Car Cover Recommendations - pics useful

Mchatelier · Post by **Mchatelier** » Mon Sep 11, 2017 8:51 pm

Hi all,
After a recommendation for a car cover for my Z4 coupe.
Car will be kept in a carport so no contact with the elements other than cold.

If any of you can help and have pics that would be great!

Here is where it will reside:

Cheers

D4dawg · Post by **D4dawg** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 1:37 am

Mines indoor cover:)

Silverzedtom · Post by **Silverzedtom** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 7:18 am

You have probably made your mind up and want a cover but I'd think twice. The cover will add small scratches no matter how clean the car is, even if it was in a garage. Id let the air get to it. You don't want any damp condensation between the car/ cover and it's inevitable.

I'm sure others will dissagree with me though

Mchatelier · Post by **Mchatelier** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:21 am

Thanks for replies so far. I'm not fully decided yet so any advise/experience/recommendations much appreciated. That indoor cover looks great, however I do need to factor in that in a carport, it will still be mighty cold and condensation will occur for sure.

earthdweller · Post by **earthdweller** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 9:15 am

I use a stormforce multi layer all weather cover on mine

I think you will need an outdoor cover in a carport

The stormforce is very good and stays in place really well with elasticated front/rear, straps and wing mirror covers

It allows the car to breathe yet keeps the elements off it

paulgs1000 · Post by **paulgs1000** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 6:28 pm

Another vote for the stormforce - though I cover my M in 2 large fleece blankets before adding the cover as I think the inner layer is still too harsh to protect the paint, One fleece blanket goes over the bonnet front and sides of wings to the windscreen (secured lightly under the wipers), one fleece blanket over the rear of the M from rear top of roof down over boot and rear wings to exhausts - (the roof stops the fleece sliding around). Then the cover is placed over the M.
I always wash and dry the M after every run and although this sounds like a bit of a fuss I've got used to going through this ritual and feel much better about the M being under cover.
The stormforce stays in place though I do use soft rope to tie across the front from one wheel across, under the no. plate to the other front wheel - same at the rear to stop any lift and flapping during periods of heavy wind - the soft rope doesn't do any harm as it's not abrasive but needs to be secure. The cover has straps which connect underneath and on their own do a good enough job (with the elasticated front and back) normally to hold the cover in place without this rope - it's only used when the forecast is bad.

Jim28270 · Post by **Jim28270** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 9:08 pm

If you're looking for a budget option I can recommend the Cosmos indoor car cover. Just picked one up for £36 on Amazon. Nice, good quality soft fabric and the medium size fits well enough.

Perfect for keeping the fly s**t off in my draughty garage..

Not waterproof though.

Think it was recommended in Auto Express, for what it's worth.

: IMG_0331.JPG (361.32 KiB) Viewed 4005 times

ph001 · Post by **ph001** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 10:39 pm

Its not really the cold and damp that will give you the issue..it's wind. As others have said even a moderate breeze causes enough movement and friction between the cover and paintwork to give some fairly upsetting defects, particularly on edges and corners. I learned the hard way on my sapphire black Z3M. It took a fair bit of correction to get it back. Maybe some of the very top end covers might be ok outdoors but you need to give particular attention to the lining.

D4dawg · Post by **D4dawg** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 11:38 pm

Both my indoor and outdoor covers are custom made from classic additions of which cover the best and most expensive cars in the world

Not a single issue from mine
Both breathable heavy gauge with soft lint interiors and a cover to go over hood to prevent fluff transfer and needless to say not a mark on my car

Trust me it's anal haha

Mchatelier · Post by **Mchatelier** » Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:01 am

Hi all. A massive thank you for all your advise.
Really appreciate it. Classic additions recommend the lightweight outdoor cover for my needs. I think I'm going to run plastic sheeting around the perimeter of the carport containing the car, with batons, to act as a preventative windbreak also. Think should do the trick nicely.

Mchatelier · Post by **Mchatelier** » Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:27 am

earthdweller wrote: ↑Tue Sep 12, 2017 9:15 am I use a stormforce multi layer all weather cover on mine

I think you will need an outdoor cover in a carport

The stormforce is very good and stays in place really well with elasticated front/rear, straps and wing mirror covers

It allows the car to breathe yet keeps the elements off it

Have you had any problems with scratches with yours?
Cheers
M

earthdweller · Post by **earthdweller** » Fri Sep 15, 2017 2:50 pm

Mchatelier wrote: ↑Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:27 am
earthdweller wrote: ↑Tue Sep 12, 2017 9:15 am I use a stormforce multi layer all weather cover on mine

I think you will need an outdoor cover in a carport

The stormforce is very good and stays in place really well with elasticated front/rear, straps and wing mirror covers

It allows the car to breathe yet keeps the elements off it
Have you had any problems with scratches with yours?
Cheers
M

No, none at all

Havard · Post by **Havard** » Fri Sep 15, 2017 7:47 pm

Sorry for the long post but I hope it is beneficial.

