Car waterproof cover, advice....

Gargo

Gargo

Active Member
I'm looking to buy a car cover for storing the car outside for the winter. Does anyone have any recommendations or otherwise for all the different companies selling these products?

I'm looking at:
Stormshield +
Moltex Outdoor Car Covers All Weather
Cover Your Car - Tailored and Fitted Car Covers Worldwide :: Rover Fitted :: Rover P6 - 4 Layer Fitted Stormforce Outdoor Car Cover

Has anyone any experience, from any of these products or other recommendations?

I was reading the What's happened to my paintwork?? thread and don't what this to happen to our Rover.

Thanks,
Gavin.
 
Anything that touches your paintwork is going to react no matter what BS they tell you. Get a free standing gazebo or "carcoon"
 
^^^WHS^^^

I wouldn't use anything that was in contact with the paintwork.

Richard
 
Have now finally got my car garaged. However, for the past five months it has lived under a cover without problems. My other car, the Datsun 260Z (now also garaged) has lived under a cover for a couple of years without problems.
After wasting money on a Stormforce cover for the Datsun (with which I was not impressed) I got an All Seasons car cover from Halfords which is breathable and waterproof and cost just £49.99!
I subsequently bought the same for the Rover (size Large). It is a snug fit and I put a bit of waterproof reinforcing tape (Gorilla tape) on it where it went over the pointy bits on the top of the sidelights so they didn't puncture it.
It as three straps underneath to secure it and when the wind blows it billows a little which keeps fresh air circulating around it. Yes, if you get a lot of rain then you find, on removing the cover, that there is a bit of condensation on the bodywork here and here but mostly I found it kept the car dry and did not damage the paintwork.
But maybe I am not as fussy as some - if you go down this route it is your decision!
 
Riddler said:
Have now finally got my car garaged. However, for the past five months it has lived under a cover without problems. My other car, the Datsun 260Z (now also garaged) has lived under a cover for a couple of years without problems.
After wasting money on a Stormforce cover for the Datsun (with which I was not impressed) I got an All Seasons car cover from Halfords which is breathable and waterproof and cost just £49.99!
I subsequently bought the same for the Rover (size Large). It is a snug fit and I put a bit of waterproof reinforcing tape (Gorilla tape) on it where it went over the pointy bits on the top of the sidelights so they didn't puncture it.
It as three straps underneath to secure it and when the wind blows it billows a little which keeps fresh air circulating around it. Yes, if you get a lot of rain then you find, on removing the cover, that there is a bit of condensation on the bodywork here and here but mostly I found it kept the car dry and did not damage the paintwork.
But maybe I am not as fussy as some - if you go down this route it is your decision!
Click to expand...
Yep I've got a halfords one. They got a good write up. Very pleased with mine. As you say must reinforce where front lights stick up.
 
I did have one over Bruiser for a couple of months. After a while it did perforate over the pointy sidelights & eventually tore right open. No biggie though as it was a freebie & l just put it on to keep the guano off of her during berry season.
The wind could get freely underneath the cover & on removal the paint was clean & dry. I wouldn't keep one on for months on end though.
 
Thanks this is great. I'll add Halfords to the list, strange how I would never had thought of them. Interesting about the pointy lights...
No space for a carcoon or tent.... I was thinking of a little frame over the body work to hold it off, but then something is better than nothing.
 
The Rovering Member said:
I did have one over Bruiser for a couple of months. After a while it did perforate over the pointy sidelights & eventually tore right open. No biggie though as it was a freebie & l just put it on to keep the guano off of her during berry season.
The wind could get freely underneath the cover & on removal the paint was clean & dry. I wouldn't keep one on for months on end though.
Click to expand...
Yes I agree. I tend to drive mine every week so the cover was always on and off.
 
I got my cover from Classic Additions, and I'm very happy with it. It was one of their ultimate breathable ones - my P6 had to live outside for a couple of months, and it was fine. It wasn't in there over the winter, though.
 
Well after trying both the Stormforce one (at £130) and the Halfords one I found there was very little difference in performance, in fact the car stayed drier under the Halfords one at much less than half the price! Make sure you go for the all seasons one. Large is a tightish fit. Covers all the bodywork but leaves the wheels about half exposed - it fits down to about half way down the hubcaps. The extra large would certainly do it but may be too big - if you go on Halfords website I believe they have the actual dimensions. The front side lights pointy bit WILL puncture it so Rockdemon's half tennis ball idea is a good one. Wish I had
thought of it.
 
I found that covers actually encourage paint flaking. I'd only put it on during particularly inclement weather and use it sparingly.
 
It seems that everyone warns against prolonged use, not just guys here. Looking at the dimensions of the halford they do look a little short, as Riddler has confirmed, front brakes discs and calipers are something I want to protect. I'm now looking at building a snug fitting shed. If I find a 5m diameter tennis ball, cut it in half. Push it down and it should stick to the ground.....
 
So in the end went for a cover.
p6_cover1.jpg

Got it from Cover Your Car, as you can it fits well and seems like it's much better quality that the cheap off the shelf high street models.
It comes with a big bungee inside the lower seam. This keeps the cover taut. I can see high stress points around the corner lights and used a spray can lid over the roof aerial mount. It goes down fully covering the wheels, so should protect the brakes.
Here's the underside of the rear end.
p6_cover2.jpg

I report back at the end of the winter and let you know how it performed, should be better than sitting out in the full weather.
 
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