Has anyone tried this rain cover?

[lotos]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tailor-Made-Outdo ... 563d87d97e

Says they designed it for the M100 with Paul Matty, they manufacture it, and it uses elastic around the side mirrors. They'd be willing to do a small discount for us as a power buy if people have a high opinion of it.

Has anyone tried it? I'd like to get a rain cape myself and of course want the best one out there, but like I said if this one is good a power buy is available for the group to take advantage of.

Thanks!
- Randy

[tweetdriver63]

I got this one from moto-build racing. Inexpensive, and works great.

[Specky]

I've used one for a few years and IMHO it's overpriced for what you get and suffers several design floors.

Here's what they are....

First the elastic straps

Easy to put on you may think, but there's loads of stretch so the first gust of wind from the rear turns it into a parchute. This will inevitably tear at the elastic stitching and whilst it billows in the wind, the rain is coming in.

The elastic straps around the mirrors are too tight, the covers stiching went on mine whilst trying to pull it over the mirrors.

The front is held down by the wipers, this is next to useless for holding down the front of the cover in a minor wind. (flaps aimlessly in the wind and begins to billow)

The sides aren't long enough.....how does water get into an Elan.... A post seals and running down the window into your doors, this will then run along the sill and finally come to rest behind your seats...

Infact the cover can actually duct more water into your car on occassions.

I love it when advert try and mention key people, but if the advert said "Devloped and trialled by the LEC" you'd be more than convinced.

IMHO If they were £10-15 that would be ideal, more of a disposable shower cover, IMHO not exactly fit for purpose, but an option.

TTFN

[Specky]

Forgot to say it comes in a bag...

Which is idea to repair the cover when it tears.

TTFN

[tweetdriver63]

I've been using the one I got from moto-build for about 2 years, on a daily basis. I cover with it every night, and put it on when I'm at work, regardless of the weather. So far, I've had zero problems with it. I have even had it on with the top down and gotten a rain shower, without any water getting in the car.

It has elastic for the right side mirror and velcros around the one on the left. It has a large elastic strap for the back, which on a Fed car, goes around the spoiler nicely. If you have it on the car with the top down, wind will lift the back of the cover, unless you add a couple of suction cups or something. The front is held down by the wipers, but doesn't really need to be held down at all (with the sides attached to the mirrors, the front isn't going anywhere). I did add a large suction cup on about a 4 inch elastic strap at the middle of each side (mine didn't have the under-car strap shown in the picture). With those I can hold it down so that it covers the entire window and keeps any water from getting in at the base of the glass.

Like I said, I've been using it every day for 2 years with no issues. I did recently spray it with waterproofing stuff like you would spray on a tent, because in heavy rain, water did start to soak through the fabric. With the spray, it's 100% waterproof.

[RayD]

.


This is an homemade version, the material is readily available ... it’s held on with hidden plastic suckers at the back.

[Specky]

Ray, more pics please.

Here's the company I used, it was sold as an M100 cover.

Here's the Ebay Link from the top of the page

One registered at

CoversShop
6 Kings Road
Rushden
NN10 0DL

the other at

CoverSystems
49, GROVE ROAD,
RUSHDEN.
NN10 0YD

and both use identical photographs...

I've repaired mine a few times, but some high winds saw it off

This is what's left.

[GeoffSmith]

Trust you to go for split-crotch ones!

[RayD]

...

[Specky]

Trust you to go for split-crotch ones!

Very nice, very nice.... Only a squidge better than mine thou.....

Wanner swap!!!


TTFN

[tweetdriver63]

Here's my moto-build showercape. You can see my small mod on the side, where I added a small elastic strap with a suction cup. Sorry about the focus on the last pic.

showercape2.JPG

Showercape1.JPG

showercape3.JPG

[lotos]

I was thinking these would be a nice alternative to putting the top up when I arrive somewhere for a short stop (shopping, eating, etc). Keep prying eyes away from an exposed interior, and protect against rain. Seems like neither one mentioned here (CoverShop or MotoBuild) is perfect. Wasn't there a third option done in a power buy a few years back?