A bit of a tale of experience from me. I am super anal about my cars. I imported a 97 Toyota Supra in 2011 from Japan, the car was immaculate with 56K miles.

Won best on stand at JAE 2012. At the time I didn't have a garage and became a little paranoid about the elements eating away at my pride and joy. Came home from work one day to find the car almost covered in bird crap. I decided to get a cover, the Stormforce ones came highly recommended on the forums so I took the plunge. Good quality piece of kit, fleece lining inside but not overly thick, good water resistance outside. Only issue was that the elastic in a slight wind would sometimes lift and ruffle up at the from of the car.

I decided to make an improvement to the design as attached and never had the problem again. Just a simple loop at the front and then bungee cords clipped to the towing eye or front suspension.

Years one to three were relatively uneventful and only really became a problem is high winds and storm conditions as the cover tried to lift off the car. Getting the straps underneath the centre of the car with a broom was also a pain in the arse. On more than one occasion I was out at 3am in the rain taking the thing off as it was all over the place, even with the straps as tight as possible. It seemed that every winter there were light scratches appearing that needed to be polished out, particularly on the front and rear wings where it had been moving up and down with the wind. The car was always cleaned before being put under cover....

Condensation had always been a slight issue but minimal.

Year four is where the problems really began to mount up. The cover seemed to lose its water proof abilities and we started seeing massive amounts of damp under the cover when we removed it. We also saw serious "scratches" appearing all over the car.

A forum member made me an offer for the car that I couldn't refuse but I insisted that I got the scratches in the paint sorted first as I wasn't happy. I took it to a detailer in Preston to give her a once over and polish out the mysterious scratches that kept appearing on a seemingly immaculate and well looked after car. He rang me a couple of hours later and told me that after much effort, the scratches were not coming out, even though they seemed superficial.

He believed that the scratches were indeed cracks in the paint, possible caused by the car continuously being in a moist environment over winter. Even on a dry day, the moisture under the cover remained. I had already stopped using the cover but the damage had already been done...

After getting a second opinion, the car had to get taken down to the bare metal and resprayed on the rood, boot lid and bonnet. For me the car never looked right after that and in certain lights you could see that work had been done.

Strangely enough I would only ever use a cover now in Summer to keep bird crap and tree sap off the car. In winter I think a few coats of wax will do a lot less harm than a cover. Would I have one again, not on your Nelly..!!

H.

D4dawg · Post by **D4dawg** » Sat Sep 16, 2017 12:46 am

Hmmmm
I honestly can't see how the cover would or the moisture can crack or affect your paint?

That's like saying you've left your car outside in a damp wet country like erm most of our winters
So in my humble opinion is be looking at whom ever sprayed the car in the first place

My maserati has lived outside under a cover in snow rain and hail for about 11 years and then I decided to keep it in the garage still under it's cover and it's in show condition

My M I've had for 3 years and it lives outside under it's classic additions outdoor full Monty job

And not a mark nor anything in that time as we all know what my cars condition is

This cover has 3 straps one in front if wheels one behind rears and a middle one of which I added bungee cord to to remain taught without shortening the strap

It's been through all our winds rain and snow

Havard · Post by **Havard** » Sat Sep 16, 2017 7:07 am

D4dawg wrote: ↑Sat Sep 16, 2017 12:46 am Hmmmm
I honestly can't see how the cover would or the moisture can crack or affect your paint?

That's like saying you've left your car outside in a damp wet country like erm most of our winters
So in my humble opinion is be looking at whom ever sprayed the car in the first place

My maserati has lived outside under a cover in snow rain and hail for about 11 years and then I decided to keep it in the garage still under it's cover and it's in show condition

My M I've had for 3 years and it lives outside under it's classic additions outdoor full Monty job

And not a mark nor anything in that time as we all know what my cars condition is

This cover has 3 straps one in front if wheels one behind rears and a middle one of which I added bungee cord to to remain taught without shortening the strap

It's been through all our winds rain and snow

Hi Mr Dawg,

I am trying to make sense of it myself. The car had had some paint in Japan but bumpers only from what I could see. Roof and bonnet were factory paint. I am also fascinated by how it took 4 years to show itself.

After having a lot of cars and only having one under cover, I can only come to this conclusion. Even in wet conditions, winter etc, there are dry days that allow the car to dry out but under the cover it had months of being soaked with no where for the moisture to go.

It may just be that we got a faulty cover that caused issues further down the line but I would never have one again outside. I did more harm than good to a car that was stunning.

H.

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