Car Covers

Hi there! Does anyone have any up to date advice on choosing an outdoor car cover? I've just shredded my Classic Additions lightweight breathable one in the washing machine. They've offered to replace it for £50 which is ok - but it's only 5 months old and I might look at other options if there are better ones for similar (new) price. I have found the cover to be ok, but don't have anything to compare it to...? Thanks. Adrian.

Yes, I've got one from Hamilton Classics (the Large Sportscar version) which works really well, tough, waterproof and breathable. Cheers

http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=190499&mpage=1&key=Cover&#195286 Now 100 lines please. "Before asking a question on the forum, I must remember to do a search" [ ]

I went through two Covercraft Weathershield covers in the past, but I got fed up with them losing their water repellency whilst remaining "so breathable" that they were no longer water repellent. I switched to a Coverzone Monsoon cover, and it has proven to be the perfect outdoor cover for wet England. Sure, I don't put it on the car when wet, but once the car is wet (and inevitably somewhat dirty), I'd just rather leave it under the static rain and wait until it dries up before washing it down and covering it once dry. To put a breathable cover like the Weathershield on when the car is wet is still not a good idea - firstly, there will be some dirt/grit held by water spray off the ground, and the car dries more slowly leaving dried water marks all over the car when you take it off. The Monsoon cover keeps the water off the car 100%, it does breathe via vent flaps near the top, and it is of a heavier weight than the Weathershield making it easier to put on/off in windy weather. Cheers -

Quotes source post: 195286

I can never seem to get a result from the search page. If I do one for "Cover" this is what I get. Any idea where I am going wrong?

I can't seem to get any results from the search bit either!? Anyway - I've followed the link and it's all great - so thanks for that. Now - repeat after me, Andy; "Before I spend all my money on a car, I must make sure that the steering wheel is on the correct side." Just the one line will do.....

The search page does not seem to give any results if you do not select a time period for the search Try the same search for posts within the last 3/6 months, and it should give you some hits cheers Pete

Adrien - The Noah seems like better value than the Weathershield to me. It's not supposed to be water repellant, just to keep the car clean & for that they work very well.

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Thanks Pete, that works fine - so what's the point of having an "All Topics" option? And what if you want to look for something older than 12 months? Why can't you have more than one attachment per post? What IS the answer to life, the universe, and everything?............................

Cheers Andy! It looks like I'll be getting another classic additions light weight cover for now as they've offered me a great deal. Thanks to you and all others for your help! By the way, Richard - I've heard that it's 42, but not sure why...? Adrian.

Erm, I thought their key advertising point was the superior water repellency of the in fibre treatment? http://www.covercraft.com/weathershield.htm

It used to work (until quite recently...) [&o]

Guess I stand corrected re water repellence[8|] But whats the point of going for a 100% waterproof cover anyway? If it's raining there is moisture in the air, particularly if its windy, so the car's going to get damp at the very least.

It's breathable in that it lets trapped moisture out - but keeps the rain off.

I tried a car cover and frankly hate the things, unless you leave car unused for prelonged periods, the whole exercise of only using the cover when the car has been washed makes it a complete pain to live with and that most of the time you can't use it because you don't have time to wash the car before putting it on. In other words as a thing to use on a car used a few times a week it sucks. One solution that may be worth looking at are those covers that are a metal frame that consetina over the car like a kind if garage. That way it presumably doesn't matter is the car is dirty when used as the material isn't actually touching the bodywork...

You can have mine for free (which Richard Hamilton used to own) it's meant for a Carrera so doesn't really fit my car. I live in London. I've been looking for car covers and saw a nice one on P.67 of this Months PP Custom Made lightweight outdoor covers £195 fro outdoor ones and £230 for indoor ones. Their standard indoor ones are £92 and outdoor ones are £97. Weird pricing. Have a look

Not really - folded up it's still very big, and I don't think I have the bag it came in anymore. Let me know about he ones I mentioned, I'd be interested in getting them.

Hi Gareth. I've been using these for years now: http://www.classicadditions.com/outdoor-covers-c-47.html No problems with swirls or scratches but you do need to keep a healthy layer of a good wax on the car at all times - especially on the vulnerable areas like the rear haunches and the tops of the front wings. I find that the outdoor ones don't move around at all, they sit snugly and don't cause swirls. Adrian.

Really? Which one I can't find it.

