mr_allenp

Does anyone here owns a Car cover for his RL? I am thinking of getting one because I park mine in a space outside the house and I just want some protection from the elements. I know that Acura makes one for the RL, how good is it? And if anyone might suggest an aftermarket one, which one should i look for. thanks for any input.

Mike_TX

Car covers are a two-edged sword in my opinion. On the one hand they keep stuff off your finish, but on the other one they can screw up your paint and cause some other problems.

The main issue IMO is scuffing of paint caused by the cover blowing and moving around on the car. Any dust or dirt under there just acts as an abrasive and the cover becomes a huge piece of sandpaper grinding away at your paint while you sleep.

There's also the matter of trapped moisture resulting from engine heat and from normal changes in temperature and humidity. The cover - even though most have vents - is a tent that holds that stuff under it and moisture can attack your car in a lot of ways.

As you ca tell, I don't like car covers and I don't recommend them unless you have really horrible conditions you need to protect your car from. Others may have different opinions or experiences ...
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Rob144

I have used a car cover on each of my cars for the past 10 years with no problems (save a couple of blow-offs). For the RL, I splurged for a custom-fit cover made of Weathershield (because it rolls up nice and small).

I cover the car at work on a daily basis when the car is clean and weather permitting. This helps keep dust, leaves, and dirt (there is construction in the area) off the car. Since it is custom-fit, it tends to stay on better than the one-size-fits all type, and it has only blown off partially once.

As far as I can tell, my use of a cover resulted in no paint problems on my '95 Legend L for the 10 years I used them. Nor my '92 Miata.

The biggest downsides to using a cover, for me, is that I have to keep the car pretty clean, sometimes it rains unexpectedly and I have a wet cover to take home, and I can't admire my car as I approach it.

Rob144

Chas2

I have had dust problems when I lived in So Cal. By the time I got to work, my otherwise clean car was quite dusty. I felt like putting on the cover did everything that Mike_TX noted.

At home, I noticed when I put the cover on a clean car, it would end up dusty. So I had to wash the car cover which became a hassle because I had to go to the laundromat as it was bigger than my washer could handle. Then I noticed the waterproof (rather resistant) coating was rapidly wearing off with the washings, and it became an endless cycle of hassles. I gave it up except for periods of relatively long storage right after a wash, which probably wasn't so good because of the moisture under there....sigh....

Rob144

I used to use covers that became "linty", leaving some dust on the paint. That didn't bother me too much, since the lint was pretty soft. When it got bad, I'd replace the cover with a new one.

My RL cover is kind of nylon, so I don't expect it to become linty as it ages.

Rob144

mr_allenp

There is always a trade off when using a car cover and i realize that. I wish i have a covered car garage that can house my RL to keep it clean. I am parking under a big tree and I am just worried about small branches falling on the car scratching the paint. I am actually looking at putting up a net on top of the car to catch any branch or leaves that fall from the tree but the cost of a good net is also ridiculous. Hmmm, what if I just have the tree trimmed down?

Chas2

Well if you park under a tree, definitely use a cover. The sap and pollen is going to make cleaning the car miserable.

By the way, trimming a tree is always a good thing. Done correctly, it is healthier for the tree, and you can even get a good aesthetic to the tree. There is an art to it, but it is relatively simple and easy to learn.

If it is really big, like some of the 60-80 footers we have, it becomes a very expensive proposition. You can do to about 20 feet your self with ladder and a 13' Fiskars trimming kit available from Costco in the spring time.

Sorry about the OT. I will not speak of tree trimming any more.

jonp2005RL

Sorry for Zombifying this thread, but anyone have a suggestion on where to get a quality cover?

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

google... the rule with covers is you get what you pay for.

I prefer weathertech, made in the usa and good quality.

WeatherTech Car Covers | WeatherTech.com

Nersh7

Typically a rule that works for most items.

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

I'll give you that... but cheap car covers are a pain in the ass and in the long run can ruin a paint job... where as a cheap hooker can also be a pain in the ass but she will get the job done.

BDoggPrelude

Nersh7

Depends how literal that pain in your ass is.

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

I didnt specify who was catching.