Anyone have a reommendation for an outdoor car cover? I don't have a garage for my baby, and the Michigan winters are rather harsh - i'd like to keep her somewhat protected.

 

I've been looking at the following cover:

Cover Craft (1-800-4-COVERS):

Car Cover Material: Evolution® -4Lyr Polypropylene
Car Cover p/n: C15900GK
Car Cover Price: $168.99
Lock cable p/n: ZCBL
Lock cable price: $10

However, the p/n I've listed is meant for a 2003 CLS with a moon roof visor, splash guard, spoiler and Onstar antenna. Call for a p/n that's right for your car.

They don't sell direct so you'll have to order the cover from a place like PEP BOYS.

-g

 

Cool. Do i need a cover that claims to protect against snow and ice (seeing as i live in Mi, this is a concern), or one that only mentions water repellance?

 

I was on some classic car web site recently and they stated using a car cover outdoors was a "NO NO". The fact that small animals can nest under the cover is a concern. Animal droppings and scratches are common. If you plan to use yours daily, it's probably not a concern. I know where I live, (heavily wooded area), we get mice in our engine compartments from late September to April. They like the wormth of the engine block.

This is no lie. I had my new CL in my driveway one night before putting in storage at another site. I went to see my CL a few weeks later and noticed mice shit on the engine block.

Just an FYI.

 

My plan is to throw it on whenever i'm expecting snow/ice, and maybe rain - and possibly to protect it from the sun in the summer. We do have quite a few small animals around here - i live in the boondocks - although i've never had any trouble with them and my car. I doubt i'd throw the cover on right when i got home - i'm thinking that i'll wait until i knew what the weather was going to be like at night and put it on. No worries about animals looking for a warm engine block then.

 

I used car covers on a daily basis from mid-1970 until 1994 (when I rented an office with underground parking).

There are a few things you should consider.

1. Don't get a plastic/nylon cover because it will wear through your paint at the corners of the fenders and rear deck. Get a cotton cover. They are more expensive, but you WILL notice your paint wearing at the corners otherwise. What's an extra $50 against having to get your car repainted?

2. Keep the car cover clean. When you take it off, you will roll it up - and contaminate the clean inside with any dirt. That dirt then will get on the inside. The next time you put the cover on, that dirt will get next to your paint. When the wind blows, it will lift the cover, and move the dirt back and forth in a gentle, rubbing, sandpapering motion. So wash the cover every month or so. Just put it in the washing machine. Your car cover instructions will tell you how to wash it. Just set your washing machine to the "car cover" setting.

3. Be very, very careful if you buy a WATERPROOF car cover. I live in southern California. I once burned the pitment out of the paint on my MG because I used a waterproof car cover. Overnight, dew condenses on the car's paint - under the car cover. Since the cover was waterproof, the dew could not evaporate and disperse when the hot sun came out in the morning. So the dew evaporated and recondensed in droplets on my hood and trunk lid. The droplets acted as lenses and permanently burned the pigment out of the paint. The result was small, white circles in a dark green MG. I tried rubbing compound, but there was nothing I could do. There just didn't seem to be any pigment left. I don't know if this was the high-quality MG paint, or if this still would happen today. Just keep it in mind. There is nothing wrong with letting rain get through your car cover and onto the paint of the car. The paint was intended to get wet. Get a "water resistant" cover. Your shirt is water resistant. That means that it will resist rain - until it starts raining.

Of course you do live in Michigan. Perhaps having glaciers scrape against your paint is more of a problem than excess sunlight.

4. Know that using a car cover is a lot of work. Most people use one for a few months, and then give up because it requires so much work. You know you are seeing a fanatic when you go to the grocery store and someone else in the parking lot is using a car cover.

5. Know that they will be stolen. I used to average one theft every two years. Of course, I was a student at UCLA for five years, but after that I still had them stolen at night - and sometimes during the day. It was especially frustrating because (1) it was unlikely that the car cover would fit the thief's car and (2) I knew that after a month or so he would stop using it and throw it away. Car covers are not covered by your auto insurance policy.

 

Thanks for the info, Blehy. The ones that i've been looking at have multiple layers, with the inside being cotton to protect the paint. They're also water-breathable, meaning moisture can evaporate through them.

Do you have any suggestions on the type of cover to get? What materials, what brand?

 

You can get the CoverCraft Weathershield Car Cover.
This is the same factory one that ACURA sells for our cars now it is made for ACURA by Cover Craft. I have one for my TL but use it more in the spring & summer. I am not sure if Cover Craft puts the ACURA logo on the cover if you purchase it from them. Mine has the ACURA logo on the front of the cover. I got mine for my TL when I purchased the car 3years ago. I have never put it on when it snows because the car is generaly wet by the time I think about it. We may be getting more snow here in Washington D.C. again on WED or Thurs of this week I hope not. I might put it on to see how it does. This model of car cover is easy to wash in a regular home washer. I have the Cover Craft Car Cover Chart in my hand. I got this when I ordered the Cover Craft HEAT SHIELD from ACURA TL. COM
But the BEST covers for ALL WEATHER PROTECTION are the WEATHERSHIELD & NOAH covers the WEATHERSHIELD is the newer fabric. The NOAH fabric was out when I purchased my 1994 ACCORD that I also got the factory car cover with NOAH was the best you could get then & the WEATHERHIELD is better.
Each cover has its pros & cons the NOAH has better heat insulation. But the WEATHERSHIELD packs smaller & is lighter & can be cleaned in regular washer/ dryer not commercial type.
On the chart it rates all the kinds of covers they make & NOAH & WEATHERSHILED rate best for SNOW. The same chart is here www.covercraft.com & click cover fabrics