Which would you rather? A question for the detailers - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

giraffee · 08-12-2013, 08:01 AM

1. Leave car parked outdoors on grass, surrounded by medium sized shrubs, no large trees but susceptible to tree sap, bird poo etc

2. Purchase a good quality outdoor car cover eg: covercraft but possibly scratch the car.

Basically those are my two choices. Which is the lesser of the two evils?

I drive the car maybe 2-3x a week.

Thank you

FnFast · 08-12-2013, 07:56 PM

Anytime you can keep you car away from the elements the better.

86_ZN6 · 08-12-2013, 07:59 PM

On grass? Looks like you can put a canopy there and park your car under it.

Just my 2cents

giraffee · 08-12-2013, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 86_ZN6

On grass? Looks like you can put a canopy there and park your car under it.

Just my 2cents

I did that.. Then the wind snapped it yesterday, luckily car was unharmed :/

whaap · 08-12-2013, 11:34 PM

I would think of what the wind would do with a car cover on. How long do you think it would take for the buffeting to start showing damage to your paint finish? I envision a dry towel being rubbed back and forth on a dusty car and what that would do.

Clembo · 08-13-2013, 08:05 AM

If you buy a quality cover, specifically fitted for your car (I have 3 Noah covers by Covercraft, purchased from AutoAnything), ensure the car is absolutely clean before installing it and use the gust-guards front and rear you can leave the car out in gale force winds with no paint damage. The Noah cover is my favorite for outside storage, soft inside and thick enough to protect from falling nuts or small branches. And they wash easily in a commercial washing machine.

I rotate three cars outside year-round and with a little extra effort before covering, have maintained a show quality finish on all three.

BTW, parking on grass will allow the moisture to permeate your chassis and undercarriage and could result in degradation where you can't easily see it. It's much worse than parking on concrete or asphalt. If possible, I would stake a quality waterproof tarp down (I've used tent stakes) in the area where you're parking, then park over it before covering the car.

Just my 2 cents on this, there are a lot of opinions. I'm basing mine on some 30 years of experience in always having more cars than garage space!

dem00n · 08-13-2013, 09:30 AM

Wind + car cover = swirl marks and the removal of paint.

On my fathers A7 we had a car cover, the wind would pick up and move the cover in a little bit and now near the trunk you see slight removal of clear coat. Only i can see it but still...

I'd only use a car cover for an inside car which won't be driven often, even then you have to be positive the car is 100% clean on the body.

If your so afraid of the paint just make sure you always have a good coating of wax or sealant on the paint. Maybe go Opti coat, it wasn't for me but it might perfect for you.

giraffee · 08-14-2013, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clembo

If you buy a quality cover, specifically fitted for your car (I have 3 Noah covers by Covercraft, purchased from AutoAnything), ensure the car is absolutely clean before installing it and use the gust-guards front and rear you can leave the car out in gale force winds with no paint damage. The Noah cover is my favorite for outside storage, soft inside and thick enough to protect from falling nuts or small branches. And they wash easily in a commercial washing machine.

I rotate three cars outside year-round and with a little extra effort before covering, have maintained a show quality finish on all three.

BTW, parking on grass will allow the moisture to permeate your chassis and undercarriage and could result in degradation where you can't easily see it. It's much worse than parking on concrete or asphalt. If possible, I would stake a quality waterproof tarp down (I've used tent stakes) in the area where you're parking, then park over it before covering the car.

Just my 2 cents on this, there are a lot of opinions. I'm basing mine on some 30 years of experience in always having more cars than garage space!

so much for your suggestions.
My car isn't clean a lot of the time, well not spotless so it seems no car cover would be the better option.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dem00n

Wind + car cover = swirl marks and the removal of paint.

On my fathers A7 we had a car cover, the wind would pick up and move the cover in a little bit and now near the trunk you see slight removal of clear coat. Only i can see it but still...

I'd only use a car cover for an inside car which won't be driven often, even then you have to be positive the car is 100% clean on the body.

