Car Cover

[VTGT]

I'm going to purchase a car cover for my legacy. I was leaning towards the Subaru Car Cover and i was wondering if anyone had any experience with that cover or maybe some other brand.

[Opie]

My cover is made out of cement blocks, plywood and shingles....I love it!

[agctr]

Hmm no I havent personally used the Subaru one. I know in the US there are plenty of Co's that really specialise in covers. I know on the ///M3 Forum so of the guys spend hundreds of dollars as they come with waterproof and non scratch elements etc etc..... hence the cost.

 

Is the Subaru one made out of waterproof material and what is the cost?

Ada///M.

[VTGT]

They want 100 at the dealership i think. I'm looking for the material.

[OCDetails]

I'm not a car cover snob or anything, but 100 doesn't get much of a cover. Paying $100 for a car cover is like paying $800 for a laptop. You know it is probably acceptable, but it is also going to be lacking and you'll probably want to get something better pretty damn quick. I've seen OEM car covers and they aren't the greatest for durability or extreme protection. It will keep the dust off your car and protect your paint from bird bombs and 'window shoppers' when you park your car at the airport, but it isn't something I would trust to protect the car during a blizzard or hail storm. If you are going to get a car cover then you might as well get one that protects your car as much as it can on top of lasting forever.

Lucky for us that we have a sponsor who sells car covers and you can get top quality without paying top dollar. PremiumAutoCare.com has car covers that they sell. Plus we get 10% off as LGT members. Take a look at some of those and what they offer for protection. I think you'll agree that the protection is impressive. OEM car coves are little better than tarps and offer no protection from hail, door dings, rips, or anything else other than dust and rain. If dust and rain are your only concern then an OEM cover will probably be fine.

I would get one if you have to park in an office parking lot and are always getting hit with sprinklers or grass clippings for sure. Just remember that if you drag a car cover over a dusty car then you'll be treated to some nice swirls after all is said and done. That is the main reason I don't have one right now. I would rather park away from danger than park near it and end up damaging the paint with a car cover. That's just me though.

[VTGT]

So your saying a cheap cover is worse than no cover at all?

[BDII]

I agree with OC. When I was in the Marines I bought a cheapo for when i went on deployments, came home after 3 months and it had peeled the primer of my trunk and left white bloches on my roof.

 

if your gonna get one... spend the extra dough!!!

[VTGT]

i don't exaclty have the funds for a 300 dollar car cover. The consensus is that no cover is better than a cheap cover. Do u think an OEM subaru cover would severly damage the paint?

[BDII]

OC? you know far better than me...

[VTGT]

the cover is a 100 FYI i'm looking for the material.

[OCDetails]

I doubt that it will hurt the car right away, but I wouldn't use it for long term protection if that is your goal. Cheap car covers are only good for once in awhile use if you are serious about protecting your paint. I wouldn't have a problem using it on my car if it were parked in a garage, but I wouldn't use it on a daily basis. Again... if you drag any car cover over a dusty dirty car then you are going to scratch the paint. Car covers only protect the paint from getting more dust or getting crapped on by birds. Cheap car covers rarely even protect from UV rays. Your car will still get just as hot as if you didn't have one at all. When it comes to paint care (your paint is the most expensive part of your car) I don't see any reason to skimp. If you can afford a $100 car cover now then you are on your way to getting a good one. Don't cut corners with paint care. You'll regret it and wish you had sprung for the better cover.

[Slickvic]

Is the Subaru one made out of waterproof material and what is the cost?

Um, The Subaru itself is made of waterproof materials and is an all weather design.

