Car covers outside? Yay or Nay?

[SteveSS]

I watched several internet shows where cars were ruined by being under a car cover. It seems they are in humid or rainy areas and the car rust underneath. Colorado Spring on the other hand is extremely dry. Our average days of sunshine is 247/year. Sun may be our bigger enemy. They say you know you're from Colorado if every other place in the world seems humid to you.


SO.......Is it safe to put my daughter's '81 Camaro BumbleBee out in a pasture at the ranch under a car cover for the winter? (Probably a cheap car cover.) If the cover lasts the winter I'm happy.

 

[PlymCrazy]

If the car has a glossy finish you’re trying to protect, then the cover trapping dust and/or dirt beneath can tend to be abrasive to the finish as the wind whips it around.

That was my experience when we kept one of our cars under cover outside for a few weeks when concrete was being poured a couple years ago.

 

[Outsider]

So, I have some experience with this. I sort of hate to admit this, but I am keeping my race car outdoors parked on concrete with a cover on it. I am older and trying to downsize and I now have a 3 car attached garage instead of more like in the past. The 3 cars inside are worth more, so the race car Dart, the one I am spending the most time presently engaged with, is outside.

I have had good success with a cover on it and no evidence of paint issues. I will offer that instead of buying the most expensive cover, which I have on one of my inside cars, I buy inexpensive covers, buy a new one every year and don't worry about the "warranty" and just replace them before the Seattle winter rains in the fall. This is what I am using, don't look for the "10 layers" if you buy one.

10 Layer Car Cover Breathable Waterproof Layers Outdoor Indoor Fleece Lining ib1 | eBay

4X SOFT FLEECE LINING. 100% WATERPROOF MATERIAL AND SEAMS. TCF 10 Layer Car Cover. 100% Microsonic Waterproof Sealed Seams. 10 LAYER CAR COVER. Hot Welded Seam – A hot welded seam then covers the double stitched seam, making the cover and seams 100% waterproof and flexible.

www.ebay.com

 

[Demonic]

Parking on grass, or dirt long term does a lot of harm to the undercariage. There's constant moisture there. I knew a guy that put his A body 4' in the air, to keep it away from moisture. Helped a bunch. Tops of wood barns help keep moisture away, the downside is heavy dust.

Build a shed.

 

[AR67GTX]

Many years ago I kept a car with a nice paint job covered outdoors for about a year. I used a cotton cover which didn't repel water but would dry quickly and not trap moisture. It survived fine with no paint damage. I think the worst thing to do would be to use something that traps moisture - either from the ground or leaky seams. But parking out in the elements is never a great choice.

 

[Outlawd]

Park it on very short grass or bare ground if possible. Use a car cover with either cotton or nylon liner that breathes, wrap it tight but not to the ground so air can still blow under car to keep it dry. You should be fine.