If your so afraid of the paint just make sure you always have a good coating of wax or sealant on the paint. Maybe go Opti coat, it wasn't for me but it might perfect for you.

I have opti-coat already but am still cynical on how much it can protect against swirls/scratches when using a car cover.

Clembo · 08-14-2013, 05:05 PM

Below is what a quality, properly fitted cover should look like - it fits snug to every body panel. If properly fitted there is no movement of the cover at all in the wind and with the addition of gust guards, it will stay in place through most anything mother nature can dish out. Almost three years like this and I have no swirls (most of them come from improper washing), no rubs, no scratches and no damage anywhere. BTW, this is on a Mazda MX-5.

Greg Nichols · 08-14-2013, 10:20 PM

to lessen the evil on the car cover, only put the cover on after the car has been washed.

How will you get tree sap with no trees around?

Cheers,
GREG

giraffee · 08-17-2013, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg Nichols

to lessen the evil on the car cover, only put the cover on after the car has been washed.

How will you get tree sap with no trees around?

Cheers,
GREG

Honestly, I have no idea, but it's all over my car. There are some big trees nearby (sorta)?
I have just come to the conclusion that trees like their sap spread like the plague.

bestwheelbase · 08-21-2013, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clembo

BTW, parking on grass will allow the moisture to permeate your chassis and undercarriage and could result in degradation where you can't easily see it. It's much worse than parking on concrete or asphalt. If possible, I would stake a quality waterproof tarp down (I've used tent stakes) in the area where you're parking, then park over it before covering the car.

This is big. You could build a small shelter to solve the tree sap issue, but if you park on grass or dirt, the moisture from the ground is going to ruin your undercarriage with premature corrosion. If you cannot park on pavement, definitely put down some thick plastic. Just like in the crawl space of a house.

Mr. Sparkle · 08-26-2013, 09:00 PM

I dont like either option, but I may go without the car cover. I've corrected a few cars specifically because of damage from car covers.

radroach · 08-26-2013, 10:28 PM

If you're on some land, you can do a try an industrial shipping container, and add a modern finish or paint to cover up the sheet metal if you need to, and just create a personal garage pod http://www.ebay.com/sch/Shipping-Con...-/92079/i.html

08-12-2013, 08:01 AM	#1
giraffee Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: Slowly Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 207 Thanks: 88 Thanked 58 Times in 31 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Which would you rather? A question for the detailers 1. Leave car parked outdoors on grass, surrounded by medium sized shrubs, no large trees but susceptible to tree sap, bird poo etc 2. Purchase a good quality outdoor car cover eg: covercraft but possibly scratch the car. Basically those are my two choices. Which is the lesser of the two evils? I drive the car maybe 2-3x a week. Thank you

08-12-2013, 07:56 PM	#2
FnFast Doctor Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: Fast Location: Philadelphia Posts: 496 Thanks: 410 Thanked 203 Times in 126 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Anytime you can keep you car away from the elements the better. __________________ Jeremy Clarkson "If you go though the Pearly Gates, backwards, in a fireball, that's a cool way to die!" 2013 White Pearl BRZ Limited 6MT - 15% Tint, Debadged, HIDPowerhouse LED Interiors and Dome

08-13-2013, 08:05 AM	#6
Clembo 'Senior' Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Drives: 13 FR-S,08 Mustang Bullitt,06 MX-5 Location: Southeastern CT Posts: 388 Thanks: 117 Thanked 211 Times in 121 Posts Mentioned: 15 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	If you buy a quality cover, specifically fitted for your car (I have 3 Noah covers by Covercraft, purchased from AutoAnything), ensure the car is absolutely clean before installing it and use the gust-guards front and rear you can leave the car out in gale force winds with no paint damage. The Noah cover is my favorite for outside storage, soft inside and thick enough to protect from falling nuts or small branches. And they wash easily in a commercial washing machine. I rotate three cars outside year-round and with a little extra effort before covering, have maintained a show quality finish on all three. BTW, parking on grass will allow the moisture to permeate your chassis and undercarriage and could result in degradation where you can't easily see it. It's much worse than parking on concrete or asphalt. If possible, I would stake a quality waterproof tarp down (I've used tent stakes) in the area where you're parking, then park over it before covering the car. Just my 2 cents on this, there are a lot of opinions. I'm basing mine on some 30 years of experience in always having more cars than garage space! __________________ "You'll never know if you don't try" - Shinroko Momose

