How many of you do not garage your car?

[ak]

I am on a temporary relocation situation and wanted to bring my car with me but the problem is, theplace I am staying at does not have garage. IT's a safe area so I"m not worried about theft but I'm more worried about the up keep of the car. My car cover is cloth cover so I'm not sure if it's water repelent... Can I buy plastic cover and put it over my regular cloth cover for when it rains??

 

[nsxtasy]

A plastic cover is not good for the car, for a couple of reasons: (1) it will scratch the finish of the car, and (2) it will trap moisture underneath the car cover, which is bad for the finish.

Most of the quality car covers are breathable cloth, which means they will allow any moisture underneath to evaporate. It's okay to leave them on the car when it rains - but if they don't get a chance to dry by the time you need to go somewhere, they can be sloppy and unwieldy to fold up and put away.

When my car was parked out of doors, here were my rules:

1. Never cover the car when it's dirty. (Any movement of the car cover from wind etc can rub the dirt particles across the finish.)

2. Never cover the car if it's already wet when you park it. (If it's wet, chances are that it's dirty.)

3. Don't cover the car if you're going to take it out again within a couple of hours.

4. Cover the car if it's clean and dry, and either (a) it's going to stay dry until the next time you're going to use it, or (b) it's going to rain but have enough time to dry completely before the next time you're going to use it.

(Incidentally, if the car is covered and gets a thorough soaking in the rain and then dries again, you may find a layer of "dust" on the car, which actually consists of fabric particles from the car cover. This is fine and shouldn't hurt the car at all.)

[This message has been edited by nsxtasy (edited 12 April 2002).]

 

[cojones]

There ARE some covers designed for outdoor use -- IIRC the "NOAH" fabric line is pretty popular

 

[Redeye]

I bought a Carcraft cover from TJ Car Covers. http://www.netsweeper.com/carmain.htm

Their service is pretty good, ordered mine through phone and it came in a few weeks, just like the website mentioned. It has tons of different car covers ranging from the Weathershield to Noah, to the Technalon. I also will be parking my car in a lot, but it will be a covered parking lot. I bought the technalon cover because its pretty good on weather and all, but I bought it mostly because its resistant to dings and scrapes.

Anyways, check the page out and see if theres anything you like.

[This message has been edited by Redeye (edited 12 April 2002).]

 

[ck]

Ken even has RULES for covering his car!

 

[Eggman]

Originally posted by ck:
Ken even has RULES for covering his car!

Agreed. But you know what? I couldn't agree with each of them more myself. I follow them too!

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1994 300ZX TT
Stage VI+ (auto)
338 rwhp - 380 rwt

 

[cojones]

Originally posted by cojones:
There ARE some covers designed for outdoor use -- IIRC the "NOAH" fabric line is pretty popular

Note that "NOAH" covers are pretty bulky, and can occupy 1/3 or more of your trunk space.

Mine is Technalon and its (IMO) a LOT better than the OEM one. Fits into the OEM case for the cover.

 

[sjs]

I have only one rule about covering my car. I don’t.

IMO covers are for long-term storage in a dusty environment. There is no such thing as a clean car within hours of washing it, much less driving it anywhere, so any cover can cause abrasions when blown about by the wind.

The NSX is not made of sugar, it won’t melt away in the rain. It’s not even made of iron so it won’t rust. If you keep a nice finish on it then rain should not be a concern other than getting it dirty, and a little sun won’t kill it either. Drive the car and enjoy it, but beware of hail storms!

 

[nsxtasy]

Over time, sun can fade the finish. In addition to sunlight, a car cover can also protect against bird droppings, hail, and curious/overactive passersby.

A car cover should be custom-fitted and preferably held down with a locking cable underneath the car, both of which reduce the extent to which the fabric moves around in the wind.

It's a judgment call as to when the car is too dirty to cover. If my car looks dirty to me, or I can see a layer of dust, I don't cover it.

 

[sjs]

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
Over time, sun can fade the finish...

Which is why in response to his question about a "temporary relocation situation" I said "...and a little sun won’t kill it either. "

I suspect that the risk of sun fade on a modern high quality paint job with a godd coat of wax (or equivalent) is less than typically feared by people with nice cars. It's just one more reason to live in a constant state of useless fear. Why even bother to own anything nice. Ooops, I feel a rant coming on so I'll stop.

