Please recommend an outdoor car cover.
Discussion
Just taken delivery of a 2009 Saab 93 cabriolet. It's a "minter", so the plan is to keep it it for a long time.
Any recommendations for an outdoor cover?
Must be light enough for my wife to put it on and remove it easily on her own.
At this time of year, our car parking area is under the flight path of nesting blackbirds. So the cover needs to be able to be wiped clean(ish).
Any recommendations for an outdoor cover?
Must be light enough for my wife to put it on and remove it easily on her own.
At this time of year, our car parking area is under the flight path of nesting blackbirds. So the cover needs to be able to be wiped clean(ish).
. Make sure you don't keep it for long periods, i.e. take it out every week and inspect the paint, moisture being trapped and just general watchful eye. id suggest you dont bother
first thing ..the cars needs to be minty clean before fitting , not always possible imo
and second , i see lots of people monaing they get ruined paint from the car cover
just wash it regularly and have a layer of decent wax on it , will be easy to wipe of any bird bombs with a warm cloth
first thing ..the cars needs to be minty clean before fitting , not always possible imo
and second , i see lots of people monaing they get ruined paint from the car cover
just wash it regularly and have a layer of decent wax on it , will be easy to wipe of any bird bombs with a warm cloth
LooneyTunes said:
Covercraft do very light breathable ones (or at least they used to). I can't remember how much I paid but I do remember that it could be packed away wet and 5 years on when I got rid of the car it was good as new.
I've had three of these and they work really well, never had any paint issues.However, that depends as others have said, on how you prep the car before and after fitting it.
I was fortunate that my cars werem't my only mode of transport, so if it rained (or loooked like it might later) the cover stayed on. If it was dry the car got washed and dried, or at least dusted, before the cover went back on.
I used some straps across the bonnet and boot to keep it from flapping in the wind. The straps didn't damage anything, and if you get them snugged around the wheelarch they should get through most weather conditions without adjustment. Don't rely on the single locking cable and the elasticated curtain to keep it on.
Stormforce 4 from covermycar.com. fitted cover is good compromise cost and quality circa £150.
Bird poo washes off. And if the car is clean and waxed it shouldn't/hasn't marred my paint. Strong winds are ok if well fitted. Comes with securing straps.
Bit of a faff for one person to fit but ok once you get the knack. Mainly use mine if going away or leaving car stood for a week. Too much hassle if car is used frequently.
Bird poo washes off. And if the car is clean and waxed it shouldn't/hasn't marred my paint. Strong winds are ok if well fitted. Comes with securing straps.
Bit of a faff for one person to fit but ok once you get the knack. Mainly use mine if going away or leaving car stood for a week. Too much hassle if car is used frequently.
Edited by shost on Friday 18th April 07:59
Stormforce 4 from covermycar.com. fitted cover is best.
Bird poo washes off. And if the car is clean and waxed it shouldn't/hasn't marred my paint. Strong winds are ok if well fitted. Comes with securing straps.
Bit of a faff for one person to fit but ok once you get the knack. Mainly use mine if going away or leaving car stood for a week. Too much hassle if car is used frequently.
Bird poo washes off. And if the car is clean and waxed it shouldn't/hasn't marred my paint. Strong winds are ok if well fitted. Comes with securing straps.
Bit of a faff for one person to fit but ok once you get the knack. Mainly use mine if going away or leaving car stood for a week. Too much hassle if car is used frequently.
Covers are a pain and you will not use it 90% of the time because the car is dirty. Also the cover will be wet and/ or dirty most of the time. Where were you planning on keeping that when not in use? Wife will complain about it all by day 3 anyway.
Put protectants on the paint and hood and leave it out. It will not dissolve.
Put protectants on the paint and hood and leave it out. It will not dissolve.
I only have garaging for one car and that's my classic. So the cabriolet will live outdoors. A temporary garage, machine mart now do a good one, is not an option due to the layout of my parking area. A custom made car port might be an option, but there would be drawbacks with this.
I've never bothered with an outdoor cover, but having owned cabriolets before, bird droppings on the roof are a real pain. The paintwork isn't such a problem as it can be protected by wax etc.
I'm now thinking about a tonneau cover, just to protect the roof. Any thoughts on this?
I've never bothered with an outdoor cover, but having owned cabriolets before, bird droppings on the roof are a real pain. The paintwork isn't such a problem as it can be protected by wax etc.
I'm now thinking about a tonneau cover, just to protect the roof. Any thoughts on this?
Edited by A57 HSV on Friday 18th April 21:41
The 5 year old bare metal paint job on my triumph was still perfect. The car had been kept in a shed mostly, but also in a double carport, that got little direct sun, about 15% of the time.
When it was to spend a month in the carport, as we needed the shed for a job on another car, I bought a top quality breathing cover for it.
