Should I get a car cover for my soft top?
Quick answer: Usually no for daily use. Universal covers trap grit and moisture and can flap in the wind, scuffing fabric and paint. If you must use one, choose a breathable, fitted, soft-lined cover; only put it on a clean, dry car, secure it properly, and air the roof regularly. Don't use a cover to hide a leak--fix the cause first.
We advise against car covers in most cases. They have limited, specific uses and are not a good solution for a convertible.
The only car cover worth owning
The only car covers we recommend are breathable dust covers. They are not waterproof and should only be used indoors, with great care. A dust cover over a soft-top parked inside a dry, ventilated garage is fine -- it keeps airborne dust off the fabric while letting moisture escape. Everything else is a compromise.
Why winter car covers cause problems
If you are thinking of a car cover to keep dirt off the hood and keep the car dry over winter, the cover brings its own problems.
Waterproof covers keep water in as well as out. The car may be 100% dry when you put the cover on, but condensation forms underneath and gets trapped. There is no air movement, so it won't dry. When the sun hits it, it warms up and turns into a sauna.
Cars are designed to be waterproof, but they have hidden air vents so the body can breathe. A cover blocks that airflow, keeps out light and traps heat. Damp, dark, warm and still -- perfect conditions for growing mould, mildew and fungus. Once mould or mildew takes hold on the fabric, the smell is difficult to shift.
Solvent migration damages paintwork
A waterproof cover is made of flexible plastic, so it contains plenty of solvents and plasticizers. Leave it on long enough and you get solvent migration from the plastic into your paintwork. The damage is not always immediately visible -- you often only see it when the cover comes off in spring and the gloss underneath looks hazy.
Wind turns a cover into sandpaper
Car covers seldom fit perfectly unless they are custom made. Loose sections flap in the wind and rub against the paint. Over a few months that causes scratches, especially once grit works its way underneath. On a cabriolet the same flapping abrades the fabric weave, which is much more delicate than clearcoat -- you can lose the weatherproofing treatment long before you notice the wear.
Covers hide problems instead of fixing them
People often reach for a cover because the roof is already letting water in, or because algae and lichen keep coming back. A cover does not solve either problem -- it hides them. Water that's already inside the car still needs to evaporate, and growth on the fabric thrives in the humid microclimate under a cover. Sort the cause first, then decide whether you still need a cover.
A better approach for a soft-top left outside
If you can't keep the car under a car port or in a garage, we would suggest:
- Get the hood serviced so it doesn't leak.
- Treat the soft-top with a weatherproof coating.
- Park away from trees -- sap, bird mess and falling debris cause more damage than weather.
- Don't let the car sit for months -- give it a run out every couple of weeks so seals and mechanism stay exercised.
If you really do want a cover
There are times when a cover makes sense -- long-term indoor storage, a dedicated show car, or short dry spells of UV exposure. In those cases, choose carefully:
- Breathable fabric -- not plastic or PVC. The cover must let water vapour out.
- Fitted, not universal -- a baggy cover flaps; a fitted one doesn't.
- Soft inner lining -- fleece or brushed cotton, not bare seams rubbing the paint.
- Dry car and dry cover only -- never put it on a wet car or hood, and take it off regularly so both can air out.
Common cover mistakes we see
- Putting a cheap waterproof cover on outdoors all winter and finding mould underneath in spring.
- Using a tarpaulin or builders' sheet -- guaranteed to scratch and hold water.
- Covering a car that's already damp inside, which locks the damp in.
- Leaving the same cover on for months without checking underneath.