Putting them to bed.

**pajeff02** · 11-11-2009, 04:48 AM

I thought our cars would be off the road by now, but the weather has actually been quite nice. Seventy degrees in November is not normal, but that's what it was this past weekend so the cars have been driven.

I have been debating over a car cover for months. First thought was a big buck flannel lined interior dust cover. Second thought was an ultra lightweight nylon dust cover.

The cars are stored in a heated garage kept at about 55 degrees throughout the winter. Our garage does get dusty and the Trans Am is an absolute dust magnet. What do you recommend?

**02Sweet** · 11-11-2009, 05:04 AM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

I thought our cars would be off the road by now, but the weather has actually been quite nice. Seventy degrees in November is not normal, but that's what it was this past weekend so the cars have been driven.

I have been debating over a car cover for months. First thought was a big buck flannel lined interior dust cover. Second thought was an ultra lightweight nylon dust cover.

The cars are stored in a heated garage kept at about 55 degrees throughout the winter. Our garage does get dusty and the Trans Am is an absolute dust magnet. What do you recommend?

I am cheap I use old bed sheets, about 3 of them to cover the car.

**pajeff02** · 11-11-2009, 05:48 AM

Originally Posted by 02Sweet

I am cheap I use old bed sheets, about 3 of them to cover the car.

Our garage faces west, so when the doors go up we often get a blast of wind. Need something that will stay on the cars and weighing the sheets down with stuff is not an option.

**02Sweet** · 11-11-2009, 05:54 AM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

Our garage faces west, so when the doors go up we often get a blast of wind. Need something that will stay on the cars and weighing the sheets down with stuff is not an option.

I understand. I don't have an issue with the wind so I can cheap out. I know walmart sells cheap covers but if you want something good they can go way over a couple hundred

**Orcus79** · 11-11-2009, 09:57 AM

I leave mine un covered and wash it in the spring when it comes back out, It currently gets stored in one of those portable garage things, out side, on bare ground. just enough to keep the snow and debris off, but gets plenty dusty and condensation drips on to the car.

Keeping it in a heated garage really doesn't need a cover. A car duster should be good, dust it once a week or some thing that way you still get to spend some quality time with the car.

**pajeff02** · 11-11-2009, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by Orcus79

I leave mine un covered and wash it in the spring when it comes back out, It currently gets stored in one of those portable garage things, out side, on bare ground. just enough to keep the snow and debris off, but gets plenty dusty and condensation drips on to the car.

Keeping it in a heated garage really doesn't need a cover. A car duster should be good, dust it once a week or some thing that way you still get to spend some quality time with the car.

I tend not to use our duster on the good cars... sort of scares me, especially on black paint. There seems to be a perpetual debate on here about them as well. I suppose if it was just dust it might be okay, but during the winter our DD's drag in a lot of crap as we live on a dirt road.

**Redphoenix1998** · 11-11-2009, 10:11 AM

mmm....black car....swirl marks.....yay

**Orcus79** · 11-11-2009, 10:20 AM

No matter what you do, there will always be swirls. It drives me crazy. Best solution I've found, wax lots and wax often. Mines a summer daily too.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 11-11-2009, 06:51 PM

Mine gets dustier than crap setting in the garage as well. I have a cover I use, but I don't recommend it either. I would search around online for one Jeff, check for California car covers, covercraft I believe is another. Try Wolf also.

**jcws6** · 11-16-2009, 04:28 AM

+1 for no cover. You'll want to wash your car after it comes out of the garage in the spring anyway, right?

**pajeff02** · 11-16-2009, 08:06 AM

I'll have to pull up what I was looking at on-line -- pretty sure I saved it on my home computer. The cars always get a good washing before we put them to bed and at least once or twice over the winter.

**KahanaReef** · 11-16-2009, 08:11 AM

Originally Posted by Y2KPewterSS

Mine gets dustier than crap setting in the garage as well. I have a cover I use, but I don't recommend it either. I would search around online for one Jeff, check for California car covers, covercraft I believe is another. Try Wolf also.

One of my covers is a Wolf. It's a perfect fit. Well, it would be even more perfect if I didn't have the body kit. But, I like that cover. I never need to tie it down either and we have some pretty good wind gusts go through these canyons

**LSCyaL8R** · 11-16-2009, 01:16 PM

I haven't tried putting it on the car but mine came with the original SLP car cover. I'll probably cover it up when I get around to locking the car away for winter but as with everyone else there hasn't even been a threat of rain and I'm still looking for one nice weekend to detail it and make sure i'm not protecting filth all winter.

SLP still sells covers for our cars. 185 on their website. don't know if that's good or not.... perhaps a site sponsor sells covers????

**pajeff02** · 11-16-2009, 01:41 PM

I pulled up the e-mail exchange I had with the company rep -- the cover I was considering is a Covercraft Dustop: http://www.covercraft.com/dustop.htm

**KahanaReef** · 11-16-2009, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

I pulled up the e-mail exchange I had with the company rep -- the cover I was considering is a Covercraft Dustop: http://www.covercraft.com/dustop.htm

My other cover is a covercraft. It was the first one I bought. Got it from JC Whitney. But, the elastic didn't wear that well. So, I got the Wolf from Elklers. I alternate them so I can wash them. Birds ya know

When it's windy, I use the Wolf.

**pajeff02** · 11-16-2009, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by KahanaReef

My other cover is a covercraft. It was the first one I bought. Got it from JC Whitney. But, the elastic didn't wear that well. So, I got the Wolf from Elklers. I alternate them so I can wash them. Birds ya know

When it's windy, I use the Wolf.

I only get wind when the garage doors go up in the winter.

I figure with the car cover, it can get as dusty as it wants and I can just remove it, go outside and shake it off. Probably wash it in the fall before covering the cars back up for the season. That's why I am not sure if I really need anything more than just the light nylon cover...

**KahanaReef** · 11-16-2009, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

I only get wind when the garage doors go up in the winter.

I figure with the car cover, it can get as dusty as it wants and I can just remove it, go outside and shake it off. Probably wash it in the fall before covering the cars back up for the season. That's why I am not sure if I really need anything more than just the light nylon cover...

Yeah, you don't need much then. But, you want a nice soft material on the paint.

My cars are all outside. So, I need it to protect from the elements (and birds

)

**35th-ANV-SS** · 11-16-2009, 03:01 PM

My car cover is from California Car Cover, as Preston mentioned earlier. I haven't EVER had one issue with it scratching the paint taking it off or putting it on.

I have started to not use it recently though and just washing the car before i take it out instead.

Also, using a duster IMO is a big no-no. Smearing the dust off your paint is asking for swirl marks and scratches.

**jrabbet** · 11-19-2009, 06:59 PM

Turtle wax makes a kit called Black Box. It is made special for black vehicles. It will do away with any swirls or lite scratches. It works awesome. If you will detail it good and use this wax all you need to do then is take a couple of bed sheets to cover the car and then slide on a cheap nylon fitted cover you will be good for the winter.. Remember 2 layers are better than one. The cover catches the dust and the sheets keep it from touching the paint..

**Sixpack** · 11-19-2009, 07:38 PM

I have two other muscle cars that are kept in the garage. I cover both of them with california car covers storm weave covers. These covers are thicker than their other covers to protect against dings. They make a variety of different models of covers for diferent aplications, even for black cars they make a flannel lined cover , so it will not scratch. I have found with covers that you get what you pay for. And yes I also use their dusters with no scratching problems.