Outdoor car covers - Any recommendations?
Discussion
Hi
I have the medium Halfords one, it has a soft coating on the inside and lets water / damp out but keeps the car dry. It was only around £40-£50 and have no problems with it. Although when we had the gales here in London one of the exhaust pipes tore through. This is not a complaint I don't think many would have stood up to the winds.
John
I have the medium Halfords one, it has a soft coating on the inside and lets water / damp out but keeps the car dry. It was only around £40-£50 and have no problems with it. Although when we had the gales here in London one of the exhaust pipes tore through. This is not a complaint I don't think many would have stood up to the winds.
John
In practice the Outdoor car covers are a real PITA. No matter how well they fit even the slightest bit of wind causes them to move, and any dirt on the car acts as an abrasive, so be careful. If you put it on when the car is wet, mildew can form, even on the breatheable ones, and you get the abrasion problem too.
I used one when my car was outside for about 2 months, and only used the car when the weather was dry, and for that it was fine.
I used one when my car was outside for about 2 months, and only used the car when the weather was dry, and for that it was fine.
I used a cover for my Chimp and when i had it on a week with the wind blowing it was scratched to death, when i bought my Cerby i just left it out in all weathers, just made sure i kept it polished every 5-6 months, it's been outside now for 6 years (used of coarse) and gives no problems.
Hiya,
I had the Classic Additions 'Lightweight Breathable Cover' for both the Chimaera and the Cerbera and would highly recommend them! They are about £90. www.classicadditions.co.uk
They are really good quality, do not damage the paintwork, and best of all they are one of the few covers you can put straight on even if the car is wet! (quite handy given our climate). Watch this point as many other 'outdoor' covers can only be put onto a DRY car!
Just make sure your Cerbera cover (Size B - I think?) does not come with door mirror pockets, as the pockets are in the wrong place and so do not fit the Cerbera!
Have just bought another for the Jag and continue to be impressed.
Cerby4.5
I had the Classic Additions 'Lightweight Breathable Cover' for both the Chimaera and the Cerbera and would highly recommend them! They are about £90. www.classicadditions.co.uk
They are really good quality, do not damage the paintwork, and best of all they are one of the few covers you can put straight on even if the car is wet! (quite handy given our climate). Watch this point as many other 'outdoor' covers can only be put onto a DRY car!
Just make sure your Cerbera cover (Size B - I think?) does not come with door mirror pockets, as the pockets are in the wrong place and so do not fit the Cerbera!
Have just bought another for the Jag and continue to be impressed.
Cerby4.5
mars said:
I can get those Halfords ones at a reasonable discount if bought in bulk. If I can get 10 or more, the price is about £33 delivered to your door, or £25 if collected from me (in Redditch, J2 or J3 of the M42).
Edited by mars on Wednesday 3rd January 13:26
Mars - how is the bulk order going, i'll be up one let me know if you get enough orders.
custard
So far, precisely one person. You. 
I managed to get a load for the Se7ens community a year ago. Think there were about 100 involved. I had one myself but let it go to someone else eventually so I ought to get myself one... so that's two. You and me.
Perhaps a bulk buy opportunity needs a separate thread. I wouldn't presume unless I got a few more interested people though.
I managed to get a load for the Se7ens community a year ago. Think there were about 100 involved. I had one myself but let it go to someone else eventually so I ought to get myself one... so that's two. You and me.
Perhaps a bulk buy opportunity needs a separate thread. I wouldn't presume unless I got a few more interested people though.
I would just echo some of the points made earlier about covers. They are not ideal, can cause chafing/marking of the bodywork, and generally are a PITA.
I do still use my cover, but to be honest am in two minds - do i risk sodden footwells, or do i just cover her up.
Must say i am quite tempted by one of these self assembly car garage type things from Costco's mentioned in another thread. May look into them
I do still use my cover, but to be honest am in two minds - do i risk sodden footwells, or do i just cover her up.
Must say i am quite tempted by one of these self assembly car garage type things from Costco's mentioned in another thread. May look into them
cerby4.5 said:
Hiya,
I had the Classic Additions 'Lightweight Breathable Cover' for both the Chimaera and the Cerbera and would highly recommend them! They are about £90. www.classicadditions.co.uk
They are really good quality, do not damage the paintwork, and best of all they are one of the few covers you can put straight on even if the car is wet! (quite handy given our climate). Watch this point as many other 'outdoor' covers can only be put onto a DRY car!
Just make sure your Cerbera cover (Size B - I think?) does not come with door mirror pockets, as the pockets are in the wrong place and so do not fit the Cerbera!
Have just bought another for the Jag and continue to be impressed.
