Car cover facts?

wolfe · 08-12-06, 03:05

I'm thinking of getting a car cover because it looks like I'm getting fallout landing on my car and messing up the paint.

I think I've got an ok one picked out, it's a good combination of price/fit and perhaps even material (breathable stormshield which is supposedly soft on the inside).

I've never used an outdoor cover on a regular basis before, the only experience I've had is using a cheap non vehicle specific one to cover a car while it was off the road for a few months.

I know it's nowhere near as good as parking somewhere covered, but I guess I need to go with the lesser of two evils. Right now the car has contamination marks on it within a week of washing/waxing.

I have a couple of questions though..

1) can I safely put the cover on if it's raining or if the car's wet?

2) Is it a terrible idea to cover/uncover a car which isn't spotlessly clean?

Any advice would be great, thanks in advance.

velobard · 08-12-06, 04:30

Rule #1, never drag the cover over the paint. Learn to put it on and take it off by unrolling it or folding it.

wolfe · 08-12-06, 04:45

Thanks for the tip, should it be possible to do that by myself or will I need a helper? it's a medium size car.

One other question.. I have a 'stubby'style antenna on the roof, will I have to remove that every time I cover the car, to avoid damaging the antenna or the cover?

JamRWS6 · 08-25-08, 03:14

You can easily do it by yourself.

DavidB · 08-25-08, 03:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfe

I have a couple of questions though..

1) can I safely put the cover on if it's raining or if the car's wet?

2) Is it a terrible idea to cover/uncover a car which isn't spotlessly clean?

It is not recommended to cover a wet car. If you trap water under the cover and then the sun later comes out, it will cause all kinds of problem. Not to mention it's difficult to dry a car cover.

If you car has light dust, you should with it down with a buffing towel and a detail spray. A good duster will also work. Under no circumstances should you ever cover a dirty car. It will cause more damage than it does good.

Also, if it's windy outside, remove your car cover. Constant flapping of the cover on your paint will also cause problems.

I recently started a Car Cover Guide. I plan to add several more sections, including how to properly cover and uncover your car. As mentioned above, the proper technique is to roll/fold it... back to center, front to center, then left to right. This creates a nice package that's then easy to unfold.

Car Cover Buyer's Guide

db

SOCALEXO · 08-26-08, 01:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfe

One other question.. I have a 'stubby'style antenna on the roof, will I have to remove that every time I cover the car, to avoid damaging the antenna or the cover?

TRY this - once you get your cover get it on your car then using a marker, mark where the antenna lines up with the cover. Now with a razor cut a slit in the cover for the antenna to pop-out through. finally you have two choices (a) if you're handy [or know someone that is] with a needle & thread you can sew up the slit to keep it from tearing further OR (b) buy one of those plastic grommets that they sell for tarps (avail at home depot or lowes) and squeez it on around the slit.

Some will freak out saying you shouldn't have a piece of plastic on the cover as it may scratch the finish. It will scratch the finish if you're not careful - just as a belt buckle will or carelessly carried gym bag will....the rule is just be careful taking the cover off & on. If you do it right (rolling the cover off & on - kinda like making a burrito..left side up, right side up then roll trunk to hood) you shouldn't have an issue with a grommet ruining your finish.

JamRWS6 · 08-28-08, 03:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidB

It is not recommended to cover a wet car. If you trap water under the cover and then the sun later comes out, it will cause all kinds of problem. Not to mention it's difficult to dry a car cover.

If you car has light dust, you should with it down with a buffing towel and a detail spray. A good duster will also work. Under no circumstances should you ever cover a dirty car. It will cause more damage than it does good.

Also, if it's windy outside, remove your car cover. Constant flapping of the cover on your paint will also cause problems.

I recently started a Car Cover Guide. I plan to add several more sections, including how to properly cover and uncover your car. As mentioned above, the proper technique is to roll/fold it... back to center, front to center, then left to right. This creates a nice package that's then easy to unfold.

Car Cover Buyer's Guide

db

Wouldn't it be better to fold the sides to the top and then roll back to middle and front to middle? This way the clean sides (inside) are only touching the clean sides and not any fallout that is on the outside of the cover.

KarenCaren · 03-13-09, 12:14

I always ask my friend if I will remove my car cover. I will not pull it. 2 things can happen. Either your paint will have a scratch of your cover will have a little cut that will be bigger.

Blackthornone · 04-26-09, 05:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidB

It is not recommended to cover a wet car. If you trap water under the cover and then the sun later comes out, it will cause all kinds of problem. Not to mention it's difficult to dry a car cover.

If you car has light dust, you should with it down with a buffing towel and a detail spray. A good duster will also work. Under no circumstances should you ever cover a dirty car. It will cause more damage than it does good.

Also, if it's windy outside, remove your car cover. Constant flapping of the cover on your paint will also cause problems.

I recently started a Car Cover Guide. I plan to add several more sections, including how to properly cover and uncover your car. As mentioned above, the proper technique is to roll/fold it... back to center, front to center, then left to right. This creates a nice package that's then easy to unfold.

Car Cover Buyer's Guide

db

In your car cover buyer's guide, you mention that you should get a light colored car if you live in a sunnier climate. I question this thinking, because if you hold up a dark sheet against the sun, and a white sheet against the sun,the black sheet will definitely block a lot more light, and if you lay down a black sheet and a white sheet over grass, the grass covered by the black sheet will die in a few weeks, while the grass under the white sheet will still be growing, because the black sheet blocked the sun that the grass needed in order to live, however, the white sheet let light in, allowing the grass to live. In addition to this, people in the Middle East often wear black clothing to protect them from the sun.

Jimenez66 · 09-22-09, 07:08

My friend had a car cover once with comparable material to what is used at NASA. I cannot, for the life of me, remember where he may have gotten it from - this must have been over 10 years ago. Was real neat

alexmadison · 10-10-09, 10:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfe

I'm thinking of getting a car cover because it looks like I'm getting fallout landing on my car and messing up the paint.

I think I've got an ok one picked out, it's a good combination of price/fit and perhaps even material (breathable stormshield which is supposedly soft on the inside).

I've never used an outdoor cover on a regular basis before, the only experience I've had is using a cheap non vehicle specific one to cover a car while it was off the road for a few months.

I know it's nowhere near as good as parking somewhere covered, but I guess I need to go with the lesser of two evils. Right now the car has contamination marks on it within a week of washing/waxing.

I have a couple of questions though..

1) can I safely put the cover on if it's raining or if the car's wet?

2) Is it a terrible idea to cover/uncover a car which isn't spotlessly clean?

Any advice would be great, thanks in advance.

I found some decent ones from empire. This cover was a replacement cover for a custom cover that cost three times as much and started leaking water and collecting dust under the cover in less than a year. My Empire cover is 4 months old, has survived numerous strong thunderstorms and seering Texas sun, and so far is exceeding my expectations. I have 3 cars under cover, soon the other two will be covered by Empire.

EmpireCovers-Review