Tent garages - for a classic car

Hi All,

I need to put some form of protective structure over my classic car before it becomes an integral part of the local scenary.

I looked at Carcoons and other similar controlled environments but a) I wanted to be able to easily work on the car and b) our location in the South of France means high ambient temperatures (high 30s) in summer and sub zero in the winter and I didn't feel that this type of cover would be suitable.

Looking further I came across a series of dedicated tents designed as garages with >60 cms all around access.
The price appears to be dictated by the weight of the structure (ranging from round 34/38mm tube to oval 32x45 mm) and the weight of the PVC covering.
These range from 450 through to 2300 but I have not really got a good feel for the effective differences in each grade in terms of longevity and ability to deal with the weather.
The site is moderatly exposed, we do get 70-80kph winds, very heavy rain and the aformentioned strong sun and heat....

BTW, price range is 500-1000€, my budget doesn't run to anything more expensive, however suitable it may be deemed to be...

So, after the long intro, does anyone have any experience that they can share?

Simon

Hello Simon,

Give plenty of consideration to ventilation. A PVC/plastic garage is almost certainly going to sweat. Not good for any vehicle, let alone a lovingly restored classic.

Sorry I can't help you with the hardware itself.

Good luck.

I've had a folding one from Cover Systems for over 20 years which is pretty sturdy.

Fabric only lasts around 4 years before the sun makers it too weak. The ground attachments needed a bit of extra engineering to be really solid. Frame is heavily galvanised.

Most of the tent type look a little flimsy to my eyes.

Clive

Neighbour has got one from MachineMart that he is pleased with but only had if for a year. They have decent reviews on their site garages

Many moons ago we bought one to use as a cooking tent for scout camp. One stormy night it got absolutely shredded. The old fashioned ridge tents were absolutely fine, none of the little darlings had even noticed the wind and rain.