Car cover worth it?

I ended up getting the Tesla outdoor car cover for $400. It is pricey, but no other real good options. If you own your MS and plan on keeping it for many years I would suggest so. Frankly my MS is garage parked every night. But I have the cover for when I take trips. It keeps the tree stuff and bird **** off. Plus it is an added level of security. I like the Tesla cover as it has a velcro opening to plug in and charge while it is still covered. The only challenge is to re-roll it up tight enough of to fit back in the bag! Keep it unrolled in the trunk for day to day use.

I'm selling mine for half the price if you're interested. It came with my Model S when I bought it used and I don't have a need for it. It's the same OEM version and it's like new.

Model S Outdoor Car Cover

Covering and uncovering a car every day is likely to cause more damage than it saves. If you're fully wrapped it might be easy to repair the minor damage with some hot water, but otherwise I wouldn't do it unless there were some major extenuating circumstances you didn't mention. Think about the dirt that settles on your car on a given day (even if mostly kept in a garage). Now picture rubbing that dirt all over when installing a car cover. There's a reason you're only supposed to cover freshly-washed vehicles.

Blu Zap said:

I ended up getting the Tesla outdoor car cover ... The only challenge is to re-roll it up tight enough of to fit back in the bag! Keep it unrolled in the trunk for day to day use.

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I use mine for my frequent trips when i leave my car for weeks. i wash it carefully prior to leaving, then put on the cover. I have a quite specific procedure for installing and removing the cover so it stays pristine. I keep in in a large fixed plastic bin; i cannot imagine putting it back in the tiny bag it came in.

Covering and uncovering the car everyday would cause way too much micro-scratch damage to the clear coat in my opinion. It also makes charging difficult. I wouldn't do it. Good luck finding covered parking in your future!

- K

Agree with gizmo.

I have the indoor cover, and I have used it only during extended trips and I have always washed the car before doing so.

Charging is not an issue I put the cover on then open the charge port no problem.
It does need to be placed on a clean car the Tesla cover is extremely soft but I still wash the car before I put it on.
Fit is excellent and keeps the car cool and dry so yes use it but on a clean car

theheff said:

I'm selling mine for half the price if you're interested. It came with my Model S when I bought it used and I don't have a need for it. It's the same OEM version and it's like new.

Model S Outdoor Car Cover

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PM sent Heff...

I only use my Model S outdoor cover when I am going to be traveling and gone for weeks. My car lives in a carport attached to my house. And then I wash the car just before putting the cover on.
I can't see using the cover multiple nights a week.

OP, I used to use a Covercraft cover on my ride that I had to park outside back in the day... I agree there can be benefits to a cover, but the challenge as some have said is, if your vehicle is dirty at all, as you put the cover on and take it off, you WILL introduce micro scratches onto your finish -- plus the inside of the cover will retain some of that dirt, compounding the problem as time goes on. The covers can be washed a few times, but not a lot before they will be damaged in some way. IMHO, an outside cover only works if you're going to have a clean ride parked for a period of time. I wouldn't use one unless I decided to take the micro scratch problem I described, over say more extensive bird @#$& or sap that may sit on my finish doing even more extensive damage through your protection layer before it hits your clearcoat.

OTOH, for years I have kept my previous 2nd-car "toys" (hardtop convertibles) inside my garages, under their extremely soft (and not weather resistant) dust covers once they are dried from one of my wash & detailing sessions between outings. It keeps them in pristine shape until the next outing, and requires less than 5 mins for me to roll the cover up, put it in it's bag, hop in and go.

I agree with Gizmo. The first time you put it on, it's fine. But when you roll it up when taking off, all the schmutz that landed on the outside of the cover gets transferred to the inside of the cover, which could slowly scratch the paint. I used to cover my car a long time ago and figured a way to fold the cover so that the outside didn't touch the inside, but it was a complete hassle and I finally just gave up. For me, my car is garaged enough that the occasional night outside won't hurt it.

I had the car detailed and sealed with CQuatz Finest and it has worked extremely well, fending off bug and bird stains that could eat into the paint.

I respectfully disagree with the "don't" crowd. I got Tesla outdoor car cover because my Wisconsin house has only outdoor parking, and the tree sap has been extraordinary this year. It is extremely easy on and off once you get the hang of it, and if you put it on properly, it's not going to scratch anything. If you fold/roll it properly, the inside NEVER accumulates the stuff that falls on the outside. And, if you have a friend to help, you can shake off any junk that's on outside every few days.

If you decide to get it, PM me and I'll give you my tips on quickest 1-man on/off procedure and rolling up to protect felt side.