Car cover thoughts

[BellyBuilder]

I know this subject can sometimes cause a bit of friction (pun intended!) but when it comes to car covers, what have you found has worked/not worked?

I've picked up a few Halfrauds covers over the years but at £70 for a medium they're not cheap. I just need something to keep the worst off really, so have looked at the £29.99 cover that Euro Car Parts have, thinking that if it doesn't blow off (it can be checked on a daily basis) then if it keeps the worst off, can it be that bad?

What have you tried and tested recently?

It's for a VW old Beetle by the way.

Ta

[Maxxxer]

I had one for my Midget (originally made for a Hyundai Coupe, but it was free...) and it was fine. Only a single sheet, plastic, with vents and a click belt to stop it coming off.

Useful to keep it clean, stop the slightly leaky roof from letting the rain in, however the paintjob was a 20 footer, so i wasn't too precious about it.

I never had any issues with paint rub or micro blistering, however I'm sure there are those on here who can testify to having had that....

[mikehamid]

I bought an Argos one, or shall I say several of the blighters! I had them replaced for faulty products three times, until one lasted just long enough to become exempt. It all ended in a completely shredded cover sat at the feet of my Trabant. Anyone looking to buy the Argos product, avoid like the plague!

[BellyBuilder]

The car itself is a 20-footer so I don't want to be spending too much on one!

[discostew38]

I've had both types
Cheap and more expensive
The more expensive ones are better and they tend to last longer
I've had a couple of £10 aldi covers and because they are made of a very light material they are quite good on the paint
I find the biggest problem with all of them is the way they fasten most just have one center strap so they can easily blow off
Or the one strap breaks off


Plus side
Keeps sun off the interior and paint keeps the leaves out the nooks and crannies

Down side
The inside gets very hot in summer and that can cause problems with trims and vinyl
Restricted air flow can course mould

[scratcher]

I detail cars and get a few through that sit under cover.
There's almost always some chafing on the body work from the straps or flapping in the wind.
Mouldy interiors if they've sat for a while.

I wouldn't use one personally.

[mk2cossie]

I've got 2 from Halfords, not sure if each one was 50quid or reduced from 70. Not had any problems with them doubled up on my car to keep the weather off the etch primered but unpainted bits and keep some water out as the rear screen is currently out as well. not had any water getting in, and only had one occasion of the front off the large cover coming up over the bonnet.

They have 3 straps on each one, and I have taken to threading the front and rear straps through the wheels either end, not more troubles with flappage in the wind now

[8bitash]

depends what you're trying to achieve imo. If it doesn't leak i'd leave the cover off and just wash it every so often. If I put a cheap cover on my lotus in a garage it micro blisters very quickly.

[generallee]

I bought one off Amazon, it was a while back so I can't remember how much, but I am too tight to pay more than £40 or so. I used it as my only off road parking is under a tree, and the car I was covering was a weekend toy. It had a vent and the inside was sort of fleecey, if that makes sense?
Anyway, I never suffered any problems with damp as the wind would "billow" it out, but it fitted well enough that it didn't blow off. I used it for 9 months or so to keep the tree sap, leaves and bird poo off, and never really noticed any problems with paint damage.

The main thing was I made sure the car was really clean and dry before I put the cover on, which put me off using it (the car and the cover) as I couldn't be bothered washing it after every trip out.


Also, a big old nut/washer/sea fishing weight tied to the end of the strap/s that go underneath help no end when trying to lob them under the car.

[slammedorion]

Don't use one... they just damage paintwork!!!

[OUTRUN]

Indoor covers are fine IMO, but they can still only be used when the car has just been cleaned.

I used to have this:

[tofufi]

I have one, I've used it on a couple of cars over the years.

It is a fitted one, for a Beetle. The Beetle got microblisters on the roof after a couple of years.

It now occasionally gets used on an MG Midget with a fibreglass hardtop, to stop the rain getting in. The cover isn't left on the car all the time, but the (fibreglass) roof is now covered in microblisters...

[fad]

I wouldn't bother at all. Just wax the car really well, and use sun screens inside. Hell you could give it a coat of WD40 if you were gonna leave it a while I guess? I have had a zero success rate with all types when the car is left outdoors.

Look at the cost of a decent cover.

Then look at the cost of renting a garage from someone for a year.

[welshpug]

build a car port instead? look up Grizz's threads for inspiration.

[rude]

No successes with outdoor covers here. They are a pain in the ar$e, expensive, cause damage, fall off in the wind, create hostile micro environments, ultimately end up shredded and become an eye sore.
If I had to lay a car up again I'd either rent a garage or look at some sort of wax covering to dump on it. Don't they do those tent things? Bolt that into the old block paving.

[slater]

I just use the cheap cheap ones to keep the dust off indoors.

Outdoors forget it.

[Deleted]

A lot of the inexpensive covers are not breathable therefore condensation builds up underneath them - however, far worse than that at the experience of a fellow classic owning friend of mine who had £40k's worth of damage done when a cover caught fire on a early E Type convertible (battery spark caused it) - did the paint, interior, glass, hood, chrome etc and so very nearly took the garage & house with it - Afterwards we all checked our covers sadly to find that the vast majority are NOT fire retardant - did quite a bit of research into it and there are only a few car cover manufactures / suppliers that will admit to their covers being fire retardant.

[BellyBuilder]

May 4, 2017 12:33:38 GMT mk2cossie said:

I've got 2 from Halfords, not sure if each one was 50quid or reduced from 70. Not had any problems with them doubled up on my car to keep the weather off the etch primered but unpainted bits and keep some water out as the rear screen is currently out as well. not had any water getting in, and only had one occasion of the front off the large cover coming up over the bonnet.

They have 3 straps on each one, and I have taken to threading the front and rear straps through the wheels either end, not more troubles with flappage in the wind now

I'm seriously thinking about the Halfrauds ones again. They bump up the price in the winter by £20 but now I know that I'll get one now. I like your idea of threading the front and rear straps - good idea.

I just leave a window open slightly either side to allow for internal ventilation.

[DrSebWilkes]

I speak with considerable contempt when it comes to car covers.

On the one hand, for a leaky car having suffered the problems of pooling water, I needed a cover to stop the poor thing just dissolving.

But, at least this is where you may do better than me, the car itself suffered being under a cover. Definitely noticed some chaffing, car was always damp and problems were always [when I had the cover on it] insidiously out-of-mind.

Keeping cars outside without a car cover is a condundrum between a rock and a hard-place: always.

I loathe them and I hate what they put me through. Given my car is indoors now I never have to worry about the bloody weather and whether or not the cover is doing more harm than good. 

[BellyBuilder]

^ haha, yes I know what you mean. Any gust of wind brings on the palpitations!

I think having a couple of dehumidifier granule devices inside the vehicle helps as well.