Car's due back from paint any day now, I want to preserve it from the punishing sun & torrential rain this region sees. Garage is not an option, as it's currently the land of projects that will likely never be completed lol.

I definitely want rain & UV proof, the prices vary as do the reviews online. I'd like some fellow X308 clan members to chime in.

Thanks

 

If the projects are never going to get done then clear it out and get the car in there when it's not being used.
A cover in your temperatures will likely cause condensation which will leave unsightly marks and lead to scratches. Something I'm sure you don't want.

 

Like Jim says, and I would like to add that new paint is particularly vulnerable to condensation damage as it will not yet have cured fully. It can take a month or longer.

 

Yeah I'm not going to cover for @ least 45 days.

 

I bought a Noah cover from California Car Cover. It is an indoor cover, and the quality is very good. They have covers for different indoor and outdoor conditions. It was expensive, but they did embroidery a custom XJR on the front, which looks pretty cool. The covers are custom fit to the model of car and, in my case, the fit is very good.

 

I bought a $100 generic outdoor cover from an auto parts store for "occasional" use as I wanted to use it on other cars whenever a "project" expanded to take over all the garage space. Wish I could advise you which to buy for long-term use but I can't. I will pass on one thing I learned the hard way. In winter, if you have snow or ice, don't try to remove the cover until it thaws.

 

Think I will hunt for a UV resistant cover that allows for breathing, enough to block debris & the sun's rays, but not trap moisture against the paint.

 

I have a cover made in the USA by Covercraft and it's custom made for the X308. I bought it from my good friend and forum member Ipc838, who had it made for his previous XJR. It fits like a glove, nice and tight but as it's made from soft material it doesn't scratch. It's also fully waterproof, water just beads off it which is great. There's two loops on the sides for attaching restraints as well as two holes for a security cord to go through to stop the cover being removed.
I normally have it on my car all the time, unless the car is dirty.

 

I just bought one about 2 months ago for my Corvette from Car Covers | Lifetime Warranty Free Shipping | Call 1-800-288-5844 . They come with a lifetime guarantee and mine is for indoor/outdoor use and fits like a glove (I got the 5 layer). They say they are having a 50% off sale now, but they had that 2 months ago also. In either case, they were almost half the cost of anyone else's I checked out and shipping was fast. I can tell you the waterproof statement is real. It has rained here just a few times and each time I went out to work on the car after it cleared and pulled the cover back, it was dry. I can include pics if you would like?

 

No need for pics just tell me if it retains moisture to trap against the vehicle surface,thanks.

 

Like I said, it was dry after a rain and I'll add it was dry from a morning dew also. As a matter of fact, the rain beads on top of it. I have a spoiler on the back of the car and the rain puddles there, I simply flip the cover to get it off and again, its dry.
They also have ties on the front and back that go side to side in case you get a big wind it won't allow it to blow off, even as snug as it fits it gives you piece of mind. Then of course it has the security cable if you choose to use it.

 

Sounds like a winner, kudos sir !

 

Painstakingly detailed the car only to return 30 minutes later & greeted w/ a bird feces drive-by lol. Going to go w/ the 5 ply cover Highhorse suggested.

 

Be aware that production times for custom fit car covers is a little extended right now, due to still catching up from COVID shutdowns. I ordered a custom fit NOAH cover with side window pockets for my Volvo S60 and it took almost two months to deliver.

 

Thank you @Highhorse
Based on the information you provided I ordered one.

$159 (which is their 50% off) and they have an additional 10% until the end of the year. Code SS10. The total is $143.

Awesome deal. I wanted to go for the best (and most expensive one which is Black Satin (it’s only extra $10), however, it’s only for indoor, so their 5-layer is the best for indoor and outdoor.

The support confirmed that lifetime guarantee means that it can be replaced for whatever problem with a limit of 3 replacements.

 

Whatever cover you acquire, ensure you do not cover your car if there is a wet spot on it,
or if there is any wetness on the inside of the cover at all.

 

Like Randy said, be sure it's dried off...you can use a leaf blower to make sure you get any wetness out of the hood windshield area or the like. Especially if your getting ready to put her away for the winter. Also, if you do store her, be sure to have a battery tender of some sort on her, whether you keep the battery in the car or not.

 

I work from home so don’t drive much but it’s my main car, ‘98 XJ8L with 35k on it. I use it usually ~2 days a week. So, my plan is to put cover for the remaining 5 days. Is it silly? overkill? Your thoughts?

 

No....covering is good, and keeps it from the dust and grime build-up which these cars
seem to naturally attract. Just make sure you store the cover in a nice dry place and
use the cover only on a totally dry car.

 

That's the purpose of the cover, to protect it while your not driving her. How you maintain your car is your decision, as long as you take good care of her. Kind of like the old IBM saying "you can where any suit you want as long as its IBM blue"...