Cayman outdoor car cover

[Motorhead]

Hi Caroline,

My Cayman is garaged so I can't help with an outdoor cover recommendation, but although it'll give protection from debris, tree sap and bird droppings, etc., unless it's secured firmly there's always a possibility that any flapping could cause minor scratches. An alternative would be to get the body protected using something like Gtechniq which can be applied by a number of detailing specialists.

An indoor cover will provide a level of protection if garage space is limited and you're continually brushing past the car.

However one downside of any car cover - outdoor and indoor - is that the car really needs to be clean before the cover is put on, something which is not always practicable.

Jeff

 

[carolinewoodley]

Hi all, sorry if this has come up before but I couldn't find anything promising on the search.

As you may have seen on the New Owners' forum I've just bought a 2014 981 S Cayman. It is usually going to be garaged but since my garage is not directly next to where I live I also have it insured for my off road parking space at my home address in case I want to have it more convenient to me on the odd occasion.

So that means it might be parked outside on occasions, and I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for a good outdoor/all weather cover I could use whilst the car is not garaged. I'd prefer it shaped to fit the car but not bothered about having a Porsche logo or anything like that.

Also when it is garaged, is it worth getting an indoor cover as well?

Thanks
Caroline

 

[carolinewoodley]

Thanks Jeff - the garage space is *really* limited (it's a 1950s/60s size single garage and the car only just fits - I have already had to glue carpet on the walls to stop the door getting scratched as I get out!) so an indoor cover would definitely help with that.

It's not likely to be outside a lot, it's more that if I either go somewhere very early in the morning or come back very late at night, it would be easier just to park the car outside rather than walk 10 mins or so to or from the garage, but because of that it definitely isn't going to be practical to wash the car every time I put the cover on! In that case it sounds like it might just be better to leave it uncovered when it's outside? There are a few small trees nearby but they don't directly overhang the car so I shouldn't get sap problems.

Is Gtechniq one of these plastic cling film type coverings? I'm not massively keen on those I have to admit, even the good ones always seem very obvious to me. Or is it more like a wax coating?

 

[PHB1969]

Gtechniq is a ceramic coating rather than a plastic covering. It creates a very thin (nano) ceramic layer over the paint and depending on the product used has varying durations of protection (typically a couple of years upwards).

 

[carolinewoodley]

Thanks PHB1969 - out of interest do you know what sort of cost would I be looking at for something like that?

 

[tscaptain]

If you, or a friend, is feeling brave you can follow this excellent guide to DIY ceramic coating.

https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1039540

The last time my was done with Gtechiq is came to around £700 but it depends to a great degree on the amount of preparation and machine polishing required before the ceramic coating is applied. If you Google it you will find local detailers who will use it or similar products.

I alao have a Stormshield cover for occasional use but it's not the kind of thing to put on and take off on a daily basis. It's a really good piece of kit but really needs 2 people to put it on carefully.

 

[Motorhead]

Caroline,

Here's a map showing Gtechniq trained companies. If you contact one in your area they should be able to give you an idea of costs, depending upon the level of treatment. There may be other detailing companies close to you who also offer the service, or something similar.

https://gtechniq.com/detailing-services/

Jeff

 

[carolinewoodley]

Thanks all, will look into GTechniq, but it looks like an outdoor cover might not be worth it.

Will look into indoor ones though - I am definitely brushing past the car every time I go in the garage so it would be good to have something to cover it there. Any recommendations?

Thanks,

Caroline

 

[Motorhead]

Caroline,

There are plenty of fitted covers available at around £100, but this company offer simple covers for about half the price:

http://www.cardustcovers.co.uk/car_covers/

They look OK to me and may be easier to put on the car if as you say, space is limited in your garage.

Jeff

 

[AndrewT]

Although the fitted indoor covers look smart I’d go for a lightweight loose fitting one that would be easier to fit in a confined space and is less likely to cause scratching if you put it on a dirty car.

 

[carolinewoodley]

Thanks all, I think I will go for a loose fitting indoor cover but leave it uncovered if I leave the car temporarily outdoors.