# Car cover (outdoor and waterproof) recommendations



## Mclaren722 (Apr 27, 2016)

Hi

Can anyone recommend an outdoor waterproof car cover for the Mk3?

(Apologies if this is in the wrong section).

Thanks


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## leopard (May 1, 2015)

It's been covered 

viewtopic.php?f=98&t=1045673

Edit: search facility on the forum is pretty dire.


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## LEIGH-H (Feb 24, 2016)

The only cover I would use on my car is a 100% cotton one. And I'd only put it on when my car was absolutely spotless.

If you're leaving your car outside for long periods, the best course of action is to apply the best quality wax you can afford; that will give you all the protection you need from bird droppings and acid rain. The problem with covers is 1). you can potentially boil your paint when the sun comes out, and 2). you can cause more damage pulling the cover on and off than the combined forces of the environment and mother nature. If you are going to get a cover, make sure it fits really, really well - a flapping car cover will wreck your paintwork.

When I'm going on holiday and the forecast looks dry where I live, I will drape an old white 100% cotton sheet over the very clean roof and bonnet (the two areas bird droppings can sit and eat through your paintwork's clearcoat), tucking the overhang neatly under the bonnet/doors. Obviously it's not waterproof, but it will catch the worst the birds can throw at it.


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## Mclaren722 (Apr 27, 2016)

Thank you, Leopard. I will have a browse through that thread!

LEIGH - I will be leaving the car on the drive Monday to Friday (as the garage is a mess at the moment). Would you therefore recommend giving the car a good clean and protection coat of wax etc rather than a cover for it outdoors in the week? I did not realise outdoor covers posed such a threat tbh so thanks for the info!

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk


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## Toshiba (Jul 8, 2004)

I like this one.


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## leopard (May 1, 2015)

LEIGH-H said:


> The only cover I would use on my car is a 100% cotton one. And I'd only put it on when my car was absolutely spotless.
> 
> If you're leaving your car outside for long periods, the best course of action is to apply the best quality wax you can afford; that will give you all the protection you need from bird droppings and acid rain. The problem with covers is 1). you can potentially boil your paint when the sun comes out, and 2). you can cause more damage pulling the cover on and off than the combined forces of the environment and mother nature. If you are going to get a cover, make sure it fits really, really well - a flapping car cover will wreck your paintwork.
> 
> When I'm going on holiday and the forecast looks dry where I live, I will drape an old white 100% cotton sheet over the very clean roof and bonnet (the two areas bird droppings can sit and eat through your paintwork's clearcoat), tucking the overhang neatly under the bonnet/doors. Obviously it's not waterproof, but it will catch the worst the birds can throw at it.


" potentially boil your paint "

Where do you get this nonsense from ? :lol:

If anything it will protect paint from excessive UV levels preventing fade.

Modern fitted car covers have soft fleece linings making them scratch free.The only proviso being the car must be clean before you put it on


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

Toshiba said:


> I like this one.


Thunderbirds are GO !


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## Matrix (Apr 11, 2016)

I think I would like one of those, and the garage.  
On a serious note does anyone recommend how long to leave new paint before applying wax? I obviously want to try and protect my new paint as soon as possible especially as the Datona paint on the car this is replacing was soul destroying when it came to paint chips.


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## mjhamilton (Apr 26, 2011)

leopard said:


> LEIGH-H said:
> 
> 
> > The only cover I would use on my car is a 100% cotton one. And I'd only put it on when my car was absolutely spotless.
> ...


at least someone is talking some sense around here 

UV is the biggest killer of paintwork and modern covers are soft inside

This goes double if you have a soft top and the elements will degrade the material and cause fade


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## LEIGH-H (Feb 24, 2016)

leopard said:


> " potentially boil your paint "
> 
> Where do you get this nonsense from ? :lol:
> 
> ...


Leopard, perhaps you will act as guinea pig by putting a car cover on your car and leaving it for a fortnight. You can then report back to us that all is well with your brand of car cover and we can all go out and buy one, knowing we'll be OK. Meanwhile, my recommendation would be that everybody else sticks to a decent wax, a car port, or a garage.

My source of information is an old friend who owns an established and well regarded bodywork repair/respray centre, specifically working for Lamborghini, Audi, Porsche and the like. When I called in recently he was working on a yellow Lamborghini which had patches all over the bonnet and roof - it looked like it had been vandalised with battery acid or something similarly corrosive. He said they are always respraying cars because of paint damage caused by car covers.

Not being one to doubt your expertise in these matters, I did a quick search on google and the first link that came up was this: http://www.lancerregister.com/showthread.php?t=349967 (granted it's a Mitsubishi forum).

I'm sure that it wouldn't definitely happen, but the risk is that it can and it might. So, are you still up for taking the challenge!? :wink:


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## Mclaren722 (Apr 27, 2016)

So in short, an outdoor cover is a risk depending on weather conditions and length of time left on?

I take it a good quality indoor cover is okay being left on for reasonably long durations?


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## leopard (May 1, 2015)

mjhamilton said:


> leopard said:
> 
> 
> > LEIGH-H said:
> ...





