vette-oholic

Since my car is stored outdoors, I keep a car cover on it virtually all the time... lately, it has been blowing off more and more and it is drivign me nuts. I dont keep a lock and cable on it, but i dodnt think that would solve the problem because the cover usually blows off the rear first and it gets caught on the mirrors.

I have tried using clips to hold the edge of the material to the exhaust tips . I put a clip on each tip (4 altogether) and it is still flying off.

Can anyone recommend a clip that has a very tight hold?

Clothepins are not doing the job.

hazchris

PM pipedreams, I think he may have a trick up his sleeve for this problem

NOCRISIS

there is 4 grommets on the bottom of my cover.2 just ahead of the rear wheels and 2 just behind the front wheels.I use 4 bungy cords,they go around the spoke and attach to the grommets in each of the 4 corners.Has not blown off!

vette-oholic

sounds like a good plan, but i only have the 2 grommets for the cable that are near the front wheels.

Pipedreams

Credit goes to Craigster05 for this one, a few of the locals have it and love it. Regardless of the grommets they don't prevent the corners from lifting but this does. Like I said Craigster05 came up with the solution I just added the tail for easy attachment. Three guys on Long Island have had them on over the winter and they work. Only needs one person to install in 3 minutes. Can be stored in the rear storage taking up litte space. Have not had much time to market this but if we get 10 orders I will build them. I am using a material that is a few levels above what you find in the home stores. This stuff is UV stable, retains stretch and is salt and moisture proof with much better than normal temp range. $36 + shipping (email me) they are not on my site. Now that you see the idea you can also build one youself.

calemasters

You can have an upholstery shop stitch in some agressive elastic material at all 4 corners. The cover will retain better due to the tighter fit. More tension in the elastic.

glennhl

My lightweight silver cover blew off all the time. It also got so hot during the summer I could barely stand to take it off the car.

So I bought a tan flannel cover from Zip Products on this site. It is a heavier fabric, fits great, and has never blown off even in 40 mph winds.

Pipedreams

Actually I will disagree on this one, unless you are going to install a gripper material on the inside of the corver in the corners the car is too slick and with the lack of any sort of a ridge in any of the corners the cover will still lift and slip off IMO. Look at the pictures and you can see the cover is well tucked under the corner and still slipped up

vette-oholic

not sure i get it - how does it secure to the car/cover ?

Pipedreams

The reason the cover blow off is wind inflates the cover and the cover lifts. This prevents the cover from 1 inflating and 2 lifting

vette-oholic

I understand, but im more interested in how you put your product on?
Is it one continuous loop? Does it have to attach to part of the cover or car? why does it take 3 minutes to put on? (seems like it would take 30 seconds?)

thanks.

Pipedreams

sure you could do it in 30sec. The short tail hooks under the rear valence (holds it in place), drape it over the top, secure it over the front and then secure the back, done

ProfMoriarty

You can purchase 10 grommets and a grommet setting tool from Tandy Leather for $4.50.

You can install as many grommets as needed to secure your cover.

stroked250

A loose cover blowing in the wind will rub away at your finish. Make sure to keep her waxed really well. I see this happen on boats once in a while with shoddy covers.

I don't think I would cover the car outside because of this. I am no expert, but it's food for thought.

ProfMoriarty

Excellent point.

The cover should be form fitting.

I know a guy who trailered his bike with a cover on it and by the time he got to his destination the cover had scarred the tank paint.

vette-oholic

then you need to make holes in the cover?

AORoads

Most of that is true, but in the case of wind, dirt, sand, grit, pollen, tree sap, and all the other flying crap in the air (even birdy stuff ), a car cover is still better than leaving it without.

I'm not even including ultraviolet, sun-bleaching, rain, acid rain, snow, hail, etc.. Needless to say, those last 6 have a negative effect on the paint as well, maybe even more than a slight rubbing from a car cover.

vette-oholic

I understand the risk of the cover marring the surface, but I think it will just make light scratches in the clear coat, which i can always buff out later. My main purpose of the cover is to:

1. less car washing
2. To make the car not stand out so much
3. If another car door 'dings' into the side of the car, paint will be protected and no damage done.

ProfMoriarty

For fabric it's just a matter of nicking the cloth and placing the male grommet through the opening, then setting it with the tool. For leather, you would want to punch a hole.

I've done it for flags, leather, etc.

Piece o' cake.



The grommets won't contact the paint so there is no issue with scratching. However, if you're concerned about that you can cover it with a piece of tape, self-adhesive felt, etc. with a hole punched in it.

Craigster05

Id rather tie my sneakers and get moving rather than sit and lace my boots. That's what made me think of this.

Depending on where you put these grommets, they can contact and scratch the paint from movement or being dragged across the surface if you aren't careful applying the cover. Thats why Coverking sews an extra flap of Tyvek material behind the one set of factory installed grommets, so that it does not scratch.

Additionally, the extra time and effort trying to pull multiple cords across the bottom of the car is a real pain. You have to lean under the car, throw it to the other side (if you make it), then reach under the car with a hook or something to pull it out, thread it, tie it, and hope you do all the spots evenly so as not to stress the seams or grommet so the material doesn't wear or tear. A windy day makes this even more difficult, as does the low clearance of the Corvette.

But even more importantly, as a few people (myself included) have found out, cutting or punching a hole in the cover in any way can void the warranty completely.

The bungee cord allows one person to secure the cover from blowing off in about 30 seconds or so with damaging it or risking the warranty. It works well for me and has kept the cover in place in 60+mph winds, and my paint condition speaks for itself.