Now that winter is setting in, the car has been wax oiled underneath, doors are vaselined and the cover is going on (breathable one), as it sits on the drive way.
However, I need advice and suggestions on how to keep moisture out of the inside please. I’d thought if I could get something comparable to those little ‘rice pack’ type bean bags that absorb moisture (but a bigger size) that rests in the car. But any pointers would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
PADDY…
I’d be interested in this too.
I thought despite a new Mk2 hood and frame and clearing all the drain holes that I was still getting leaks but I’ve checked everywhere in the car and all the floor carpets and parcel shelf carpet are bone dry. Also checked the ‘collecting cups’ and internal (parcel shelf end) drain holes are clear, empty and dry but I’m still getting a lot of condensation on the windows IN the car. It makes the seats feel cold to sit on, with a slight hint of dampness and the underside of the soft top has a slight haze of moisture on it.
I guess I’m just reintroducing cold damp air every time I drive it with the top down - and that’s every day - then trapping it when I put the hood back up at the end of the drive.
Is it just something you have to accept over the winter?
I think so. You will introduce damp air every time you open a door or a window and it will condense on the underside of the hood (and other surfaces) as temperatures drop overnight.
I suffer from this also, but only when the hard top is on. I have no leaks, it’s just that the underside of the top has a slight moist feeling after being put in the garage. My fix is to place a fan heater in the car with the window open and to run it for an hour or so once a week to dry out whatever moisture is in the car.
I’ve had stripped out saloon cars and without the headlining you get condensation on the inside of the roof in winter. Just one of those things.
Lining your hard top might help, but a warmer climate is the best solution.
Lining your hard top might help, but a warmer climate is the best solution.
I like ‘the best solution’ 
. Just need to win the Euromillions and I’m off 
[:D] Until I can afford to “do a Geoff” I just put up with it raining inside the car when it’s full of condensation. Ironic that the hard top simulates having the soft top down in rain, even when it’s dry.
I have a cloth in the car for wiping the inside of the hard top, but I always forget until I’ve had a few drops on my head.
Aircon is magic for demisting, but it’s tricky to retro-fit.
I used to use something like this:
I use one of them and my car is always dry, bought me from my local pound shop and 2 in my shed and thats dry too
I use one of them and my car is always dry, bought me from my local pound shop and 2 in my shed and thats dry too
Any moisture you bring into the car, either through open doors or roof, wet clothing, shoes, leaks, even the air we breath out will to some extent evaporate inside the car with the heater on or through body heat. Having the heater on, and our body heat through normal use of the car will obviously make the inside of the car a warmer environment than the outside, therefore as the temperature drops inside the car with the heating and engine off the evaporated moisture that is now trapped within the carpets, seats etc will condenses out on the colder surfaces. The soft top probably being the coldest as it has the least resistance.
As an Architect it is crucial to eliminate the risk of condensation. The only surefire way to eleminate it is ventilation which will prevent condensation happening in the first place or through careful design and location of the insulation which moves the dew point (the point at which the warm air inside condenses with cold air outside)of the condensation to a point where moisture forming does not constitute a problem. The air conditioning in a car does the same job effectively removing the moisture from the air, ie conditioning it. Most cars will actually have a form of free air ventilation built-in in some form or another. You used to actually see these vents as a design feature, for example the Mercedes 190 where they where placed at the bottom of the rear roof pillars at the junction with the body. One of Landrovers well documented problems with the Mk1 Freelander was that someone forgot to specify the cut outs in the carpets over the ventilation grilles, which lead to a build up of condensation in the boot area and a related electrical failure and corrosion of the components in this area - The solution was to get the dealers to use a Stanley Knife to cut the holes in the carpet whenever a car came in to the workshop… Now on a convertable what has an extremely large hole in the body as standard, background fresh air ventilation is probably not such a consideration so the chances are that there wouldn’t be any which probaly doesn’t help the drying out process.
I’m whittering on, as I don’t know if the silicone type pouches would really make such a difference, but probably blowing warm dry air through the car in a dry environment such as a garage would probably work if the condensation is that bad, or find the source of the leak.
I’m having thoughts about having a large door fitted to my lounge, so that in the cold winter months I can keep my MX-5 warm and dry inside. It’s already got radiators and lighting. Of course, I’ll have to put the leather lounge suite into the garage, probably the coffee table too. But the car’s seats are comfortable and its got plenty of cupholders. The TV and stuff will have to be raised a bit as the remote controls won’t work without getting out of the car or leaning over the side with an outstretched arm. Planning permission may be a problem, and SWMBO might have an opinion on this idea, so I’ll have to work on the idea in a bit more detail.
Seriously though, I remember my days driving an MG midget and Triumph Spitfire. So what if it got a little damp inside, that soon dried off once the heater warmed up and was turned on at full blast with the windows open or the roof down. The warmest my feet have even been. OK, there was occasionally ice on the underside of the hood which gradually melted and dripped on my head, but I had a hat and warm coat, the seats were vinyl and didn’t absorb a great deal of moisture. It’s just part of the joys of owning a convertible car.
I remember thoses days with Spitfires, we both are getting on now [:D]
Thanks guys, you’ve really provided me with a few ideas to try out. This wouldn’t be a major problem if it was getting a run out every day or so, but with Winter, it’s going to be laid up, so something like drying crystals or whatever is a really good idea that I’d like to try.
Thanks again, and it’s comforting to know that ‘I’m not the ONLY one’ who is encountering this.
Regards, PADDY.
Just leave the windows down - should prevent condensation.
Goof - Thats the sort of simple, easy, free advice that makes everyone else who posted look slightly silly. Nice work [:D]
Sorry! - apologies to everyone affected! 
Or should I have suggested installing extending the house radiator system into the garage / installing air-conditioning into the garage / using a “Carcoon” (plastic bubble Jacko-style) / etc.
Windows down just seemed to be a bit too obvious! - I’m a practioner of K.I.S.S. ~ Keep It Simple Stupid…