LEIGH-H said:


> Yeah,sure,Leopard, perhaps you will act as guinea pig by putting a car cover on your car and leaving it for a fortnight. You can then report back to us that all is well with your brand of car cover and we can all go out and buy one, knowing we'll be OK. Meanwhile, my recommendation would be that everybody else sticks to a decent wax, a car port, or a garage.
> 
> My source of information is an old friend who owns an established and well regarded bodywork repair/respray centre, specifically working for Lamborghini, Audi, Porsche and the like. When I called in recently he was working on a yellow Lamborghini which had patches all over the bonnet and roof - it looked like it had been vandalised with battery acid or something similarly corrosive. He said they are always respraying cars because of paint damage caused by car covers.
> 
> ...


IF you re-read my post earlier in this recent thread you'll see I've cross referenced it to another older thread.

You may observe from reading this older thread that I have used car covers both indoor and outdoor for years with no detriment.

The company in question is https://www.specialisedcovers.com .

I suggest you and your friend read this.This Co separates the wheat from the chaff. :roll:

I would also suggest that the method you use which is akin to an English man abroad tying knots in a handkerchief to protect his bonce like your car from the sun is the wrong method :lol:

Edit:
From their gallery.


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## LEIGH-H (Feb 24, 2016)

In that case, OP, based on Leopard's comprehensive experience, you will be absolutely fine using a cover. So long as you buy one from the company he or she is recommending. This is supported by Audi's use of indoor, Lycra, covers at climate controlled exhibition centres.

It was my honest intention to share information I had picked up from a trusted and unbiased source and I hope you find it useful in helping to make up your own mind. Clearly, to this particular forum feline, everybody else's opinion and experience, in respect of car covers, is invalid but fortunately you're smart enough to make your own reasoned decision.

Leopard, I'm glad that you've never experienced any problems with your car covers and I am sure some will find your suggestions helpful, and very possibly humorous. However, on the basis that my last car had never seen a cover or a garage in its 10-year life, and it had beautiful almost-concourse quality paintwork, I think I'll continue to wax my cars. I'll let you know when my black TT's faded into Daytona Grey


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## leopard (May 1, 2015)

LEIGH-H said:


> In that case, OP, based on Leopard's comprehensive and experience, you will be absolutely fine using a cover. So long as you buy one from the company he or she is recommending.
> 
> It was my best intention to share information I had picked up from a trusted and unbiased source and I hope you find it useful in helping to make up your own mind. Clearly, to this particular forum feline, everybody else's opinion and experience, in respect of car covers, is invalid.


Not quite 

You'll find its only your opinion on this thread ( so far ) that has disagreed with the car cover concept and of course you're welcome to make your own opinion,but I digress if anybody else wants to add to the car cover list then fire away.
The Co that I've recommended is from personal experience,no more and no less after all they supply most OEM covers to all the major manufacturers.

I'll retire from this thread and let people make up their own minds suffice to say if you own a red car,then this is the colour that is worst affected by UV.


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## LEIGH-H (Feb 24, 2016)

Toshiba said:


> I like this one.


If I ever win the lottery, I'm definitely going to buy one of those chrome bird baths


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## Dash (Oct 5, 2008)

As you have a drive, have you explored a car port? I'd probably rather tent/canvas type thing suspended over the top to something so close to the paint work.

And a cover is fairly easy to pinch too.


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## Mclaren722 (Apr 27, 2016)

Dash said:


> As you have a drive, have you explored a car port? I'd probably rather tent/canvas type thing suspended over the top to something so close to the paint work.
> 
> And a cover is fairly easy to pinch too.


I haven't but will definitely have a look into this! Thanks for the suggestion!

Knowing my luck, if I had the storage system like the one with the Porsche above it would stop working and I would never get the car out of the ground!


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## LEIGH-H (Feb 24, 2016)

Dash said:


> As you have a drive, have you explored a car port? I'd probably rather tent/canvas type thing suspended over the top to something so close to the paint work.
> 
> And a cover is fairly easy to pinch too.


A good recommendation.


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

Yes makes you wonder how that system would fair on an icy British morning.
If you have room for a carport I would definitely recommend that as the top solution. Not only does it keep your car dry and out of most of the sun but unlike a garage a wet car will dry off quickly in the open. And come icy mornings you just get in and drive off, no more scraping ice off the windows.  
A carport will cost more but a decent one will last indefinitely. I got a powder coated aluminium one 35 years ago and its still like new.

Regarding car covers - on a different tack than before - 
Where are you going to store it when you take it of?
If you take it off when its wet how are you going to dry it?
If the cover is peppered with bird crap how are you going to clean it off?
Just experience from when I bought one for my daughter.


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## Mclaren722 (Apr 27, 2016)

ZephyR2 said:


> Yes makes you wonder how that system would fair on an icy British morning.
> If you have room for a carport I would definitely recommend that as the top solution. Not only does it keep your car dry and out of most of the sun but unlike a garage a wet car will dry off quickly in the open. And come icy mornings you just get in and drive off, no more scraping ice off the windows.
> A carport will cost more but a decent one will last indefinitely. I got a powder coated aluminium one 35 years ago and its still like new.
> 
> ...


Another wise post with a lot of elements that I overlooked, thanks Zephy!

I think I will pass on an outdoor cover now and look into getting a carport or indoor cover if I can make space in the garage.


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## Dreams1966 (Oct 27, 2014)

If a carport isn't viable... Not sure if it's OEM, but part of the bonnet is covered:










Please feel free to insert own jokes re waterproofing and bird poo.....


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