Car cover more harm than good?

S

sndraco

New member
Hi



I live in San Francisco, drive a 2001 black Audi S4 and park on the streets usually near/under trees. I usually drive it once/twice a week for 90 miles or so at a time.



The car is in ok shape (used to be garaged but wasn't really cared for and has lots of swirl marks). Plan is to correct them with a PC at some point and then protect with wax.



My q. is it worth using a car cover? What I have heard is that though it helps with dust, bird bombs, sap etc, the chances of scratches from the wind, and also when the car is not totally clean is very high and so no point.



Opinions welcome.



S
 
sndraco said:
Hi



I live in San Francisco, drive a 2001 black Audi S4 and park on the streets usually near/under trees. I usually drive it once/twice a week for 90 miles or so at a time.



The car is in ok shape (used to be garaged but wasn't really cared for and has lots of swirl marks). Plan is to correct them with a PC at some point and then protect with wax.



My q. is it worth using a car cover? What I have heard is that though it helps with dust, bird bombs, sap etc, the chances of scratches from the wind, and also when the car is not totally clean is very high and so no point.



Opinions welcome.



S
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After correction I would stay away from car covers for the reasons you mentioned. Have you tried removing a car cover in heavy rain? Not fun.
 
sndraco- I've never been able to use a cover outdoors without causing at least as many problems that I was preventing, so it was just a question of which problems I'd rather live with in the specific case.



Generally, you'd be preventing contamination but causing marring- your call :nixweiss



The only way that *I* would consider using it would be to (only) put it on right after a wash while the car is still spotless. And even then I bet you'd mar the paint. But that could very well be preferable to too-deep-to-be-fixed etching from birds and trees.



Gee, if anything I probably made the decision harder, huh?!?



Oh, and Welcome to Autopia!
 
Hi guys,



just looking for some opinions... My situation:



I use my alfa (156) on the weekends - might pull it out once during the week every now and then... its in a garaged car park, but it has no roof - my spot is straddled by a wall with balconies above... as a result a lot of fall out and dust gets dumped on my car from the tall building face above... I think i really need a car cover to protect my car...



i've been very keen on a tyvek cover - like the kenco but can never find a medium size at supercheap auto... any where esle i can grab this? the other alternative is the autodelta storm cover... but i think for my needs the tyvek is the go as its very breathe-able and light and compact - it makes it far easier to live with... i had a heavy generic car cover before - i didn't notice it damage the paint but i never paid attention to that car (well, it was a nissan in my defence).. it was really annoying to try to pack it up everytime and it was enormous - even rolled up...



my question is - how do people go with outdoor car covers? any night mare stories? is it a given that a cover will wear the edges off the paint due to it moving around?



it'd be very pissed if i ended up spending $150 on something that spectacularly ruins the paint...
 
Carrol122 said:
..my question is - how do people go with outdoor car covers? any night mare stories? is it a given that a cover will wear the edges off the paint due to it moving around?



it'd be very pissed if i ended up spending $150 on something that spectacularly ruins the paint...
Click to expand...



For that price I can't imagine anything you'd want to put on a car that you care about. Covers really oughta be custom made to fit *perfectly* and even then damage is always possible. It's a question of the lesser evil if your outdoor-car is exposed to nasty stuff (as yours apparently is).



But sure, there are all sorts of horror stories about paint clouding, severe abrasion....you name it and somebody has posted about it on the internet.



I've never had serious damage, just some light marring that I consider inevitable. But then I always had very good custom made covers and I never put 'em on the car unless it was utterly spotless (as in, freshly washed).



And yeah...do do have to give some thought to what to do with the cover. Gotta roll it up just right or contamination from the "outside" surface will get on the inner part that touches your paint (resulting in marring). And handling a wet, dirty cover is no fun at all. AND...you gotta clean/dry it before you put it back on the car (which also needs to be clean and dry). Awful lot of hassles to do it right.



Of course, if you're dealing with a severe situation, all the scratches/etc. from using a soiled cover on a dirty car might be the lesser concern than the contamination....your call.
 
Before I joined autopia, I used to cover my car whenever it was going to sit for more than two or three days.



I used a carnuba wax weekly, so I probably couldn't see the damage it was causing so easily, but found it too much of a pain to use. It was nice to provide protection, but things like the tire shine adhering to it and then transferring to the paint was really annoying.



I would pass if you are becoming bothered with it, and try to find a storage unit or an empty spot in a friends garage.
 
The owner of a Porsche 911 put a cover on after I detailed and waxed it. Then when she took off the cover, manged to scratch it. So I say stay away from car covers.
 
AuAltima3.5 said:
... things like the tire shine adhering to it and then transferring to the paint was really annoying..
Click to expand...



Yeah, I first started doing my "LSP-on-trim" regimen after ERV dressing transfer made a mess that way.
 
Got Detailing? said:
When I used to part outdoors, the cats loved to use the cover as a scratching post! :yell:
Click to expand...



I had /have a Weathershield cover and back when I had to use it, one time there was a cat in the area and I'm pretty sure it climbed up on it but it looked like it slid right off because I saw about four paw marks on part of it and then all the sudden the marks looked like slide marks going down the car. The car was fine and I'm guessing the cat had a rather interesting experience.
 
Depends on the cover. He should get a good-quality one made specifically for outdoor use. Most important thing is that the cover is breathable. If it is

the cheapy it sounds like then I would remove it after any rain or dampness and let both the car and the cover dry thoroughly before replacing it.
 
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