Cerby4.5
I had the Classic Additions 'Lightweight Breathable Cover' for both the Chimaera and the Cerbera and would highly recommend them! They are about £90. www.classicadditions.co.uk
They are really good quality, do not damage the paintwork, and best of all they are one of the few covers you can put straight on even if the car is wet! (quite handy given our climate). Watch this point as many other 'outdoor' covers can only be put onto a DRY car!
Just make sure your Cerbera cover (Size B - I think?) does not come with door mirror pockets, as the pockets are in the wrong place and so do not fit the Cerbera!
Have just bought another for the Jag and continue to be impressed.
Cerby4.5
Got one myself, they're very good indeed
I'm with jensena and gbbird on this one.
It doesn't matter how good the cover itself is, wind plus natural airborne grit particles are not your friends. I have a Covercraft Cerbera cover, and the paintwork damage to prove it from last winter. Hopefully building a garage next year but in the meantime my purple friend is sleeping al fresco. I might look into trying to pick up a cheap mini wedding marquee or something as a temporary measure. Can't imagine there's much demand for those for their intended function at this time of the year.
It doesn't matter how good the cover itself is, wind plus natural airborne grit particles are not your friends. I have a Covercraft Cerbera cover, and the paintwork damage to prove it from last winter. Hopefully building a garage next year but in the meantime my purple friend is sleeping al fresco. I might look into trying to pick up a cheap mini wedding marquee or something as a temporary measure. Can't imagine there's much demand for those for their intended function at this time of the year.
Ongoing thread here folks - may be of assistance.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=340011&f=7&h=0
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=340011&f=7&h=0
DaveR said:
I'm with jensena and gbbird on this one.
It doesn't matter how good the cover itself is, wind plus natural airborne grit particles are not your friends. I have a Covercraft Cerbera cover, and the paintwork damage to prove it from last winter. Hopefully building a garage next year but in the meantime my purple friend is sleeping al fresco. I might look into trying to pick up a cheap mini wedding marquee or something as a temporary measure. Can't imagine there's much demand for those for their intended function at this time of the year.
It doesn't matter how good the cover itself is, wind plus natural airborne grit particles are not your friends. I have a Covercraft Cerbera cover, and the paintwork damage to prove it from last winter. Hopefully building a garage next year but in the meantime my purple friend is sleeping al fresco. I might look into trying to pick up a cheap mini wedding marquee or something as a temporary measure. Can't imagine there's much demand for those for their intended function at this time of the year.
Never had any such problems, and used the cover every day!
Anyone who saw my Cerb would tell you how good the paintwork was! (Bear in mind it was also my DAILY DRIVER, to the tune of 17500 miles over 8 months)
If you are careful they are absolutely fine!
Cerby4.5
cerby4.5 said:
DaveR said:
I'm with jensena and gbbird on this one.
It doesn't matter how good the cover itself is, wind plus natural airborne grit particles are not your friends. I have a Covercraft Cerbera cover, and the paintwork damage to prove it from last winter. Hopefully building a garage next year but in the meantime my purple friend is sleeping al fresco. I might look into trying to pick up a cheap mini wedding marquee or something as a temporary measure. Can't imagine there's much demand for those for their intended function at this time of the year.
It doesn't matter how good the cover itself is, wind plus natural airborne grit particles are not your friends. I have a Covercraft Cerbera cover, and the paintwork damage to prove it from last winter. Hopefully building a garage next year but in the meantime my purple friend is sleeping al fresco. I might look into trying to pick up a cheap mini wedding marquee or something as a temporary measure. Can't imagine there's much demand for those for their intended function at this time of the year.
Never had any such problems, and used the cover every day!
Anyone who saw my Cerb would tell you how good the paintwork was! (Bear in mind it was also my DAILY DRIVER, to the tune of 17500 miles over 8 months)
If you are careful they are absolutely fine!
Cerby4.5
Yep, mine's a-okay too, never had a problem.
cerby4.5 said:
If you are careful they are absolutely fine!
Well you can carefully check the thing's clean, carefully put it on and carefully take it off again before next using the car.
If, in the interim, the wind has been whipping around and you live in the sticks like I do (car is parked on gravel next to a field, not pristine tarmac) then the cover will flap and, in my experience (and others), the paint will get damaged.
I'm not saying it's a bad cover, or that some people won't find it perfect in their environment. I am saying, however, that in some situations there might be better options - including not using a cover atall.
I've got the classic additions heavy duty one, with the padlock & rope.
I think I put it on once, but I'm to idle to do it again.
The car's got a month's worth of dirt protecting at the moment
The valeter turned up to wash it today...I'm crap at polishing & not much better at the inside... got out of his van, cue rain, cue valeter drives off.
Fingers crossed for Monday.
I think I put it on once, but I'm to idle to do it again.
The car's got a month's worth of dirt protecting at the moment
The valeter turned up to wash it today...I'm crap at polishing & not much better at the inside... got out of his van, cue rain, cue valeter drives off.
Fingers crossed for Monday.
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