500

Now that I am finished painting the car, I am keen to keep it well protected while I work on other parts of the project (rebuilding various things in the basement etc.). So, I think I would like to invest in a car cover. The car is indoors, so I am really wanting to keep dust off and just protect the paint from when I may inadvertently brush up beside the car in the garage. I will be removing the cover from time to time to work on the car for a few hours, and then re-covering it again when done. So, I really want something that is gentle on the paint above all else.

Costs and materials vary widely. I was wondering what advice others may have. It seems most "good" covers seem to be in the $80-200 range, but then there are covers like this ebay find which sound too good to be true...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PORSC...QQcmdZViewItem

Any help and comments are appreciated.

Thank you!

944kid

The best car cover isn't a cover at all, it's a garage! I suggest if you do want a cover, get TWO.
First, get a sheepskin(or similar) to protect the paint, then get one that's waterproof. This is done for obvious reasons.

Good luck!

Macfreak007

That auction does look nice......
I have been looking for a car cover, I have delayed becasue most places want so much money, my question is the same as yours, can the cheap ebay covers work alright?

944kid, I cannot afford 2 covers, I am a poor college kid

944kid

Neither can I,(it was a suggestion for an ideal situation) but a good waterproof one can and will suffice, it's not like they make them out of steel wool or anything of that nature!

cjeckert

My friend baught a decent waterproof one and then shed his dignity and went to the fabric store and baught a bunch of felt material and made and inside liner to protect the paint, i think he paid like 20 bucks for the extra faberic and pretty much hot glued it to the inside

944kid

Congrats on 300 posts! I passed 100 today... yippeee!!!!

Felt is a good Idea

black944 turbo

I have the indoor one from tweks and am very happy with it. It is very soft and fits great on my turbo.

Tony K

For indoor storage, I prefer a breathable 100% cotton cover, about the consistency of somewhere from a bedsheet to a white t-shirt. Just a tight enough weave to not let dust through. You don't need weather protection in your garage; you need breathability. Anything more will trap moisture. UV exposure is minimal indoors, so no need for fancy silver stuff. As for protecting the paint, we wash our cars with 100% cotton (well, I do at least) because it won't scratch the paint; why not cover it with the same?

Some other considerations: When you store a car indoors, you don't need elastic to hold the cover down (unless you happen to own a wind tunnel ). Some people prefer a cover without elastic because the lower part will inevitably 1) come in contact with the areas below the bumpers, which are more likely to have a little dirt here and there even if you washed it well and 2) will inevitably rub/pull against the paint as you remove it, because the elastic is tight. Also, the elastic edge of the cover is more likely to trap a little dirt. If the cover does not have an elastic edge, you can just lift/fold it off of the car with much better control.

The cover for my Lotus has no elastic and only goes down to the bumpers, leaving the bottom of the car exposed. In six years, the lower region of the car has never gotten dusty while sitting, and needless to say, this allows for maximum breathability. And the cover can be lifted off without dragging any portion of it along the paint.


Just my .02

Cheers,

Tony

nineeagles

I use one of the cotton type on my car when in the garage. My garage is in a rented storage bay area and there is alot of traffic (on gravel lot) and my cover helps keep the dust off my car. When I remove the cover there is a small bit of dust on the car and I use a California duster to dust it off and it works fairly nice. Black cars show every spec, though.....

TheMAXX

Be careful covering a freshly painted car. On the instruction sheet that I got with my car cover it says not to use it on a freshly painted car. You may want to research that farther.

michaelathome

I bought a cheep ebay leCar 100% cotton cover. $24 not including shipping. It doesn't have mirror covers so I just fold them in and it works fine. As Nineeagles mentioned the car gets a bit dusty but that comes right off.

I think that after looking at the shape of the cover though it was likely ment for a 993 as it is slightly oversized in the headlamp area THe 944 is an "A" in a "C" cup.

Michael

500

Thanks everybody, that is some good info.

I've read a bit more on some of those ebay covers and have realized that many of the are "sized to fit the car" as opposed to being a true custom fit, which is apparently a drawback according to some?

I won't use the cover for probably another month at least (after I've buffed and polished the paint), so the paint should be hard enough by then, but I will check carefully into that first. Thanks.

Nineeagles, that is a good thought on the duster. I was planning on having one of those too that I would use to go over the car just prior to putting cover back on each time I've removed it to work on the car. Anyone have any comments about the pros and cons of these too?

Thanks again everybody.

Tony, your non-elastisized cover for the Lotus sounds interesting. Every cover I've looked at so far does have the elastic. I agree with your thoughts, for what I want, not having the elastic would be better. Do you remember where your Lotus' cover came from? Or who the manufacturer was?

Tony K

It is a relatively simple custom job that a previous owner did or had done. Three panels sewn together - one for the top that extends from the bottom of the front bumper to the bottom of the rear bumper, and then each side. It is not perfectly form fitting around the windshield and side glass, but it still hangs neatly on the car and folds easily and flat. I think anyone who knows how to use a sewing machine could probably make one. I will probably attempt it when I paint my Lancia - I think most cars can be reduced to three panels - top/ends, left, and right. A textile supplier will offer different weaves of 100% cotton to choose from - choose one that is tight enough to not let settling dust through, but light so it doesn't retain moisture from the air.

Another thought: Some people I have met with really nice cars (like concours level, and I don't mean an ebay seller's definition of concours) go so far as to use the cover with the seams/stitching on the outside. . .

By the way, I used a California duster for the first time ever a few weeks ago, and I was both surprised and impressed! I usually use compressed air to blow dust off of a car, but this CA duster really worked on a black Jaguar in my friend's shop, without leaving a trace or mark of any sort.

Cheers,

Tony

J_Kapp

I have a similar question. I will be painting my car soon and want to get a car cover for it but It will be outside. It will probably be outside in the winter seeing as the garage is already claimed. Does any have suggestions and outdoor covers or things to look for when buying one? I have seen alot of them on ebay as well and it really does seem to be too good to be true for the price.


TheMAXX, do you know how long you're supposed to wait until you can put a cover on after it's been painted?

black944 turbo

Cali duster WILL SCRATCH. No this only when it is old. Watch out especially on a black car. I have been using elastic covers for years on my car and never had problems, just make sure it is clean underneath.