mattheww97

My XJ is getting to the point where it is getting too expensive to maintain as a daily driver. This jeep is very sentimental to me and I plan on fully restoring it in a few years. I need to store it for a couple of years until I have a place of my own + garage to work on it. The issue is that the only place I can store it right now, is on top of grass which is obviously not good. So this is my plan,

-Buy a towing trailer big enough to fit the xj.
​​​-Give the xj a new paint job with tractor paint+ fix any rust.
-Buy a car cover
-leave the xj covered and on top of the trailer

If anyone has any better ideas or improgements that would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Rambler65

The issue I've found with car covers on outside vehicles is that the wind blows dirt and dust up behind them and abrades paint. (May not be an issue if you plan to strip the tractor paint later anyway.) Also even though the covers breathe, moisture is still trapped longer than if the car were exposed.

As an alternative, I have a car in one of those "portable garages", basically a big tarp over a metal framework. Floor is roofing tiles laid over tarps to keep moisture down, though a lot of guys will build a plywood floor for these. The issues here are that they're only good for a few years (mine needs replacement), and if you're in an area where it snows you can't let snow accumulate on the roof or it will rip. Covering the roof with a large heavy-duty tarp helps extend its life. Also you need to make sure it's tied down real good so it doesn't blow away. (Mine has survived some real bad windstorms.) It has been doing a pretty good job of keeping weather off the vehicle, though dust and dirt still blow in since it's not sealed like a real garage.

Harbor Freight has a 10x17 job that usually goes for about $170 with coupon:

https://www.harborfreight.com/10-ft-...age-62860.html

BlueRidgeMark

Consider buying a seagoing cargo container and storing the Jeep in there. Around here you can get a 20 footer for around 2 grand.

Set it on cinder blocks and you can have a sealed environment. You could even run an extension cord out there and keep a dehumidifier on a timer.

nickfancher1

Sounds like a waste of money, I'd just park it and leave it alone.

Painting it with "tractor paint" will make it a nightmare to remove when you do a proper restore one day.

Maybe find a storage facility with good rates to park it at, or find someone you know where you can park it at their house for $50 a month or so.

jpz

My experience with car covers is they are better used inside a garage. As said above, the elements do a number on them and the car over time. If I was to spend money on anything it would be a portable garage. At least then you don't have something resting on your vehicle, and moving around every time the wind blows.