Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

Just throwing this out there - found a car cover you're really happy with?

Been doing some shopping around as the Stagea gets parked for a week at a time out Western QLD - windy, dusty and hot.

Tried a few from the usual retailers but they're all too big! A poorly fitting cover can do as much damage as the elements so

if you have one or know of a well fitting one then let us all know

cheers.gif

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/390363-found-a-good-car-cover/
Share on other sites

I've got an Autotecnica cover. Completely waterproof and hail proof. Check out their website... http://www.autotecnica.com.au/covers.html. They are also sold by Auto One and Supercheap Auto. I'm happy with mine. I don't have a garage so the car gets covered when left for extended periods.

Just throwing this out there - found a car cover you're really happy with?

Been doing some shopping around as the Stagea gets parked for a week at a time out Western QLD - windy, dusty and hot.

Tried a few from the usual retailers but they're all too big! A poorly fitting cover can do as much damage as the elements so

if you have one or know of a well fitting one then let us all know

cheers.gif

Further to my last posting...

http://www.superoneauto.com.au/ is the distributors website in OZ. Sam Silvestro is the owner.

Hey rosella do you remember which size you got? Sedan or 4wd profile?

At a guess from looking at the sizes you'd have to go with the x-large car ones as I think the stags are more than 490cm long

This is mine. A Kenco Tyvek medium station wagon (4800 long x 1800 wide x 1300 high (liberty size)). It's fairly snug as I originally bought it for my R31 wagon and when I put my wing on the Stag it will probably be too tight around the rear roof line and I'll have to purchase the larger cover. The next size up is 5300 x 1800 x 1200 (Falcon/Magna).

It's easy to put on and protects from everything (except hail). It's washable and it's made in Oz.

web.jpg?ver=13282733250001

web.jpg?ver=13282685700001

As far as I know, which might be nothing unsure.gif, the dimensions of our wagons are as follows (LxWxH):

C34 - 4800 x 1755 x 1495 (according to wiki)

M35 - 4785 x 1760 x 1510 (according to Northshore Prestige website)

R31wgn - 4650 x 1690 x 1395 (according to R31SkylineClub website)

I know the last one isn't a real Stag, but I thought I'd add it for reference. Happy to be corrected on these as well.

Cheers.

Are your mirrors tucked in? I find it hard to tell, but if not it might be an easier fit if they were.

Going by the extra spoilers mine has, do you think that the medium or the large would be more suitable? I'm thinking large but it also looks like there is a bit of slack in the roof for some extra length...

208-Stagea5.jpg

Thanks guys some good info. I'd like to have a wagon profile to get the best fit but it appears autotechnica only do a full size wagon.... Might have to try a kenko like QJQ's. Seems like it's going to be tight though as it looks quite snug on the 35 and the 34 is a bit longer.

Yeah the mirrors are tucked in. I used it again today and checked around the rear and it looks like it should accommodate a rear wing/spoiler (yours is the same one that I've had sitting patiently in a box for over a year waiting to be painted). Being lightweight, the cover sure is fun trying to put it on by yourself even in the slightest breeze. But once it's on it definitely won't blow off - I don't even bother with the strap that runs under the car. I think the Kenco large wagon cover would be too big at 50cm longer than mine. Another one I forgot to mention that Kenco do is a Pathfinder one at 5200mm long, but that may still be too big. Maybe a larger one could be modified/sewn up???

Autotecnica also appear to do a Tyvek cover for a large 4WD that is up to 4900mm long which may suit the C34 better and I don't think the extra 10cm would make it too loose on a M35.

Cheers

Looks like the cover I have may not be made anymore.

Anyway, I'll put it on the car and take a photo to upload in the next few days.

That'd be great, yeah it's a shame they only seem to make the full size one now. Just out of interest I've been sending out some queries and the biggest quote I have received so far is $595AU, admittedly that's a full custom cover but damn....

One I did find interesting was $90US from Protech car covers, comes with cable lock and 3 years warranty. Kind of a PITA to claim warranty overseas but the price seems pretty reasonable for what looks like a good cover. Still waiting on more replys so anything else interesting and I'll post it up.

That'd be great, yeah it's a shame they only seem to make the full size one now. Just out of interest I've been sending out some queries and the biggest quote I have received so far is $595AU, admittedly that's a full custom cover but damn....

One I did find interesting was $90US from Protech car covers, comes with cable lock and 3 years warranty. Kind of a PITA to claim warranty overseas but the price seems pretty reasonable for what looks like a good cover. Still waiting on more replys so anything else interesting and I'll post it up.

Is that the one that was on ebay a while ago?

I've been to see these guys and they offered some advice on what materials to look out for and try and avoid, etc. (not that I can remember any of it :(). Might be worth giving them a call, and seeing if they can recommend something, then you can order it from their online shop.

http://www.covercraft-pacificshop.com/index.html

Is that the one that was on ebay a while ago?

They may have had one on there but I was looking on their website.

