I am wondering if any of you use covers on your Mini? Also, if you do have you found them to be valuable or just a PIA?

My sense is that a Mini cover may be good cuz since the car is small, so is the cover. Big cars (and therefore big covers) are a hassle, but how about with a Mini?

I have to leave my MC at the train station from the middle of the morning until the middle of the afternoon four days a week. Not bad in SoCal winter but I am thinking about getting a cover for the summer.

Any thoughts or experiences?

Brands?

Materials?

Fit?

Thanks.

 

Covers in an open accessible area are too much of an invitation to steal. You might be better served with the internal "screens" (I am referring to the things made from reflective material that pretty much cover the entire front window). Get some of the reflective material and cut it to size for the rest of the MINI's windows, and you have a more secure solution to protection of the interior from the sun's UV rays. As far as protecting the paint, a really good protectant is Zaino. I have a tyvek-based cover that I use to keep dust off the car when it is in the garage.

 

I kinda thought about the theft issue, but in truth this is a lot full of much higher priced cars than my Mini. In fact, there are two other MCS just down the row. Still, that is a worry.

 

Try these...

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ighlight=cover

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ighlight=cover

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ighlight=cover

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ighlight=cover

 

Most covers have provisions for allowing a cable and lock. The cable goes under the car, and locks to the other side.

 

The cable and lock "security" system can be defeated in less than 30 seconds.

 

Somehow, I don't see anyone going into a parking lot with bolt cutters just to steal car covers. I doubt they'd make any money.

It will however, interfere with the casual idiot yanking covers off of cars just to do something stupid.

I have a cable lock on mine, mainly to prevent strong wind gusts from blowing it into the next county.

 

My two cents. I debated hard and asked a few friends and posted the question here too. I finally decided to buy the expensive cover from Moss Mini. I leave my car in a employee lot accessed by a swipe card and 24 hour roving guard so not exactly public, but you never know what people may do. The car is usually parked four days at time and with the Phoenix dust and sun I think the cover or risk of losing the cover is worth it. As long as the car is clean I will cover it and when I get back it is still clean. Fits nice and tight and has withstood wind and rain with no problems. Takes some practice to get it on and off though. I was concerned about abrasion under the cover but the car is Zainoed and I am watching the finish closely plus I like said earlier it goes on a clean car only. So far I am glad I have the cover.

The cable is there only to prevent the cover from going to the next county if a hurricane hits. The way this cover snugs down on this small car that is exactly what it would take to pull the cover off. Unless they have bolt cutters, scissors or the key.

 

Nice report, Cactusflier.

 

I keep my MINI under a car port not a garage so I decided to get a cover. I bought the Stormproof from CoverKing covers http://www.coverkingcovers.com/
I use a California Duster before covering because I have a gravel driveway that kicks up a lot of dust. If the car is really dirty I wont cover it until I wash it which kind of makes having the cover useless under those circumstances. Having said that, the car is covered more times than not so I still think for my situation it was a good purchase.

 

We had some pretty strong winds a couple months ago, and after a couple hours of getting up under the cover (Moss), it managed to work the cover off one end of the car. The cable was the only thing keeping the cover with the car.

The winds weren't anything like hurricane force. Just persistant enough.

 

Its worth it to me!!! I have my car parked all week long. its uncovered for the weekend and covered again for the week. Mine is the one from Moss Mini. somewhere around $100. don't remember the materal

 

That was one of my biggest concerns before getting the cover, if the wind would work a portion of it off and then beat the car's finish to death. I am happy with the fit and if and when this happens to me, re-evaluate putting the cover on when extreme winds are forcast. Like you said, persistance may be the key. Here it is thunderstorms that move in and out quick and not strong and steady winds for hours at a time. I would be interested in your experience if the cover did beat at the car or hung off to the side.

 

Just flopped off to one side,