Car cover recommendations?

[widebody911]

Ok, I want to get a car cover. The primary purpose will be to keep the elements off the car, ie sun & rain while (hopefully) at work. I looked thru the DriveWerks page. (question: why can't you get one for a widebody, no tail, no mirror pockets?) and can't decide on a fabric.

I had a "Technalon" cover years ago for my '72 Targa, and it was OK, 'cept it was too big for the car and it was kinda bulky, so it didn't fit into the trunk easily. I think a 'custom' cover might be a little better in that regard. It did work well in keeping the rain and sun out of the car, and I'm not in the mood to be replacing the top on this one any time soon, and I can just imagine what the sun is doing to my plastic rear window.

Any ideas? Experiences?

For fun, I munged the URL, and created one without mirror pockets. No idea what that would do to the poor script when I went to order it

http://www.drivewerks.com/cgi-bin/Wizards/cover_wizard.cgi?command=step4&MAKE=PORSCHE&YEAR=1977&MODEL=911&DESCRIPTION=WDE+FENDERS+W%2FO+WING+-+Dual+Side+No+Mirror+Pockets&PART_NUM=PR2830

[Jim T]

I am a car cover fanatic, having covered my car(s) just about every single day for 20 years now. If my car is not in a covered garage, its under a cover (and people always ask how my 15+ year old cars can look so new . . . hmmmm).

I've tried all different kinds, but keep coming back to the one that I think is the best: 100% cotton.

There are tradeoffs between the different materials, with breathability, bulkiness, softness, ability to wash in home washer, etc.

All those things considered, I think 100% cotton is the best. It is simply the softest and easiest on the paint (all the other have varying levels of synthetic materials, which are not as soft as 100% cotton). It offers the very best breathability (which is why 100% cotton shirts are the most comfortable), which is very important. It can be washed in the home washer and dried in the drier (important). It offers a good level of protection. It is not overly bulky. With two people, you can give it a good shaking and it comes pretty clean.

Those are all important, I think. Most people don't realize how much a car cover can scratch up a car, esp. if used every day.

Unfortunately, not many mfrs make 100% cotton. I get all my covers from Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories, because (1) they are all cotton, and (2) they are custom fit. Having a custom fit is very nice, because its easier to put on, doesn't flap around in the wind, and looks the best (least annoying to the neighbors).

[911longhorn]

Jim, good suggestions and I agree. Unfortunately, BHMA went out of business. Does anyone know who would carry the same cotton cover they did? For one reason or another, they had the best cotton covers... unfortunately NLA.

Grant

[MarkY]

I use a flannel car cover, but it is only used in a garage. I agree that the cotton is the best for outdoor use, however, make damn sure it fits properly or you'll have a huge piece of sandpaper covering your car.

The reason you don't find a car cover for a widebody, no tail, no mirror pockets is because this is obviously a custom configuration. Why don't you want the mirror pockets?

[skinnerd]

I live in the Pacific NW, so obviously it rains a bunch up here. Unfortunately my car can spend some time out in this kind of weather. I've been using one of those "Noah" covers with great results. It seems to work well in very inclimate weather. The cover breathes well, and dries quickly after it has become wet. Just my experience.... I was after a cover that performed well in adverse conditions, and not so concerned over a few scratches from the cover itself. Plus the Noah I had custom configured for a single mirror, ducktailed car. It fits like a glove.

[jyl]

I hope there's lots of follow-up to this thread, because most discussions of car covers (on other discussion boards) are sort of frustrating.

They go something like this: Any contact can scratch paint. Car covers contact paint. Ergo, car covers scratch paint. Conclusion: keep your car garaged and don't use a car cover. Or, use only the softest, lightest pure cotton car cover and only on a freshly waxed/washed/dusted car and only if the cover is perfectly clean.

Well, the problem is that many/most of the poeple interested in car covers aren't comparing (A) garaged UNcovered car to (B) garaged COVered car. We're comparing (C) sun-baked, bird-shat-on, tree-sap-dripped, rained-on UNcovered car to (D) sun-baked, bird-shat-on, tree-sap-dripped, rained-on COVered car.

