SEMA week Contest: Cover Craft Car Covers

[Todd@RUPES]

To enter: Answer the question.
What you win: A custom fit Cover Craft NOAH car cover
This question is aimed at professional detailers although anybody is free to enter (and win) and all we are doing is looking for feed back. Do any of you (professional and rabid enthusiasts) use car covers on your own automobiles? Why or why not?

Do you recommend to your clients that they use a high quality car cover? Why or why not?

Our detailer program allows products such as car covers to be purchased at a great price, so if you are a professional and you believe in the benefits of car covers than PAC`s detailer program could certaintely help you increase your revenue stream.

Feel free to post your answer`s here or swing by and see Jack and I at the Proper Auto Care Booth at SEMA and share your opinions!

The winner will be chosen next Saturday: November 6th, 2010.

While everybody cannot win, we will over two runner up prizes (to be picked at random). Each runner up will receive a Cover Craft Sun Shield.

Best of luck!

Todd

[Jack Kruer]

This is a good question. I have spoken to a number of people in our detailer program, that offer Covercraft car covers to their clients. In the program, we make them available at a price that allow the detailer to sell them to their client. The detailer provides their client another service and makes a few bucks as well.

jk

[imported_Pats300zx]

Well every single one of my garage queens has an indoor and outdoor car cover. All by Covercraft. I have the Noahs for indoor and the Weathershields for outdoor. Now that I have a 3 car garage to keep all my cars I really don`t use the Weathershields as much.

I have 6 Covercraft car covers for my cars. They are top notch.

[grungy]

I`ll answer, but want left out of the drawing Todd and Jack so others can win.

I don`t use them due to only having daily drivers and the wind here in Tx can easily rip them off a vehicle (causing more damage). Wintertime is especially bad as we can get some good 50mph winds. (I do have a garage, but the vehicles don`t fit due to the builder`s idea of a 2 car garage)

[imported_ZimRandy]

Do any of you (professional and rabid enthusiasts) use car covers on your own automobiles? Why or why not?

Do you recommend to your clients that they use a high quality car cover? Why or why not?

I use covers for my cars when they are stored indoors for the winter. Mostly, it is to keep dust off of them so they don`t look nasty in the spring when I roll them out.

When people ask me about covers, I will usually find out what they are trying to do or how they are storing the car. If it will be outside and windy, then I recommend a nice, weatherproof cover that fits tight and is made for the elements. The universal, "plastic" type covers that are $16.99 at the local store usually don`t last and I don`t think they are good for the paint when they rub.

Randy

[imported_kakeuter]

On my daily driver I do not use one since I park outside. If I had a car that I kept garaged and did not drive daily, I absolutely would. Even if you park in the garage your car can still get covered in dust and debris.

My client that has 4 garage queens we cover after every detail. I always recommend we cover them since they don`t get driven often and they are VERY high quality car covers.

[imported_Brian_Brice]

I`ve never used one. I have seen quite a few, and can tell there seems to be a wide variety of materials used, some seem quite soft and safe, others not so much.

It never really comes up aside from the clients that do use one, in which case is usually of the nicer quality. I don`t recommend or discourage against their use unless I was convinced damage was being caused by a lesser quality cover.

[imported_Tuscarora Dave]

I haven`t used a car cover on my car because I had been working out of my car for the last 3 years but finally got a van so I would use a car cover now to try to preserve the finish on my car.

I only recommend a car cover to my clients if the car is in the garage for storage because I am afraid that they will leave bird bombs build up on the cover and it will seep through the cover if it is covered outside then they would try to blame me for the damage.

[imported_Stokdgs]

I bought my first car cover from Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories in California in 1969, for my 1969 Camaro SS/RS Pace Car, and I have used car covers on a variety of cars since then, and currently have a Weathershield type cover on the kid`s `97 BMW 540i that sits outside.

Where I used to live for 35 years in Northern California, I had covers for every car we owned and we had many. I believe in California where its so sunny, you would want a car cover to help cut down on UV, heat, and dirt, so that your freshly detailed _____________ (fill in the blank) would be nice and clean and cooler, every day.

I really like not having to wash my car often because it stays so clean when its covered outside wherever I go, so I will always be a fan of car covers, and can take one off and put one on in probably less than 2 minutes.

Windy conditions can cause problems for some poorly designed covers, but the newer designs now are coming out with more ways to attach it more tightly, so that wind doesnt get underneath it as much.

Of course, the best designed covers will fit every vehicle perfectly, tightly, and have the best possible grade of elastic in the front and back seams, so that it stays on very tight year after year, is easy to wash, and small enought to be rolled up into a small, supplied cotton/canvas bag, that is easily stored into the trunk/boot of any vehicle.

The grommets should always be covered in a padded fabric on each side, and a quality, cut proof cable and lock should be supplied with each cover, and not be an option to buy..

I dont really care for all the fancy colors, as it draws more attention to your vehicle, and that may or may not be a good thing in some areas of the country.
I prefer just gray or light blue; something that blends in easy with normal outdoor colors.

Up here in the Northwest, I have been really recommending to my Clients to get covers, especially if their vehicle/s are outside, to help prevent the onslaught of all kinds of fungi,moss, compost, etc., that gets into every seam and starts to grow little trees, multiply, etc.., if it stays there too long without being removed.

Dan F

[imported_Flash Gordon]

I instruct anyone that will listen not to put a cover on a dirty car. Also, its best to have 2 ppl so you don`t drag the thing across your paint.

Both partys (1 at each end) should fold the cover inwards. At that point, cafefully lift the cover off the car, then fold the cover and place in a sterile enviroment

[CEE DOG]

I do not use a car cover. My reasoning is that no matter how great it is made it will at some point get some dust or dirt inside it.
:2 cents:At that point it will begin scratching up the car. :2 cents:

If I am drawn please give the prize to one of my friends on here.

[imported_wendell jarvis]

who won????????????

[Leadfootluke]

Do any of you (professional and rabid enthusiasts) use car covers on your own automobiles? Why or why not?

Do you recommend to your clients that they use a high quality car cover? Why or why not?

Todd

We have not used a car cover yet. What we have had was 3 vehicles for the 3 drivers in our household. The daily driver is a RWD car with way too much power for rain or snow. After struggling last year in the Michigan Winter we used our other van that we got back from a family member who used it [until his wifes medical condition led them to no longer needed it]. The car was then stored in a neighbors garage for the winter.

That winter, our neighbors cat found the hood cowl a great place to sleep, so the hood and roof took a real beating and in the spring it took a long detailing session to remove the damage. At this point we can`t afford a car cover, but it`s almost a necessary evil unless the neighbor can keep the garage shut and even then, a car cover would be a great asset.

I would definitely recommend a cover to a customer who keeps their car unattended for long periods of time in an environment they can`t control the conditions of. In someone else`s storage space, outside, etc. And to echo what others have said, I would assist to ensure the vehicle is prepared to be stored [clean] and the cover is put on in a responsible fashion without inducing any marring.

I would definitely recommend a high quality car cover. If you are spending the time and money to protect your investment, do it right. A cheap cover will not last, not adequately protect, and will cause marring from the cheap materials used. Having to re-correct the paint after using a cheap car cover [or none at all] compromises the clear and costs more money to fix than it would to have a quality car cover.

Good luck to everyone, I find this thread to be timed well as Winter is coming up for some of us and covers are important parts of the process in some cases as well.

Thanks for the opportunity Todd :Frosty:

[imported_Flash Gordon]

Congrats to the Winners <:-P

As for us losers. WE SUCK @ WINNING :-B