Could the thing protecting you (car cover) harm you?

[cam fan]

I have the official GM red car cover for the Camaro and I have a feeling it is causing the only-seen-in-sunlight swirl marks (that drive me insane!).

Am I right to suspect this?

other factors:
- car is 3 weeks old
- lightly dusted with california duster and covered every night after use
- camaro is washed every week by hand with proper wash technique (i.e. JunkMan's advice)




:(



btw that is not my paint above; that's mildly worse

[Kahdir]

I would only use a cover for long term storage... otherwise garage it.

[v6sonoma]

I only put the car cover on mine once the car is completely clean. Anything on the paint will get rubbed into it. Especially if it's an outdoor car with wind blowing on it. So it could have caused it.

[TommyTSquared]

What cloth/rag/whatever are you washing/drying the car with? The swirl could be caused by that I would guess. You'd have to be doing something like rubbing your hand in a swirling motion on top of the cover rubbing it into the car though.

[Camaro_Corvette]

Car Covers are for long term storage. Do not put it on and off your car everyday. You will be doing more harm than good. Just think of all those little dust particles that you drag across the paint every time you put the cover on. Over time, they add up.

[pennor]

Quick answer: YES!

Your car cover could be doing this. Years ago it was popular to buy a bra for the front of some cars to "protect the paint" from flying sand and bugs while you drove it. But after a while those who did this noticed that the bra actually rubbed nasty looking marks into the paint where it was constantly worked back and forth by the wind hitting the front of the car. So I can see how a car cover being put on and taken off on a daily basis could do the same.

[Kwik]

I really think car covers do more harm than good. If any dust gets on the surface, the cover will grind it into the paint. The covers also hold dust, so they put the dust against the paint each time you use them. Wash your car thoroughly when it goes into storage and wash it as soon as you start driving it again.

[mulletman]

Get rid of the California Duster. Wash the car to remove dust. Even using a light touch dust is being ground into the paint.

[Tantalizer43]

I think the california duster is more to blame than the car cover is...

[Scrapppy666]

One thing I found out early on, pretty much impossible to keep swirls out of this paint, it might as well be wet its so fragile. Mine is black and I do keep swirls to a minimum but the reality is, I drive it everyday and it's going to happen so I don't stress about it anymore.

Swirls being caused by "swirling motion" while washing or drying is a myth, the spots look like swirl scratches because thats how the specular light flashes off the surface. The scratches really go in all directions.

I'd avoid the dry dusting, wash it weekly, wax it every few months. If your worried about the swirls have the car gone over with a fine grade polish, wax and put it in the garage and never touch it again... pretty much your only option.

[spurscar]

Nothing like taking a piece of fabric and using it to push dust and dirt all around the
finish of your new car... awesome...

[christianmotox]

The California Duster is a great tool if used properly, i think more damage gets done to the paint when drying, that's why i always use spotless car wash.

And i also believe that the car cover is causing more harm than good. i dont think they where designed for daily use.

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[SuperH]

I use a large California Duster, and I've used them on my Onyx Black Canyon. When used properly, they should leave no scratches. Do not let them abrase your paint; as you bring the duster across the vehicle (make sure you have the large one), turn it tangentally with respect to the direction you are moving it. This will result in a "lift" action not a "wipe" action, and you will avoid scratches altogether.

For each vehicle panel, "wipe and fling" off the dust from the California Duster, shake it, and then move onto the next panel.

The car cover is likely the culprit. Get some Meguiar's ScratchX, and apply it with a Microfiber applicator on an orbital buffer, then use a Microfiber polishing pad to polish the finish. Back-buff afterward with a terry cloth pad, and leave it alone.

[CamaroDreams07]

I'm pretty sure it's not just the car cover causing that massive swirl damage. That's improper wash media or technique. Car covers can scratch, but after only 3 weeks, there's no way it did that much circular damage. Time to review wash videos and buy some big boy paint car and correction materials (not Meg's OTC)