silkiechic

Situation: WA/OR is full of snow and ice. Car is in OR. Home is in WA. I am going to be going home. Car cannot go so am getting a ride b/c of road conditions. Car is Parked under an aluminum carport thing now, since doors were frozen shut earlier and moved it at first chance to open spot.

Car is wet, hasn't been washed in a month, it will be be below freezing, and is currently snowing.

Question: I have a car cover... Do I put it on the currently wet and dirty car for the two weeks I am gone, or leave it be?

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

IMO leave it be if your paint is in good condition. I never put a car cover on a dirty car - too much surface scratching.

silkiechic

Alrite, I'll leave it be. I've never put it on the car after taking it out more than twice after a wash... best to not get the car cover dirty now. Probably should have covered it between washing it a month ago and the snow.... seeing as how it has moved a whole 10 miles since thanksgiving...

Chris@GlimmerGlass

iTrader: (3)

yep! Leave it be. it'll be better in the long run since the car is already dirty.

Stokdgs

So by not putting on the cover, the snow will be piled up high on the car with perhaps layers of ice and when you go to knock it all off, you risk scratching the paint with whatever you use to remove the snow.
If you had a car cover on, and its like mine, a WeatherShield, light nylon-type one, water and snow, slips off it really good and when it is time to get the car, if the snow is still on it, it comes off in one big piece..
Hopefully now, you had a break like we did here in Bellevue, WA today and yesterday before the next storm hits and perhaps you could go get your car.
Good luck with this. My Lexus is not even going out into the weather at all.. It is such a pampered car!
Hope you get you car back soon. Merry Christmas ! DanF

ArmyofOne

Covers are fine for the short term, never longer than a month or 2 at a time in ideal conditions and NEVER EVER EVER on a dirty car. car MUST be 100% clean prior to covering. Good advice guys.

So yeah...Like Dr. House, I concur.

Stoked GS, if you have a decent coat of wax/sealant, Ice will not scratch your paint if you are careful. but as far as ice goes, i leave it be during winter and let it melt. I brush off the snow and just leave the ice alone.

Chris@GlimmerGlass

iTrader: (3)

I think you misunderstood what I was saying. I was trying to say that since the vehicle is dirty, it would be best if the cover was left off (for however long) since it'll likely just move the dirt around and likely marr the surface.

silkiechic

She's got a good coat of wax for sure. As I wax after every wash. Her doors were frozen shut about a week ago when I carefully dusted it off, left the layer of ice, and moved the car to a covered parking spot, and left without covering it.

For now though. I am crossing my fingers that the car is still there, under cover, and not dented, when I get back to it in about 10 days. Leaving it all alone parked for twoe weeks out of state kind of sucks. But with the weather out here so far, I'd have never made it home with the car.. and at this rate, wouldn't have been able to get back to oregon with the car either since my driveway is still snowed in with a foot of snow. We were on chains in the CRV for 240 of the 280 mile drive on I5 before the plows scraping the windows every hr of the 10 hr drive along the freeway.

I am really really really hoping that the car is still there and doesn't get towed. That would SUCK bad bad bad. Talked with my landlord who's condo we are renting out, landlord being the HOA board director, and he said he sees all parked car complaints and assured me it wouldn't get towed by HOA means. I sure really hope that is the case. I can't wait to get a real place to live. A chunk of land like home here in wa but down there near school with a garage. Maybe the next time I bring the car home, I should leave it home where it has a place to sleep safely.

I mean, how bad can the neighborhood be... we left our keys, with both car keys attached to the ring, in the door, left unlocked for over 36 hours... I'm the only lexus in the lot, and the Honda is parked next to it right in front of the door with the keys.... and nothing was stolen and we never had unexpected guests in the middle of the night.
Thanks for all the advice.