What's in a car cover?

[Skant]

I'm thinking of buying a car cover for my vette. I've never used one before.

Looking on the web, I see a wide variation in prices and materials and such. To be honest, I expected that a car cover was a car cover. Is there really that much difference between one and the next?

Obviously, the advertising that goes with them claims that the $300 car cover is the best thing since sliced bread. But what is the difference, really?

And which would you recommend?

- Skant

 

[MsSchroder]

Will you be using the car cover indoors or outdoors? I believe that for outdoors use, you want something to keep the rain and elements off. If you want to protect it indoors, you want something that will "breathe" so condensation won't collect underneath.
I would also be interested to hear what others have to say about this.

 

[Skant]

It will be for outdoor use. My new vette will be my daily driver. I intend to garage it at home and cover it at work.

I don't plan to cover it all of the time. Just whenever it's outside and going to be parked for several hours (ie. when I'm at work, usually). I won't bother for shorter visits. I want to keep it nice, but it's not like I'm trying to keep it at show car quality or something.

There is the question of rain. How does one deal with a car cover in the rain anyway? I mean... aren't you going to be shoving a big wet cover into your car and drenching the interior? I mean... if you take the cover off while it's still raining...

For that matter... would you put a car cover on when you park and it's still raining? The car's all wet anyway from driving in the wet...

- Skant

 

[AmosF16]

I'd go with one made from either Noah or Evolution 4 fabric--you should be able to get one for $125-150. I garage my Vette and still use an "outside" cover. It "breathes" just like the flannel or other inside covers, and I can take it with me and use it when the car is going to be (gasp) out over night. Just MHO.

 

[MsSchroder]

But what about the problem of what to do with a wet cover? I would still like to hear how people deal with this.
My husband and son have outdoor covers for their vehicles, but they're so bulky (esp. for the F250 superduty crew cab) they're a pain to deal with even in the dry, much less the wet. I have a cover for my car for in the garage, but I have found that I'm paranoid about using it, unless the car is completely pristine, clean and dry. I'm worried about putting the cover on when there's grit on the car and scratching it.

 

[AmosF16]

I just let the cover dry on the car if it gets wet and then wash the car. Every cover I've had lets some water get thru to the car, but the latest fabrics breathe really well so it just evaporates over time. Then I don't have to deal with a bulky and wet cover--I guess I'm not that particular about it. If it gets wet, it just gets wet. You're right about the bulk of outdoor covers. And I never put mine on when the car is dirty--that just grinds the dirt into the finish. And I just take the cover to the laundromat when it gets dirty--it won't fit in the washer at home (that bulk thing again). You probably don't have that problem with a flannel cover (bulk).

 

[rrubel]

I've got a cover that came with my Vette when I bought it that I never plan on using. Not sure what brand it is (model is 80003, if that helps) and it has a locking cable with padlock to go under the car. Make a reasonable cheap offer and it's yours - it's taking up valuable garage space. The material isn't flannel or plastic; it feels like what they line compact disc holders with (the kind in binders, not the jewelboxes...) - soft, not much nap, random pattern embossed into it. It's tan, FWTW. It needs washing, and has one spot that's a bit thin, but no other issues.

[RICHR]