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Damp coupe - prevention #1591697
10/01/2017 13:10
10/01/2017 13:10

S
Slugcatcher1
Unregistered
Slugcatcher1
Unregistered
S



For 2 years I drove my Coupe everyday, averaging about 1000 miles a month. The result of this meant the car was regularly visiting the specialist for improvements, maintenance, and preventative maintenance. I daredn't even look at my credit card bills for this period, but needless to say I decided to park her up and use something more appropriate for commuting. So, I now have a 6 month old Passat estate TDi which I am very happy with and it means the coupe can (hopefully) still be kept as a weekend toy.

The issue is, after 2 months of it being parked up on the drive in the open air, a lot of moisture is collecting inside the windows, the headlights, side lights, also in the boot. The central brake light is particularly bad. I have driven it twice in this time, running it to temperature, using the aircon, using the lights etc, but within a day the moisture returns.

Is this normal? I've had other (older) cars do this a bit on the windscreen - even forming as ice - but this seems a bit worse.

I don't have undercover storage for the car at this stage. Is there anything that can be bought to absorb moisture? Would a car cover really help?

Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591698
10/01/2017 13:19
10/01/2017 13:19
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 21,482
Aldershot
PeteP Offline
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PeteP  Offline
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Posts: 21,482
Aldershot
A car cover will probably help so long as it is one that breathes to allow moisture to evaporate.

I have both my coupe and X1/9 under them, although mainly to protect them from tree sap and bird crap. Both stay pretty clear of condensation.

If you have a weatherproof socket outside, a small portable dehumidifier will keep it nicely dry, you do need to empty the condensate tank when full or it will switch off.

Failing that, silica gel crystals are an effective way of absorbing moisture. When they stop working dry them out in the oven and reuse them.

Some cat litter has a silica gel basis, fill up an old sock with the stuff and leave it in the car, I use that in a modern car with a glass roof which is a pita for condensation.


16VT and X1/9 1500

We must all do our part for the planet.
I unplugged a row of electric cars that nobody was using.
Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591703
10/01/2017 13:40
10/01/2017 13:40
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,920
Going North on the A9
dante giacosa Offline
My life on the forum
dante giacosa  Offline
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Posts: 1,920
Going North on the A9
sounds like great advice.

you DEFINITELY need a car cover if you really value the car- totally aside from the breathability (which the good ones have) and water/frost protection, you are also escaping the UV.

Ok- not much at this time of year; but the rubber seals, general paint colour, leather seats, all suffer from sunlight.

Plus, it will just totally remove water getting in through a small leak in a window seal or something like that. And then the car will do nothing except get drier and drier.

its important!

Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591729
10/01/2017 17:12
10/01/2017 17:12
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 33,522
Berlin
barnacle Online happy
Club Member 18 - ex-Minister without Portfolio
barnacle  Online Happy
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 33,522
Berlin
It is also suggested that a sock full of cat litter can be effective to dry the car, but here is a salutatory warning: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/01/09/...itter_for_meth/


[Linked Image]
Don't get no respect! Coupe Fiat 1994-2000 - an owner's guide <-- clicky!
Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591733
10/01/2017 17:34
10/01/2017 17:34

S
Slugcatcher1
Unregistered
Slugcatcher1
Unregistered
S



Cheers guys.

Just been looking at covers on ebay. There's a dartmoor one for £65, but it won't be tailored.

Another Devon car covers for £82

Then a Richbrook one for £109

But are these going to scratch the car?

The Stormforce one looks good but £150 is a bit painful.

I''m sure this has been 'covered' before &#128578;, but can anyone advise?

Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: barnacle] #1591747
10/01/2017 20:02
10/01/2017 20:02
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 21,482
Aldershot
PeteP Offline
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PeteP  Offline
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Aldershot
Originally Posted By: barnacle

40 years ago I was a buyer for a pharmaceutical company.

One of our products' active ingredient was amphetamine sulphate( speed).

The tablets were produced for us by a company just outside Glasgow and the most effective way to get them down to us near Guildford was by train, usually one that got into Euston about midnight.

I used to pick it up from the Red Star office in either a spare company car or my own Spitfire.

Inevitably, one morning on the way back from London in the Spitfire I got picked up for a "Just a routine enquiry Sir" "where have you been and what have you got in the car"

There were actually 30000 amphetamine sulphate tablets in the boot.

It took a lot of talking and showing documentation before I was able to convince these 2 cops on the side of the A3, that they hadn't actually got themselves the drugs bust of the year.

As an aside, Begbie's present house is actually built on the site of my former office at that company.


16VT and X1/9 1500

We must all do our part for the planet.
I unplugged a row of electric cars that nobody was using.
Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591748
10/01/2017 20:17
10/01/2017 20:17

N
Nello
Unregistered
Nello
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N



The Coupe does seem to be particularly prone to ventilation issues and misting as per many a thread on here.....
After several years of trying to eliminate mine I finally found it was the Heater matrix leaking slightly that was my cause...... Check that thoroughly as that exacerbates the problem massively.....

As far as covers go - I'm sure I read on here somewhere of a Halfords one that fits the car well and covers very nicely.

Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591754
10/01/2017 21:16
10/01/2017 21:16
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 285
Kidderminster
kev_megadon Offline
Making a profit
kev_megadon  Offline
Making a profit

Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 285
Kidderminster
Ive had the Halfords one on for nearly 2 years now. Its great for the price in my opinion.

Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591757
10/01/2017 21:40
10/01/2017 21:40
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,920
Going North on the A9
dante giacosa Offline
My life on the forum
dante giacosa  Offline
My life on the forum

Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,920
Going North on the A9
I've got the Stormforce myself, which proclaims to be four layer.

Despite being breathable, it is ridiculous just how waterproof it actually is.

It will 'scratch' the car if you put it on badly and the car is dirty. Depends what you call 'scratching'
If you are into claying and rubbing compounds (like me) then technically something is going on, yes.

If however you wash your car with Tesco's finest and a sponge- then don't worry about it. You'll never notice it.

Minor paintwork swirls are worth the protection.

Personally, I try never to put the cover on, until I have washed the car. And then I put it, folded up, onto the windscreen, and then unfold I down the bonnet and roof from there.

No tugging or sliding. Don't let it touch the ground.

I often even let the car dry, through the cover.

Last edited by dante giacosa; 10/01/2017 23:36.
Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591762
10/01/2017 22:29
10/01/2017 22:29
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 21,482
Aldershot
PeteP Offline
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PeteP  Offline
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Posts: 21,482
Aldershot
I have a Stormforce for the Coupe and a Halfords breathable one for the X1/9. Both work fine. The Halfords medium one also fits the coupe.

The down side is one of the cats is hell bent on shredding them.


16VT and X1/9 1500

We must all do our part for the planet.
I unplugged a row of electric cars that nobody was using.
Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591765
11/01/2017 00:40
11/01/2017 00:40

N
Nello
Unregistered
Nello
Unregistered
N



Yes Pete - I have a Specialised one for my Lotus and my old cat loved the material!

Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591769
11/01/2017 05:24
11/01/2017 05:24

P
patch234
Unregistered
patch234
Unregistered
P



I bought two halfords condensation eaters for my daughters car and the wifes. She constantly leaves her windows open a little (very annoying) meaning a damp car. These seem to have solved the problem. Not completely, but 90% anyway.

I'd go for two in one car, one placed in the boot and one under the drivers seat...

Last edited by patch234; 11/01/2017 05:24.
Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591810
11/01/2017 13:01
11/01/2017 13:01
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,179
Sheffield
X19_pilot Offline
Enjoying the ride
X19_pilot  Offline
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Posts: 1,179
Sheffield
I kept my Coupe outside and not driven for 18 months, the damp inside caused corrosion to my ECU. I would advise/echo the suggestion of some sort of dehumidifier inside the car (plus another in the boot as Patch has said) in addition to a car cover.

It would have been cheaper for me to rent a garage for a year as I have had to get the car towed, resolve the ECU issue and get the roof resprayed frown

Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591816
11/01/2017 13:58
11/01/2017 13:58
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,920
Going North on the A9
dante giacosa Offline
My life on the forum
dante giacosa  Offline
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Posts: 1,920
Going North on the A9
gosh-

that sounds very unlucky, X19...

Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591820
11/01/2017 15:12
11/01/2017 15:12
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,179
Sheffield
X19_pilot Offline
Enjoying the ride
X19_pilot  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,179
Sheffield
It was my own fault really for not using it. I only had one garage until recently and I would rather have had the Coupe outside than sweep up what would have been left of the X19 if that had been left to the elements hehe

Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591848
11/01/2017 20:33
11/01/2017 20:33

S
Slugcatcher1
Unregistered
Slugcatcher1
Unregistered
S



Think I'll be paying a visit to Halfords this weekend then...

Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591884
12/01/2017 12:18
12/01/2017 12:18
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 9,706
Gone
J
Jimbo Offline
Je suis un Coupé
Jimbo  Offline
Je suis un Coupé
J

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 9,706
Gone
Just make sure you give the car a good wash before you cover it. Car covers make for scratches and swirl marks if you put them on dirty paint.

Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1591905
12/01/2017 16:24
12/01/2017 16:24
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,783
In the coupe.
magooagain Offline
Club Member 259
magooagain  Offline
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Posts: 6,783
In the coupe.
What about one of those rigid tent covers with a steel tube frame.



Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1592157
17/01/2017 07:56
17/01/2017 07:56

P
patch234
Unregistered
patch234
Unregistered
P




Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1592161
17/01/2017 09:00
17/01/2017 09:00
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 21,482
Aldershot
PeteP Offline
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PeteP  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 21,482
Aldershot
Doesn't actually stop the damp getting in though Phil.

Yes the old remedies do work though. I learnt some of them from my old grandma when I was a kid.


16VT and X1/9 1500

We must all do our part for the planet.
I unplugged a row of electric cars that nobody was using.
Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: PeteP] #1592167
17/01/2017 12:54
17/01/2017 12:54
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,388
Caston, Norfolk
Blueboyracer Offline
Competition Level
Blueboyracer  Offline
Competition Level

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,388
Caston, Norfolk
So between Shaving Foam and a sock of cat litter we should all be pretty sorted for the rest of the winter lol...

I've already been out for cat litter if anyone local wants any as the bag I could get was huge and would fill most the socks in my draw :-)

Re: Damp coupe - prevention [Re: ] #1592226
18/01/2017 12:34
18/01/2017 12:34
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 575
Ayrshire
ScouseCoupe Offline
Enjoying the ride
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 575
Ayrshire
I would suggest silica bags dotted around in the Coop including boot. Always works.


1999 Rosso Corsa 20VT ( Restored )
2000 Rosso Alfa 916 Spider 2.0 T.S Lusso ( Under Restoration)


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