Need to keep my mini parked outside - what does anyone recommend as the best car cover and where can I find it. The dealer only had ones appropriate for storage indoors.

Thanks

 

Howard - Covercraft (http://www.covercraft.com) has custom fit covers available. Their pattern numbers are:

C16428 for the regular mini
C16429 for the "S" version
both have roof antenna pockets.

Covers are available in a variety of materials. For outdoor use, NOAH and Evolution 4 are the better ones. Ev4 is 4 layers thick, but obviousloy much bulkier for storage. NOAH is 3 layers thick, and has the same, or slightly better protection.

I prefer Ev4 for door ding protection when the cars are at the airport.

Hope this helps.

 

Your dealer sells a cover with a little storage-sort bin.. You can check it out at Miniusa.com, under acessories in the picture gallery thing...

 

I have the dealer cover with the black window/mirror/wheel inserts. I love the looks and it does come with its own bag. The antenna pouch was not cut to allow the antenna to go thru but that was fixed.
Mike

 

How does the official MINI car cover deal with the elements? Is it good in the rain? And how secure is it?

Thanks,

Rocketboy_X

 

MINIs car covers are moisture-resistant, and custom fit to the Mini's contours. At the front of the cover the Mini logo is present and includes a rear license plate window. Two are available, upon whether you have a rear spoiler or not. The covers are listed in the Mini accessory brochures available at your local dealer or on theMini website for $197.00. We sell them for $129.80 plus shipping and tax and applicable. Many in stock for immediate shipment.

bmwparts@Classicautocampus.com

 

Try http://www.mossmini.com. I saw a lot of car cover options in their catalog- for outside, waterprood and all.

 

CAR COVERS SUCK! Unless you have time to scrub your MINI after EVERY drive to the corner store, DON"T GET A CAR COVER! After a while all you'll be left with is a scratched up car, and an over-sized peice of sand-paper! All the dirt, and dust found on the back of your mini (A problem with all hatchbacks) is going to be used as an abrasive when covered... Don't any of you remember your fathers yelling at you to rinse the car thoroughly before washing, so the caked on dirt doesn't scratch the car when you go over it with a sponge, or shampoo cloth? This will be the exact same thing... I have one, and have NO use for it... You're better off planting a treenext to where your mini will be parked to leave it out of the bright sun, or if possible, build a garage... That is all

 

Tollag - I've used covers on all my cars since they were new, and they're not full of scratches.

If the car is dirty, I wash them first, then put the cover on. If they're just dusty, I use a California Duster and then quick detailer/microfiber towel before covering the car.

Granted, a car cover can induce scratches to the paint if put on a dirty car, but when used correctly, it provides much needed protection against tree sap, bird droppings, door dings, industrial fallout, and the like.

I have 2 covers in boxes waiting for my MCS - an Evolution 4 for outdoor use, and a Dustop for indoor.

Car covers are wise investment.

 

California Car Covers makes custom-fit covers (they have one for the MINI). I had one for my '67 Mustang and it was great. Keeps the car looking nice and clean for weeks, even in dusty So. Calif.

 

I have a 2-day old Cooper -- love it. It's garaged but already dusty. What is this "California Duster"? My Cooper is Indi Blue and black and really shows the dust.
Thanks :smile:

 

A California Duster is a mop-like device for removing dust from your car. It has wax coated strips which the dust clings to as you lightly run it over he car.

If the car's dirty, you wash it, If it's just dusty, a duster can be the best 2 minutes you'll spend.

You can find them at auto retail stores and mail order.

 

I wouldn't bother with the "official" mini cover. I have an S, and the cover only has an antenna pocket for the nav antenna, not the regular one. I'm not going to remove the antenna every time I use it. Dealer has no clue, MINIUSA doesn't know why. Taking it back.

 

I ordered one from Rspeed and love it. It has the mirror and ant. cut outs and is easy to put on and take off.

 

What about minis w/driving lamps? What covers will fit these? Also, and maybe i missed this somewhere, do most of these covers come with holes for a lock?
skrutzen

 

inva - my covers are made by Covercraft and they have pockets for the antenna and the mirrors. They fit great.

skrutzen - you have to specify S or base model so you get proper fit over the rear spoiler. The driving lamps sit on the front fascia and don't affect fit. All the covers I've seen, and all the ones I own, have grommets for a cable and lock.

 

>>MINIs car covers are moisture-resistant, and custom fit to the Mini's contours. At the front of the cover the Mini logo is present and includes a rear license plate window. Two are available, upon whether you have a rear spoiler or not. The covers are listed in the Mini accessory brochures available at your local dealer or on theMini website for $197.00. We sell them for $129.80 plus shipping and tax and applicable. Many in stock for immediate shipment.
>>
>>bmwparts@Classicautocampus.com

Not SO !!! I ordered the MINI cover, first rains lasted two days, car was wetter than if left out in elements and the BIG issue was that the black bled into the pepper white paint and left dark gray blotches. I've raised issue Baron's MNI in KC, will be returning the cover, and we'll be talking about "discoloration".

 

It's my understanding that there are two types of MINI Car Covers.
One is for indoor use:
Click here

And the other is for outdoor use:
Click here

asp,
It sounds like you were using the indoor cover. If your dealer told you this would be suitable for outdoor use I would try to find any documentation proving they said this. They will likely try to fight it.
Hope this helps,
SW

 

The accessories catalog advertises protection from the elements (no mention of in/outdoor) and the accessories manager at the dealer was the one who agreed to the return. I don't anticipate any dealer issues as Baron's has been great to work with so far. I just thought that other owners ought to be aware that while the instructions on the cover say do not use on recently "repainted" MINI's there might need to be a disclaimer about using on "newly painted" MINI's as well. The issue is tha tyou don't get the disclaimer until after you open the box instead of in the brochure.

 

I got a cover from webcovers.com $130 i think, NOAH. You have to ask for the SMALL bag otherwise they send you this HUGE bag that isn't good for much.

Here's a funny pix: My car is a GurL btw.

 

I will be parking my MINI outdoors near the ocean so I would like to know if the MINI car cover is going to be as good as any other car cover. Does anyone have any recomendations? There is quite a bit of dew on the cars in the morning.

 

>>I will be parking my MINI outdoors near the ocean so I would like to know if the MINI car cover is going to be as good as any other car cover. Does anyone have any recomendations? There is quite a bit of dew on the cars in the morning.

Sorry if its too late but I hightly recommend the "Weathershield" by Covercraft. It is the most expensive choice but it is very light weight, drys easily, comes on and off easily, and folds up to be far smaller than any other fabric a huge plus for saving room in the boot. This this the most elegant solution for keeping the ocean mist and morning dew off the car. It is well worth the extra expense. The fabric is very high tech but about as light as the nylon used in windbreakers. This makes putting it on almost effortless. I use mine every day (except a couple times when I got the car good and dirty) and have never failed to put it on because I didn't want to deal with the hassle of a heavy car cover.