autonut Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 I have a 1949 Buick Dynaflow 4dr sedan and want to purchase a really good car cover, to keep off the dust, etc. It will be stored indoors thus do not need a waterproof one. Would like one to be quite soft on the inside however to protect the paint and be very good for keeping off the dust. We have a lot of that. Do any of you have some good recommendations of cover mfgs, that really have a good quality cover. I would like to get a fairly good fit. Does not have to be a custom fit as a semi-custom fit would perhaps be acceptable. Some companies make kind of a stretchy fabric but not sure if that is a good idea. Glad to hear from anyone on the subject. There is quite a difference between covers & that I why I am posting, to get user first hand knowledge from car collectors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 Talk to @Barney Eaton. He is n the forums and is dealer for Covercraft. I have bought from him and was very happy with the service and cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Conley Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 If you want to really stop dust, get the fabric, Dustop. It if quite soft and absolutely stops dust from passing through the cover. I use one on all my cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Mr Stoneberg opened the door, so I will give you some basic information about car covers. 40 years ago (early '80's) there was one basic cover material.....cotton. Cotton fabric in various forms was the extent of the choices. The basic cover was light weight cotton, a heavier material called tan flannel (like sweat shirt material) and for outdoor covers, canvas which was heavier and treated to make it water repellant. Those materials were used by various shops to make car covers....some fit better than others and the cost varied with the shop and material. To my knowledge, Covercraft was the first company to make "custom fit" covers and they started be making them for an company by the name of "MG Mitten" in California. By the time I got involved, Covercraft had about ar15,000 patterns and made "factory" covers for several foreign car manufactures including Honda and BMW which were sold by the new car dealer as an accessory. Today Covercraft has around 40,000 patterns, and will make new ones for your vehicle if it does not already exist. There are now about 14 different materials. Materials break down into woven and non-woven, indoor only and outdoor materials that can be used both indoor and outdoor. The grade of the material is evident by the warrenty... the old cotton materials only have a 90 day warrent... other materials vary between 2 years and 5, There is also a choice of colors, two-tones and reflective beading depending on the material. If you buy a Covercraft cover, do not be concerned about it damaging your paint....all cover materials have been tested.... it would be foolish for a cover company to sell a material that would do that. Please go to......www.Covercraft.com look at the information on each material. That will help you choose what you need and you can then go to the check-out for the factory price...........then contact me and I will give you my price which includes shipping. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 I remember "MG Mittens"! To me, the good thing abour "real" car covers (rather than a generic fabric used for such" is that they will repel water/rain, but also let any accumulated moisture evaporate through the fabric. Covercraft has always been a premium brand for these things, and one of the first in the industry. Enjoy! NTX5467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autonut Posted March 28, 2021 Author Share Posted March 28, 2021 Well got on just a couple of sites. One was "Car Covers" which has what they call a Satin Stretch for $180.00 with a ten year warranty. Another stretch type from "Empire Covers", selling for $160.00 with a four year warranty. Then I went to CoverCraft as per your suggestion and they wanted $660.00 with a 4 to 5 week delivery. Others were 2 day FREE shipping. Quite a contrast in price and delivery time. Even though CoverCraft may have the patterns to match your auto, they only custom make the cover after receiving your order. Yes they are custom made for your auto. But not sure if that is good or bad? For instance the auto does not now have any side mirrors, but which I would like to add. Thus if you order without mirror pockets I wonder how the cover would fit since it is perhaps a fairly close fit. And then it would depend where on the door, you would mount them also. All very confusing and maybe I should just order one of the stretchy ones and be done with it. Hate to get something however, and then not happy with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted March 29, 2021 Share Posted March 29, 2021 There is probably several thing going on...... the low price covers are probably what Covercraft calls "ready fit" meaning they are made in Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large (not custom patters) usually there is a 18 in jump between sizes. So if you need a LeSabre cover, they say they have it and send you the ready fit size that will fit the length of the LeSabre. Because they are only making 4 sizes, they are made in China, Mexico, or other low cost country with questionable material and are available off the shelf because they only need to carry 4 sizes. It is easy to put a guarantee on a product, just try and get them adjusted or replaced. Not knowing the vehicle you were pricing, I suspect you were comparing Covercraft Sunbrella material because it has a 5 year warranty. Few people need Sunbrella.....that material is intended for cars outside in the high intensity sun states. Sunbrella is an excellent material made for premium lawn furniture and awnings. Covercraft must make the covers to order..... if you do the math on the number of covers they would need to stock (40,000 patterns x 14 materials....plus several colors on some of the materials) it makes sense that they only stock the more popular patterns like Corvette, Mustang, Camaro etc. They are quoting 6-8 week delivery but just last month a BCA Board member ordered 2 covers that were delivered in about 10 days and they were not popular new cars. Finally..... you may not need a custom made cover.... if the car is always inside and you just want dust protection a $100 cover from the auto parts store may be just for you. But if your car is outside overnight at a tour or car show and the wind comes up you might find the cover off the car the next morning. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted March 29, 2021 Share Posted March 29, 2021 You spend thousands of dollars to get a very nice car and then you want to cheap out on a cover to protect it ? Don’t forget a cover in a garage has to not only keep dust off, but it has to help protect against items falling against it and scratching or denting it and people rubbing against it along with mice, dogs and cats. A good cover is worth every penny you spend on it. I have tried cheap ones and good ones and the good ones are well worth the extra money. