Car Covers

[BrianCooper]

I just bought my car, a black MINI Cooper with Premium package, and I have no garage to store it in. To my dismay two days after my purchase it snowed, sleeted, and freezing rain fell. I've cleaned off the snow, but since then the freezing rain has come down, leaving a coating of ice over my entire car. I purchased the paint treatment program (that guarantees my finish for 4 or so years from the date of purchase), but I haven't had the treatment completed yet. Nevertheless, I've since been contemplating buying a car cover in preparation for whatever nature sends my and my MINI's way in the future. Any advice on what type of car cover to buy? What is the best and least expensive option? Should I buy a custom fit vs. a reg. cover? What are the advantages vs. disadvantages of a non-custom fit cover?

Thanks for any advice.
-Brian

[forrest]

for outdoor use, you'll want a material like Evolution (4 layers thick) or NOAH (3 layers). Ev is slightly bulkier, but offers more protection from door dings. Both materials are made by Kimberly Clark, and sold by most all the car cover makers under a variety of names.

I'd suggest a custom fit cover, since it'll:

1) fit right
2) have mirror pockets to hold the cover on and prevent movement
3) have grommets to allow the cover to be locked on (prevents cover theft).

I have covers for all my cars, and use them without fail (except the wife's too lazy to put hers on the minivan). It's nice to have a car covered at the airport to protect from falling contaminants in the air and inconsiderate fools with their doors.

I won't drive anywhere without a cover.

[Trina]

i had done some research on car covers in this thread before, and several people recommended Covercraft Car Covers. I ordered mine last week, but haven't received it yet.

here's the url

BTW, I have found that they sometimes offer free shipping when you order on Sundays.

[MINIAC]

FAQ: What car covers are available?

[Spy Car]

Covercraft makes covers in various fabrics.

I love my "Weathershield" (Nextec fabric) cover because it is so thin, easy to store, clean and dry. But I live in sunny California...so I'm not sure how they are in the snow. They are best in fair weather IMO.

The "Evolution" and "Noah" covers are a lot bulkier...but do offer some dent protection. I still think the "Weathershield" might be good in snow as it dries out faster than any other cover.

But I don't really know for sure....maybe some one else has used a "Weathershield" in the snow.

[BrianCooper]

Quote: Originally Posted by Spy Car

Covercraft makes covers in various fabrics.

I love my "Weathershield" (Nextec fabric) cover because it is so thin, easy to store, clean and dry. But I live in sunny California...so I'm not sure how they are in the snow. They are best in fair weather IMO.

The "Evolution" and "Noah" covers are a lot bulkier...but do offer some dent protection. I still think the "Weathershield" might be good in snow as it dries out faster than any other cover.

But I don't really know for sure....maybe some one else has used a "Weathershield" in the snow.

I posted this same thread on the MINIUSA site and the users there had some good suggestions and advice on the pro's and con's of different maufacturers and materials if you're interested.