Car Covers

[Drwhitesr]

I am looking to purchase a cover for my car. Does anyone have a recommended manufacturer, make or model? Is there any one I should NOT buy?

 

[Scottsredvette]

I am looking to purchase a cover for my car. Does anyone have a recommended manufacturer, make or model? Is there any one I should NOT buy?

What is the main purpose of the cover? Are you storing the car in a garage and just want it covered or are you covering the car outside (i.i. at work)?

 

[Drwhitesr]

What is the main purpose of the cover? Are you storing the car in a garage and just want it covered or are you covering the car outside (i.i. at work)?

The cover will be used when the car is parked in the garage not outside.

 

[Tom Bryant]

My wife bought one of the lightweight cotton covers for indoor storage for her '81 when it was new. I think from Ecklers. It's now 37 years old and is still as good as new. Still soft and the elastic around the bottom is still like new. It goes in the washing machine without any problems when needed. I think most of the sellers call them dust covers now. That's all you need to keep it clean indoors.

Tom

 

[Hib Halverson]

My choice would be to go straight to a vendor which actually makes car covers.

I get all of my covers from California Car Cover.

 

[Scottsredvette]

Mine is made by a company called Budge and is for indoor use. It is about 10 years old now and holding up well. Easy on and easy off. If I owned a classic, collectible or valuable car, I'd probably go with Hib's suggestion but my cover is for dust only. All my cars are high mileage daily drivers. They just aren't any fun covered up and stuck in the garage...

 

[kpic]

When we bought our house in NC, the garage looked similar to a covered bridge. Or beautiful but useless as I had to cover everything from the Corvette to my tool boxes. As the Corvette had a roof over its head, I bought a cover, but what about my tool boxes etc.?
So I had the covered bridge enclosed into a 2 car, 2 story garage. I still use the Cover King cover, in the past it kept wind blown weather off my baby. Now it keeps dust off..

Basically purchasing a cover boils down to what do you need. Inside to keep dust off baby or outside to keep the elements off baby.. IMO, there is nothing as nasty looking as a dust covered Corvette.

 

[GTR1999]

I bought a cotton flannel indoor cover for my 72 about 35 years ago from Mid America. I have purchased others since for the other vettes but non are as good as this one. It lays on the car, no elastic needed, breathes and held up to animals walking over it. It is now starting to wear and rip at points. It still covers the car and I'll keep it until it is done. Wish I found another one like it.

 

[Lakeside49]

I tried several covers, including two of the above mentioned and are indeed high quality as mentioned - though, when the California Cover folks wanted to charge you a modest additional cost for the privilege of buying one without their over-sized logo splashed on it (distracting) they didn't make the final cut. There are also some really crappy covers with brand names. I did my homework and found out that some will potentialy scratch your paint with their cellulose-based fabric material. I'm all for `going green'. But, cellulose comes from plant fiber - which comes from fields where abbrasive dirt is obviously present. There is no way to eliminate 100% of sand/clay, etc. during the harvest. This is one reason why you’ll slightly scratch your eye glass lenses using paper products to clean them. Finally, the majority of car covers are designed to fit multiple models. One, that I returned from a name-brand company uses the same application for the C3 through C6. And, they became indignant when I politely challenged them on their `one size fits all' application - because the fit was awful! IMHO many covers fall short in one or more major categories (material quality, cost, fit and often cheap chinese construction).

I bought and really like the "Sunforger" cover sold by Paragon. I noticed two C3's with them a couple of years ago where I store my C3 for the winter. I actually, discretely peeked under their "covers" to find their brand tag. The cover’s inside layer is a thick, very soft, saddle-colored flannel. The outside is a soft, tan canvas that is tailored to follow the complex curves of the C3. It looks stunning on the car. It is also water-repellent/treated if ever your garage door is opened in the rain, and is securely held on with a continuous, hidden elastic bungee cord in a sewn pocket that surrounds the cover (most have a comparatively lighter weight elastic cord or, include loops to use with your own bungee cords.) The quality bungee snugly hugs the bottom of the C3 - covering 2/3 of the wheels - soas not to rub/scratch the paint in a buffeting wind if your garage door is left open. It has the heavy duty security loops, as well, in case someone wanted to lock it, but not necessary if used indooors. I was formerly the Accessories Mgr. for an OEM and would have gladly licensed the supplier as an official Mustang accessory because of its very high quality. And, it is washable because they do get dusty sitting in a garage. They come with or without an antenna sleeve. It folds up and can be stored in a large pillow case, though I bought their optional bag.

The Sunforger company began decades ago as a American, boat cover maker according to their website.

Bottom line, havng the soft flannel on my (new) paint, the protection in my garage from minor bumps, and the way it makes the car's beautiful lines pop even when sitting under its cover sells me on it.


Dave V.