Shrink wrap for winter?
 

Hi all. I recently lost garage space for my 04 Boxster. I live on Long Island in NY. I haven’t been able to find an indoor garage at a decent price. I am thinking of putting the car on a battery tender and having it shrink wrapped. They put a protective layer on the car first so the paint is not disturbed. This will be for about a 3-4 month period. It will be in my driveway blocked by a SUV. Anybody out there doing a similar solution? Thanks.

So glad I live in FL....

I have a 10 wide, 30 deep storage shed in Tucson AZ, costs $150 a month. Surely something like that is available in NY? Mine even has a light and and electrical outlet. Shrink wrap vs car cover? No difference IMHO.

DGHII: I'm glad you live in FL, too.

or California. It actually rained today. It was frightening.

No expert but I would be afraid of the shrink wrap retaining dampness and humidity and causing premature rust/oxidation.

I would be concerned about this also. You would also be making a wonderful habitat for critters, dry and no wind :eek: Personally, I would look harder for indoor storage even if it was an hour away.

Lets remember, this is New York, garage and parking is already at a premium. Not sure he would find $150 month space in Long Island.

Maybe even go further out? Jersey or something? I'm with the rest... shrink wrapping outside seems dubious to me. Moisture is still moisture and there would be no way to avoid condensation with temp/sun fluctuations. I'm envisioning shrink wrap almost like a vapor barrier. Not the best for a car I would think.

The problem is that moisture isn't just water dropping from the heavens. After a cold night followed by a warm rain you will get condensation on all metal parts. Those that are well ventilated will dry our fairly quickly, but the poorly ventilated parts will take a long time to dry out. When boats are shrink wrapped there's usually a frame over the deck and cabin that keeps the cover away from those parts. Additionally, boats are built to be wet all the time.

Try looking for indoor storage outside of the metro area.....might need to drive 50 to 75 miles away to find better pricing but it's worth a try. I know a few that drive a long way from where they live and rent one of those storage lockers. they are small but the Porsche really doesn't take too much room and if they have electric you can hook up a maintainer. Bottom line you might need to bite the bullet for 3-4 months.

Another idea would be to check out any small airports in your area to see if you can rent a corner of a hangar. Your Porsche can easily fit under the wings of many planes.....lots of pilot/plane owners seldom fly in the winter....just a thought.

I have been looking. In the NY area it’s 400 a month. The shrink wrap uses vents, plus a pre-cover to protect the paint. I have looked for private garages, storage units, etc. I can also put anti-dessicants inside the car. I think it would be worth a shot. If I do, I will report back. When they shrink wrap boats, they also include venting to prevent mildew and moisture, pulse there are marine products available to combat moisture as well. The situation sucks. Winter is coming. I have a great California car cover as well. Thanks for the replies.

Lots of people shrink wrap boats for winter and let them sit outside with no issue. Why would a car be any different?

I shrink wrapped my jet boat one year for storage through the winter. The wrap was very nice, and kept my boat from flooding during the few rains we had that year.

Come summertime. All my polished aluminum bits were oxidized to hell. Took me hours to repolish every thing. And apparently some rodent liked my vacuum lines. Lucky for me it was a jet boat and only had two vacuum lines :cheers:

I would be afraid that with the car wrapped up nice and cozy. It would be a perfect home for little critters to camp in.

Wouldn't it be better to buy a decent quality fitted car cover? My boxster has lived outside under a cover through the last 4 or 5 British winters with no ill effects....in fact it looks great when the cover is removed. Just ensure it's cleaned and waxed before you cover it. Cheers Jon

Yep, I would do this before shrink wrapping. The shrink wrap sounds good, but the post above this one about the boat tells me this is not a good idea.

What about a Car capsule? It’s reusable but not sure if it works outside.

Kept my Boxster under a Noah fabric cover for 5 winters. Cover and car were perfect any time I took the cover off. Yes had battery maintainer on too via an extension cord run under the passenger door (since my spare driveway was on the left side of the house). Cal Car Covers was my source. Came in a bag, fit in the frunk when not in use. One man install. soft inner surface, kinda like fleece. I did wash the car before put away to make sure there was no dirt to create abrasives between the clearcoat and the fabric. Had probably 10" smow max on top and ice sheets. At time when things were melting I'd push the snow off with a push broom and stick the cover in a garage to dry while I took the car for a gentle but long run. Both the car and the cover survived beautifully. Never a drop of moisture on the car when uncovered.

How about one of the tents people use as garages. A friend of mine has parked 3-4 cars in there for years with Boston winters. No problems.

What about ordering one of those PODS ?

I think cost might be different which is why I suggested the simple cover. No installation charges. One time. No risk of wind damage to the structure. I've seen the bill for shrink wrapping yachts for the winter. This is peanuts.