[ajmat]

My Jetta is constantly parked outside when I am actively using it otherwise, it is parked in my mothers apartment. I have been using Dupont and similar covers of the same material but these fly off during strong winds and rain. The normal car cover does not really prevent dust.

This has been the result in Feb considering the messy road works and one bout of hard rain.



Luckily, the car scrubs up well



I can't be stumping up Rs 750 for a professional wash each time. Buy a pressure washer? Maybe but I can't be bothered for now.

So time for this thickhead to think thicker

I did try a canvas based cover for my Skoda some years back, it was heavy, retained muck and a real dog to clean, (means trying to fold it and taking it to my back yard, don't ask about hanging it out to dry!). It was only worth it, if you could uncover and leave it in your garage. The cover needed to be able to fold reasonably as I park the car in the various locations

I did some research and found the X-Guard cover on Amazon It cost around Rs 4000. It was worth a punt and I ordered it.

It is a little thicker but far from unwieldy. I fitted it on the Jetta



Yep, it's as snug as a bug.

Since Feb, the car has been parked in dusty areas, the cover does not allow dust to settle, a good shake and the dust disappears. The car has sat through heavy rain and the rain actually washes the muck off instead of creating a muddy slurry on top. The paintwork is well protected. It does not lift off in high winds

This morning after some heavy rain last night, I took the Jetta for a medical appointment



Except for a few wet patches and debris, the cover is clean if a little discoloured due to UV exposure.




Removed the cover, all the Jetta had were a few small streaks, nothing that a Jopatsu brush would run from. Finished my outing, did a quick waterless wash and covered again.

X--guard - Highly recommended. Folding is not as compact but benefits outweigh this.

Available here

[vijayshouree]

Thanks a lot for the thread Ajmat, in fact I am looking for a car cover for my Skoda Rapid. Can you clarify me on the differences between 4x4 and 6x6 as there is no information provided.

[amit_purohit20]

Thanks for the thread Ajmat. From my personal experience it is nearly impossible to protect a cars exterior which is not used on daily basis.
Modes of failure:-
1) Broken windshield from Falling objects eg. coconut, utensils (yes my car is parked below a flats kitchen) etc.
2) Scratches on the paint - Thanks to children, jealous persons, flying debris, misjudgement while parking by nearby parked cars/two wheelers, artists who use cars paint as their canvas!
3) Dents- due to kids cycling around and vehicles moving around my car.
4) Colour fade- Sun, Rain, dust , excessive cleaning by a clean cloth used by the car washing guy.
5) Wall paint - Gift given by building contractor while painting.
6) Oily muck - If you park your car near a Caterers kitchen. It won't go away unless you use dish washer on your cars paint :(
7) Theft loss - Prying eyes usually look for whats inside the car through the non-tinted (thanks to government rule) car windows.

A good quality car cover is solution to few of the above failure modes. The other solution is the discipline and hard work required to cover/uncover the car cover, fold and stock it and clean the car cover on a routine basis.

Following are the problems associated with car covers-
1) Thin car covers are easy to use but they dont last long and fly away in windy conditions.
2) Thick car covers as mentioned by Ajmat are a pain to fold, lift its weight and clean them. But they provide adequate protection.
3) Any car cover which does not have a belly belt and a way to tie/hold (using inbuilt rubber bands) the front and the rear portion is no good in winds. Never keep a brick on the car roof as my friendly neighbour did it for me to keep the car cover from flying away.
4) Last but important thing is some car covers stick to the body and are not exactly waterproof too. They take a long time to dry and it causes a abrasive slurry (dust and water) to form between the cover and the car paint. As the car cover moves in wind the abrasive slurry does its compounding work on the car paint.

So as Ajmat pointed out having the right material of the car cover is extremely important. Even if the cover is costly in the begining it lasts longer and does its function well. A minor tear can be repaired at a bag repair shop and the cover will last years. Thus you can save your cars paint and lots of other hassles related to it.
Thanks Ajmat

[drsk]

Ajmat, from the pic in the Amazon link, on the side it is written as "Aartri" but not seen in your pic. Hope they are the same. I have seen where the products get changed for the same description in these online portals and hence wanted to be sure. Thanks in advance for clarifications