Car Covers

[Eddie.]

As some of you know, I have recently bought a BMW E21, and I want to be able to keep it looking nice for the weekends. Now obviously when I detail the car, it's then exposed to the elements afterwards (I don't have a garage that the car will fit into).

So I want to be able to protect it from leaves from the Willow on the drive, and just general crap.

I was thinking about a car cover, you know the sort, one that you pull over the car. My concern is from a detailing point of view, is it likely to inflict damage to the paint?

Also, has anyone used them before, and if so, where did you get them from?

 

[Magic Detail]

Try 'Specialised Covers' mate - they do indoor and outdoor covers and the quality of each is absolutely fantastic. Best covers I have ever seen and they are who I'd use if I was in the market for one. From a detailing perspective covers are a bit of a no-no unless the car is perfectly clean. After your regular wash/dry routine it should be clean enough to put the cover over. However they're not practical for day to day use, so if you intend to use the car daily and use the cover daily too then you need to weigh up what is the less of the two evils - scratches or tree sap / leaves. I know what I'd choose..

 

[Eddie.]

It'll be used once a week, it's a toy and therefore it won't spend long on the roads, the cover will only really be for the winter months, when I don't want days after days of rain on it, more than anything, it will deteriorate the car quicker if it's left out in the open.

Cheers though, I'll look into them.

 

[Magic Detail]

Take a look into those then, for once a week use providing the car is washed and dried before putting the cover over, you should be ok. Problems only arise if you go out and use the car, it gets dirty and then you put the cover over it. You just have to be a bit strict with it.