It’s a bummer to put the car away for any reason but it’s great knowing that the car is as protected as it can be. As most of us do not have a Jay Lenno garage under our hand we need to find an alternative solution when it comes to our prize possession vehicle.
So can I bubble wrap my car? It’s more like putting it into a bubble. The CarCapsule bubble is a must have for anyone that wants to wrap their stored car and keep it clean and worry-free from dirt, leaves, bugs, trash, raindrops, leaking roof, and anything in general, its a physical protection combined with a fan that warns off the moisture and humidity out of bubble keeping your car rust free and dry. Nothing, not even a cover, touches the car. Only air. What could be better for a prized vehicle?
TIP: If you actually want to wrap your car with bubble wrap you can find 700ft of it here
Why do you need to protect your car while in storage?
After spending weeks researching different solution I summarize my needs to the following:
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Rodents
Whether you are living on a small farm or your car is in a city garage there are a lot of mice and other creatures that are looking to take over our car. We all have stories of occasional rodent nibbling on the wires or getting into the interior and making a mess of the seats. Nests in our mufflers or spiders webbing everything etc.
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Humidity, Moisture, and RUST
Unless you are deep in the desert you surely need to battle humidity. Condensation on your cars can drive you nuts even though they are stored in your home secured parking. The equation is clear, water around the car equals rust which leads to paint problems and corrosion. On top of that, there is a mold risk. This pain in the butt attacks seats, vinyl parts, and other soft areas and force you to thoroughly clean it out.
I will say it again: Damp environment is the worst risk when storing stuff in a close space and specifically for vehicles. Even if you feel that everything is fine after a few days rust and other issues might appear in a later stage.
TIP: If you don’t really suffer from the obvious signs it doesn’t mean that you are safe. A humidity gauge is something always handy to have around.
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Dust & Debris
It is enough to just open the door while the wind is blowing or a window for some fresh air and dirt and dust, will find their way in. A garage is a working environment, we open the door, we get in and out constantly cutting, welding, painting etc. Can’t help making a mess in a working area.
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Scratches (ahhhhh!!!)
Fancy colored cars are cool (did I hear yellow?), but its a hell of a challenge keeping that mirror finish on the dark paint. Any little scratch will be like a spotlight. Most of us share the garage with kids’ bicycle, people getting in and out taking tools and stuff or an occasional baseball that fly in by mistake, Conventional car covers do leave small scratches on the clear coat that I have to deal with each time I pull the car out to drive
Anyway, you don’t want a regular car cover sitting on the paint for months.
Will the car bubble help me with all of that?
In short: YES.
It is an excellent means of storing your car out of the elements for a lengthy period of time. 120-millimeter fans are used to keep the PVC cover inflated, those extra fast fans run continuously making sure to keep the dome up and the humidity out. That is exactly how it is able to continuously exchange the air 4 to 5 times an hour which completely eliminate moisture. The flowing air is filtered, keeping dust and other particles out of the bubble.
Variations in temperature don’t affect the bubbles either. It was reported to hold successfully on humid areas as well as extreme cold Inside the car remains nice and dry and stays that way as the air slowly exchanges through leakage in the zipper.
And… You get to look at the car during storage.
What about electricity failures?
No worries here, it deflates and rests on the car until the power comes back on and then it inflates.
How do I know what size of CarCapsule bubble I need to order?
The vendor’s instructions are fairly simple. Measure the length from bumper to bumper and just take the net size. For example, you will need the 16ft version if your bumper to bumper measurements are 15ft plus change.
Currently, they have versions from 14foot to 22foot (and an 8foot version for motorcycles)
TIP : I would recommend ordering a little wider (if you have storage room) to be able to walk around inside while inflated to access vehicle.
Tight size would probably work but it would be difficult to walk around it to zip it shut. if you are already short on space in the garage then a car capsule will most likely be a waste. Either clear some space or think on another idea for storage protection.
Will it work for outdoor storage?
There are more rigid versions of the product that were designed to hold the challenges of putting cars in the open (just think about protecting it from hail). According to the vendor heavier materials, UV and cold crack protection, two stronger fans and few more additions will allow those cover to defend your piece against the outside world challenges.
How about setting it up?
First time setting up takes a good half hour to 45 minutes, however, once you know what you’re doing it can be done in about 10 to 15 minutes with two people. Try to have someone else helping you in the setup process, not that it is mandatory but it will make it faster and easier. Another tip is to avoid doing the first installation on a cold day. Like any flexible plastic, the capsule will get hard and hard to manipulate.
All in all, It was very simple and straightforward to set up and use.
Conclusion
If you have a classic car and live somewhere you can’t or don’t drive it year round then this should be the first thing you buy after you get the car titled.
In my view, it is probably the best storage option I’ve seen yet for longer-term storage.