Anyone using a car cover?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,018
Likes: 1
From: OR
Anyone using a car cover?
My car has some serious water leaks. Unfortunately it has to be left outside and it rains here quite a bit at times in the winter. Some day I might spring for a new set of seals, but I'm not crazy about spending that much and still maybe have leaks. Being a gm mechanic from the 70's, I've seen more than my share of water leaking chevy's that were about impossable to fix. With the c-4's seals over lapping three ways from wednesday, I'm afraid it might be another one of those. I was thinking about getting a medium cheep car cover to throw over it during the extra rainy nights and over the weekends. How much of a hassle is it to put them on and take them off? My other option would be to purchase one of those $1400 metal car port things.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
I have to leave my '88 out in all weather here in SE NY, including rain, snow, ice, etc. and it survives well.
I bought a Noah car cover the first fall I had the Vette. But I couldn't leave it parked when there was no salt or snow on the roads and didn't want to be taking the cover on/off too frequently for fear of scratching the print.
I bought a Noah car cover the first fall I had the Vette. But I couldn't leave it parked when there was no salt or snow on the roads and didn't want to be taking the cover on/off too frequently for fear of scratching the print.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 483
Likes: 0
From: Hurricane Alley FLorida
I keep mine garaged at all times, but I bought a cover from Ecklers called The Wall, easy to take off and has inner liner to protect paint. You can also go to any boat center or marine store and buy water repellant they put on canvass, works great. You could also install an overhead door to your living room and put the furniture outside for the winter and cover it. 
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,971
Likes: 9
From: The reason time exists is so everything doesn't happen at once
If you're planning to use a car cover as a make shift garage you'll eventually have some serious problems with the paint. A good water proof cover will keet the water out of the car's interior, but unless you take the time to clean the car after every use, dirt trapped between the cover and the car will work like sand paper over time.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
From: chicago il
A good cover will help alot, and they're really not that big of a hassle. Another little thing to look out for: make sure the little water drain hole in the gas-filler area does not get clogged. It could cause water to seep into your gas. A real PITA! I learned the hard way 
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
i have used covers in the past when I did not have a garage. They co on and off in a flash. The issue is were you put them and how you dry them when they are snow covered or rain soaked...
Granted a temperature and humidty controlled garage is what we would all love to have....
BUT if your choice is no protection or a cover then use the cover.
Buy a good breatheable water proof cover with an inner liner that is paint frieindly. The Vette specialty catologues all carry them.
Ghostpilot's offer sounds like it should be checked -out.
Granted a temperature and humidty controlled garage is what we would all love to have....
BUT if your choice is no protection or a cover then use the cover.
Buy a good breatheable water proof cover with an inner liner that is paint frieindly. The Vette specialty catologues all carry them.
Ghostpilot's offer sounds like it should be checked -out.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,101
Likes: 0
From: Orange TX
Originally Posted by 1quik91
I keep mine garaged at all times, but I bought a cover from Ecklers called The Wall, easy to take off and has inner liner to protect paint. You can also go to any boat center or marine store and buy water repellant they put on canvass, works great. You could also install an overhead door to your living room and put the furniture outside for the winter and cover it.
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Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
I bought a "Canopy" cover that covers just the glass area. Keeps the inside cool and is easy to setup and store when we're out and about. Most of the time she's parked in the garage, rather than depend on a full cover.
-JRC-
-JRC-
Racer
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 350
Likes: 0
From: Pa
I use the bubble in the winter, drive your car onto the roll out bottom, slip the top on, zip the 2 together and plug into the wall, the result is an instant bubble vette, safe and dry from elemnets and animals. HATE MICE while storing the car in the winter, this has been my only solution that I found. Purchased on ebay for $266
Large Impressive Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 65,811
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
I bought a nice cover but I'm not sure why. I have a garage and the car seldom sits still for long. Fortunately I can drive it year around here with only occasional bouts of foul weather.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 19,149
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From: First to Sign Grumpy's Hat Only 53 miles from Hell
St. Jude Donor '06-'09-'10-'11
Mine has to sit out during the summer and my weather striping is shot, my Wolf car cover has done an excellent job. Plus it does a great job pretecting it from scratches.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,018
Likes: 1
From: OR
Thanks for the input guys. I bought a semi cheepie ($75 on sale) cover the other day and put it on since a rain storm is coming. That's the only fast option I had at the moment. Glad I did, it's raining by the bucket today. I'm going to see if I can clear out enough room in the garage to get it in there. The familly car is in one side. The other side is full of tools, a couple work benches, and my son's wood shop. If I can some how get rid of stuff that never gets used and put my son's wood tools away and make him dig out the stuff he needs only when he needs it, maybe I can keep it inside at least when the weather is bad. I'm not crazy about the appearance of the cheepie car ports. There's enough room along side the house now for an RV, there won't be if I put one of those things there. Thanks again.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,496
Likes: 1
From: alaska
sounds like your looking at the concern from the wrong direction.
first things first.move the family car out and pull the vette in.
let it have its rightful place in the hiearchy.
now, grab the kid by the ear and lead him out to his mess in your other garage bay and give him till sundown to clean it out.
he will be the better for it,learning to respect other peoples spaces and to show appreciation for others kindnesses.
wheres he gonna put the stuff?
well,figure out whos problem that is and if you really care.
if you do then the options for miscelaneous wood tool storage is much greater than storing a vette.
i had a similar problem and decided to buy a 12 ft box van with a blown motor for 500 bucks.it worked out nicely when my last teen finally found a new home and i just towed the van to his place with all his junk in it. woohoo! love ya,see ya!
i use "the wall" from ecklers too,its easy to put on or off,seems harmless to the paint so far.
it will leak after a heavy rain but nothing that will get into the car.
i would be a little worried about leaving it for long periods with a cover on outside.
covers are nice and a pita too.keepin em clean etc.ANY garage enclosure is 10 times better than a cover.
throw a tarp over the pile of wood tools.
first things first.move the family car out and pull the vette in.
let it have its rightful place in the hiearchy.
now, grab the kid by the ear and lead him out to his mess in your other garage bay and give him till sundown to clean it out.
he will be the better for it,learning to respect other peoples spaces and to show appreciation for others kindnesses.
wheres he gonna put the stuff?
well,figure out whos problem that is and if you really care.
if you do then the options for miscelaneous wood tool storage is much greater than storing a vette.
i had a similar problem and decided to buy a 12 ft box van with a blown motor for 500 bucks.it worked out nicely when my last teen finally found a new home and i just towed the van to his place with all his junk in it. woohoo! love ya,see ya!
i use "the wall" from ecklers too,its easy to put on or off,seems harmless to the paint so far.
it will leak after a heavy rain but nothing that will get into the car.
i would be a little worried about leaving it for long periods with a cover on outside.
covers are nice and a pita too.keepin em clean etc.ANY garage enclosure is 10 times better than a cover.
throw a tarp over the pile of wood tools.