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted March 29, 2021 Share Posted March 29, 2021 I try to get out to my garage every day if I can. During the winter I maintain the heat at a minimum of 42 degrees and can raise it ahead of time through a phone app. One year I tried the dust covers and upon entering it looked something like this: I prefer them exposed and really enjoy walking around with spray detailer and a polishing cloth. Not too dusty in these parts. And I just like to sit and look at them. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buick man Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 My 4 cents worth here. Be careful with ads that claim the cove is fitted or custom fit or tailored etc. At the end of the day many are just what I call balloon bags. For example, what if you have tail fins in contrast to trunk lid. What have they done to accommodate the sharp edges of the fin and is the fin landscape area actually shaped and sewn into the overall cover and fitted over it not just in a way to simply cover it. ( balloon fit ) ... Those type of cover balloon over the trunk. Also what about accommodations made for the hood or trunk ornaments as some marquees have small and some very large and newer cars do not have them at all. Same thing can be told regarding turn signals mounting on the fenders from the factory. If the car is gonna stay only in the garage where there is no wind then perhaps all these points may be minor but take it outside just once and use the cover there with occasional wind and if these protrusion areas are not addressed and fitted the cover will tear rubbing over any surface protrusions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodneybeauchamp Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 Probably goes against the grain of what has been said. My covers are made from three or four old queen size flannellet sheets that Jo has sewn together. This makes one long cover that I use on my Riviera, the Skylark convertible and previously the ‘38 coupe. They are very easy to put on and take off, you can lift a side or and end to access a door, lift the bonnet or boot and allow you to work on sections at a time while the rest remains covered. They don’t scratch and you can wash them too! Both Buicks are garage kept and we don’t have a rodent issue because we have outside bait stations. These covers certainly reduce the dust issue that I used to have before. They are also on battery tenders so no issue there with either when hooking up or unhooking. I have an old pillow attached to the RH door handle on the Riviera so I can open and close the door on the Skylark, as well as two blocks of styrofoam glued to each brick wall where the doors will hit. Just my two bobs worth Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 1 hour ago, rodneybeauchamp said: Probably goes against the grain of what has been said. My covers are made from three or four old queen size flannellet sheets that Jo has sewn together. This makes one long cover that I use on my Riviera, the Skylark convertible and previously the ‘38 coupe. They are very easy to put on and take off, you can lift a side or and end to access a door, lift the bonnet or boot and allow you to work on sections at a time while the rest remains covered. They don’t scratch and you can wash them too! Both Buicks are garage kept and we don’t have a rodent issue because we have outside bait stations. These covers certainly reduce the dust issue that I used to have before. They are also on battery tenders so no issue there with either when hooking up or unhooking. I have an old pillow attached to the RH door handle on the Riviera so I can open and close the door on the Skylark, as well as two blocks of styrofoam glued to each brick wall where the doors will hit. Just my two bobs worth Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀 I did the same. I purchased black in color flannel sheets. I then sewed end to end. Works just great. Paint is not marred. I make sure I leave nothing around the car that will fall on or onto the it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 (edited) I have been selling covers for 39 years. In the beginning I knew nothing more than I needed a cover for a new Toronado we purchased. In 39 years I have hear good and bad stories. In that time I have only been involved in one case where the owner blamed the car cover for damage and Covercraft worked to satisfy that customer, even after it was determined the covered car was parked outside at a show near the restaurant kitchen and the kitchen exhaust vent was near the car. Anyone with material and a sewing machine can make something to cover a vehicle.......it all depends on what you want. Inside you can use about anything to keep dust off the vehicle..... even plastic if you do not have a moisture issue. One thing to consider.........how often do you wash your cover? Is dust/dirt settling on the cover and as you remove and install does that dust/dirt work it way into the weave? Could that dust eventually scratch your paint? Covers need to be washed, how often depends on many things. Indoor and outdoor usage are worlds apart..... no wind or rain in most garages. Many customers ask about a cover with a soft inside against the paint. Think about what you use to clean or polish your vehicle.... usually a soft cloth (microfiber is very popular today) Used on a cover that soft material is more likely to grab and hold dust and dirt. However a slick material will not. Since all good covers are made from materials that have been tested not to damage paint, I do not recommend covers that have a soft under side..... they are made because there are customers that demand a soft cover, although the cover will not damage the paint....it can trap dust/dirt that will........think about it. Edited April 3, 2021 by Barney Eaton (see edit history) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y-JobFan Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 I have bought Covercraft for all my cars and will continue to buy that brand, I order the custom ones and the fit is glovelike and quality is excellent. Not cheap but worth every penny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 20 hours ago, Barney Eaton said: how often do you wash your cover? There's a thought that will keep giving me little chuckles all day long. "And it comes with a car cover" all wadded up in a ball in the trunk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodneybeauchamp Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 Further to this ...... Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drhach Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 I've found even if dust is not a concern, a good cotton sheet (or cotton something) will wick away humidity and help to prevent rust. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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