Best Outdoor Car Cover?

[Paul S4]

A good pal in Scotland has a Boxster and it has to be kept outside (!) although he has a double garage.... ( He is not a petrolhead !)

Anyway, he asked me to source a decent outdoor car cover to keep the worst of the Scottish winters out.

I have heard that in some ways a car cover may cause more problems than it solves...my answer would be for him to get a used hardtop and leave the car uncovered.

Unless the cover has a softer lining I can envisage the paint getting damaged when the wind gets up ?

If anyone has any advice/suggestions as to what makes are out there i would be grateful.

Thanks in advance

[RoadToad84]

I'm not convinced on the wisdom of car covers. My El Camino has to live outside and I did purchase a bespoke cover for it last winter. Was excellent quality and fitted perfectly, but caused an awful lot of condensation within the car, and worsened a couple of paint blisters on the leading edge of the bonnet.

I think long term use would have an abrasive effect on the paint as well, regardless of how soft and fluffy the liner is.

That said, it's nice to know that the scuttle panel and other exposed areas aren't filling up with leaves, dirt, and water.

Maybe a schedule of covering in bad weather, and removing in dry/windy conditions to breathe?

[yellow elan]

Dont cover it. I made the mistake of covering my old Elan with a cover and leaving it in a brick garage for 2 months whilst i moved house. Result i killed the paint-osmosis etc. You are better off with one of those outdoor Carcoon tents but they are not full proof. Best thing to do is keep using it and just use a cover for the worst of the weather but dont leave it on

[VeeReihenmotor6]

I'm of the opinion that you're better off leaving the car uncovered -wax/cermaic coat it to protect it. Anything that sits against the paint and moves with weather will damage the paint over time. I've also seen microblisters on cars after covering.

For a boxster or any covertilble I would consider the covers that cover the roof only.

Besides most covers are used in the winter when arguably the most damage happens from UV in summer.

The other downside of a car cover is the need to clean the car super well before placing the cover on else you run even more risk damaging the paint.

[FilH]

Is it going to sit for months , if so would say get an outdoor carcoon. Only real issue with one is not letting snow build up on it!

[don logan]

FilH said:

Is it going to sit for months , if so would say get an outdoor carcoon. Only real issue with one is not letting snow build up on it!

Hi

I unzipped an outdoor Carcoon this week after at least a year

The suede steering wheel had a very small area with some mold on it which brushed off easily

This was how much oxidisation there was on the discs

Edited by don logan on Tuesday 1st November 00:32

[ds666]

For balance - my mate keeps his Cayman outside with a decent cover over it and has never had any issues with condensation , paint etc .

[austin]

I have a 20+ year old Boxster that's kept outside. (Garage has the important stuff in).

If his is anything like mine it leaks. Once water is in it gets absorbed by the foam sound proofing.

I've just taken the carpets out (again), could barely lift one half it's so heavy due to being wet.

Drain holes must be kept clear, (we have a massive oak tree on our drive, acorns and the little "hat" bits are a perfect fit.)

Windows where they meet the hood don't always seal perfectly so the door cards get wet and then into the carpets.

Not sure if a hard top would fix the issue, and they are a PITA.

[lowdrag]

austin said:

Windows where they meet the hood don't always seal perfectly so the door cards get wet and then into the carpets.

Not sure if a hard top would fix the issue, and they are a PITA.

My 107 was supplied with a hard top and never leaked at all, and neither did the soft top. I have no knowledge of Porche ones however. My E-type, as they all do, lets water in by the top rail, the doors, and the windows, but then it is sixty years old. But back on topic, I recommended an outside Carcoon to a friend. He has a smallholding in the middle of nowhere, and he swears by it. After a year the car is still snug as a bug in a rug and doesn't seem to have worn either.

[fox50]

My 987.2 Boxster lives outside under a Moltex cover from Hamilton Classic,on my third one in eight years,uv kills them.Superb fit,fully waterproof but breathable,no scratches either.Car is used every couple of weeks and cleaned prior to covering,highly recommended,no condensation inside the car,can be some on the outside in certain weathers,partially remove it when the weather is dry and allow to dry fully,a good product!

[Custerdome]

I've got a Richbrook cover.

The quality and fit is good, but although advertised as breathable, it isn't, and there's usually a lot of condensation on the car when I take it off, even if it hasn't rained for a while. It's just passed it's second summer and the UV has faded it a little, (and there was a lot of it about this summer...) but otherwise fine. No issues re scratching or wear on the bodywork.

It's on a modern car, so I'm not too concerned about the condensation, I don't think I would put it on a convertible or classic though.