Yesterday evening i went for my first drive after becoming all legal.

Was quite a nice drive to start with, a bit cold on the hands, but apart from that getting used the the car nicely.

Then about 20 miles from home, all of a sudden it absolutely pisses down with rain!!

I had to go really slow, as i couldn't see a thing as my visor was steaming up, and if i lifted it, i was being punched in the face with rain! lorries were sending tidal waves over me!


When i finally got home, i would have been dryer if id jumped into a bloody river!



Ive now started drying the car out, i sponged heaps out (my passenger seat was almost overflowing!) But the carpets are still a bit spongy.

Ive left it out in the sun to dry it right up, but naturally that sun has now disappeared!


Is there anything else i can do, or just leave it to dry naturally?


Hopefully my next drive will go a bit smoother!

Cheers

Can't really advise on drying the car out, but for the visor misting I can strongly recommend a Fog City visor insert. I've had one fitted to every helmet I've had, and they've never misted up in any conditions.

I too got caught out when I first got it on the road. Car was misfiring like a machine gun with the filter sticking through the bonnet and all the water just comes streaming off into your face from the bodywork.

I went over mine with a couple of towels. Paying attention to the dash / instrument and general electrics. Took bonnet off and left it in the garage with the heater (Oil filled 2KW) on over night. It was fine.

Yeah been there, the carpet can take a while to dry, a fan heater under the floor can help but can still start rust if left, hope you don't have felt under it as that takes ages to dry and is a bad idea in an open top. Make sure it does dry out. Get an emergency cover I.e a plastic sheet you just store in the back and throw over the top if you get cought out again (will happen again).

[Edited on 17/11/12 by Mr Whippy]

Hmmm, sorry but why are others misfortunes often so funny.

I did fear your put it backwards through a hedge when I saw the title.

A wet vac is probably the beas way to get the water out of the carpets, then leave to dry out. Carpets and padded seats aren't a good idea in these cars IMO though.

"Is there anything else i can do..."

Check the forcast before leaving in future maybe?

Must be said I also assumed you'd binned it from the title.

Assuming they aren't glued then get the carpets out and dry them out separately - I'm with the don't bother with carpets brigade - pain in the wet and heavy (especially when damp)

Yes, carpets are perhaps not the best, but they are quite thin, and having pressed some towels into the carpet, its not so bad now, should hopefully just dry out naturally.

I will have a look at that fog city visor insert, I think i will also cover it with rain x so any rain will just bead off.

Oh perhaps the title was a little misleading, there was certainly no chance of backwards into a hedge, but there was a real chance of going forewords into one where i couldn't see!


The weather says there should be some sun tomorrow, so hopefully can have a better drive tomorrow, and fully dry out, but saying that, it was meant to be dry yesterday!

You need a little app named 'Rain Alarm' it shows you where the rain has been in the last 4 hours or so and then it's up to you.

Rain Alarm LINK

little tip. bin the carpet. drill holes in the floor and put rubber down on the floors, if they are grp seats drill holes in them also. welcome to the world of owning and DRIVING a 7.

also invest in some nice motorbike water proofs

No that was your first adventure enjoy

Welcome to Locosting ,it nearly always rains when you take these cars out!

And if it's any consolation , I got soaked coming back from my SVA test , no weather gear no umberella, just just lots of smirking tin top drivers at every traffic lights I had to stop at!!

A little tip to stop your lid misting up. Put a tiny bit of washing up liquid on your finger and rub it all over the inside of the visor then give it a good polish with some kitchen roll. I've done it for years on the bike and it really works.

Just a tiny bit mind otherwise it doesn't just mist up, it froths up!

keep the visor open like less than 1cm, or just about enough to run the tip of your finger round the edge, lets air in, and if you find rain coming in, tip your head forward slightly, and you're sorted

I have fitted Horse Box lining carpet, it's a resin backed material that looks like carpet ,very hard wearing and water (and other liquid)proof. Holes in the floor and seat base are a must.
It looks better in the flesh