Ferrari: To cover or not to cover? | FerrariChat

Ferrari: To cover or not to cover?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by Husker, Apr 22, 2021.

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  1. Husker

    Husker F1 World Champ

    Dec 31, 2003
    11,788
    western hemisphere
    Is it overkill to cover a Ferrari that’s in its own garage? I live in a high desert, windy climate with a lot of dust. Yes, it will gather some dust without a cover, but won’t a car cover slightly marr the car itself, putting it on and removing it?

    I just got a ceramic coat. I’m thinking of not covering it and just gently wipe it with a California duster from time to time.

    Thoughts?
     
  2. PMiranda

    PMiranda Formula Junior

    Jul 23, 2004
    574
    Austin, TX
    For a while I kept an M3 in a storage unit and I wish I had covered it since alot of dust always seemed to get in.
    Otherwise I wouldn't think your average garage was dusty enough to need a cover and I generally would rather have a little dust on a car that blows off than to scratch it with a cover, unless you know you're going to be storing it for a while and you can clean it well before covering.
     
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  3. stretchgeneral

    stretchgeneral Formula 3
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 9, 2014
    1,317
    MA/TX
    Full Name:
    McK
    I do not believe a Ferrari car cover will damage or scratch the surface. No matter how tight your garage, an uncovered car stored for the winter etc., will have dust (not to mention pollen) on it, enough to make you want to wash it. When I have been lazy and not covered it, I wished I had later when I see the dust. Don't see dust? check with a finger and you will see the dust. Ferrari's come with a very nice cover. I suggest using it. But I would not put the cover on a dirty car.
     
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  4. Dave Bertrand

    Dave Bertrand Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 24, 2005
    770
    Castle Rock, CO
    Any car cover can and will scratch the paint. It isn't the cover itself that's the problem usually, it's the fact that there is always some dust both on the cover and on the car. Your car is better off collecting dust. Dust isn't the enemy; rubbing your car with anything dry, including a California car duster, is going to mar the paint because A) it moves the dust around before picking it up, and B) The dust that gets picked up gets rubbed across the paint. Car dusters should be outlawed. I know because I've been detailing cars for the last 20 years and I used those evil things before I learned better. Dust settling on the paint is harmless. It's when you move it around on the paint that it causes the micro-scratching.

    So, my strong suggestion is to leave it uncovered, and avoid touching the paint with anything, not even your fingers, except to open the doors or lids. To remove the dust, use a microfiber towel with a quick detailer or rinseless/waterless wash. Or, just take it out for a brisk drive. The dust will blow right off.
     
  5. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Jun 10, 2007
    6,485
    Lake Villa IL
    I don't cover my car in the garage but I don't see a problem with doing so if you only use it when the car is perfectly clean.

    If you use a car duster there's nothing a cover will hurt than that already did.
     
  6. Husker

    Husker F1 World Champ

    Dec 31, 2003
    11,788
    western hemisphere
    interesting! So the microfiber towel with quick detailed doesn’t also move dust around? The quick detailer seems to streak. What do you think about spray-away glass cleaner? It has no ammonia and seems to come off really easily.
     
  7. Dave Bertrand

    Dave Bertrand Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 24, 2005
    770
    Castle Rock, CO
    #8 Dave Bertrand, Apr 22, 2021
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2021
    The great thing about MF is that it "grabs" dust and dirt, and holds it in a way that doesn't mar the paint like a cotton terry towel would, or even worse, a chamois. That said, you shouldn't ever move it across the paint dry as it can indeed cause micro-marring. That's why you always need some type of lubrication, which the QD or wash solutions provide. They encapsulate the dust or dirt and lift it off the paint so the MF towel can wipe it away with minimal chance of marring. You have to be really careful with your technique though. It usually works best to wipe once in a straight line, then turn the towel over and don't go back over the same area a second time. Folding your towel into quarters allows 8 clean straight swipes. No technique will be perfect, but the key is to never wipe the paint dry; always make sure there's some lubrication provided by a wet solution. A CA car duster is basically a dry mop with paraffin coating, which the dust sticks to. But as you drag it across the paint, the dust kind of gets bulldozed and abrades the paint surface. It also leaves a little paraffin residue behind, which attracts and holds more dust and dirt. As you hinted at in your opening post, putting a car cover on and off can be damaging, no matter how careful you are or how clean you think the paint is. Dust and dirt are always there. You can see the dust floating around in the air in the ray of sunlight that shines through a window. It gets into our lungs with every breath we take, and it settles on our car every second of every day that it's parked. It never stops.

    Most of my cars are black, so it's easy to see what various techniques and products do to the paint. It's pretty amazing how little it takes to put noticeable defects in paint, even a hard clear coat. White and light metallics are quite forgiving. Red and yellow a little less so. BTW, I live in a high, dusty desert too (Colorado).

    Sprayway glass cleaner is excellent, but not recommended on paint as the alcohol will remove waxes and sealants. Many pro and amateur detailers swear by it. Stoner's Invisible Glass is also one of the more popular ones, as is Duragloss 761, which I use. Any of the alcohol-based ones are usually great, as alcohol doesn't leave streaks behind. If you do get streaks, it's almost always caused by contaminants that didn't get fully removed. That happens a lot if you don't get the glass wet enough. A second pass should remove the streaks. Windex contains ammonia, which does streak. Alcohol-based glass cleaners are far better.
     
