Hi

My 1996 300TDI lives outside in humid and rainy Cornwall. Last year it needed bulkhead welding and this year it's going to need a new rear cross member. I am not a mechanic but want to try and keep her alive for as long as possible. I have a large parking area and I could either build a shelter ( probably cost £1000 ) or buy a canvas garage like:

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cla...UpLDMVS6_6TFQplhRPX7UH7yJNB7jBRoaArQDEALw_wcB

at a cost of about £300 - £400.

Any opinions? Given the humidity is a shelter likely to be effective at slowing down the rust?

Thanks

Dave

I'd suggest proper rust treatment followed by proper anti corrosion treatment.

In terms of a "garage" - I'd suggest an open fronted building facing out of the prevailing weather (!) ..... this should keep the vehicle dry in all but the very worst of the weather ....

Living high in the Pennines, I reckon our climate is probably similar, but worse up here due lower temps.

My 1990 90 has spent 26 years with me on the Pembrokeshire coast and has only had some minor welding on chassis and bulkhead, this despite living outside all year and exposure to farm muck/mud and salt that comes in the air when the storms blow in.
A good clean twice a year and then when dry a spray of engine oil diesel mix along with extra mud flaps stopping crud from covering bulkhead outriggers foot well and rear crossmember have kept it good. How many nearly 30 year old trucks have you heard of with original rear crossmember ?
Went to a sale a while back where there was a rover [ car ] in a closed up garage, been the years and was rusted to nothing with nowt worth having. Nothing worse than a vehicle being put in a shed wet I recon.

Dave, I've just ordered one of these 6m x 3.3m from Germany https://www.houseoftents.co.uk/Portable-Garage/58449.html?force_sid=ho9bm8lhkmkr834utmnv8v4h4s. Importantly, our Landies are nearly 2m tall and most tents are 190cm at front lower cross member, which is too low. I've had great success with long term storage additional classic cars over many years and have never suffered from humidity.corrosion. But, I make them watertight and near humidity free by, 1. buying a large Screwfix 1200-1500 membrane doubled over to make a very clean dry base with raised sides which makes a bath tub shape, and 2. use this dehumidifier https://www.screwfix.com/p/ebac-powerdri-18ltr-dehumidifier-unit/41553

Combined, the above will give you a dry, rot free storage facility that can be moved to wherever you like