Anyway - long exhale - I bought a cover through Pelican for my 911 3.2 and chose the "Stormshield" material. I don't have covered parking at work or at home, so the cover has to be removed or replaced at least 4 times a day. I live in the SF Bay Area, so the car has to sit in both pouring rain and full sun. And to make matters more complicated the available street parking is often under a sappy, bird-hosting tree. IMO, this rules out any non-breathable material (Pelican doesn't sell those), any material that would get water-logged (e.g. cotton), and any material that is too bulky to be quickly rolled up and tucked in the teeny 911 trunk (e.g. the thick "quilted" materials).

I'm happy with the "Stormshield" stuff so far, although it hasn't faced rain yet. So far, no apparent scratches. I wash the cover every couple of months. I wash the car whenever it gets visibly dusty, or feels dusty. And I don't slide the cover over the paint, I roll and lift. One other thing - I use some clothespins on the locking cable to pull the cover snug against the car and thus reduce flapping.

[JDaniel]

I bought a Noah cover for my car 4 years ago. It's held up really well for all the abuse it's endured. My car is sometimes in the garage (covered) and sometimes outside (covered). It's been through everything and when it finally falls apart I'll get another of the same material.

Why no mirror pockets? The cover won't fit quite as snug without them.

[GeorgeM]

I've had a Tyvek cover for three years and it has held up well.

If you want a light weight cover, this is it. Tyvek is very light and this one has a silver coating to reflect heat. The elastic is super strong and with mirror pockets, holds very well. I've never had it come off.

It keeps minor moisture out, but a downpour will get the car wet. When it does get wet, a quick shake and it dries very quickly.

Blue Ribbon advertises their cotton covers as 100%.

[pbs911]

ThHis is debateable, but I have gone through 2 of the cheapy car with a soft lining cover on my SC for the past 3 years. The car was fully painted in black at that time. The cover is used while at work and is parked outside. At night it is garaged w/o the car cover.

My experience shows that the cheapy cover provides excellent protection from the sun and elements. I never put the cover on when the car is dirty and the finish ialways has a good coat of wax. Most importantly, I have NOT noticed any scratches from the cover. Best part is it takes only 1 minute to put my cover on and take it off. It fits nicely bunched up in the trunk.

Just my .02.

[widebody911]

Ok, given the options, looks like StormShield is what I need.

[brianhinfl]

I just got my new CoverCraft WeatherSheild cover the other week. I love it. No, it's not as soft on the inside as my BHMA cover that I have on my BMW, but it is alot less bulky. When UPS delivered the box, I thought one of the covers might have been delayed, two covers were smaller than my one BHMA cover.

The cover has performed very well in the intense rain and heat here in Florida and fits my RS Replica like a glove.

[anthony]

I got a "Superweave" custom cover from California Car Cover Co. (calcarcover.com) about 4 months ago for my 914 and absolutely love it. They will do any custom configuration (mirrors, no mirrors, one mirror, etc.).

Superweave is breathable and probably 99.9% waterproof. I've taken the cover off after an all night rain storm and the car was dry. Being breathable, the cover dries inside and out pretty fast once the sun comes out.

When I bought the cover I actually talked with the company at the Good Guys car show. They demonstrated several of the fabrics and Superweave was much much better than Noah or their Stormweave. It was also much lighter and less bulky. It folds down to about 5x5x12. That also means that it easily fits in my large size washer. No trips to the laundromat in search of an extra size washer every few months.

[thrown_hammer]

Anyone use a "Porsche" cover? You know the one with the big crest on the front. I was thinking about using my PCA gift certificate to get one.

[jyl]

I got one with my car - silver-gray with the crest logo in black. The cover itself doesn't look that great, but then again maybe there's many different kinds of logo'd cover. And I didn't want to advertise what the car is. So I don't use it much, just as a spare.

[FlaCarrera]

I have a StormTech for my black Targa in So. Florida. It breathes nicely and dries fast after a shower. Excerpts from a catalogue here at my desk reveal these "ratings"

UV Dmg Breathability Dust Paint Finish

Noah better good best better
WeatrShield better good best best
Sunbrella best best fair good
Ploycotton fair best poor good

Sunbrella has a 5 yr warrant, Weathershiled and Noah 4 yr.
All this either helps or adds to the confusion.

Ted in So. Fla
86 Carrera Blk/Blk