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What about car covers?

Discussion in 'General' started by pscook, Jan 18, 2020.

  1. pscook

    pscook Well-Known Member

    I need a decent car cover for our little Miata. It ain't a show car by any stretch of the imagination, but it would be nice to provide a little protection from the elements every now and then. It gets driven a fair bit so "ease of on and off" is the next thing after "it won't tear in the first 10 mph side wind."

    I guess this is my priority list:
    1. Waterproof (this is Seattle)
    2. Wind/tear resistant
    3. Easy to install and remove (relative due to size of the little car, so one person operation is "easy")
    4. Has an option to add a lock so it isn't stolen
    I see all kinds of conflicting reviews for most of the covers I have investigated, does one brand tend to last and protect more than the others?
     
  2. RIB333

    RIB333 Well-Known Member

    I got the outdoor cover sold by Weathertech for my Subaru WRX. Keeps the leaves, bird shit and sun off it. Easy on and off. High quality and fit was perfect. Machine washable and dry-able (follow directions) in a large machine (think laundromat). Not cheap.
    Very happy with it, it's held up well going on 2 years now.

    Edit: not waterproof, very good in high wind (strapped down). Keep in mind no cover will ever be a garage. Don't see how'd you'd lock one on to avoid theft. You might consider one of those enclosure things.
     
  3. Venom51

    Venom51 John Deere Equipment Expert - Not really

    I have a 5 layer Gold product from these guys.

    https://www.carcover.com/volvo/xc60/2011.html

    It's been a good cover. Has 4 strap points to prevent blow off. I just use bungees. On and off isn't bad if the wind isn't blowing. Can be a pain in the ass even with a mild breeze as there is so much surface area to deal with. I hit mine with the pressure washer to clean the outside every so often. I never let the inside touch anything but the car and I always wash the car before it goes on.

    If it has some debris on it I always hit it with the blower before pulling it off.
     
  4. pscook

    pscook Well-Known Member

    I found the Weathertech to be a touch out of my price range, and I understand that it isn't a garage, but waterproof doesn't seem to be too much of a stretch for an outdoor cover and it would be nice to provide a little extra water protection for the 25 year old seals around the soft top. Regarding the locking option, most covers have grommets to allow a cable lock to be installed to prevent loss or theft. This brand includes the lock with every over:
    https://www.carcoverstore.com/mazda/miata/1994
    I was looking at the carcover.com as an option, glad to hear that it has positive recommendations. I guess that I was pricing myself too low with the mixed reviews, as once I bumped into the $150 range the reviews became more positive.
     
  5. GarrettRick

    GarrettRick Well-Known Member

    If you want a nice , cheap temporary solution you can get plastic car covers on amazon for about $5-7 each
    They’re 1 time use but depending on how much you actually want to use them it’s an option . We leave them on while staging cars and they never blow off . Cheap , elastic bottoms and toss them
    In the trash when you’re done .
     
  6. nd4spd

    nd4spd Well-Known Member

    Probably better off buying a car port if it’s allowed. I used to keep a cover on a an occasionally driven car outdoors but the wind moved it enough that it started to rub through the clear coat.
     
  7. Motofun352

    Motofun352 Well-Known Member

    Why not just install 2 grommets near where one of the wheels. Use a cheap cable lock like they have for skiis to loop through the grommets.....Voila!
    PS, waterproof means that condensation will stay on the car and not evaporate.....
     
    pscook likes this.
  8. Jaketheone46

    Jaketheone46 Well-Known Member

    I keep my van under a breathable water proof cover from empire overs.com the 5 layer cover works very well. I have been using my current one for almost 3 years winter only. It keeps it dry plus is breathable for any moisture underneath. I just bought another one for my recent enclosed hi point trailer I bought here on the beeb.
     
  9. Sabre699

    Sabre699 Wait...hold my beer.

    I had a real nice one followed by a cheapy.
    The dog didn't care...he ate them both.
     
    fastfreddie likes this.
  10. njracer

    njracer Well-Known Member

  11. Dragginass

    Dragginass Well-Known Member

    I had a cover for my truck when I lived in a condo. My experience was that unless your vehicle was perfectly clean, having a cover on (and the act of donning and doffing) lead to lots of micro scratches and paint imperfections.
     
    ChemGuy likes this.
  12. Venom51

    Venom51 John Deere Equipment Expert - Not really

    That is a very real problem. As long as you take care to wash and dry the car before covering it that can be an issue. You also have to be very careful about what goes on around the cover. The lawn guys can make a mess of the bottom third of the cover with some less than careful use of a blower.
     
  13. ChemGuy

    ChemGuy Harden The F%@# Up!

    I was thinking the same thing when I had my BRZ a couple years ago. I just kept it washed and waxed. Too many people had issues with scratches and rubs.
     
  14. Venom51

    Venom51 John Deere Equipment Expert - Not really

    I keep the one of the wife's Volvo more to protect the interior than the paint. It's 10 years old and live in the garage all it's life until I bought the HP beetle. It's also the one that has depreciated the most so it was chosen to go outside. Still want to keep it good for another 10 years however.
     
  15. Jaketheone46

    Jaketheone46 Well-Known Member

    I searched and searched for the best and empire and budge have what I consider the best covers available on the market but they are not a complete custom fit. A complete custom fit cover made with these materials empire/budge uses would be a $400/500 cover. These are 139 each for the 5 layer.
    Also they have a soft inner layer to protect the finish. Check them out.
     
  16. Jaketheone46

    Jaketheone46 Well-Known Member

    This is very true, if you want to keep it show quality a cover just ain’t going to work. But it can work very well if secured properly where the wind can’t make it flap everywhere. After securing my cover I use rope all the way around the vehicle in several locations for the windy storms.
     
  17. pscook

    pscook Well-Known Member

    Great idea about the grommets around the wheel. And waterproof doesn't necessarily mean that it isn't breathable. Most of the covers are both waterproof and breathable at about the $130 price point. I mean, unless I went with this...
    [​IMG]

    It looks like there are a couple of suggestions that I can follow up on. I'm really not worried about the paint on this car as early Miata's are known for peeling clear coat, and this little beater is a prime example of that condition. I'm just trying to stay ahead of a leaking soft top for the combined snow + rain that we inevitably experience from now until April. I am planning on a budget repaint this summer (maybe even a plasti-dip), so I'll probably get a decent but not too nice cover that is waterproof (and breathable ;)) that won't tear up the new paint too terribly too quickly.
     
  18. In Your Corner

    In Your Corner Dungeonesque Crab AI Version

    Then why not throw a very soft blanket on it and then a tarp and secure it with rope or bungees
    under the car until you have a paint job worth worrying about? If you get around to doing jobs
    like repainting the car the way I do, three years from now it will still be on the to-do list.
     
  19. In Your Corner

    In Your Corner Dungeonesque Crab AI Version

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