  8. Husker

    Husker F1 World Champ

    Dec 31, 2003
    11,788
    western hemisphere
    this is all great info. Thank you!
     
  9. Il Co-Pilota

    Il Co-Pilota F1 Veteran

    May 29, 2019
    6,023
    Hopefully some place nice.
    Full Name:
    A.B
    If you use the car on a regular basis, don't. Unless the cover and car is absolutely free of dirt and grit, a cover will quickly leave its trace.

    Sent from my SM-G930F using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
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  10. Caeruleus11

    Caeruleus11 F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 11, 2013
    10,858
    Ive found using the cover is often more trouble than its worth. If you have a lot of dust and debris in the air then, before you remove it, I would recommend you vacuum the dust and debris off, otherwise you may transfer these items to the interior of the cover and then the next use you are rubbing them against the paint. I used to use a small dustbuster and it worked well. Be careful about rubbing the cover against the paint, you will create micro scratches. I think for a real garage queen, completely washed and cleaned and now you wish to put away for the winter, sure, go ahead with the cover. But otherwise, I would just leave it.
     
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  11. Teenferrarifan

    Teenferrarifan F1 Rookie

    Feb 21, 2003
    3,098
    Media, PA
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    Erik
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  12. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Jun 10, 2007
    6,485
    Lake Villa IL
    Like a trio of sexy girls hiding under the bed sheets. You know what's under there but much nicer to view uncovered :)
     
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  13. Extreme1

    Extreme1 Formula 3

    Jun 27, 2017
    1,212
    Santa Clarita, CA
    My 430 gets wiped down with a detailer after every drive, then garaged and covered with the red Ferrari cover. If I’m not going to drive it for a while, I’ll put a cheap Ebay cover over the red cover to stop it from fading and a little extra protection from bumps. I live about 100 yards down a dirt road, so I need extra protection from the dirt. The cheap cover washes easily and for $35 I can throw it away and get a new one when needed.


    Sent from my iPad using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
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  14. intrepidcva11

    intrepidcva11 F1 Rookie
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    Jan 12, 2009
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    Saratoga Springs NY
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    Seth
    Three cheers for the red white & blue!
     
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  15. Themaven

    Themaven F1 Rookie

    Nov 2, 2014
    4,252
    Eastdown
    Full Name:
    Darius
    It depends on how much ambient dust there is where you keep your cars. I kept my F512M uncovered for a year and it got covered in dust every few weeks. Bought a cover.

    My 575 and 430 came with covers, I use them, and bingo, cars don’t get dusty..I use the covers all the time now.

    If it’s ceramic coated your car shouldn’t get micro scratches from the cover unless you are rough with it.
     
  16. 32 Ford

    32 Ford Karting

    Jan 31, 2021
    172
    vancouver
    Full Name:
    Mike McGowan
    I have car covers for all my cars. I use to cover them. I like looking at them when I go out there and play in the shop. They are beautiful. They get a bit dusty but I like washing them too. Better than looking at blue, red or gray blob of cloth.
     
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  17. NE550

    NE550 Formula Junior

    Mar 23, 2017
    409
    Omaha, NE
    Full Name:
    Dave
    For long-term storage situations, say over winter where the car won't be used at all for months and the cover goes on once at the beginning of storage and comes off at the end, no harm no foul. Otherwise, for a car used regularly or semi-regularly, not a fan of covers. Just the act of putting on/taking off a cover will eventually cause micro scratches in the clearcoat/paint, even on an ostensibly clean car. So, except for long-term storage use, no covers.
     
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  18. EnzoItaly

    EnzoItaly Formula Junior

    Sep 29, 2016
    263
    Oh yes: purely based on experience... if the car sits longer than a week and it’s completely clean... I always put a cover on.

    Practically: if you keep the car clean... you never suffer from dust: after a ride I use quick detailer (Swissvax Quick Finish)... so the car is clean again before I put the cover on (after connecting the (CTEK) battery charger).
     
  19. EnzoItaly

    EnzoItaly Formula Junior

    Sep 29, 2016
    263
    Great explanation: why a microfiber towel is crucial to take off dust... with a classic towel the dust gets between the towel and the paint... creating micro-scratches. (If there is a fair bit of dust: I always clean with water (under light pressure) first. )
     
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  20. paulchua

    paulchua Cat Herder
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 1, 2013
    15,978
    Menlo Park, CA
    Full Name:
    Paul Chua
    I think it just depends on your area. My house has a ton of trees that have various pollen so cars get dirty quick. I find the cover helps quite a bit.
     
  21. Solid State

    Solid State F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 4, 2014
    9,582
    Full Name:
    Maximus Decimus Meridius
    I use silky cotton high thread count king size bed sheets draped over as a cover in the garage, Ensure paint is clean and without dust before covering and mark the top side for re-install same side down. If you use one with elastic then it will grab the lower sides/front/rear which would be dirty from even a short drive.
     

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