is a car cover worth it?

[383ply]

Originally Posted by Venthos

I'm curious as to what I can do about it in the winter, though. It will be a daily driver and I won't be able to garage it. Throughout the winter I doubt i'll be able to cover it effectively. There'll be snow all over and such and road grime on a daily basis. I'm not washing the thing literally everyday I drive it so I can cover it.

Those of you who live in climates similar to Michigan that are not able to garage their daily driver, how do you take care of your car?

How about you store the car in a garage or storage place with your new cover for the winter and buy an old bomb to drive through the winter.check around you'll find someplace.maybe with boats or RV's or the fair grounds .

[Venthos]

Nah, I can't justify spending this much money on a car and then shelving it for half the year hehe. It's going to be a daily driver all year 'round.

[383ply]

Originally Posted by Venthos

Nah, I can't justify spending this much money on a car and then shelving it for half the year hehe. It's going to be a daily driver all year 'round.

Well than all you can do is keep it as clean as you can ,like any other car you owned.A cover wont help ,You'll get tired of put that on and off in a weeks time.

[anthem ss]

If it's going to be your daily driver, a cover 'MAY" not be feasible in winter.When i lived back in NY and my Fleetwood was my daily driver, nothing beat regular washing and waxing (try waxing a boat like that 4 times a year). The cover may work out better in Summer or in winter IF it won't snow/rain for a while but once winter sets in, it will be a bitch wiping snow off the cover or ice chunks, then storing it. Trust me on this as i speak from experiance.That's why my SS only went out on clear, dry days in winter.
How about making a car port!?

[Venthos]

Car port sounds like a possibility, have any information on that?

I don't expect my car to be show-room condition in several years given that it'll be a daily driver let alone in Michigan, but I want to at least make an attempt to keep reasonable care of it.

[383ply]

Originally Posted by Venthos

Car port sounds like a possibility, have any information on that?

I don't expect my car to be show-room condition in several years given that it'll be a daily driver let alone in Michigan, but I want to at least make an attempt to keep reasonable care of it.

You have to keep up the high Challenger image ,cant let em be seen dirty in public.Duty of a true mopar man!!Lol

[Ragamuffin]

I probably should not be replying,since I don't have a car cover or never did.I'm not an expert or that knowledgeable; but nevertheless, I'll offer a few thoughts and ideas based upon what I do know and/or have experienced !!! On car covers, I think the saying ,'You get what you pay for' is probably true for the majority. I've heard that ones made from plastic,vinyl,and maybe nylon[not sure about nylon] are cheaper and do not breathe;for obvious reasons. You want to get a cover that breathes since the longer moisture is allowed /trapped on the finish and elsewhere is not good !! If one cannot afford a quality, breathable one, I've thought of ways or feel that some sort of objects should be placed in/on strategic spots on the vehicle to allow as much airflow and evaporation as possible ! Also, now I'm 'thinking' that cheaper and/or thinner covers if wet would or might cling to the vehicle and thus said vehicle would be more prone to hail damage. Top quality covers are breathable, waterproof and padded or thick enough to provide all around all-weather protection. Aren't quality paint jobs several thousand dollars and up ? I have not priced any for awhile but seem to recollect $150-189 ; perhaps a bit more{ for the better/top-of-the-line covers that is}.I'm not sure if any are made with Gore-Tex fabric which is both breathable and pretty much waterproof: the technology being the fabrics molecules or tightness of fabric allows air molecules to flow/penetrate ,yet too small for water molecules to penetrate ! Ok, now , as others have stated : yes be very careful when dust ,particles , helicopters ,insect residue, bird excrement and other nasty "jazz" is upon you : I mean your car !!! To most people a car's finish may look relatively free of dust/debris , it most likely is not. I find for example when sitting inside the vehicle , I can see any dust { usually lots where I am located [which is about 1-2 miles from one of the World's largest commercial limestone quarry, which also has several huge manmade hills with dusty by-product] } from this more easily due to the "lower viewing angle" !!! So, any foreign matter that's on the finish can be hazardess when either applying or taking off a car cover. Obviously the more wax/polish? on its finish, will help lessen the damage potential !! I think I remember reading in my brother's Subaru Forester's manual that when washing your vehicle it is beneficial to use ' lots of water,especially before[ washing with soap/surficant ,during soap,and the rinse aka "flooding the surface" ; since dust particles are usually sharp or rough edged .Couple that with road soot, fuel exhaust &/or other oily matter makes debris adhere to the finish very easy and very difficult to de-adhere !!! One idea I thought of and do is to get a plastic spray bottle with soap and spray all over before using a hose/pressure washer to help loosen dust. Even then ,it seems [when I've used a towel to dry, I still get the towel soiled ?!? Also, hot or very warm water is better,at least for soaping. I think a cool/cold rinse is preferred [ just like doing laundry] !!! P.S. I have a real good pressure washer [with a garden hose supplying cold/cool water] and usually don't use soap! I used to think with that much pressure [2100-2500 psi max,usually less] would get a clean car ; but I'm not very impressed ! I usually can see scum and other matter!

