Car covers

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Stretchedmb

New Member
Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
6
Location
Devon
Car
W124
I want to protect my car and am thinking of getting a car cover but have heard many negs and positives about this , is it true that rust can form much quicker under one? I have a garage but my car doesn't fit and I cannot extend it so am looking at other options car cover /car tent garage if I go down the car cover route what is the best to purchase and what should I be looking for when purchasing one as my car is not standard , any help would be appreciated
 
I have a tailor made Covercraft HP for the 124. Used it many years to cover the car in Italy. It does exactly what it says - protects from UV, bird droppings and tree sap. Its not totally waterproof but is breathable. It remains in place for up to 3 months at a time. So far no issues with paint damage, bubbling or corrosion. To use it every day would be a pain. Bulky and time consuming. For longer periods its great.
 
Agree with GP801. We have a similar cover for my wife's Smart cabriolet as we have no garage and it rains a lot here in Wales. We often take my E class the 10 miles to town as it is a nuisance taking it on and off even with such a small car. Explains why the Smart is 3 years old and has only 4 k on the clock
 
I've used a 4-layer version on my 124 for the last six months.

It's too soon to say anything about corrosion, but from the research I did before buying, I'd say that people HAVE had corrosion issues if they use a non-breathing cover, and/or park it on grass (which moisture can rise from, constantly), rather than a hard surface.

I did notice that the cover was increasing the number of minor "swirl" scratches, and (since polishing those all out with Autoglym Super Resin Polish) have taken to putting the cover back on ONLY if I've just washed and dried the car. Four months later, that seems to be working.

Also, note that there's a particular way of folding the cover recommended by the supplier: when removing it, fold each side into the centre line, then fold or roll up. Put the cover somewhere where it won't pick up dirt. This means that the dirty, and therefore abrasive, "outside" never comes into contact with the soft inside.

For a day to day car, all this would be a serious pain. My 124 is an "occasional use" classic, though, and what I do like is how clean and shiny it still is, if I take the cover off after a few weeks. It would be filthy if just parked in the wind and rain.

I'd prefer a garage, of course, but I don't have that choice. The cover is definitely better than no cover, and therefore worth the £160 it cost me.
 
Provided you're sensible and use common sense when using a car cover, you'll have no problems and they'll do a great job of protecting your car.

I started using covers years ago and have had no problems but there's a few set rules really.

Buy a good quality cover that's fitted to your car. If you're planning to keep it on for a long time, it needs ideally to be a breathable material to let any moisture evaporate. Minimising corrosion.

Before you cover the car it has to be spotlessly clean and dry.

Secure the cover tightly. You want to minimise air getting underneath and filling the cover up as it will bring dirt with it. Also don't want the cover moving around and rubbing edges of the paintwork either.

I've used Coveryourcar.co.uk a number of time as they offer various different types of cover but Coverzone and the like are essentially the same covers.

I have used Monsoon covers before, they are heavy and almost rubberised but with ventilation to minimise moisture. I have a Stormforce cover on my CLS which is a lighter material but totally breathable so can leave it on as long as you like.

I actually left a Monsoon cover on my Twingo 133 for three years, they only recommend a few months but as I cautiously unveiled it last year, it was absolutely fine!

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Have you looked at the external 'carcoon' type of covers, ie inflatable covers. They generally have good reputations.

Carport, is that an option? I have 3 cars kept under covers but they're all inside and aren't in daily use, so the cover is more beneficial as a dust cover and to prevent UV deteroration. Most recent cover was a Halfords Advanced, or something like that, currently on a Rolls. Supposedly suitable for outdoor use, is breathable and has straps.

I would be a bit wary about using one regularly outside as it would be difficult to ensure that the car was dry and free of dirt before putting the cover on. Regular lifting off would also increase risk of scratches.

You also need to be careful where the cover fits over corners etc., too much movement will scratch paint if the car isn't completely clean. Aerials and mirrors can be problematic on some cars.
 
Thanks for all the advice I shall be looking at all those options carefully b4 deciding , as I only use my car for weddings once or twice a week and because of the car size it would have to be a special order item anyway which is why a garage space to rent is not a easy option , the main comment here seems to be that the cover is breathable and for me would have to be easy to remove and put on again , the car is parked on a Tarmac drive but my one major concern is that I live in a windy area and would be concerned about the cover coming of or to much movement under it .
 
Thanks for all the advice I shall be looking at all those options carefully b4 deciding , as I only use my car for weddings once or twice a week and because of the car size it would have to be a special order item anyway which is why a garage space to rent is not a easy option , the main comment here seems to be that the cover is breathable and for me would have to be easy to remove and put on again , the car is parked on a Tarmac drive but my one major concern is that I live in a windy area and would be concerned about the cover coming of or to much movement under it .



From my experience the Monsoon covers would be a good choice for you.

They're not meant to be left on longer than a few months but if you're taking it off once a week or so that's no problem. But they're physically heavy material and don't move around at all. Felt lined inside but rubberised material on the outside so the car will stay totally dry. Hope that helps :)
 
One other point: cars with the three-star "mascot"-style badge will need a "cozy" on the badge, so that it doesn't wear through the cover. You can buy them, but I made mine from multi layers of fuzzy nylon dust-sheet material.
 
Alex i have the Monsoon. Its the best cover i have ever had .Its a made to fit the w124 that i have . They have pockets for the wing mirrors and straps that go under the car .And four air pockets to let air circulate the cover. But the covers are only for winter use ,they dont breath .Well its what i wanted .I had problems before with water under the cover so best to get a good one to start with . I cover the car with bed sheets ,then i tie them on to the handles of the car so they dont slip off .Just a secondary insurance that it wont mark the paint work .It said that the covers are smooth inside, but i use a few bed sheets. Never seen any condensation after i remove the cover to check it from time to time in the cold and wet days . And it was dry every time i looked.
 
Alex i have the Monsoon. Its the best cover i have ever had .Its a made to fit the w124 that i have . They have pockets for the wing mirrors and straps that go under the car .And four air pockets to let air circulate the cover. But the covers are only for winter use ,they dont breath .Well its what i wanted .I had problems before with water under the cover so best to get a good one to start with . I cover the car with bed sheets ,then i tie them on to the handles of the car so they dont slip off .Just a secondary insurance that it wont mark the paint work .It said that the covers are smooth inside, but i use a few bed sheets. Never seen any condensation after i remove the cover to check it from time to time in the cold and wet days . And it was dry every time i looked.

I was actually more impressed with the Monsoon cover over the more expensive Stormforce, purely as it's heavy and doesn't move as much as the Stormforce.

You can use the Monsoon in summer but it recommends not using in temperatures above a certain threshold. That said my Twingo was totally unscathed after 3 years under a Monsoon cover, winter or summer!

By contrast though the Twingo is a 2010 so fairly modern and mostly plastic. An older car that may be more prone to rust probably wouldn't be good under a cover like that for months on end. A friend of mine had a Rover Mini under a cover for about 3 years and although a breathable material the front end still rusted. :crazy:

There's always horror stories you'll hear now and again but currently I have three cars under car covers and when I unveil the CLS (soon) it'll be as clean as when it went under there haha.
 

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