The best car cover???

[whunter]

Sources/links for the best car cover???

[mark cummins]

Try California Car Cover ...LOTS of choices..depends on what you need from the cover ...I have the flannel for inside storage and a custom two tone cover for outside use
http://www.calcarcover.com/

[lizem100]

The OEM covers are nice-do not scratch paint but rot out after 2 yrs. How long do the california covers last and how soft are they?
I use my outside. Do not care if it is perfectly waterproof but want sun and dust protection.

[TheDon]

no cover is good. Especially outside. The cover may say non marring but once dust gets under it then its game over

[Skid Row Joe]

JC Whitney's best, cotton-flock lined and waterproof.

I bought one for my new Corvette in 1977 as well as my new 1972 Honda 350Four M/C.

Expect to pay a lot. Yes, they do have a website jcwhitney.com

[Dee8go]

I bought a cheap one from CarQuest recently. I think it was about $30. One rain shredded it like it was made out of toilet tissue. I didn't expect much out of it, but I did think it would survive at least a few rain storms.

Don't remember the brand name, but it was the only brand Car Quest carried.

[sgmanning]

This is one of those questions that looks easy, but is NOT.I am in the canvas and cover business, this is what I do, so I will lend some thoughts on the topic to help First and foremost, DO NOT USE POLYTARPS TO COVER YOUR CAR!!! They are abrasive, will damage your paint, and do not breath so they collect condensation on the underside, hold it against the car and cause corrosion. I'm sure having said that a bunch of people will reply that they have done that and it worked fine, Maybe they were lucky, who knows, but please don't do that. It is far better to leave the car uncovered.

That said, the best cover depends on the intended use, and the environment it will be used in. If the car is to be stored inside, or even outside under a carport, the answer is easy, use a lightweight COTTON napped back ( or flannel backed) cover. It will not scratch the paint and breaths (therefore it Will not collect condensation). Cotton is a wondrous natural fiber, and is surprisingly abrasion resistant. This would seem to make it an ideal material for use when trailering, but this is another DON'T. NEVER COVER A CAR WHEN TRAILERING! The whipping action induced by the wind can damage your car, I've seen covers rip off antennas, emblems ( think Mercedes star) chrome and stainless trim , etc. Leave the car uncovered when trailering.

Now it gets trickier. At this point, as much as I would like to tell you all to bring you car to me to make a custom cover, and pay me lots of money, I have to say you should check out California Custom Car Covers. If they have a pattern for your car, there is no way I could match their prices, their quality is great and they offer a wide range of products that will fulfill 90% of peoples needs. If you need a cover for a show car, that is usually inside, but might be caught outside at a show or on an occasional tour, the Evolution 3 fabric is great( yeah, thats the stuff that looks like a bounty towel). It is fairly non abrasive, and Water resistant, folds up reasonably compactly, dries quickly if it does get wet, and is reasonably priced. If you have an exotic they do not have a cover for, or you want something special, then you come to a small shop like mine.

Thats another important point. Everyone thinks they want a cover thats waterproof. But waterproof means some kind of impermeable membrane (usually spelled plastic), and they do not breathe! This means they will trap and hold condensation under them ( unless you are in the deepest driest desert, there will be condensation. This moisture will be trapped against your car, promoting corrosion, mold, mildew and all sorts of ugliness. You need your cover to breathe, therefore you need a water resistant cover . The real trick is to decide the level of water resistance you need. The level of resistance varies with the fabric (and usually with cost. If you choose a waterproof fabric, make sure it has some form of venting ( no, being open on the bottom does not count), look for downward facing vents mounted high up the cover, but ideally get a cover that breathes.

You also need to keep in mind that if you live where there is intense sunlight, then you need to keep ultraviolet light in mind. U.V. deteriorated most fabrics, and almost all threads. The more intense the sunlight, the more you need to have U.V. resistance. Polyesters and acrylics are among the most U.V. resistant Fabrics. As for thread, in order from lowest to highest, cotton, nylon, polyester, acrylic, then Tenera (Kevlar based...expensive). I also like light covers over dark to reflect as much light and heat as possible.

The other extreme environment that comes to mind is Arctic conditions. These tend to be a problem as when the cover lies on the car , inevitably, some moisture gets between the two and freezes the cover to the finish. Even if just in a few tiny places, each time. When you peel the cover off, the paint is damaged. Just a little. Over time it adds up. The best answer in this case would be to support the cover such that it does not touch the car. Tricky. I've seen pictures of some covers that were supported like tents with fiberglass rods sewn in, but I really don't know how well they worked. If this is your situation my best advise would be to look at what your neighbors are doing and see how well it is working. Then make your best choice.