[My Hemi]

Originally Posted by 425hpChargerSRT8

I was thinking of purchasing a car cover for the challenger, but is it worth the money. I want it mainly because it gets so hot where i live and the dark interiors dont help; not to mention i dont have a garage yet. So my question is, does the car cover cut down on the heat inside the car, and does it really protect the car? I have never had one, and just curious as to the results you guys have had with them.

The following is just my personal opinion: Since you live in Alabama, and don't face much if any snow/salt conditions, and since most covers are a light color and your car is dark, it will keep the heat down inside plus limit the sun damage. However, I predict you will soon tire of putting the thing on and taking it off. Don't forget that this car is a boat, and the cover will be large and heavy, and difficult to handle. I've had at least 6 covers in my life and consider them a waste of money, unless you plan on storing your car a lot. If I lived in snow country (and I do), I would forget even considering a cover for a daily driver. You won't be able to wash the car much when it's freezing, and keeping the car clean enough from the carwash to home is dreaming a little.

One of the main concerns I have with covers is they must be used when your car is very clean, otherwise, you will pick up lots of dirt and rub it into your paint. The cover is held on a car by wrapping it under the front and back parts of the car, picking up dirt and sand where it is most likely to be laying on the surface. They also always rub against the tires, getting really black and dirty in those locations. Plus, you get a cover on the car by throwing it up on the top, unrolling it, dragging it into place, etc., and dirt is an enemy. And let's not mention how the wind will move a "for sure to get dirty cover" around on your car.

For a "homeless" car, I would just wash it a lot, and use protectants on interior surfaces.

[Cuda340]

Originally Posted by firstmethod

IMHO a car cover is a must have. It will cut the number of times you need to wash in half and the less washing you do the less the paint will be damaged with spider-web scratches, etc. I had a 1970 442 with a beautiful red & black paint job. I used a car cover religiously and 10 years later it was indistinguishable from the day the paint job was done. Even if you garage the car it is worth using a cover.

Did you cover it every day?

I plan to buy a good car cover but I heard that the car must be dirt/dust free or the cover will put minute scratches in the paint when you put it on and take it off.

[ChuckG]

I probably shouldn't be replying either. I have never owned a car cover and can't see ever buying one. But I'll give guys something to look out for.

A buddy of mine had a 1978 Camaro that he bought new and had it stored along side his garage with a car cover. He stored it there for a couple of years. During the summer, he would run has automatic sprinkler system in the back yard a couple of times a week. One of the sprays would hit the front fender and part of the hood and when he took the cover off to sell it, there was a big rust spot on the hood.

All I know is to be careful with one and don't go cheap. If it were me, I'd research the hell out of it.