Do you reckon it would be too big for a 3.2 Carrera? [ ]

I've been toying with the idea of getting one, although the car lives in the garage which is part of the house so doesn't get overly cold etc, it's easy to walk past and slip / bump into it or worse for someone to drop something on it - escpecially seeing as my exercise room and bar is right next to the car! I don't think I would want to spend silly money on a tailored one though, just something to cover it to present the odd mishap,

LOL maybe, maybe not, but it'll cost ya to find out![8D] I'll give it back to you when you have something to keep Tony's car company [ ]

I don't know about the ones on eBay, sorry. You can stick the lightweight ones on a 40 deg wash when they get dirty and they come up like new. I've had a lightweight one for years but I'm now using one of their outdoor heavyweight ones. These are much better suited for what I need but the big disadvantage compared to the lightweight ones is that the car has to be bone dry before you cover it - otherwise the moisture just sits on the car until you next remove the cover. The lightweight ones are semi-permiable so you can put the cover over a soaking car and it will dry out. It works - I've tried it. Having a cover suits my needs as my car is pretty much concours and gets very little use (850 miles in the last year) and is only used in dry, salt-free environments. As a result of this I've only ever put the cover on to the car after it's just been washed and dried. This is far from practical for most people but I have a £250 Citroen diesel with 175,000 miles on that I use all the time. [ ] I would strongly suggest that you make some considerations before you splash out on a cover as one of the real no - no's is to put a cover on to a dirty car. You'll get swirls and all manner of nastiness if you make a habit of doing that. If you don't think that you'll be able to avoid this then there's a pretty strong argument for not bothering with a cover at all....[8|] The cover is great for me - but my circumstances are far from 'normal' I would say. (ie. I have a 'garage queen' - without a garage!). One thing is certain, if nothing else any cover will provide you with a great deterrent against 'interest' in your parked car! Very rarely has anyone been able to guess what car is under my cover. Having said that I did once know a guy who bought a cover for his 911 - with a massive Porsche badge the size of the bonnet on the front !!![ ] Adrian.

+1 -and believe Adrian will give you PCGB discount.!![ ] BTW, polish the car too much and the cover is a pig to put on on yer own!![ ]

+1. Yes, too much Zymol (other waxes are available[ ]) and a breeze makes putting your cover on very tricky - a bit like trying to juggle blancmange! I always try to rope the wife in to helping me. Or I gently place half a breeze block on top of one of the front wings, trapping the cover down so that I can get some purchase on the thing and pull it over the back of the car. ....ONLY KIDDING !!! And BTW, there just happens to be a guy at Classic Additions called Adrian and I can only congratulate him on that. I have absolutely no relationship with the firm at all. Adrian.

A citreon with 175k on That's good going!

Thanks, Steve. But I think that 'good' might be understating it a bit in this case. [ ] I've owned it since 1994, it's still on its original clutch, master cylinder, water pump, oil pump, diesel pump and.......wait for it.......exhaust. I can't believe it myself!! The lack of any turbo means two things: the engine is completely under stressed - and the car is slower than molasses!! It also makes the experience of getting in to my 911 all the more exhilarating!! But this is nothing. A mate of mine has a Peugeot 205 van with the same 1.9 non-turbo XUD engine in it that has covered 435,000 miles![&:] I just change the oil and filter every 5K miles - the secret of keeping any diesel happy!![ ]

Blimey, the french can make cars Before I bought the wife a mini I got her a 206, very low mileage and only a couple of years old, but it fell apart very quickly. I also had a 306 as a daily hack for a bit, that aged very quickly too, both developed more electrical issues than I care to think of, and bits fell off of them too lol. That said I use an MG at the moment, fantastic value for what it is, people will say thet they are unreliable I suppose, but the KV6 is a pretty strong motor. Cheers,

Don't get me wrong, I think that it's very much pot-luck with any car, especially French ones! I've heard some woeful stories about Citroens and Peugoets!! I think that I've just got a Monday morning car as opposed to a Friday afternoon one! Or a post-French lunch one for that matter!![ ]

That's what I always think, and mine was definitely one where the chaps at longbridge were having a good day. I had the thermostat go on me and then engine quickly overheated at motorway speeds, it could have easily caused damage, but 29.00 and a few hours cursing to fit (sits right in the V had to strip a ton off), she fired up and went as good as gold, 20k later and still purrs fine

I have a classic additions lightweight breathable for mine:

Yep! Wish I could say the same for my 'other' car![ ] (And I'm afraid that I don't subscribe to the 'lack of use' brigade, before anyone starts!!). Five years old and 25k miles....new RMS.....new clutch....new washer motor....new brake discs......knackered coil packs....loads of tracking issues........just a minute.......just a minute......I'll think of something else in a while. [ ]

How much was that and where did you get it from if you don't mind me asking? Thanks,

From what I have experienced and read, it certainly can be a 'challenge' at times owning a 996!

Yes, but I still love it! [ ] (Sorry, O.P. - gone off topic a bit here!!)

I think it was about £85 direct from Classic Additions

For an outdoor car cover, I’d recommend prioritizing one that's waterproof, UV-resistant, and durable for long-term exposure. Brands like Covercraft or Stormforce are worth considering for high-quality options. If you liked your Classic Additions cover, £50 seems like a reasonable deal for a replacement. However, ensure it’s machine washable or easy to clean without risk of damage. Also, always double-check the fit for your specific car model!