Carcoon: an owner's guide to the car storage bubble

Carcoon is a British car storage enclosure, often called a car bubble. A top cover zips onto a base mat around the car, and two fans run all the time, inflating the enclosure and recirculating the air inside it through carbon filters. The moving air is there to stop condensation settling on the car. The company, Carcoon Storage Systems (International) Ltd, was formed in 1994 and grew from a business in Salford, Greater Manchester.

A Carcoon has two settings:

• Drying mode: a vent is opened and the fans run at full airflow to drive moisture off the car.
• Storage mode: the vent is closed and the enclosure is sealed around the car.

• Indoor: a frameless bubble for use in a garage or barn, and a framed drive-in version with opening sides, so the car can be driven in and out without dragging the cover over it.
• Outdoor: a double-skinned cover with an insulating air gap, a reflective, waterproof outer fabric and an insulated base mat. It is held up by air pressure rather than a frame.

The author of this site owns two outdoor Carcoons and has used them for a year. One holds an MG T-series; the other will take either a Triumph Stag or an AC Aceca. The verdict so far:

• Sturdy: both units have proved sturdy outdoors.
• Battery charging works well: the built-in connection for keeping the car's battery topped up has done its job.
• Buy bigger than you need: see the next section.

Carcoon sizes are numbered and set by length and width. Most of the car sizes share the same width, so the length of the car usually decides which one you need.

The author's advice is to size up. Buy a Carcoon larger than the car you have now, so that if you change cars, the next one will still fit. Get the biggest your budget and your space allow.

Measure the space as well as the car. An inflated Carcoon is a little larger than its nominal size, and you need room to walk round it and to work the zips.

The fans are 12 volt, run from a mains power supply. A Carcoon needs power all the time: if the fans stop, the cover settles onto the car and the airflow stops.

• Battery charging: a battery conditioner is built in, so the car's battery can be kept charged while the car is stored.
• Power cuts: owners report that the system can keep the fans running from the car's own battery when the mains fails. Check the instructions for your model.
• Outdoor power: an outdoor Carcoon needs a safe, weatherproof supply. Ask an electrician if you are not sure what you have.

• Level ground: choose a level spot clear of stones, glass and anything sharp that could damage the base mat.
• Shelter where you can: owners report the cover moving in strong wind, so a sheltered spot helps.
• Snow: owners report that heavy snow or ice can make an outdoor bubble sag or collapse until it is brushed off. Clear snow after a fall.

The fans move and filter the air inside the enclosure; they do not dry a damp building. In a damp garage or barn, deal with the damp as well: see damp and condensation. Some owners run a dehumidifier in the building too.

• Clean and dry: wash and dry the car, underneath as well as on top, before it goes in.
• Run the drying mode first, then switch to storage mode.
• Follow the lay-up routine: fuel, tyres, battery and the rest are covered in winter lay-up step by step and the lay-up checklist.
• Check it regularly: look at the fans, the zips and the cover, especially after wind or snow.

For other ways to protect a stored car, see covering a car for winter, portable garages and car shelters and our classic car storage guides.