Car Cover

[LOVEMYSL]

Appreciate opinions on whether to put a car cover on a canvas convertible top (for indoor use only) for protection against dust. If so, any recommendations?
Thanks.

[parodecki]

Do you keep the car in a garage??

If so... the guys who put my new top on said to just rinse it with clear water and blot it dry... that'll keep it looking like new.

In fact, our top is 15 months old, and a fellow MB owner saw it for the first time last week... and thought it was brand new!

Paul Rodecki
Roadstars Section
1996 SL 320

[ALUEB]

Our garage was destroyed by fire two summers ago. Had the mess torn down and was preparing to have a new Steel garage built. But some personal stuff killed that idea.

Anyway. I keep my 99 C290 outside with no car cover going on 4 years. I am a fussy detailer, so it looks gtrst IMHO.

My son and I recently purchased a 79 450SLC, which is registered in his name. I urged him to get a car cover. As far as the former owner could determine the car has spent most of its life in a garage. He picked up one on line with is water reistant and has a felt cover under it to keep it from scratching. Also as gromments for a cable with or without a lock. Funny story. one day a few months back the weather predicted T Storms and high winds.My son put the cover on and left, never realized he should have put on the cable and lock. Anway the storms came rolling in and the winds. 45 mph gust I later found out. I happened to look out the window and just then the cover goes flying off, It looked like one of does large sails on the racing style sailing boats, it finally landed on the next street ovr and in a backyard. You know I felt when I had to ring the person door bell and say my car cover is in your yard? A man answered the door and I told him the story of the flying cover he looked at me like I escaped from the nut (not eating type) house. So, I very quickly said come and I will show you, I just want to get it. He reluctenly followed me and when he saw the cover we both got a good laugh out of the whole incident.

Back to the cover, if your, like us, are going to keep the car outside and your not a detailing nut, then buy the best BREATHABLE cover you can afford.I am told that covers that are advertized are not breathable, but I have seen ads that say they are? The car is rust free and in good to very good condition and mechanical in very good condition, thus the push for a breathable car cover. One tip, in the winter be very careful the cover or parts of it are not frozen to the body. The instruction sheet says to pour warm (not hot) water on the frozen spots and be very careful lifting.

www.autosportcatalog.com, or www.autosportscatalog.com not sure if sport or sports, has a good selection
www.weathertech.com also has a good selection

There are more sites, but I have done business with both of the above :) and I give them an A plus for service, product and return policy if there is a problem. :)

[ALUEB]

Appreciate opinions on whether to put a car cover on a canvas convertible top (for indoor use only) for protection against dust. If so, any recommendations?
Thanks.

Before I had Mercedes cars. I owned a Z3. I had purchased a "top cove." It made out of the same material car covers are made of (good car covers) and only covered the top and the window, secured via the trunk like side windows and the windshield wiper arms. It was UV resistent and waterproof. It was made mainly for sun exposure and very droppings of flying creatures passing overhead. But it also keep the inside dry. As the Z3 had a few annoying leaks, the dealer never could fix. Not bad leaks, but more like droplets of water on the inside of the side windows, annoying at best, especially for a Bimmer.

A good friend has a Z4, first model year and had the same problem, but his dealer fixed it with "improved" weatherstipping. He wrote me over the weekend. His lease is running out and he is planning to get a Z4 M versions. Too bad he lives in California and I in Massachusetts.

[ALUEB]

Appreciate opinions on whether to put a car cover on a canvas convertible top (for indoor use only) for protection against dust. If so, any recommendations?
Thanks.

About 12 years ago, I had a 72 VW bug I bought for restoration for my daughter. It was in rought shape, need suspension work, the frame was bent, new paint and new quarter panel and a new top. Those VW had wood slats in the tops and all were rotted. I went to a very good local shop and he convinced me to get a canvas top, $2500 installed at the time, including all new wood and hardware. The top was black. he recommend just wiping it out. Years later when I owned the Z3 it also had a canvas top, but not the hight quality as the one I bought for the VW aftermarket. I used 303 on the top and the top cover I mentioned in another post. Also. tht top was tan in color, and hard to keep clean, even with 303. When I sold the car. The top was as good as new, the plastic windown had some fold marks, But I got some pipe insulation and used that when I put the top down and that helped stopped the creases in the plastic window.

The person who bought the car, over 4 years ago, still has the original top. He never drives it in the winter and garages the car. When he does keep it outside the top cover goes on. I would say that is a total of about 7 years now. So end of story, if you take excellent care of the top it will last. The most important thing is never keep it down over any long period of time. I put my back up everyday that I put it down. Keep a dorphead top down is not the way to preserve it, and never, ever put it down when wet.