08-13-2013, 09:30 AM	#7
dem00n Member of the year - 2016 Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: Scion FRS Location: New York Posts: 3,575 Thanks: 788 Thanked 2,427 Times in 1,111 Posts Mentioned: 23 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Wind + car cover = swirl marks and the removal of paint. On my fathers A7 we had a car cover, the wind would pick up and move the cover in a little bit and now near the trunk you see slight removal of clear coat. Only i can see it but still... I'd only use a car cover for an inside car which won't be driven often, even then you have to be positive the car is 100% clean on the body. If your so afraid of the paint just make sure you always have a good coating of wax or sealant on the paint. Maybe go Opti coat, it wasn't for me but it might perfect for you. __________________ Friends don't let friends Plastidip

08-14-2013, 05:05 PM	#9
Clembo 'Senior' Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Drives: 13 FR-S,08 Mustang Bullitt,06 MX-5 Location: Southeastern CT Posts: 388 Thanks: 117 Thanked 211 Times in 121 Posts Mentioned: 15 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Below is what a quality, properly fitted cover should look like - it fits snug to every body panel. If properly fitted there is no movement of the cover at all in the wind and with the addition of gust guards, it will stay in place through most anything mother nature can dish out. Almost three years like this and I have no swirls (most of them come from improper washing), no rubs, no scratches and no damage anywhere. BTW, this is on a Mazda MX-5. __________________ "You'll never know if you don't try" - Shinroko Momose

08-12-2013, 07:59 PM	#3
86_ZN6 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Drives: 86 ZN6 Location: SF Bay Area, NorCal Posts: 4,682 Thanks: 1,317 Thanked 2,072 Times in 1,222 Posts Mentioned: 126 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	On grass? Looks like you can put a canopy there and park your car under it. Just my 2cents

08-12-2013, 11:34 PM	#5
whaap Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Drives: '13 FR-S firestorm, 6 mt - '11 CR-V Location: Tucson Posts: 2,133 Thanks: 243 Thanked 1,387 Times in 657 Posts Mentioned: 36 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I would think of what the wind would do with a car cover on. How long do you think it would take for the buffeting to start showing damage to your paint finish? I envision a dry towel being rubbed back and forth on a dusty car and what that would do.

08-14-2013, 10:20 PM	#10
Greg Nichols Paint Correction Guru Join Date: Dec 2012 Drives: F150 Platinum Location: Utah Posts: 124 Thanks: 23 Thanked 53 Times in 37 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	to lessen the evil on the car cover, only put the cover on after the car has been washed. How will you get tree sap with no trees around? Cheers, GREG __________________ Reflections Detailing of Utah "Detailing for the discerning owner" Meguiars/Ford detailing team SEMA 2010 and 2011 Ask a pro blog writer for detailed image duPont Registry approved detailer

08-26-2013, 09:00 PM	#13
Mr. Sparkle Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: Mr. Sparkle Detailing Wagon Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 225 Thanks: 3 Thanked 72 Times in 60 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I dont like either option, but I may go without the car cover. I've corrected a few cars specifically because of damage from car covers.

08-26-2013, 10:28 PM	#14
radroach Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Drives: car Location: usa Posts: 2,162 Thanks: 1,028 Thanked 867 Times in 530 Posts Mentioned: 35 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	If you're on some land, you can do a try an industrial shipping container, and add a modern finish or paint to cover up the sheet metal if you need to, and just create a personal garage pod http://www.ebay.com/sch/Shipping-Con...-/92079/i.html

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