But hail is another story, and car covers aren't much good for that unless it's very small anyway.

 

[Number9]

A cover does a remarkably good job of protecting the car interior from the sun damage as well. The plastics get incredibly hot if the car is exposed to sunlight and the result of frequent such exposure can be cracked dash, fading, etc. I vote wash/wax regularly and use the cover.

 

[Michigan NSX]

Originally posted by ck:
Ken even has RULES for covering his car!

I'm sure he has family sit-down meetings on this kind of stuff!

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'91 Black/Black

 

[Michigan NSX]

I don't have the use of a garage during Spring/Summer/Fall in Michigan (it is stored/garaged in the winter). I cover the car in my driveway when it is clean and dry. My car cover is, I believe Technalon, and is very water repellant. I use a california duster on the car before covering. The cover is specifically made for the NSX.

I agree with nsxtasy when he says that a cover will protect against tree sap/bird droppings, but in my neck of the woods, the protection from waterspots is my #1 reason for using the cover.

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'91 Black/Black

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by Michigan NSX:
I agree with nsxtasy when he says that a cover will protect against tree sap/bird droppings, but in my neck of the woods, the protection from waterspots is my #1 reason for using the cover.

Good point.

Furthermore, the problem is not merely water residue left when the water spots dry. It's possible for water to bead up on the car's finish and then the sun to come out and magnify the edges of the spots and actually etch into the paint. I've heard some folks say this is due to the acidity of the water (acid rain) but I don't know if that's the only cause; in any case, I've seen this happen and it can ruin the finish permanently.

 

[Joel]

I want to pull up this thread to ask a question.

I'm looking for an aftermarket car cover.
I want one that can withstand outdoor use. I'm not going to be driving the NSX a lot but in those times that I do, I want some protection for it from sun, vandalism, etc.

I was leaning towards the Evolution 4 by Technalon but when I spoke with a CoverCraft rep, she stated that NOAH is more appropriate for me. She also stated that over time, the UV rays will affect the Evo 4 much more than the NOAH. She says that Evo 4 will deteriorate the outer covering in a way that the UV rays will create a "powdery-like" layer in the long run. Don't exactly know what she meant by that. But if it will do that, I'd rather go with NOAH.

Any thoughts?

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by Joel:
I want to pull up this thread to ask a question.

I'm looking for an aftermarket car cover.
I want one that can withstand outdoor use. I'm not going to be driving the NSX a lot but in those times that I do, I want some protection for it from sun, vandalism, etc.

I was leaning towards the Evolution 4 by Technalon but when I spoke with a CoverCraft rep, she stated that NOAH is more appropriate for me. She also stated that over time, the UV rays will affect the Evo 4 much more than the NOAH. She says that Evo 4 will deteriorate the outer covering in a way that the UV rays will create a "powdery-like" layer in the long run. Don't exactly know what she meant by that. But if it will do that, I'd rather go with NOAH.

Any thoughts?

Hmmm. She may be right, but...

I've never used the NOAH fabric, and I'm not sure but I may never have even seen it. I've used the Evolution layered fabric car covers on my cars, with both indoor and outdoor use. I haven't had the outer layer deteriorate but I haven't used them outdoors for any extended periods, except a couple of months on one particular car.

However, one thing I'd like to point out, after reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of the various Covercraft fabrics on the CGI Motorsports website (and, by the way, try getting a price on covers from CGI - Phil can often do very well on behalf of NSXers). Only the Technalon 2 (Evolution 4) fabric is touted for "impact absorption". The other fabrics, particularly the NOAH fabric, are touted for their light weight. Presumably they're very thin. The Evolution fabric is very thick and heavy. Light weight can be an advantage OR a disadvantage. Light weight makes it easy to pick up the fabric and it's compact and takes up less room when folded; heavy weight provides more cushioning against dings (if you park where someone can park next to you) or hail (as noted above, and YES its protection can be significant) or anything else that might brush up against your car, it's less likely to flap around in the wind, and easier to put on and take off in windy conditions.

I know it doesn't answer your question exactly, but I hope this additional information is helpful to you.

[This message has been edited by nsxtasy (edited 03 December 2002).]

