Outdoor Car Cover Recommendations

[Island Grown]

Anyone have outdoor car cover recommendations? Brand/ model and links are appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

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[StephenVA]

I have owned them all.
Recommended source California Car Cover www.calcarcover.com
product: Superweave
I have three of them now for the ones that sit outside.

[geargrinder]

My recommendation was gonna be "don't" but if Stephen says those are OK then OK... $400 for a Touring. They have some BF deals but the coupon code is no good for the cover.

For most part using covers outside in all weather have a lotta downsides... trapping moisture, encouraging critters, etc. Believe me I'd like to use 'em myself but I've seen the 'critter increase quotient' first hand, not to mention the humidity increase... Maybe depends on where you live...

[schatzy62]

I side with GG on not using them for the reasons he stated about moisture, critters etc.

But you only list USA as your location so with out a state listed it is also hard say if it is okay to use one. Places like Arizona its probably not a bad idea. but up here in Massachusetts where we have a lot of snow that collects on things during the winter it would be like taking a wet towel or tarp and laying it on the paint for long periods of time. Not goo for the paint, the interior (which will get damp) and give the critters a good place to hide. Heck I get the critters hiding in the engine bays even with out a cover if the cars sit more that a few days without being moved.

[Island Grown]

Thanks for the input, fellas. I'm live in Hawaii. So snow is not a problem but tropical weather leaves me with occasional heavy rains, winds, and my main concern is the heat. The touring has spent most of its life in Southern California, but you can tell the paint and beige interior is a bit sun beaten. It's my weekend driver but it'll likely never see a garage. Eventually, I'd like to get a respray as well.

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[StephenVA]

GG is right on some of the old fashion car cover that do not release moisture. The newer materials are so much better than the old ones that fall apart after 3 years and turn into a wet blanket.
The one recommended is lightweight and totally breathable while promoting a fast dry after rains which depending on the Island you are on, is a daily event. These covers are a great way to keep off falling tree crap and a few well scented (peanut butter) mouse traps solve the critter issues.

[coolcom]

Are those covers completely waterproof? I have some difficult to locate leak and it always smells super damp inside after I wash the car or it rains. I’d only put it on when it’s forcasted to rain, which is pretty uncommon in my area.

[geargrinder]

Are those covers completely waterproof? I have some difficult to locate leak and it always smells super damp inside after I wash the car or it rains. I’d only put it on when it’s forcasted to rain, which is pretty uncommon in my area.

Bad solution sir.

If it is that bad, and it turns out you are pooling water under the passenger seat carpet, then a whole bunch of wiring and fuses are going to rust and rot out and cause all kinds of hassles. Tossing a cover on (and there are waterproof ones and non-waterproof ones) won't resolve the fact that you may already be driving around with a pool down there and won't be a solution if you get caught in rain on the highway or parked away from home.

Water leaks come from door membranes most infamously, then sunroof drains and cowl cabin airbox clogs overflowing as the 2nd and 3rd options. You should fix the problem before it becomes a nightmare.

[coolcom]

If water was pooling under the passenger carpet, I would assume the carpet would be damp? Or would i have to tear up some stuff to see the water?

The headliner gets damp, but only after a lot of rain or water (when I say a lot of rain...I mean a lot of rain for southern CA...meaning like 1-2" over 12hours). But even after a light wash, it smells damp inside. None of the carpets get damp.

[StephenVA]

Check the drains on the sun roof (use weed whacker cord) Then search for kinked drains to see what happens when they are open or kinked in the A pillars.

[geargrinder]

If water was pooling under the passenger carpet, I would assume the carpet would be damp? Or would i have to tear up some stuff to see the water?

Nope, not necessarily. Theres a nice wading pool underneath there that can fill up without the carpet being soaked.

The headliner gets damp, but only after a lot of rain or water (when I say a lot of rain...I mean a lot of rain for southern CA...meaning like 1-2" over 12hours). But even after a light wash, it smells damp inside. None of the carpets get damp.

Yep, then sunroof drains. As Stephen says they can get disconnected or pinched in the A-pillars. That's the good scenario as the A pillar ones are relatively accessible. The C-pillar ones are much harder to get access to without hassles. Hopefully you'll say headliner gets wet up front, in which case not hard to check out - remove the screw behind the SRS trim button and the internal A-pillar trim will pop off and the top and then pull out at the bottom. You can then take the visor out and pull down the headliner just in the front corner (remove the grab handle if you want to loosen the headliner even more), you should be able to get visual on the place where a rubber hose coming up the Apillar behind the airbag meets a plastic nipple/barb coming out of the sunroof tray, and then check nothing is disconnected or pinched. Should be pix of this stuff but probably are all broken from photophuckit.

[coolcom]

Thanks guys. I really have to soak the top of the car- a good few minutes with the hose on full to get the headliner to be damp, but it does get damp up front. We had a freak thunderstorm that dropped half inch of rain in 15 minutes and there was no damp headliner, although the interior smelled damp. The reason I ask about the cover is because it rarely rains where I am (12 inches/year). This year has been incredibly wet at 20" so far.