Parking a car outside

[Mugsy]

Just wondering what the best way of protecting one's paint work is when you have to park your car outside? This particular car has not had any paint protection put on it and it is white (if that makes a difference).

I've heard pros and cons against car covers with some saying that it's mandatory to protect the paint from the sun while others say that, in combination with any dust/dirt on the car, wind blowing the car cover with scratch the paint work. Others state that a wash and polish every month is more than sufficient.

Comments?

Also, in the event that getting the car under (proper) cover before hail isn't going to happen, has anyone had any experience with this car covers?

http://www.carportable.com.au/

http://www.stormcovers.com.au/

Thanks.

[Matty]

Generally a wax and wash is good enough. If a rock is going to chip the paint on your car there isn't much that can be done about it. Those wax and protective coatings won't do much for a rock when traveling at 60km/h. A wash once a week should be ok if you are particular about dirt, and if you are really worried wash off bird **** as soon as you notice it.

As for hail, as long as it's not that golf ball sized hail, it should be fine.

Also when parking in public car parks try to park next to someone with a nice well maintained car. They are less likely to open their door on your car.

[Nekosan]

Just park it outside, unless you get acid rain and hail every day then you won't have any problems, it won't fade for 20 years and butterflies aren't going to dent it.

side note: i saw this little corolla last week that must have been bought cheap after a storm (still had pain on windscreen), the entire car was covered with hail dents, literally not more than 1cm of the car was without dents (even the sides), never seen anything like it .

[Klas]

side note: i saw this little corolla last week that must have been bought cheap after a storm (still had pain on windscreen), the entire car was covered with hail dents, literally not more than 1cm of the car was without dents (even the sides), never seen anything like it .

Aerodynamic street mod. Like a golf ball.

[v4moose]

Just park it outside, unless you get acid rain and hail every day then you won't have any problems, it won't fade for 20 years and butterflies aren't going to dent it.

side note: i saw this little corolla last week that must have been bought cheap after a storm (still had pain on windscreen), the entire car was covered with hail dents, literally not more than 1cm of the car was without dents (even the sides), never seen anything like it .

haha what colour was it? I own a blue corolla that got spanked by the march hailstorms in WA, still drive it around today but it looks like it's been hit by a million golf balls.

[Nekosan]

Just park it outside, unless you get acid rain and hail every day then you won't have any problems, it won't fade for 20 years and butterflies aren't going to dent it.

side note: i saw this little corolla last week that must have been bought cheap after a storm (still had pain on windscreen), the entire car was covered with hail dents, literally not more than 1cm of the car was without dents (even the sides), never seen anything like it .

haha what colour was it? I own a blue corolla that got spanked by the march hailstorms in WA, still drive it around today but it looks like it's been hit by a million golf balls.

A metallic teal colour from what i remember, tbh i was too astonished by the dents to pay much more attention, not even sure it was actually a corolla, i just couldnt get over the fact that it was dented all the way down both sides.

[Disco LT]

Also when parking in public car parks try to park next to someone with a nice well maintained car. They are less likely to open their door on your car.

i.e don't park next to any housing estate style bombadores.

[Nekosan]

Also when parking in public car parks try to park next to someone with a nice well maintained car. They are less likely to open their door on your car.

i.e don't park next to any housing estate style bombadores.

I reckon that's a bit of a myth, someone who drives a nice car is probably just as likely to be a dick as someone who drives a rust bucket, someones station in life is in no way indicative of their personality.

[Matty]

My reasoning is that they care about their car enough to not want damage their own car by hitting their door on yours.

Cars generally enthusiasts and/or people who like their car would buy. Though I guess if you weren't into cars this could be a hard judgment to make.

Other tips. Stay right the hell away from trolley bays and anything with a P-Plate (Most of the time)

Worked for me so far, cars 3 years old and yet to have a car park dent.

[peber]

My rule of thumb is to park next to poles, lamp posts, structural columns or anything else I can find that acts as a barrier to at least one side of your car.
That way you can get up nice and close to it and have a very big gap on the other side.

I'd rather park an extra 2 minutes from the shop entry than park at the doors and get my car trashed!

[Disco LT]

Yeah, I like my cars to be a bit on the not nice side, saves me crying when someone dings the car or something.

The other day at Office Works I left the missus in the car while I went in to get something, came back and apparently the **** that parked next to us banged her door quite hard into the side of my car getting out and didn't even stop or apologise. I left her a bigger dent, stupid ****.

[inz]

Park next to clean jap imports. Solved.

[Nekosan]

Park next to clean jap imports. Solved.

I love how you guys stereotype, there's no connection at all between how much someone loves their own car and how they'll act around yours. Chances are you're more likely to get trolley damage than from an opened door and mr "clean import" is going to push his rattling trolley closer to your car than his beloved.

[Dean]

My rule of thumb is to park next to poles, lamp posts, structural columns or anything else I can find that acts as a barrier to at least one side of your car.
That way you can get up nice and close to it and have a very big gap on the other side.

This

[War]

I bought one of these recently (as my drive way is awkward to get a carport/garage setup)

http://www.oo.com.au/Palm_Springs_3m_x_ ... P26083.cfm

Works quite well, doesn't keep 100% of the rain off in heavy rain but stops leaves and other rubbish getting on it.