 

[MYNSX]

overactive passersby.

Is that what they call those bast$%s??

Now THIS IS politically correct at it's best.
This will "always" help you in court knowing the fact that you didn't use bad words as you beat the hell out of the vandal.

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WWW.MYNSX.COM

 

[steveny]

Very good points that Ken brought up. I always clean, cover and garage my car. However I want to add one point here that has been overlooked. Last year a very good friend of mine took out his new vette and ran it hard. He returned home and pulled it in his garage. For him the car was still clean enough to put the cover on, I would have rinsed my NSX before doing so but he went ahead and covered his vette. He then hopped in his girlfriends car and left his house. Returning home about two hours later he found his entire house burned to the ground. He had put the car cover over the exhaust and the cover caught fire. So when I put my cover on my NSX I always leave it on the top of the rear bumper until the exhaust has cooled, usually an hour or so. Ken and others might want to add this to their itinerary of car cover etiquette.

 

[Joel]

Ken,

I was wondering if you can get in touch with Phil at CGI (if you know him personally). I e-mailed him before mentioning this forum and you by name, asking about a possible discount for NSX owners.

He never responded.

Actually, he's one of the reasons I'm leaning towards NOAH.

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by Joel:
I was wondering if you can get in touch with Phil at CGI (if you know him personally). I e-mailed him before mentioning this forum and you by name, asking about a possible discount for NSX owners.

He never responded.

Hi Joel,

I'm not sure when this occurred, but a few months back, Phil was indisposed and unable to keep up with his e-mail. Now, though, I believe he is around and should be able to help you now. Easiest way to reach him is by phone during the day, 708-301-9595.

 

[JaguarXJ6]

I've used two Noah covers on my two Jag sedans for a couple of years now, in England and here in So Cal.

My personal reasons for keeping a cover handy is to prevent water, dust, and sap from sitting on the finish. Also, it keeps the temp down and protects vs UV if your in a sunny climate.

The Noah is a great car cover but for anything more then a light rain, you will have a thin layer of moisture underneath with some drops in a few aeras. You will still need to either drive that off or use a chamois to pick up the residual moisture. If your in a rainly climate, there is a fabric called Supremeweave touted to be better then Noah with better environmental protection.

You can flick it and water comes right off rather then staying trapped in the fabric. What little moisture that does remain but can't be wrung from it after a heavy rain will not mold. England's weather and a rain and then sun in So Cal have not molded either of mine a bit.

The Noah makes for a fairly decent dust cover for long term garage storage, but a dust cover is much better suited to this.

It is thick and will take up that 1/3 of your trunk space on an NSX.

The Noah is pleasantly thick and will offer protection for people who may brush against it and offer protection vs doors that "pop" out to lock at the end of their pivot and are close enough to ding.

Its machine washable in very very light detergent.
www.calcarcover.com (No affiliation) will custom make a cover to your exact dimensions. A big advantage to this company is it makes its Noah from sewn panels. If a cat decides to go to town on a particular part of your cover, that panel can be replaced for less then $10-20 including install without having to buy a whole new cover.

Supremeweave would be the way to go. Had it been out when I bought mine, thats what I would be using today. I paid $260 or so for my Noahs to cover a sedan 198in. long, 71in. wide, and 53in. tall.

Those rules posted early on when/when not to cover are something to consider. If its a light dust, use a duster. Anything else, don't cover it until you wash it. If your worried about light scratches from the cover or a duster, why are you driving around without multiple layers of Zaino or a carnuba like PS1 or Pinnacle anyway??

Sunny

 

[UrbanPilot]

I cant believe that some people would leave their "baby" not in their own room. My X is garaged and she likes it that way. She even has her own HVAC unit so she doesnt sweat in the summer or catch a cold in the winter. It stays around 65 all year around in it. When I drive to my office, it is either covered or when the day is nice, I drive to the top of the garage so that I can keep an eye on her (i have a great view of her from my level and my window in my office). I think that you all need to goto parenting classes on how to treat your X. haha.

FYI, I do have a cover but only use it when I am out of town for a period of time and dont want anyone to drive my X so I do cover and Lock it but now that my EX doesnt live with me anymore, than my X seems to be safe. I do agree with Ken. Rules Rules Rules.

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8k RPM in a recliner!