need advice- car cover- good idea or bad ?

[sherry]

I'm thinking of getting a cover for my car,cuz I don't have a garage -  it's the first brand new car I've had in about 25 years and I hope to keep it until my girls take my keys away 25 years from now ;)

 

I only drive it once or twice a week so it's not like I'll be mess'n with it every day..I want it to keep the cats and squirrels from walking on it  and birds poop'n on it while it's just sit'n there during the week ..

 

this winter (because I'm so very  lazy)  I won't have to scrape  frost off the widows, or the rare snow "storm" (2 inches is a storm down here) scrape snow off ..

 

in the spring pollen covers EVERYTHING an then it rains an turns it into a green soupy mess..

 

in summer I'm thinking the cover would help keep the paint from fading and help keep it cooler inside the car without the sun beating thru the windows, and when we have t-storms the cover would protect it from the pine cones and small branches that get knocked out of the trees.. ..

 

I've talked to some of the men folk in the family and they're pretty much split, half say it's a good investment (about $100) and the other half say because of all the fine sand we have around here it will get up under the cover and scratch the paint..

 

Sooooo your thoughts??

[BAT]

Yes ... For peace of mind if for no other reason. Besides, they don't cost an arm and a leg and you are only going to drive it a couple of times a week.

 

Congrats on your new car :)

[sherry]

Thanks Bat, I guess it technically isn't new anymore,(I got it in Aug and took it to SC and Va so has some miles on it now) but it's still new to me and I want to keep it nice for as long as I can.. and short of winning the lottery - even a car port to park it under is not in my budget . 

[action]

I'm not really sure lace, but you sure have sold me on the cover being a good thing to have! If I were in your position, based on what you said, I would go for it. I think anything that could happen to it WITHOUT the cover will be worse than a bit of same creeping underneath!

 

I hope that you really enjoy your new car :)

[sherry]

Thanks Action, I think it's a good idea too, but like I said, I did get some push back.. so I said to myself - "self, ask your QT family - they always have great advice" :P

[Chrysalis]

I think that a car cover is a great idea and will maintain the appearance of your car for a long time. The cover will prevent the fading and peeling of the paint and the fading and rotting of the dashboard and seat fabric. (Northern cars get rust; southern cars get fading and peeling.) I think your friends who advise against a cover just don't want to be bothered with you asking them to help you put the cover on or take it off. 

[Tink]

im clueless sorry lace I only know where the fuel goes and when the nice red lights flash to remind me to put some in :)

 

I wouldn`t want to advise you x

[sherry]

Thanks Chrysalis.. I'm really leaning toward getting it.. 

 

LOL at  those against it not wanting to help me put it on and take off, they wouldn't drive over here to help me if the house was being taken away by a tornado like in the wizard of Oz.. but they're family - gotta love em- right? :rolleyes:

[sherry]

LOL Thanks Tracey, you sound like me!! :) ..  thats why I'm here ask'n advice :P  

[Jenny]

I asked my husband and he said get a cover.  He said it will help a lot and that as far as scratching, just keep the car as clean as you can and be gentle putting the cover on and off.  xx

 

Happy for you having a new car!   Very exciting. xx

[Colleen]

Hey Lace, I've got no advice on the cover.  I park in a garage and besides my car is a oldie.  I just wanted to say though, how exciting it must be to have a brand new car that doesn't stink like an ashtray or have burn holes :)

[MarylandQuitter]

Unless your car has just been washed, you shouldn't put a cover on it.  The problem is that when you drive it, dirt, dust, sand etc. gets on the paint and when you put a cover over it, it's going to move around from wind, rain etc. and scratch the paint.

 

As far as keeping the paint in the best shape possible, I would wash it, put a good coat of wax on it and leave it out.  If you really wanted to go the extra step, have it clay barred, washed, buffed, waxed and let it go.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWURKK06R8A

[sherry]

Hi Jenny, please tell your hubby thank you..and thank you, it is exciting being able to have my own car now that  the alcohol "demon" has been conquered!xx ;)   

 

Oh Collen what I wouldn't give for a garage! :rolleyes:  And thanks, you're right it is nice to get in and it not have that old stale cigg smell  :bad: !!

 

Hi MQ, "clay barred"?  would they do that at a detail shop?.. thanks for the advice, I was thinking when I knew I wouldn't be driving  for a bit, I'd run by the car wash just before going home and then once home take the hose to it once it was parked- once dry put the cover on..I have tree's all around me, so I've got the leaves, limbs, pine cones, pollen  and tree sap to deal with... BUT then as you pointed out, theres that sand that could get up under it with the wind blowing... 

 

was talking to hb about this last night,.. and  in his typical no nonsense sarcastic  style he said "stop bitch'n an stress'n over that car!- drive your ass to wallmart, buy a big camp'n tent and park the damn thing in that!" :laugh2: .. if I thought I could get away with that I'd try it !!!!!!   :P

[bakon]

Good wax AT LEAST twice a year will do more than a cover. Four times a year is better still. I only cover a car once a year,usually on in September and off in May. For long term storage, inside a garage. Not a water proof heavy one either. On and Off hurts it more than the rain and boxpoopers walking on it. It will require more work putting on and off everytime, plus the wash and dry, than the wax will. And outdoor covers are waterproof, so you should not put on for a day after a wash, may look dry, but its not, vent area has water, door jams, all these places will rust when the water cant evaporate and just sits there, under the covere, protected from the sun and wind that would have dried it.

 

Motorcycle cover goes on anytime its not used in a month, so rarely...even then same rules, inside, not water proof, dry and clean for a day....

 

Don't go crazy with a clay bar- that's a specialty your not ready for yet...just remove tar, use a good wax (available anywhere, don't fall for the latest and greatest) and bunches of clean rags-never used for other things, kept only for the car....do it by hand, buffers only after hand wax and remove, your fingers will feel the bumps and hand requires your eyes to look closer for spots of stuck on stuff (bugs, tar, bird and cat marks) 

[sherry]

Thanks Bakon, I had been  looking at the water proof "Ultra" covers.. and didn't even think about all those hidden nooks and crannies  where it would still be wet after washing, ..... seems I still have some thinking to do..

[bakon]

If you got fine sand where you live, spend the money on yourself. Not worth it. Park under a carport if sun is that bad, move if you have to, but the cover can really do more harm than good unless inside and used for long term storage. Watch a car show that uncovers an old car, rust is everywhere still unless stored properly.

[sherry]

Thanks for get'n back to me Bakon.. I got one of those wands  that you can put the soap in  to wash it  and some  cotton cloths  just for washing the car - and a chamois  to dry it off, thanks for the tips..

 

...I think I might still get a cover to put on it if I know it's going to frost/snow and I'll be needing the car  the next morning and for this spring when the pollen and tree sap is running so bad-- but otherwise (much as my lazy self hates the idea) I'll just have to  keep it washed by hand...and washed  A LOT !! :angry:

 

thanks to everyone for the input, I appreciate it! :D