which car cover?

L

Liam-O

Senior member
 Solihull
I guess this is a hard decision for anyone who keeps their car outside (it would be easy if the car was garaged)

I guess Im asking here because i want to know from real life experience rather than what is "claimed". So i want to keep my car as dry as possible and clean but Im going to be taking it off maybe everyday and putting it on to a relatively dirty/wet car. So my options are.....

The very sexy genuine BMW outside cover
image.do


OR

The coverzone
  • *Monsoon
    *Voyager
    *Sahara

I cant find any pictures of these so dont know what the fitment would be like (pictures would be appreciated) but I am aware they have securing straps that im not sure the BMW one has and I dont want some clown stealing my car cover...

Any help would be great!
 
The downside with car covers is the movement in any breeze/wind, as this will cause any dirt to rub on the paintwork


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ranski said:
The downside with car covers is the movement in any breeze/wind, as this will cause any dirt to rub on the paintwork


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exactly! thats my worries about the genuine BMW one, whereas the coverzone one apparently has an elasticated bottom and underbody straps which i would assume would reduce movement in the wind?
 
Mine has ties underneath but it still moves and rubs in the wind :/


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I use a Coverite Prestige cover on my Zed. It's sort of a generic cover that fits but isn't tailored specifically for the Zed. It features multi-layer construction that is supposedly waterproof and breathable at the same time, which seems to be the case. The inner layer is soft and fluffy, which is supposed to prevent abrasion damage to the car's finish, but I'm pretty sure it could rough up the finish in a good wind if that inner layer got loaded with dirt and grit. It's important to keep the inside of the cover clean and dry, and as much as possible only put it on a clean and dry car. I think one advantage this cover has is that it's surprisingly lightweight, which might help to avoid abrasion damage. It has single strap that goes under the car. I've been using it for a few months now, and it's been on in a few serious windstorms, but there's been no noticeable damage thus far.

http://www.coveritecarcovers.com/

I have to wonder if a loose-fitting cover like the Coverite might not be safer than a tailored cover that ends up being in close contact with the entire surface of the car.

Anyway, so far so good. I'd rather have a garage, but I don't, so a cover it is.
 
i have a cover but very rarely use it, although its only 5 min job putting it on an off its a pain if 1 want to just have a spin round the block
 
I have a Sahara indoor cover and it fits my coupe very well, so a thumbs up for Sahara from me. I would be worried about paint damage with an outdoor cover, and although under car ties will stop it blowing away, I don't think I could be bothered getting down on my knees to thread it under the car in the rain. If it's a roadster, could you just get a half cover to protect the soft top?
 
I had a car zone storm force (i think) and I leave it on a few times a month...... Gets my thumbs up.

But never cover a dirty/ wet car... As you'll end up with swirl marks to the paint where the cover rubs.

Sme pics:

IMG_0541.jpg

IMG_0544.jpg
 
So I guess a full car cover isn't for me until I have a nice warm garage to tuck my baby into.

Can anyone suggest a roof only cover? I want one where no water at all touches the roof, because I park on a hill facing up, water pools at the back corners of the soft top.
 
Don't ever put a cover on a wet roof, especially if you're leaving it for a while. My 10c worth, get the car really well waxed and keep the roof well treated and you'll be fine. The cost of those BMW covers will go a long way to a paint correction/winter proofing and the dirt will flow off when you hose it down! Once you have a garage, unless you're leaving the car in there for any length of time, you'll probably not bother with a cover anyway!
 
@andysat: Not a clue, that why i was steering more towards the coverzone as it looks more secure...

@Stuart Truman: are there any reasons for not putting a cover onto a wet roof?

my issue is that water collects in the below pointed areas and just sits there until it evaporates (or i fear possible soaks through)

z4roof.jpg
 
It traps the moisture then the inside of the cover gets damp. You can get mould/fungus and moss over time. I'd also be worried about it blowing away or simply being stolen.
 
Stuart Truman said:
It traps the moisture then the inside of the cover gets damp. You can get mould/fungus and moss over time. I'd also be worried about it blowing away or simply being stolen.
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Its something that id likely be using daily so would that still be an issue? also, what if I was to use a vented cover?
 
If it gets wet inside the cover, unless you dry it properly you'll eventually get mould. If memory serves, either in the handbook, or a piece of BMW marketing material for their covers, it actually says not to use if the car is wet. I looked hard at getting one as this is the first time I've owned a convertible but in the end just retreated the roof. Also, as others have already said, if it gets dirt on it, it will act like wet & dry on your paintwork where it rubs with the wind moving it about. I can only really see these as useful if you're hibernating the car in a well aired garage and you want to keep the dust off (or the cat!).
 
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