Outdoor car covers...bear with me

[inkey$]

Was thinking about outdoor car covers and the issues that seem to come up when people use them. My car for example, was under a cover for the best part of a year and suffered a little from rubbing, micro lacquer oxidisation etc.

Do the fleece lined outdoor covers work better and if not, what if you were to first cover your car with a breathable indoor cover, then a regular outdoor one over that.

I know the answer is "no car cover is great", just interested in what might work better than a straightforward outdoor cover.

[Chris_D]

Mine sits for extended periods under a Stormforce cover in all seasons.
While it does cause minor rubbing and micro scratches I think it's a worthwhile trade-off compared to the more extensive damage that UV rays can do if left exposed to the sun all year round.
The minimal scratching is easily remedied with a couple of hours spent with a D/A.
If you spend long periods away from home like I do (no, not in prison), then coming back to a car that isn't covered in birdsh!t that's been eating it's way through the laquer is also a bonus.

[inkey$]

If you spend long periods away from home like I do (no, not in prison)...

[k755]

+1on the Stormforce just bought one to replace a different inferior cover that was also fleece lined however it became porous and leaked at the seams so binned it. Mine is outside and covered all year. You get what you pay for!

[B21]

I have this cover

https://www.specialisedcovers.com/storm ... -car-cover

Works really well..no issues..obviously you will get condensation due to diurnal effects…

Had no obvious paintwork damage but then I’m not as anal as many here..

The best covers have underbody straps to stop flapping and lift..

Bulky to stow but you can’t have everything…

[Pondrew]

Having used a stormforce cover on my Alpina (it came with the car) briefly; don't like outdoor covers. I get the point, as Chris-D says, if the car is stored outside for long periods. Better than nothing for certain protection.
The amount of condensation which gets trapped, 'breathable' or not, then evaporates, then condenses again, and so on...was not my idea of a good environment. Then there is the logistics of wrestling with the thing to remove. Then it is generally damp and you have to find somewhere car-sized to let it dry.
If you used two covers, ie an indoor then an outdoor, can only make the condensation issue worse.

Would you store a car in a sauna? Similar conditions under a cover IMHO, only not quite as warm generally.

I saw a car for sale recently that had been stood under a car cover for a few years without being moved. The moisture retained within the car had eaten (yes eaten) the entire interior away, along with all internal metal. It was horrendous.

[Pondrew]

If you spend long periods away from home like I do (no, not in prison),

No, just in that 'special' hospital where they have the lovely jackets that fasten at the back!

[Chris_D]

If you spend long periods away from home like I do (no, not in prison),

No, just in that 'special' hospital where they have the lovely jackets that fasten at the back!

Yes, but at least I check myself in voluntarily Pondlife, unlike some.

And by the way, I think I was put in the same cell as you've obviously been in. I could still see your deluded, vapid crayon scribblings on the walls;
Pondrew wasn't 'ere
I lick windows for fun
Kill me now
When I look at my bare feet I see Isla St. Clair
etc,etc...

How is the Ritalin working out?

[Pondrew]

When I look at my bare feet I see Isla St. Clair

Wha' The F?
You need another visit mate. The last one wasn't long enough!

[Chris_D]

When I look at my bare feet I see Isla St. Clair

Wha' The F?
You need another visit mate. The last one wasn't long enough!

Hey, they're your scribblings!

[inkey$]

Thanks all. So what do we define as long term use vs condensation/potential damage? Are we thinking its better to remove say a month at a time, let the car and cover breathe?

[B21]

Thanks all. So what do we define as long term use vs condensation/potential damage? Are we thinking its better to remove say a month at a time, let the car and cover breathe?

The cover will let the car breathe when conditions permit…obviously you can accelerate that process by taking the cover off on a dry day and letting air get in from both sides..

The issue is that in winter the air is often saturated for long periods so the condensation stays …if you can position the car to get some sunlight it helps…

It’s an imperfect solution compared to a well built garage..but I’ve seen many cars covered in condensation in garages if they are damp / poorly ventilated..

As you long as you are careful about not putting on over dirt and have it strapped down well if you are in a windy location then it’s a lot better than just letting the rain and weather do it’s worst ..imho

[Chris_D]

Thanks all. So what do we define as long term use vs condensation/potential damage? Are we thinking its better to remove say a month at a time, let the car and cover breathe?

The longest period that I left my Stormforce cover on for was 6 months while I was doing some consulting work in Hamburg. I was led to believe that I would be able to do 30-35-hour weeks so planned to work 9 hours/day and take Fri-Sun off to come back to NL. It didn't quite work out like that however and I only managed to get back for 2 weekends during the whole time. Grr.
Anyway, a long-winded way of explaining how the cover ended up being left on. I took a peek under the cover on those 2 weekends to check everything was ok and the only thing I saw that was anything like detrimental was some faint marks on the bonnet where condensation had been concentrated and then evaporated. Easily removed with the first wash/polish when the cover finally came off.

If you realise that you're not actually hermetically sealing the car with a car-cover. It's not like you're going to have a mouldy bacon butty in a plastic ziploc bag that you forgot about! The whole underside of the car isn't covered of course and there are gaps around the wheel arches where air will pass and then circulate around on the inside of the cover, so it will never be subject to permanent humidty/condensate. In a light breeze you can see it balloon up a bit so that's a good indication that air is getting in underneath.
I noticed a few occasions where the Stormforce cover had actually dried out completely before I had expected it to and it's nowhere near anything like a soggy wet rag that people assume it will be!

Put it this way- any fear of condensation cycles and slight rubbing are massively offset by the potential damage UV rays and birdsh!t will do without a cover in place.
We have duckies around here who obviously eat at the local trattoria, evident by some of the huge steaming piles of poop they leave behind.
One looked like it was taking aim at the zed and left a 3 ft trail of sheer horror from the middle of the roof towards the rear and onto the road. It was a true spectacle and actually quite impressive if I'm totally honest. I had no idea they could be so prolific with their bowel movements!
In any case, the cover saved me from a lengthy cleanup of the hood and bootlid. A jet wash dispatched the remnants of the duck doody easily. I'm just glad I was around to deal with it when it happened. Imagine how that would have baked on to the fabric roof if left for 6 months during summer. Eek.

[coldel]

As above...I have used covers in the past, where I lived on a road with trees overhanging etc. and the trade off worked nicely to have the cover on during the week when Im at the office in London then having it taken off for the weekend. And that was on a VX220 as well which is well known for its temperamental paintwork.

Key thing is to make sure the car is cleaned to within an inch of its life before quickly getting the cover on and strapped down. Anything trapped between the car and the cover will happily move around drawing lovely lines and scratches on your paintwork to be unveiled when the cover comes off.

[inkey$]

Good experienced advice, gents.
Many thanks and hopefully the thread can help others looking for the pros and cons of an outdoor cover.