For my 11 years of XK ownership, I've been keeping my car garaged when not in use. These days, I will be using my XK as a daily driver and 1-2 times per month will be left outside for 4-5 days at a time in Florida. Can anyone recommend a quality waterproof cover that fits properly and has an inner liner that will hopefully not scratch the paint? There are so many covers out there and the prices are all over the place. CarCover.com seems to be a big player. Thanks all.

 

I can't recommend a specific cover. But generally speaking, a waterproof outdoor cover will only trap moisture and (Florida) humidity under the cover which isn't good for the paint, interior, or electrical and mechanical components. If indoor garage space is not an option, I'd leave it uncovered and maintain those items regularly.

 

I bought a cover for garage use and made the mistake of getting an outdoor cover, and it did exactly as you say. The moisture was trapped and the paint was clouding with a mottled effect. I replaced the cover with a breathable indoor cover which has been fine.

 

I use an outdoor cover for one of my cars that is always outside in the UK
Used it for many years but if you get one it must be waterproof breathable and multi layered with a soft inside layer.
I have had no issues but generally they only last 4 years.
i use a half cover on my XK vert from the same company.
Its a UK supplier and not sure if available in the US

 

Are you saying that you used the indoor cover for outside use? Even in the sun? Thanks.

 

I had to store my P/S Mustang outside one winter quite a long time ago under three covers... that spring I found that all the engine compartment aluminum (a whole lot of it) was corroded and it ALL needed to be repolished. It took an eternity to do so.
The moisture from the ground below the engine compartment (and indeed the entire car) caused excessive moisture trapped BY the car cover and made a terrible, terrible mess.
I will never cover a car for an extended period again in the outside environment. Yes, covers are better now, but I still won't do it.

 

Search Amazon for "outdoor garage for car". There are many types at various prices.

 

no, the cover is used in the garage. Keeps the dust off. The problem was my original outdoor cover wasn't breathable, resulting in moisture lying on the paint work.

 

I was hesitant about paying top dollar to cover my 2003 XKR. I’m in Phoenix and I knew that any cover would need to be EXTRA special. After much research, I elected to go with California Custum Car Cover. It is a custom fit with a soft inner layer that will not scratch the finish. CCCC offer a range of covers with increasing amounts of protection from rain, water, ect.. I honestly don’t recall how much the exact cost was. (@$700). It was the most expensive of ALL the covers I looked at. Fast Forward 8 years. The cover is just now starting to show signs of wear. It is not the material, but the seams. Apparently the thread used is not the same as the matériel.
I am more than satisfied with my cover and I couldn’t give it a stronger endorsement.
my Daddy always told me “ When you buy the best, you will never be disappointed. It has been proven true for me many times.

If I may, That just now reminded me of what my dear grandfather said to me just before he died,
“Are you still holding the ladder?”

just kidding, it always makes me laugh.

Cheers!

 

I currently have the best car cover I have ever owned. All previous covers quickly developed tears, and seam separation around the mirror pockets. I am in the NE, so I see less sun and more snow than FL. I got it on closeout from Covercraft. However, they no longer use the fabric called "Evolution" from what I can tell. I'd recommend that fabric if you can find it.

 

Thanks for the suggestion however I will be following the StuartS suggestion for the outside car canopy. Considering all I'm hearing about wind, dirt, and scratching if the car is not perfectly clean when installing and removing most car covers......My girlfriend who lives a distance from me is installing an outside car canopy with sides for the times when I'm there. The remainder of the time, my car is garaged at my home. In addition, it will probably be a pain for me (I'm not a youngster) to install and remove most car covers. Thanks everyone for all the suggestions.

 

florida sun and sudden rain showers are absolutely brutal on car paint so you definitely want a multi layer cover like the evolution or weather shield series from covercraft because they offer the best uv protection while still being breathable enough to let moisture escape from underneath the xk body since you are parking it outside you should avoid those cheap single layer plastics and stick with a soft fleece or microfiber inner liner that won't scratch the finish if the wind starts to pick up

it is worth the extra investment to get a custom fit model with mirror pockets because those universal ones will just flap around and act like sandpaper on your clear coat during a tropical storm i actually had a similar struggle trying to find the right outdoor protection for my own vehicle and a close friend of mine went through the same thing while he was researching a solid land rover cover selection before he finally found a heavy duty material that could handle the heat

 

I've been covering cars (not my XKR, which is inside) outside for decades, first in Ontario Canada and now in SW Tennessee, and this is the same advice I would give. A breathable, multilayered outdoor cover is fine, but if it's not breathable you'll have issues. Don't expect a long service life, especially in the Florida sun, I used to get 4+ years in Ontario, now I am lucky to get 2 year in the Tennessee sun.