car cover recommendation?
 

anyone here keep their BRZ/FRS outside during the snowy winter? i have always kept mine in a garage, and driven a winter beater. that however means scraping off ice every morning and starting the engine 10 mins early to warm up. not really a problem, but if there's a good car cover you guys can recommend, i give the garage spot to the winter beater and keep the BRZ outside.

any input, good or bad, on car covers tried would be appreciated.

car cover recommendation?
 

anyone here keep their BRZ/FRS outside during the snowy winter? i have always kept mine in a garage, and driven a winter beater. that however means scraping off ice every morning and starting the engine 10 mins early to warm up. not really a problem, but if there's a good car cover you guys can recommend, i give the garage spot to the winter beater and keep the BRZ outside.

any input, good or bad, on car covers tried would be appreciated.

In before you search hahaha!! Also no need to make 2 threads in 2 sections :thumbdown:

Okay I do not recommend a cover unless you don't mind damaging your paint. A car cover should really only be used if the car is going to be stored in garage for more than 6 months and the cover will not be coming off once in that time.Your car will be dirty and taking off and putting on the cover will rub the dirt into the paint and ruin it. You should just leave your car on the street uncovered.

No need to double post, I responded on your other post.

I agree, as I have used a variety of covers for external use with mixed results. Good during the summer months if you keep the paint work spotless however winter months a pain in the neck. Condensation and the wind play havoc leading to all sorts of damage to the paint.

Why not just wash your car before putting the cover on?

Have you ever driven a car in the winter time? Especially a winter in Western Canada? There's so much shit on the road in the winter months, it's near impossible to keep your car clean for 30 seconds after you come out of a touchless wash.

Just got this cover from Coverking Based on research and user input of this specific cover. I feel confident it will work as intended

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...&postcount=188

I'm from NJ I know salt and it's effect. I find a way to keep my vehicles clean during the winter. It's a pain but i'd rather take the chance of a few scratches that can be polished out than salt and dirt sitting on the paint and under the chassis. I take it to a DIY car wash close by. Any stuff I get on the car on the way home is easily cleaned off before I would put a cover on. It's not that difficult.

Ita still gona get dirty if its outside. Op will also need to remove cover to start car once a month in winter then reinstall it

lol k. What is salt going to do to a zinc plated and painted metal structure? Not much.

The amount of effort that people go through to maintain their economy cars is hilarious.

Rust

True, but it would be significantly less than if left uncovered I would think.

Uhm, nope. Zinc plating and paint significantly reduce the possibility of corrosion.

Source: I'm a corrosion technician, and work on structures far more likely to corrode than a car. One of the best methods for stopping corrosion? Putting a coating on a structure.

Sounds good, I'll have to do that too. But it's the unseen scratches and rocks or other debris that hit the metal and expose the raw metal and when that starts to rust it's only a matter of time... Which is the recommended coating?

Uh... Your paint. Or the zinc plated metal your car is built with.

True but if left uncovered you will not need to rub the dirt in and scratch the paint by putting on and removing a cover. After winter a simple proper wash and car is good to go.

Covers have a habit of lifting when the wind picks up and you can't keep an eye out all of the time. Whilst it's flapping about it rubbing against the paint.

I have used a Permabag in the past which is great in keeping the car safe however you'll have to keep an eye out for condensation build-up.

I thought you meant like a spray can undercoating. But Cars with zinc coating and better paint than our cars do get rust. Not 100% but some will. The way you make it sound is that all cars with zinc coating and paint will never rust.

Thanks, I'll have to keep an eye out for flapping.

Rust proof it with zeibart or something similar. Debris will chip at the metal exposing the base metal to salt and elements which can lead to rust. Ur obviously thinking long term.

Yep something else to worry about! Lol

I know right..lol

Cars being stored should be left alone. There is absolutely no reason to periodically start a stored car, and several good reasons why it should NOT be started.

Oh well then I guess I am wrong haha! I have never stored a car because life is too short for winter beaters :)

Whatever you get, definitely make sure it's fitted and not just a generic cover with lots of extra fabric.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C3LK554?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailp age_o03_s00"]I got this one[/ame], and I've been pretty happy with it. I don't use it a ton, but it's nice when I'm gone on week-long trips and the car is sitting out in a parking lot. It's especially good when the pine trees are dropping sap everywhere.

As others have mentioned, the trick is keeping your car clean AND keeping the cover clean so as to not make things worse due to friction between the surfaces.

You should only start the car if you know you will let it idle for as long is it can get up to operating temps and then drive it around so the tires don't dry rot, I've done this for other cars that have lasted 100k with no issues.....

Yeh I got the fitted cover just for this reason.

I went with a coverking outdoor cover, fits amazing, I waxed and then installed the cover..I removed the antenna but then realized it had the hole for the antenna. Fitment is VERY tight, its great.

It's expensive but I'll probably be buying one because of all of everyones great reviews, they even already have the cover for 2015-up with the shark fin antennas already.

I have had 3 Kimberly Clark Evolution fitted covers for several cars. This was before we had a garage. I like the Evolution fabric covers as they protect against, hail, door dings and they repel light rain. They can also be taken to the laundromat for washing.

The one problem with them is that if left on during heavy or long soaking rain they will become soaked. Or if snow/freezing rain is left on the cover the cover will eventually absorb the water, freeze and the fabric can become stuck on the car.

Other than that, this fabric is soft and protects well.

BTW, I do not recommend putting the cover on your car if the car is dirty. Medium to strong winds will blow the cover combining the cover with the dirt grit on your car and effectively becoming sandpaper.

If you want to start a stored car, you need to allow the oil temp to come up to full operating temp so it can boil off the vapors and corrosives that will form in the crankcase.

But it's still a cold start (minimum clearances) with minimum lubrication...probably the most severe conditions possible. And there is absolutely no benefit from periodically starting it.

I realize OP asked for car cover opinions (I have none) but my question is, isn't the whole point of having a "winter beater" to protect your nicer car (as in, keep it indoors) while you abuse the beater?


If it were me, I would just put up with the 10minutes of warming up and scraping ice. Although, if it is not at freezing when you want to drive the beater, I would spray it with water rather than scraping. You can also get one of those remote starters so the car will be toasty when you first come outside.


But, if for some reason, I decided to keep my nicer car outside, I would buy one of those clam shell tents to keep the car in. That way nothing touches the paint.

lol, amazon says it won't fit my 2013 BRZ, but will fit a 2013 FRS

California car cover, tight fit will not lift when windy, and weather proof. Never had one tear or fly off or scratch my car. Got one for my truck and twin comes with cable and lock as well.