car cover

[Patcon]

I was looking for ideas on where to find a high quality car cover. The car will be outside for a while, but it will be fresh out of the body shop, so I wanted to get a water repellant cover to protect the car. Griots garage has covers, they start at $169 up to $299. I am not opposed to investing in a good cover, but not if I can find a better deal.

Thanks, Charles

[spitz17]

Weathershield is a great cover. They come in some nice colors, I really like black

[Travel'n Man]

Charles -

Sorry I can't help you with your car cover - I use my garage - but I am just a couple hours from you (Boone-NC). If you get up this way and want to enjoy some twistys give me a PM and let's get together. My car stays in the dry during the snow season (or should I say the salt season). Shoot the group some pictures or get you car on the site "garage". Hope all is well and good luck on your car cover search -

I have never bought a bad item from Griot's Garage!

[zKars]

I was in Canadian Tire last week and happened to pass a shelf packed of all sorts of different car covers. There were several different brands and sizes.

I thought about replacing mine, my baby has to live outside under its blanket in the Canadian winter, and the cover I have now its getting a bit old and has a couple of rips, so I as stood there looking them over, I started reading the descriptions looking for one that might fit.

As I read box after box after box, I started to notice a pattern. Almost everyone, except a couple at the very end had, in big bold letters, the phase,

"for indoor use only"

Now, am I missing something or is this just crazy? Do you really "need" a cover if your dang car is in the garage? This is Canada, land of snow and ice and igloos and 9 months of winter and stuff! The only "outdoor" rated one that had was big enough for Ford F350 crew, I could have driven over it and zipped it up around the z like a sleeping bag. hey! Not a bad idea!

Edited March 2, 2011 by zKars

[sblake01]

If by "fresh out of the body shop" you mean freshly painted, keep in mind that most paint shops (at least the ones I've used) recommend no car cover for 90 days.

[Carl Beck]

Hi Charles:

I've used several different types of car cover for my Z's over the years. IMHO the absolute best is the original BRE Z Car Cover. Nothing else since has had the perfect fit that it has. Even after repeated washings over the past 39 years - it's still in excellent, although faded shape. It is 100% cotton with a soft flannel lining. As I recall I paid $39.95 for it in 1972.

Motorsports Auto sells one that is somewhat the same material. Its a poly-cotton blend {soft flannel lined} and they fit pretty well. A friend of mine uses several of them and he is pretty happy with them. The fit is pretty good - and at $189.95 at least you'd be getting something more or less "known" by many, from a good vendor. http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/F/50-1101

For inside storage you want a car cover that will not trap moisture inside - and one that will keep fine dust from filtering though to the car. I have what feels like a nylon/rayon cover that I use on my White 72 - it is very light weight and folds up into a small bag. It is easy to wash/dry and has a zippered access to the drivers side door - that is a nice feature. For an inside cover it works very well. Trouble is that today I don't know of anyone that still makes them or sells them. I only mention it because the rayon/nylon material works well for inside storage.

I've tried a few of the "paper based materials" that many of the cheaper car covers are made from today - I didn't like the way they felt - a little too rough a texture, and they didn't roll or fold up easily for removal.

To some extent - an expensive and very high quality car cover is really a gift to yourself. It isn't absolutely necessary but if you like nice things, and you want to spend the money on yourself - what the heck, but when you get into the $300.00 price range it has nothing to be with function ;-)

FWIW,

Carl B.

[wavemux]

I bought this one and am very happy with it:

http://www.bre2.net/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=B&Product_Code=carcover_240z&Category_Code=car_covers

[Patcon]

I couldn't find a price for the BRE cover. I liked the taylored to the car size. I will look at the MSA covers. I also understood from someone else that I had to wait for several months before covering the car. Reassembly will probaly happen during that time as the car is fully stripped, but it was something I hadn't thought of. I had weathershield covers recommended to me also. They are nice and well warranted but pretty expensive.

Charles

[Mike B]

I couldn't find a price for the BRE cover.

You have to click on "add to cart". They are $157.

-Mike

[mgmoreau]

I do not know how much you spent on your paint job but would it not be worth spending the money to rent a storage unit to protect your investment in the paint job? Just my two cents.

One other alternative you could consider is getting a Carbag: http://www.carbag.com/index.html

The president of our club stored his car outdoors in one of these bags for an extended period of time. The main advantage is that it seals the car to be air tight which keeps moisture and rodents out of your car. He is on this site, his ID is GNOSEZ, you could send him a PM. I am sure he would be happy to share his experience with this product.

Good luck!

Edited March 3, 2011 by mgmoreau

[mgmoreau]

I do not know how much you spent on your paint job but would it not be worth spending the money to rent a storage unit to protect your investment in the paint job? Just my two cents.

One other alternative you could consider is getting a Carbag: http://www.carbag.com/index.html

The president of our club stored his car outdoors in one of these bags for an extended period of time. The main advantage is that it seals the car to be air tight which keeps moisture and rodents out of your car. He is on this site, his ID is GNOSEZ, you could send him a PM. I am sure he would be happy to share his experience with this product.

Good luck!

Well I went back and looked around the site. This company claims this bag is for inside use only. I am positive John stored his car outside for more than a year. Perhaps he had a waterproof canopy over it with the car in the bag inside the canopy. Best bet would be to PM GNOSEZ.

Edited March 3, 2011 by mgmoreau

[Patcon]

Eventually a carport will be built off the driveway to keep the car covered and somewhat protected. I live in South Carolina so our winters are not very harsh. I want the car right at hand so if my wife or I want to drive it we can. The car will probably get miles all year round, but if its parked for a week or two I don't see any reason to expose the paint to the sun, birds and dirt if I don't have to. The idea is to drive it, and enjoy it. The paint will be close to show quality, but I plan on using the car as a driver. The paint job is being done by a local restoration shop. The car is totally stripped and I am changing the color to my wifes preference. I am kind of doing this Z for her. I have 2 others I am working for myself. I am just trying to minimize the effects of being parked outside have on the paint over time. The cost of the cover is not that large compared to the investment in the paint.

Thanks, Charles