Covering the Z4 with a car cover!

DICKYN · Post by **DICKYN** » Wed May 20, 2020 8:09 pm

Hi there, I got so fed up with people eye balling my car on the drive i bought a cover for when im not using it, its cotton lined so as not the scratch, then someone told me not to leave that on, as condensation builds up and can rucs it?? any truth in that? there is not condensation this time of year! anyone else cover their here?

Pbondar · Post by **Pbondar** » Wed May 20, 2020 8:25 pm

Condensation is inevitable at certain parts of the day/times of year..

I use one all year round..I had a lightweight BMW interior type for a couple of years and now have a premium 4 layer one...they work very well but.....

You must must make sure that the car is 100% clean from any form of dust/sand/mud/dirt otherwise it will scratch very badly..

So I only fit the cover after a full car wash and dry down..

If you live in a windy area which it sounds like you don’t get one with tie down straps..

My heavyweight cover is so heavy and well elasticated that I don’t use them..

It does a really great job stopping city born pollution ..

Mr Tidy · Post by **Mr Tidy** » Wed May 20, 2020 8:53 pm

DICKYN wrote: ↑Wed May 20, 2020 8:09 pm Hi there, I got so fed up with people eye balling my car on the drive

To be honest I'd be more worried about people wanting to see what was under the cover.

As Pbondar says make sure you have a heavyweight cover that fits well, otherwise if it gets windy you can get rub marks on the paint on the corners of the car if it moves about.

My car came with a Stormforce cover but I sold it as having the car clean and dry before putting it on seemed very unlikely!

mcbutler · Post by **mcbutler** » Thu May 21, 2020 7:23 am

You will get condensation inside the cover i.e. the painted part of the car that gets wet anyway but the underneath should (theoretically) remain dry and a cotton lined cover will retain moisture.
If you cover it outside one of the biggest issues is wind, if it starts flapping around in the wind it will mark your car, cotton lined or not....
What about one of the folding garages I have seen advertised around the place, you drive the nose of your car in and then it folds up and over the car...
https://www.uktoolbox.com/products/seal ... EMQAvD_BwE

flybobbie · Post by **flybobbie** » Thu May 21, 2020 9:03 am

My neighbours parking spot has one of these tents, i will upload pic later. I just use a car cover due all the stuff that falls out of the tree i park under. Other than really wet i always put the cover on, because the birds use the car for target practise.
I think the tent is unsightly, perhaps ok to the side of a house or in a back garden.

Pbondar · Post by **Pbondar** » Thu May 21, 2020 9:23 am

mcbutler wrote: ↑Thu May 21, 2020 7:23 am You will get condensation inside the cover i.e. the painted part of the car that gets wet anyway but the underneath should (theoretically) remain dry and a cotton lined cover will retain moisture.
If you cover it outside one of the biggest issues is wind, if it starts flapping around in the wind it will mark your car, cotton lined or not....
What about one of the folding garages I have seen advertised around the place, you drive the nose of your car in and then it folds up and over the car...
https://www.uktoolbox.com/products/seal ... EMQAvD_BwE

I would point out that a custom made cover rather than a generic fits pretty well..in my experience of 3 years use in one of the more windy parts of the country (Scottish Southern Uplands) in an exposed rural location I’ve not noticed any issues...

Again to restate the car must be clean..I always wash and often give it a quick wax to ensure cleanliness,,

flybobbie · Post by **flybobbie** » Thu May 21, 2020 10:13 pm

Neighbours car tent with small Merc inside, compared to my cover on Zed.
For daily use i would prefer the cover.

javis20 · Post by **javis20** » Thu May 21, 2020 11:19 pm

What happens in heavy winds. What keeps that tent fixtured to the ground?

flybobbie · Post by **flybobbie** » Thu May 21, 2020 11:41 pm

He drilled some anchor bolt holes into the kerb at the rear and floor at the front.
That was my concern, one day to find it on my car.
It's really not suitable for the environment it's in and i can see some complaints coming from the house management company.

MACK · Post by **MACK** » Thu May 21, 2020 11:51 pm

flybobbie wrote: ↑Thu May 21, 2020 11:41 pm He drilled some anchor bolt holes into the kerb at the rear and floor at the front.
That was my concern, one day to find it on my car.
It's really not suitable for the environment it's in and i can see some complaints coming from the house management company.

Its not subtle is it, for me its a bit of a piss take/eyesore in a car park like that. I think your right, someone's bound to complain.

flybobbie · Post by **flybobbie** » Fri May 22, 2020 10:39 am

The building is an old Georgian gentlemans town house, so it's not quite keeping in with what residents would expect, may i say an eyesore.
The guy is retired he never goes out so a cover would have been just as good. Would make a good workshop if you had to work on the car though. Couldn't imagine this on someones front garden or driveway.

IRD · Post by **IRD** » Fri May 22, 2020 12:47 pm

We have one of these folding garages. I bought it when I got my E85 Z4 and it worked well. Because it is canvas and breathable it kept the car clean and dry. However, when the E89 arrived it wouldn’t fit. I have attached a photograph and as you can see it’s not a pretty sight. Because it is sited on a gravel base under the car port it was easy to anchor with some big metal pegs. At the moment I use it for extra storage but it is going to be replaced with a new shed soon. Then I’ll put it up for sale.

: 8F425FAF-F6B2-4294-8FC0-D05E9611F775.jpeg (466.19 KiB) Viewed 1045 times

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