After just 2 weeks under the cover, the paint was "pin" marked, & beyond redemption, other than another bare metal paint job. I did cut a polish the thing a number of times without any joy.
I could not think of anyone I disliked enough to give that cover to, so I burnt the thing. In retrospect, I could have built another garage for what that cover ultimately cost me.
When it was to spend a month in the carport, as we needed the shed for a job on another car, I bought a top quality breathing cover for it.
After just 2 weeks under the cover, the paint was "pin" marked, & beyond redemption, other than another bare metal paint job. I did cut a polish the thing a number of times without any joy.
I could not think of anyone I disliked enough to give that cover to, so I burnt the thing. In retrospect, I could have built another garage for what that cover ultimately cost me.
I've tried most and found the Carcoon to be the best, if you stick a cheap compressor type dehumidifier in there as well its perfect and keeps the car at about 50-60% RH. But it is a real pain to take the car out regularly with one and in heavy snow it collapses.
Also tried a very expensive gazebo like the rally guys use which was fine but when we had that very heavy snow I just got home and found it buckling under with at least 3 feet of snow on it, under it was my pride and joy RX7 which I just got out from under it before it collapsed with a load thud it would have trashed the car.
I also tried a good car cover but you will find that with a black car all of the edges of the car where it meets get noticeably rubbed.
I've got an oversized double garage and have to shuffle my least valuable car outside these days, I am considering erecting a frame work on the side of the garage and sheet it with polycarbonate sheets to provide cover for the car I decide to keep outside.
Also tried a very expensive gazebo like the rally guys use which was fine but when we had that very heavy snow I just got home and found it buckling under with at least 3 feet of snow on it, under it was my pride and joy RX7 which I just got out from under it before it collapsed with a load thud it would have trashed the car.
I also tried a good car cover but you will find that with a black car all of the edges of the car where it meets get noticeably rubbed.
I've got an oversized double garage and have to shuffle my least valuable car outside these days, I am considering erecting a frame work on the side of the garage and sheet it with polycarbonate sheets to provide cover for the car I decide to keep outside.
The problem is the parking area is at the rear of our house, outside the kitchen and back door. It's quite narrow and sandwiched between the wall of the house and a high quarry wall. So light is an important factor and the reason why I haven't put up a garage or carport.
We park the Discovery and the Saab there in close tandem, bumper to bumper, to allow room for the Smart to access a tiny parking space at the side of the house. Neither has a set place, as it just depends on who is home last or needs to leave first.
So a fold over garage, which is a good idea, wouldn't really work.
We've had convertibles before and bird droppings on the roof are a real pain. This time around I'd like to find a solution.
Whilst never convinced that a complete cover would have been good idea, I'm now sure that it wouldn't be.
Currently, Im leaning towards a convertible cover from here:
http://www.hamiltonclassic.co.uk/acatalog/CoverCon...
Has anyone used these?
We park the Discovery and the Saab there in close tandem, bumper to bumper, to allow room for the Smart to access a tiny parking space at the side of the house. Neither has a set place, as it just depends on who is home last or needs to leave first.
So a fold over garage, which is a good idea, wouldn't really work.
We've had convertibles before and bird droppings on the roof are a real pain. This time around I'd like to find a solution.
Whilst never convinced that a complete cover would have been good idea, I'm now sure that it wouldn't be.
Currently, Im leaning towards a convertible cover from here:
http://www.hamiltonclassic.co.uk/acatalog/CoverCon...
Has anyone used these?
Sounds like you need a carport roofed with acrylic sheet.
I had a large 20' by 18' deck set in the angle between the kitchen, & the lounge room of a home in the tropics. It was annoyingly useless in the wet season, the hottest, with no roof, or in the evening when mosquitos rendered it useless.
I was worried about roofing it, as both the kitchen & lounge depended on light through glass French doors onto the deck.
I roofed it with a roof 75% solid, with a sheet of "Alsonite" a corrugated acrylic sheet designed to match corrugated iron sheet every fourth sheet. This worked beautifully with no noticeable reduction in light in either room. That was still the case after the deck was insect screened.
A much better answer than any car cover.
I had a large 20' by 18' deck set in the angle between the kitchen, & the lounge room of a home in the tropics. It was annoyingly useless in the wet season, the hottest, with no roof, or in the evening when mosquitos rendered it useless.
I was worried about roofing it, as both the kitchen & lounge depended on light through glass French doors onto the deck.
I roofed it with a roof 75% solid, with a sheet of "Alsonite" a corrugated acrylic sheet designed to match corrugated iron sheet every fourth sheet. This worked beautifully with no noticeable reduction in light in either room. That was still the case after the deck was insect screened.
A much better answer than any car cover.
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