Carcoons, anyone experience them?

[PeterG]

Hi was wondering if any of you have used a carcoon? I need something to keep my Elan in over the bad weather, currently working on a friend to store in his garage. If not, I will need a place to keep it covered. I was thinking about a carcoon and wondered if anyone has any experience/owns one and can give me some advice.
regards Pete.

[weddingcarclive]

The company Carcoon originated in Orchard Street Salford nr Manchester UK
not sure if they are still operating from there but worth hopefully contacting them direct for best price, the idea from memory was very good and have seen one in operation, I think really they were intended for using within a garage so would keep chipping at your pal for his garage along with the Carcoon so buy one and hopefully will all come together !

[M.J.S]

My friend swears by his Carcoon, which he keeps inside his garage. He backs onto farmland and has a problem with small, furry, wiring-loom-and-upholstery-eating monsters finding their way into his hallowed car chamber.

That's the monsters that are small and furry of course, not the wiring loom.

[Grizzly]

The company Carcoon originated in Orchard Street Salford nr Manchester UK
not sure if they are still operating from there but worth hopefully contacting them direct for best price, the idea from memory was very good and have seen one in operation, I think really they were intended for using within a garage so would keep chipping at your pal for his garage along with the Carcoon so buy one and hopefully will all come together !

Yep still there.....

Carcoon Storage Systems
Orchard Mill
2 Orchard Street
Salford
M6 6FL

0161 737 9690

We have four that we use for long term storage, i'm not sure if it's a Carcoon item but we have a dehumidifier that is used to blow air into the units compressor, we found that if they are inflated without it on a typical UK day (Raining and damp) when the weather goes warm it gets condensation on the inside.

[Chancer]

I stored my 7 and also the Elan outside in one for a few years, it was one of the first and wasn't intended for outdoors use, in fact it was a trail one that they sold me cheap.

It had none of the enhancements of the later insulated outdoor ones but nonetheless performed really well and showed up a couple of the drawbacks which i think they overcame.

The material was a shiny metallised type like some car covers that eventually became UV damaged and ripped but after several years of exposure and it was never intended for ourdoor use.

there were foam filters over the fans which would blow away in storms letting rain in.

I think it did have the humidity problem as water would gradually pool on the floor and collect at one end, it was on a slope.

HOWEVER? this showed up its major strength, despite the water ingress and collecting the airflow kept the car 100% dry and dehumidified, I had a piece of rusty unpainted mild steel which I shone up with an angle grinder and left it unprotected on the vehicles scuttle (the 7) over several winters and it did not get a single speck of corrsion on it to my amazement and pleasure.

Mine was too high for the vehicle and I did a "top chop" with gaffer tape, it worked!!!! it also was snowed on several times without collapsing, it shed the snow.

I would use one again without hesitation and I'm sure they have evolved since mine.

[Type28]

I have used a carcoon for about five years for winter storage and they work really well- the ?bubble? ones are a bit fiddly to put up, but you can buy them now with a metal frame, so it?s like parking in a garage.
If you put your car in damp there is a zip you can open at the opposite end from the fans that allow a cross flow of air which helps it dry the car.
They do an external version but I have no experience of using one and would be worried about it getting damaged by high winds and the resultant damage to the car inside.
They often come up on e bay relatively cheaply.

[Chancer]

The self supporting inflated ones without an internal frame, the original type are very resistant to winds as they just sway with the gust like a mountain survival tent, I guess they would eventually wear on any pressure points, sharp edges on the vehicle etc but IMO that is more likely with a framed version.

I suppose the ultimate would be one with inflatable supporting bladders like those pump up tents from years ago, maybe someone is already selling one.

[John Larkin]

I stored a car in a series of aluminised external Carcoons for several years. They protected the car well. I had to replace the first unit after our new puppy ate a hole in the base section.

My second one once collapsed onto the car during heavy snow, but I just scooped it off and it re-inflated itself. I left it inflated and empty on one occasion. The weather became windy while I was out, and I came home to find that the Carcoon, without the car's weight to keep it in place, had blown up against a pebble dash wall and had well and truly shredded most of one side. It leaked air like a sieve, and I scrapped it.

I sold my third one after space became available again in my garage.

It is tedious to put a car into it and to remove it again, so it does not lend itself to frequent access to the car. It cannot be safely used to put a vehicle in or remove during high wind.

Notwithstanding the problems above the system protects a car well. I would not rule out buying another if the need arose.

[S3FHC]

Pete,

I use an outdoor/external use Carcoon to store a mini.
As has been mentioned, the only limits are its use in windy weather and that it will collapse as soon as you begin to unzip it. It could be improved if there were some form of support to help when you unzip it but, that aside, it's a very effective piece of kit

ps - I used some rubber sports flooring under the base to isolate and protect it from my gravel drive

Mark

[DavidLB]

I've had two for the last 20 odd years excellent for storage but not so easy if you use the car regularly had one car in there for a number of years without problems

[types26/36]

I'm on my second outdoor type, first one lasted about 3years before it leaked likes a sieve. As noted it collapses under snow and rocks alarmingly in high winds which can pull out the fan wire but generally its a good storage facility, although it is not a substitute for a garage as its a faff to put a car in and out.
I use a dehumidifier in side it as I found some light oxidizing on alloy parts (brake & clutch master cyls) but now its fine although I let it down on "good" winter days and start the car up for a while.
Have not really noticed a rise in the electric bill even though the fans runs 24hours a day and it also keeps the battery charged, if the power supply is interrupted the fans then run from the battery .....for a while.

[PeterG]

There seems to be a few on Ebay but there all miles away and won't courier/post.