I've been to see these guys and they offered some advice on what materials to look out for and try and avoid, etc. (not that I can remember any of it :(). Might be worth giving them a call, and seeing if they can recommend something, then you can order it from their online shop.

http://www.covercraf....com/index.html

Yeah I sent them an email and am just waiting for a reply. Would be nice to be able to get Australian made if the price is reasonable.

As promised, here are some shots of the cover on the car.

BTW, it says 'L' on the cover bag as well as the tag on the cover.

Nice, looks like a pretty good fit - heavy duty too. I couldn't find a smaller size than the Holden Dunnydoor wagon one they offer so I ordered a Protech cover from the States. Shipping just about doubled the cost but it's still pretty much in line with the Autotechnica ones retail anyway, hopefully the quality is as good. I'll post up some pics too once it arrives.

Nice, looks like a pretty good fit - heavy duty too. I couldn't find a smaller size than the Holden Dunnydoor wagon one they offer so I ordered a Protech cover from the States. Shipping just about doubled the cost but it's still pretty much in line with the Autotechnica ones retail anyway, hopefully the quality is as good. I'll post up some pics too once it arrives.

It's actually very thick as it's for hail protection.

Yeah, It has four straps which are not done up. One front, rear and two between the wheels. Bit of a pain trying to get it across under the car though as it's lowered and the ground I park on is not that level. Generally, just do the end ones only since it's a snug fit.

It has elastic at both ends, so fits under the front bar very well and the back not so since I have a tow bar. However, it's never blown off in any of the storms I've experienced..

I paid $229 at Nowra Repco two Xmases ago. On special and I've never seen another one since. Trying to get one for my partner's Rav 4 3 door Cruiser.

post-72042-0-30667500-1329128455_thumb.jpg

  • 1 month later...

Well I finally got my Protech car cover from the States and I'm very happy with it. The sizing is spot on and the cover fits really well. It is pretty well water proof - we've had some wild rain up this way and when I pull the cover back she's still dry underneath. There is a soft finish on the inside and comes with a cable and lock to secure it to your car - enough to stop someone ripping it off in a couple of seconds anyway. I'm on the coast and every now and then the winds get pretty big and were getting under the car and inflating the cover like a balloon over the bonnet area as this bit isn't as snug as the rest. A bit of rope around the back of the front wheels and up under the windscreen stopped all movement. Good as gold

thumbsup.gif

post-88334-0-74597600-1331726192_thumb.jpg

post-88334-0-58776300-1331726394_thumb.jpg

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Similar Content

  • Latest Posts

    • Yup. You can get creative and make a sort of "bracket" with cable ties. Put 2 around the sender with a third passing underneath them strapped down against the sender. Then that third one is able to be passed through some hole at right angles to the orientation of the sender. Or some variation on the theme. Yes.... ummm, with caveats? I mean, the sender is BSP and you would likely have AN stuff on the hose, so yes, there would be the adapter you mention. But the block end will either be 1/8 NPT if that thread is still OK in there, or you can drill and tap it out to 1/4 BSP or NPT and use appropriate adapter there. As it stands, your mention of 1/8 BSPT male seems... wrong for the 1/8 NPT female it has to go into. The hose will be better, because even with the bush, the mass of the sender will be "hanging" off a hard threaded connection and will add some stress/strain to that. It might fail in the future. The hose eliminates almost all such risk - but adds in several more threaded connections to leak from! It really should be tapered, but it looks very long in that photo with no taper visible. If you have it in hand you should be able to see if it tapered or not. There technically is no possibility of a mechanical seal with a parallel male in a parallel female, so it is hard to believe that it is parallel male, but weirder things have happened. Maybe it's meant to seat on some surface when screwed in on the original installation? Anyway, at that thread size, parallel in parallel, with tape and goop, will seal just fine.
    • How do you propose I cable tie this: To something securely? Is it really just a case of finding a couple of holes and ziptying it there so it never goes flying or starts dangling around, more or less? Then run a 1/8 BSP Female to [hose adapter of choice?/AN?] and then the opposing fitting at the bush-into-oil-block end? being the hose-into-realistically likely a 1/8 BSPT male) Is this going to provide any real benefit over using a stainless/steel 1/4 to 1/8 BSPT reducing bush? I am making the assumption the OEM sender is BSPT not BSPP/BSP
    • I fashioned a ramp out of a couple of pieces of 140x35 lumber, to get the bumper up slightly, and then one of these is what I use
    • I wouldn't worry about dissimilar metal corrosion, should you just buy/make a steel replacement. There will be thread tape and sealant compound between the metals. The few little spots where they touch each other will be deep inside the joint, unable to get wet. And the alloy block is much much larger than a small steel fitting, so there is plenty of "sacrificial" capacity there. Any bush you put in there will be dissimilar anyway. Either steel or brass. Maybe stainless. All of them are different to the other parts in the chain. But what I said above still applies.
    • You are all good then, I didn't realise the port was in a part you can (have!) remove. Just pull the broken part out, clean it and the threads should be fine. Yes, the whole point about remote mounting is it takes almost all of the vibration out via the flexible hose. You just need a convenient chassis point and a cable tie or 3.
×
×
  • Create New...