Car covers
Teching In
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville FL
Teching In
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 13
Likes: 2
I've got two. One for a Porsche Cayman and one for a 99 Firehawk. The Cayman one is about 5 years old. The Firehawk one is a couple years old. The older one is starting to fade a little bit, but it is structurally perfect. It handles the weather and provides a little bit of padding to keep things from brushing the paint.
Teching In
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville FL
I got what I thought was a decent cover and it was great for about 2mo but then the fl sun made it deteriorate fast. It faded and is now easily ripped with the slightest tug.. its now pretty much useless. I'm just trying to find a cover that will work well and last a long time without breaking the bank. The ones for under or around $100 all seem to be the same kind of Chinese crap advertised as amazing but all the 1 star reviews show they are mostly short life trash.
TECH Junkie
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,910
Likes: 674
From: Western North Carolina
I got what I thought was a decent cover and it was great for about 2mo but then the fl sun made it deteriorate fast. It faded and is now easily ripped with the slightest tug.. its now pretty much useless. I'm just trying to find a cover that will work well and last a long time without breaking the bank. The ones for under or around $100 all seem to be the same kind of Chinese crap advertised as amazing but all the 1 star reviews show they are mostly short life trash.
In Florida there is no such animal as an affordable car cover. You either get the top of the line that costs hundreds of dollars or you avoid covers completely As you stated, the intense FL sun, especially in the summer, destroys all covers in time. The cheaper they are, especially Chinese crap, the faster they deteriorate. Another HUGE negative are those summer monsoons. The moisture and heat get trapped underneath even with the finest covers. Paint issues can arise and there can be a 'stink' too that gets into your air system that takes awhile to clear out. Love bugs on your ride? Don't even think about a cover.
I lived in FL for most o my life until retiring here to NC. My cars were either garaged or left out in the mercy of the elements. It was better than a car cover.
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,623
Likes: 2,541
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
^ The bump was from a spammer which has since been removed, but since the thread is back up...
I've learned a lot about outdoor car covers in the last several years. Even the really well made expensive ones will only give you 1-2 years of "total" protection if they are exposed to a constant barrage of sunlight and weather extremes, after that they will start to leak and allow dirt to pass through. The cheaper ones are only slightly worse, but the primary difference I have found is that the cheaper ones will beat the crap out of the paint, even if the car is very clean before covering it. The more expensive ones won't trap moisture and won't damage the finish (unless the car is very dirty).
If you can park in any kind of shade, the cover will last much longer. Full sun will really shorten its lifespan, but if not for the cover then the car itself would be taking the brunt of that UV damage. It's shocking how much UV protection you can get from a good cover if you replace it before it deteriorates too much. When folks look at my '74, they are surprised to find out how long it's been sitting outside under a cover and still has stayed so nice.
With all of that said, we only have intense UV exposure for 4-5 months of the year where I live, so you'll need something even more heavy duty (or expect to replace it even more often) in a climate like FL, etc.
I've learned a lot about outdoor car covers in the last several years. Even the really well made expensive ones will only give you 1-2 years of "total" protection if they are exposed to a constant barrage of sunlight and weather extremes, after that they will start to leak and allow dirt to pass through. The cheaper ones are only slightly worse, but the primary difference I have found is that the cheaper ones will beat the crap out of the paint, even if the car is very clean before covering it. The more expensive ones won't trap moisture and won't damage the finish (unless the car is very dirty).
If you can park in any kind of shade, the cover will last much longer. Full sun will really shorten its lifespan, but if not for the cover then the car itself would be taking the brunt of that UV damage. It's shocking how much UV protection you can get from a good cover if you replace it before it deteriorates too much. When folks look at my '74, they are surprised to find out how long it's been sitting outside under a cover and still has stayed so nice.
With all of that said, we only have intense UV exposure for 4-5 months of the year where I live, so you'll need something even more heavy duty (or expect to replace it even more often) in a climate like FL, etc.
Trending Topics
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2024
Posts: 50
Likes: 204
If you're storing your precious ride outdoors, you are in trouble in the first place. I've never seen a car stored outside do well. I don't care what cover you have. Especially in the Midwest! Maybe when contemplating a purchase the place you will store it should be part of the equation? I got rid of all my cars w/ the last one going away in 2018 because I didn't have storage. Warehouse and all its attendant costs was too much after about 10 or so years.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0
Brett Foote
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,623
Likes: 2,541
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
If you're storing your precious ride outdoors, you are in trouble in the first place. I've never seen a car stored outside do well. I don't care what cover you have. Especially in the Midwest! Maybe when contemplating a purchase the place you will store it should be part of the equation? I got rid of all my cars w/ the last one going away in 2018 because I didn't have storage. Warehouse and all its attendant costs was too much after about 10 or so years.
Here is what it looked like before sitting outside:
Here is how it looks after about 5 years of sitting outside:
This is not a concours show car, but it's very presentable and quite comparable to many of the nicest cars you will see at a local cruise night. Hard to keep the engine bay clean though, as dust does blow up from underneath.
I have a lot of cars, more than my current garage can handle so, unfortunately, the '74 has to sit outside. When I move next, this will be corrected.
I have the same issue...my project car is stored outside....the cheap covers last maybe a yr....I have been using Summit brand covers.....great fit....but they too succumb to the elements ....at least they gave me a good discount on a new one when the old one bit the dust.....is there any cover that can last outdooors ??????
TECH Junkie
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,910
Likes: 674
From: Western North Carolina
Many folks don't have them. Just think of all the condo and apartment owners out there, especially in larger population areas. This is why the EV thing was just plain dumb. What are these car owners supposed to do? Run extension cords out to their cars in the winter or in the rain?? They didn't think that one through, that's for sure.