Where do people keep their car overnight?

[Jeddy]

I'm curious, where do people keep their MB overnight?

I have the option of an unheated garage with a little effort - a little drafty so hopefully not too humid. I say a little effort as it would mean tidying it a little and slight inconvenience of not always being able to access all the shelves in the garage with the car in place as it would be a bit of a tight squeeze, but I could live with that. The biggest problem would be not being able to get the lawn-mower to the front garden without moving the car during the mowing season. I'd also have to open and shut the garage twice a day - but hardly a big effort.

I live in a relatively safe area on a quiet semi-rural road, so crime risk should be low if I just leave it on the drive.

The car has a 30 year perforation warranty as best I recall, so is it even worth trying to garage it? What is the downside of leaving it in the open? (Aside one nutty small bird who took a dislike to his own reflection in the wing mirror of my old car for a few weeks last year.)

Do people leave the car to the elements or garage it overnight given the choice?

Thanks,
Jeddy

 

[C350Carl]

Having just moved house currently it's sat on the drive as the garage is full. But once I've sorted the Man Cave out it will be in the garage when not in use. More because I'm OCD about it's cleanliness than anything else.

 

[Dave C250]

On the drive. Not a chance of getting it in the garage lol

 

[EmilysDad]

On the drive. Not a chance of getting it in the garage lol

Likewise.

This is mine ...... no room for much else.

 

[properwounded]

Somewhere where it can be stolen

 

[dozypillock]

I was always taught that putting a wet car into a garage is the worst thing possible, as it will not dry as quick, and will sit rotting in it's own humidity. Left outside, it will naturally dry quicker, therefore rust less?
I would suspect if garaged when dry, this is irrelevant.
Bound to be stats somewhere, but too tired to look.
Mine is always outside, unless in bits, and being worked on.
No rust, to my knowledge, and now 12 years old, and I live within range of sea spray.

Neil

 

[turbopete]

I'd always garage if possible. It might take slightly longer to dry if its too well sealed from airflow but it will also spend more time dry and protected from the elements

 

[Davelincs]

I park my mb on the drive, the better of my two cars is in the garage

 

[KennyN]

Pride of place in front of the house, which used to be the front garden. Wife and daughters cars are parked on the driveway . No chance of getting anything in the garage as that is where the bikes live and it would only upset them having to share their space.

Kenny

 

[rf065]

I'd always garage if possible. It might take slightly longer to dry if its too well sealed from airflow but it will also spend more time dry and protected from the elements

I find the opposite, if mine is put in the garage wet, it is still wet days later, despite all the air vents. Left outside it drys in a few hours.

Russ

 

[wildwoman]

I live in a town house that is only a 7 years old. The garage was built for nothing larger than a Ka!! So my car stays on the drive and the garage has been home for all the boxes I haven't unpacked since I moved in 5 years ago.. plus the bikes of course!!

 

[Crazycarb]

I'll litter up anybodys area thats avail, including our community car park and my works car pk. All cars are totally wax protected with a premium wax.

EMILYS DAD...Dun arf look like the back end of a Bond bug in your garage?

 

[NP46]

Mines left on the drive.
My bike collection takes a big chunk of the garage so no room for the car :Oops:

 

[television]

Sadly for the OP Jeddy, the 30 year will not come into it as Mercedes have never heard of rust. Any rust bubbles, paint falling off is the car owners fault for buying that colour in the first place.

Garages are not an easy subject, most built before 1965 will not have any damp coarse, OK for a car used almost daily, but not good if the car is left in there for weeks at a time. It probably still holds true that its better to let the car dry before garaging it., When did you clean out the lip in the wheel arches.

For me and the original question my best car would be in the garage, or the one that needs it most, so right now the SL is in the garage.

 

[JBell]

Mine is on the drive, my parents had a carpeted garage!!!!

When did you clean out the lip in the wheel arches.

Last week

 

[EmilysDad]

.....

EMILYS DAD...Dun arf look like the back end of a Bond bug in your garage?

That's because it is

 

[daveenty]

Had the garage built when I had the E55, so that was probably 8 or so years ago. When I bought the house I inherited an old asbestos thing, which was up a ramp and liable to take the front splitter off, so it got demolished and replaced with a custom built thing which is wide enough to open the doors on the car, and long enough to allow a bit of space for a workroom in the back, accessed through the little door in the picture.

I initially had issues with mould/damp, though this was cured by adding 4 x 6" vents in the opposing walls to allow air to circulate, as it was practically a sealed unit. It has an electric roller shutter door which was alarmed, but I had to change the controller so have temporarily (two years) disconnected the alarm. Doesn't really bother me as the only external access, other than the shutter itself, is protected by security lights and is a half hour fire door with mortice locks which opens outwards, so can't be shoulder charged. Obviously this would alert people, but if they do manage to force entry they still have to get past the cars own security system.

Gratuitous picture of a shed in a shed: -

 

[Rotorhead500]

I find the opposite, if mine is put in the garage wet, it is still wet days later, despite all the air vents. Left outside it drys in a few hours.

Russ

I think that's what Pete said Russ...

Mine is in a double garage without a roof... basically. (When we bought our house the back garden was a mess, back wall falling down, garage needed lots doing to it.... So levelled it all, rebuilt the wall and put a 5m garage door in so we have parking for two cars).

Ideally like a decent timber carport if I had the room - protection from sun, snow, heavy frosts, etc, but good airflow, easy access and so forth!

 

[C350Carl]

When i leave the forces and finally settle i will either buy somewhere with a double garage or have one built. (will start the planning permission early!)

I need to be able to get in and around the car to detail it.

 

[wildwoman]

That's because it is

whats a bond bug?