All that being said, lets look at what I would consider the ultimate cover. If I were building a cover for my 300 SD, and the car had to stay outside year round, I would make the cover out of Sunbrella Premium. This is a nap backed synthetic canvas, with an impermeable membrane inside . Yes, that means it is water proof and will need to be ventilated. I would put four downward facing trapezoidal vents(these look like downward facing wedges with a hole beneath (you should be able to find an image by googling trapezoidal vent canvas), plus I would add one of the solar powered ventilators available at marine store center top of the cover with a ring of corrugated foam sewn beneath it to prevent its touching the car and ensure airflow. This fabric is near invincible, but is very expensive. Last time I looked it was north of $20 per yard, may be approaching $30 today for 60 inch wide goods, and thats wholesale. combined with tenera thread you have a cover that will last 10 to 20 years. However there are a lot of yards in a car cover, (do the math, front back top sides etc) the material bill alone will be impressive. And remember, only the nap backed Sunbrella premium is suitable. the lesser cheaper sunbrellas are abrasive to you finish, and with just a little wind chaffing can do permanent damage.

In conclusion, you do not want to seal your car up beneath a non breathing cover, airflow is the key to keeping your car dry. If you want a hermetic seal, you need a building, or maybe a drive in freezer. Gauge the level of water resistance to your environment If You are going to get a lot of rain, pay for a better fabric. If you live in areas of intense sun and U.V., use a synthetic canvas and perhaps Tenera thread ( reputed to be nearly U.V. proof, I've never had a customer that was willing to pay for it). Look for a cover that will not scratch your paint. Follow the manufacturers instructions for care and cleaning, Usually you want to use a soap, (not detergent) or use a manufacturer approved cleaner, if you have to wa**** that it. You may do well just rinsing with clear water. Never store your cover wet, it will get moldy and disgusting in very short order. If you have to put it away wet, dry it at the first opportunity. Do not set it on the ground or get the underside dirty. Dirt trapped in the canvas is very abrasive to your paint(as noted by a previous poster), shake the cover out (with Friends) to keep the underside clean, or run it through a commercial dryer on cool or no heat setting Be very careful about peeling frozen covers from you paint. Remember, airflow is critical under the cover!. Finally, handle your cover GINGERLY, move slowly, if the cover snags something and you yank it, you run a real risk of either tearing the cover, or tearing the part it snagged off the car. AS with most things in life be careful and do it right.

all that said, and remember, I'm in the cover business and nothing would make me happier than selling all of you covers. I keep my cars in a garage. And I do not cover them. I like to be able to step into the garage and see my cars. I do not mind dusting them occasionally. But thats just me. I do have a cover for each of them,, I use them when on tour. More as a deterrent to curious people than as a guard against weather. The car were designed to withstand a little weather, but put an old car in a parking lot and people seem to be drawn to it, to touch it, open the doors, move switches, take souvenirs and worse. Usually, most people ignore the covered car, out of sight, out of mind as my father always said.

Hope thats a help, as with most things, no easy answer.

Very sincerely
Scott Manning

[Skid Row Joe]

Originally Posted by whunter

Sources/links for the best car cover???

So what do you think of the extensive selection from Whitney, Roy?

[lizem100]

Thank you very much for your detailed reply.
I park my car outside at night. It rarely freezes. Sometimes it is out in the sun during the day. CCC rec superweave. What is the diff between superweave, stormweave, ultraweave... What is your opinion. The OEM is NOAH.
CCC does not have sunbrella.
what is a 4 yr LIMITED warranty?
Thanks

[lizem100]

Any other good cover companies?

[Skid Row Joe]

If you (generic you) cannot find what you are looking for in terms of a quality car cover on J.C. Whitney's website selection - I doubt that anything will fill the need in a car cover.

I saw an advertisement on-line today, that J.C. Whitney will pay the freight on purchases of $75.00 or more.

That should get some serious consideration of their covers - all things being equal.....

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

JC Whitney's best, cotton-flock lined and waterproof.

I bought one for my new Corvette in 1977 as well as my new 1972 Honda 350Four M/C.

Expect to pay a lot. Yes, they do have a website jcwhitney.com