2002 durable outdoor cover recommendations?

[HarryBMW]

Anyone have a reputable brand of recommendation? While my 2002 will be largely kept in temp controlled garage, it will also be kept outside at times and I would like to cover it with a durable cover. 

[1936spyder]

I'm shopping as well. Thinking of either one of these for my tii that's wrapping up a complete exterior restoration:

https://www.covercraft.com/us/en/product/custom-ultratect-car-cover.C-CCUT

https://www.covercraft.com/us/en/product/custom-weathershield-hp-car-cover.C-CCHP

Neither are cheap, but you get what you pay for (hopefully[emoji120]). I imagine that your car is fairly nice as it's otherwise kept in a climate-controlled garage.

W

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[joem52002]

I have no current experience with car covers but back in the day even the best car covers kept the car protected from elements. The problem was moisture.  After a rain, the moist air was inside the car cover and made a steam bath when the sun came out.  New technology has breathable fabric so I'm not sure if that really works or not.  If you have access and remove the cover in nice weather ( that's what we did) it was better than leaving the cover on 24/7. Also be sure to dry the inside of the cover.

[HarryBMW]

Update: discussed with a luxury garage owner who suggested

• carcovers.com
• covercraft.com
• carcoversusa.com

[FunElan]

My 02 sits outside everyday with this cover: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001Y2GL3S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[gary32]

On 1/28/2020 at 7:15 AM, HarryBMW said:

Anyone have a reputable brand of recommendation? While my 2002 will be largely kept in temp controlled garage, it will also be kept outside at times and I would like to cover it with a durable cover. 

Some things in life are precious and irreplaceable like my 02.

It would break my heart and I would sell her to a good home before she lives outside. 

[fjord-tii]

@Gary32, let alone with classic car insurance that requires a locked garage. My P-car gets outside parking with a covercraft Noah with 4-year warranty, which I assume, means it will need replacement in four years. Stands up to hard rain, some moisture comes through but evaporates readily. Fits really well.

[HarryBMW]

On 1/29/2020 at 3:25 PM, gary32 said:

Some things in life are precious and irreplaceable like my 02.

It would break my heart and I would sell her to a good home before she lives outside. 

 

I am talking 24/48hrs at a time. My house does not have a garage and I live 25mins from temp controlled garage where it will be kept. Open to recommendations. 

[Einspritz]

I have many years of car cover experience.

 

I had a custom fit (E30 M3) weatheshield cover, and it is light, compressible, functionally water "proof" but does very little if your trying to protect from temperature. The fabric lasts a long time without degrading, but long term sun exposure (5 years) the thread will degrade and it will literally come apart at the seams. You can shake off water and it is then completely dry. I will buy one of these again for when I travel and want to cover the car.

 

the "non-woven" materials like those offered, like NOAH, will provide more sun protection, are breathable (not that the weathershield isn't) a small bit of scratch protection, but are bulky to store, and more importantly if in the sun constantly, the material breaks down into a white powder, even the blue colored ones. I currently have 3 of these, but purchased the generic sizing to reduce cost as they last about 3 years max in daily use. You can get a generic one at Costco of similar material. The cars still get hot in the Summer, though provides a bit of UV protection for the interior, e.g. leather and dash. Vermin seem to like eating / taking for nesting / etc. when the covers become worn. Go figure. I skipped the custom for the less expensive generic.

 

For indoor dust defense, I got the black stretchy fabric from Eastwood, ~$50 on sale. I bought two.

 

In "the early years" of car covers I had the silver quasi-rubberized cover. which did not breathe, and virtually blocked all sunlight into the cabin.  I used it on my 1600 which had lacquer paint Summers in the high sierra sun. It kept the paint from cracking, and interior cool, but I had to check after the rains for paint blushing from water coming in through the seams, but I doubt that is an issue with today's paints.

 

So, it depends on what you want and want to afford.

 

The nice cover to take with you on a trip or easily stored? Weathershield, custom or not.

 

Indoor? cheap flannel (have one of those too) or stretchy non custom cover.

 

All purpose without regard to bulkyness? the "non-woven". You'll swear every time you want to store it, even in a bag.

 

Less expensive, Costco generic.

 

HTH

[NYNick]

I used a Car-Bag to store my muscle car inside a garage in Florida, but I'm sure it would work outside. It's basically a large tarp like material with a strong zipper that closes it up completely. You open it up, drive onto it, cover your car with some type of car cover to prevent scratches, flop it over the top and zip it closed.

 

I used to even suck the air out with a wetvac and put Damp Rid inside the car. Waterproof cover.

[Adhvanit]

My car lived outside for ~2 years before I was able to move to a house with a garage.  I'll double check when I get home but I'm fairly certain the cover was from:

https://www.carcovers.com/.

 

The covered worked well enough, kept the sun off of it in summer and the rain off in winter.  This is in California as well so sun was definitely my main concern.

 

[SydneyTii]

I’ve tried everything, you can imagine Nothing stands up to our sun, generic cheap covers actually last about 6 months, breath, are quite water and crap proof, but leave a weird waxy residue, it does come right off with no issue to paint.

i have seen these perambulator type temp garage things, but those who supply them give up after a while, I’m thinking poor quality covers?

so if you can’t get the car under cover budget 2 cheapies a year (sun dependant) and every 2/3 years renewal of an expensive one, definitely in Aus!!

oh and never put a cover on a dirty car.... sorry if that’s obvious, as I’ve seen it done!

 

[Einspritz]

3 hours ago, NYNick said:

I used a Car-Bag to store my muscle car inside a garage in Florida, but I'm sure it would work outside.

 

I spent $300 for a bag that I used outside. Great concept, but the material was too thin and degraded into shreds in about 9 Mos.

 

My then solution was two BIG HF tarps; one which I drove onto and secured over the car, the other from the top secured under the car. then the Covercraft cover over that. Seems to still be tidy as of yet.

[BarneyT]

   I use the cover craft brand And I have three different levels of covers ( interior dust, noah, and exterior) from them and they are all great ...

[lowniss37]

On 1/29/2020 at 2:25 PM, gary32 said:

Some things in life are precious and irreplaceable like my 02.

It would break my heart and I would sell her to a good home before she lives outside. 

same!