside isn't thetefore going to speed corrosion significantly, assuming you're storing it on a concrete/tarmac surface. If you store it on turf where moisture is permenantly evaporating from the ground beneath, then this will create damp and increase corrosion.

[mr3speed]

Mines been tucked away in the garage over the past months to avoid the salted roads. Covered up so it doesn't get dusty! However, its coming out this afternoon. The roads have no salt on and its sunny!!

[Ben_O]

A cover won't really help anyway unless you are just trying to stop it getting wet.

 

The paintwork will withstand downpours like any other car would. It's the salt and muck from the roads that gets trapped up underneath that causes the problems so unless you have scabs on the bodywork, paint damage or leaking seals that water can get into, then a cover is unnecessary.

 

If i had a Mini i used daily, then i wouldn't worry about leaving it outside and would just spend time keeping it clean especially underneath. As mine is going to be a full factory restoration, it will be stored in a heated garage and only used on nice days for the simple fact that it will have cost many thousands to get it to that standard and i don't want to risk it getting damaged.

[pusb]

From what I have seen with my own Mini, the greatest threat seems to be when it rusts from inside out, rather than outside in.

 

My floor is completely rust free on the underside, yet there is surface rust on the inside (due to bad door seals).

 

Make sure all the seals are in good condition and it will help massively. 

[Stu.]

If you dont have a second garage available, consider building a car port. I did just that. I have Felix, my project, in the garage, and Molly outside under the car port. I dont drive Molly in the wet, but whenever I can in winter on a dry day, I take her out for a good run. Storing a classic car thats roadworthy and not running it is probarbly the worst thing you can do to it. Batterys discharge, oil seals dry up causing leaks and and you dont have any fun. Driving it is preventative maintenence. There are plenty of dry winter weekend days, you just have to look out for them.