what's the general consensus for outdoor use? Car doesn't fit in the garage, and I'd like to protect the paintwork as much as possible after bodymech are done with it.

 

1) Get a decent outdoor cover?

2) Forget the cover, but keep it well waxed

3) an other?

Car doesn't fit in the garage,

 

1. Build a garage to put it in.

2. Meantime DONT cover it.

Allans paint is waterproof .

Have you room for a car port Jaffa. If I had to keep the Z outside I would put up a simple car port before I would put an outside cover on it.

Thanks, I had a feeling covers were more likely to cause scratches!

 

I'm exploring the idea of a car port/second garage. The drive is big enough, more the aesthetics

Covers are fine - I used a Halfords premium one on my VX220 for 6 months and had no problems at all. I live on a heavily tree lined street, yes paint is waterproof but I didnt have the time to be endlessly outside cleaning tree sap (which is in fact aphid poo), leaves, etc off the car. As long as you clean the car properly before applying a good cover and secure it so it doesnt flap about it wont scratch the car.

I have the same problem that I don't have it in a garage. I car is out in all weather sadly. I couldn't really put a garage up or anything either or else it's have been one of the first things I'd done. Maybe I should move lol

Like Bird, my car's on the drive in all weathers. I'm just happy to actually have a drive now though! :lol:

yeah, nice big drive, but also big lime tree, so lots of small twigs are shed as well as the bug poo!

I went the car cover route and had millions of paint blisters from it......... like a rash.....

Was a breathable cover and not a cheap one.......

What does Bodymech recommend???

Sooooo happy to have a driveway and a garage! :)

 

Then you did it wrong mate, a breathable 4 layer cover should not cause blisters to paintwork - if the car was damp underneath the cover i.e. the rain got in then you would get the damage, I can only imagine that's what caused it. Or that you inadvertently bought a breathable indoor one? I know many people that use covers with no problems on 350z and VX220s both of which have very thin paintwork. As long as the car is clean, free of contaminates and not damp underneath then its fine.

Then you did it wrong mate, a breathable 4 layer cover should not cause blisters to paintwork - if the car was damp underneath the cover i.e. the rain got in then you would get the damage, I can only imagine that's what caused it. Or that you inadvertently bought a breathable indoor one? I know many people that use covers with no problems on 350z and VX220s both of which have very thin paintwork. As long as the car is clean, free of contaminates and not damp underneath then its fine.

Mine was breathable, waterproof, UV protection outdoor cover....... but car was off the road for 7years...... Car was cleaned, polished, waxed and dry underneath before being wrapped up...... Strangely after this happened I found loads of people warning against car covers with exactly the same problems..... Only appeared in the last year of being covered up....... maybe the cover degraded over time?

Car painted in 2002/3......... so not new paint......

All I know is the top of the car has rash....... sills and lower parts with more air movement.... sills, bottom of doors, bumpers, etc..... No rash....

http://passionford.com/forum/general-car-related-discussion/443924-outdoor-car-covers-and-blistered-paintwork.html

http://www.lancerregister.com/showthread.php?t=349967

http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/tech-discussion/micro-blistering-8237

http://www.clubgti.com/archive/index.php?t-205118.html

Just a few examples of problems in the paint that even an expensive cover can help appear............. Plenty of info and reading on the various forums....

I personally would rather keep the car clean, waxed and let the paint do it's job.......

Only My opinion though......

As your links say though, its generally the paint job that causes that rather than the cover - the cover will exacerbate any poor paint work and cause the blisters that would have come about eventually. Covers cant cause the underlying problem of blisters as the problem is in the dampness that is either in or under the paint or in the bodywork itself.

 

The VX220 was highly susceptible to paint blisters because the panels got damp during production in one of the warehouses storing them. So around half of VX220s have paint blisters that will appear regardless. Mine was one that didnt, put a cover on it for six months, no problems at all.

 

If the cover is properly breathable, a paint job that does not contain moisture will not blister, but if you have had a paint job where water has contaminated then it will likely accelerate blistering that would have come about at some point I would have thought.

 

As per your comment, just opinion mainly based on the chaps views from VX220 forum where paint issues are one of the top things to consider when buying them!

I bought a breathable outdoor car cover from the NEC car show, i made sure the car was washed, dried and polished before covering, a month later absolutely fine and main reason was to stop the leaves and tree sap from surrounding trees. I would imagine an outdoor car cover is good for a winter, but not a permanent fix over several years.

I bought a breathable outdoor car cover from the NEC car show, i made sure the car was washed, dried and polished before covering, a month later absolutely fine and main reason was to stop the leaves and tree sap from surrounding trees. I would imagine an outdoor car cover is good for a winter, but not a permanent fix over several years.

 

Was that the one that ended up on my car at the NEC? lol

Yep the very same and is weathering well so far :thumbup1:

For the meantime you can get 6m long weatherproof tents by about 3m wide , galvanised frame for around £300

...if only I had a driveway to stick it on!

For the meantime you can get 6m long weatherproof tents by about 3m wide , galvanised frame for around £300

 

Can,t beat a tent , i rebuild my car in one !

I had a cover on mine when it was all done and the tent was gone , didn,t have an issue but it was a snug fit so it didn,t flap about .

The only recomendation is any new paintwork needs a a few weeks to make sure all the solvents have come out of it then using a breathable cover should be fine .

Thats the way to do it boldy :-)

I used a car cover when I had mine stored for 5 years, was a halfords premium one. Was fine but has come to the end.of it life so have bought a new one as the last one was no longer waterproof. Had no problems with the paint