[RangerMan]

I doubt that it will hurt the car right away, but I wouldn't use it for long term protection if that is your goal. Cheap car covers are only good for once in awhile use if you are serious about protecting your paint. I wouldn't have a problem using it on my car if it were parked in a garage, but I wouldn't use it on a daily basis. Again... if you drag any car cover over a dusty dirty car then you are going to scratch the paint. Car covers only protect the paint from getting more dust or getting crapped on by birds. Cheap car covers rarely even protect from UV rays. Your car will still get just as hot as if you didn't have one at all. When it comes to paint care (your paint is the most expensive part of your car) I don't see any reason to skimp. If you can afford a $100 car cover now then you are on your way to getting a good one. Don't cut corners with paint care. You'll regret it and wish you had sprung for the better cover.

 

OCDetails, you are exactly right (as usual when it comes to paint care). No cover is better than a cheap cover. I have a cheap cover that I have used on another vehicle - but only for use as a long term storage. The car was stored outside for about 1 year and the cover really helped when it was finally taken out of storage. Same thing for cars in my family that are stored in barns - the cheap covers work fine but they are put on once and taken off when the car comes out of storage.

 

I would not use a cheap cover every day. Too much danger of wrecking the paint.

[AWDFan]

This is a good thread.

 

OCDetails, I have a question for you (you da man!):

 

What other good options are there in lieu of a car cover? I'm not the OC-type person you are, but I'd still like to keep the car looking good without an unreasonable amount of effort and expense.

 

Right now I have 1-car garage but it is not really usable for car storage right now (full of stuff and blocked by my wife's car). My current car is a beater that I don't really care about, but I am pondering the purchase of a new Suby in the not too distant future and am concerned about keeping it nice. My commute is nearly 30 miles (one way) on interstate that can get pretty crazy (frequent debris in the road in addition to the usual semis throwing rocks), so I was thinking about getting a Rockblocker-type product applied.

 

I seem to recall reading in another thread about you using something like an acrylic layer that you apply over the paint and wax. Can you say more about this? How would this compare to something like Rockblocker-type products?

[moviemadness]

http://www.premiumautocare.com/

doesn't have car covers

[VTGT]

old school thread. haha

[moviemadness]

please direct me to a newer one then. thanks.

also, I plan on leaving the car for long term parking at the airport for about a month.. is there any other long term care that I should be concerned of? tires?

[wy4tt]

My cover is made out of cement blocks, plywood and shingles....I love it!

 

Bet that does a number on your paint.

[MIKEBRAVO]

I know this thread is old but, I have the OEM cover paid 80.00 shipped. I dust my car daily and use the cover to protect it against my cats and dust at night while it is parked in the garage. I think it works very well for this purpose,no swirls yet and you cant beat the price. Dont waste your money on the cover bag though, you will never use it.

[moviemadness]

what do you dust your car with?

[MIKEBRAVO]

Meguiars detail spray and microfiber cloth. Seem to work the best with out streaks or scratches, just remember to turn the cloth every other wipe or so and change it out when dirty

[ZinFreak]

FWIW - I've used

 

http://www.calcarcover.com/how_to_select.aspx

 

I've purchased 3 from them now. They custom cut them for your car based on extras like spoiler, external antennas, etc. Very reliable company.

 

Look at the Noah or StormWeave. I really like their covers as they are built for outdoors and have a UPF rating ~180 to cut the UV. I used one on my Accord for 8 years and the paint looked beautiful. No one could believe the car was 8 years old.

 

I use one nearly every day on my car when it isn't raining.

 

Advantages:

Keeps crap off my car (particularly bird)

Keeps the car cool in the summer

Keeps off the dust

Protects the paint from sun

Protects the interior from sun damage and fading

Can go longer without washing

No one can see in your car

 

Disadvantages:

Must keep the car clean to use. You can't drag a car cover over a dirty car. However it is easier to keep clean with the cover.

Putting them on and off in the wind makes for parking lot entertainment. After 9 years of practice, I've gotten good at it.

 

I'd highly recommend a cover to protect your investment. A good outdoor rated cover will run you around $240 to $300 and they are worth it in resale value if you keep your cars for long periods of time.

 

Be well.