[tweetdriver63]

You've heard the old saying, "If you want something done right you have to do it yourself?" Well, I think that applies here. I actually did make my own originally, but my McGuyver skills weren't quite up to the task. The moto-build showercape is about 90% just the way I would have designed it. I would have put the suction cups on the sides, and probably at the rear too. I might have used a different material to be more waterproof, but I think they were trying to keep it as light as possible. Logically, it doesn't need to be 100% waterproof for most convertibles, because they're supposed to keep the water out all by themselves. In our case, we need the cover to help out. The waterproofing spray solves the problem without adding any weight or stiffness. I last sprayed it before the car went in the shop in December and it's still staying 100% waterproof, so it doesn't have to be resprayed often.

if you can't tell, I'm actually recommending the moto-build one for just that purpose. I think you'll find that leaving the car with the top down when there's a possibility of rain doesn't happen often. If it did, I would probably add a couple of suction cups at the rear. The ones I added on the sides keep it from having/getting a gap over the door when the cover's on with the top down, and make sure the cover overlaps the bottom edge of the windows when it's up. There have been a couple of times when it has stormed, that there's been a very strong wind from behind the car, and the back of the cover picks up like a sail. Those suckers on the sides help keep it in place then too. The one pictured at moto-build's website has a strap connected at that point that goes under the car and has a buckle. The one they sent me didn't have that, and I'm glad it didn't. I think an under-car strap would be a pain in the arse.

It came with a little bag for storage, but the only time I put it in the bag is when I'm at a show. Otherwise, I just wad it up in the trunk.

For keeping the sun and prying eyes out, top up or down, it's worked very well and takes less than 30 sec to put on/take off. It has also done a great job keeping the inside of my car dry (spraying with extra waterproofing is necessary), both with the top up and with it down on one or two occassions.

[antelope]

Hi. Does the Moto-Build cover recommended here stop that little problem of water running down the A and B posts and pooling on the sills?

By the way, the Elan cover isn't on the Moto-Build website anymore. I've written to ask them if they still do them.

Anyone discovered any other good ones?

Cheers
David

[tweetdriver63]

Hi. Does the Moto-Build cover recommended here stop that little problem of water running down the A and B posts and pooling on the sills?

Yes, it stops water coming in. I did mention that I sprayed waterproofing spray on mine to make it completely waterproof. Get that where they sell camping gear.

By the way, the Elan cover isn't on the Moto-Build website anymore. I've written to ask them if they still do them.

Still there. Try this link.

It's down a good way, in the midst of a bunch of Elise accessories, right after some CD-ROM versions of the MK1 and MK2 Elise parts manuals.

[antelope]

Ah, found it. Thanks Chris..

As a matter of interest, has anyone tried this one? http://www.just-carcovers.co.uk/item.do?item=2212

Found it looking for an alternative to the Moto-build one. It looks the same to be honest.

[BFG in the BRG]

Sounds like it is the same as this one from Classic Additions

http://www.classicadditions.com/index.php?cPath=47_49&osCsid=0570d030101bd319fbdb2d951051ed89

if so, I can probably get you it cheaper - if you want one send me a PM.

I have one - it is fairly lightweight and I'm not sure how well it would stand up to gale force winds however I gather someone on the forum used one of these every day for a year before it disintegrated - so it is probably more harder wearing than I think.

I only use it on the odd occasion when I am leaving the car outside (holidays and weekend trips), it folds down to about A4 size and about an inch thick so stows easily.

[Denny]

[quote="BFG in the BRG"]Sounds like it is the same as this one from Classic Additions

http://www.classicadditions.com/index.php?cPath=47_49&osCsid=0570d030101bd319fbdb2d951051ed89quote]

Is that the £32 delivered version you have in your bottom signature box?

[antelope]

Thanks BFG, but bit brassic at the mo...have to repair a scrape acquired in a car park...

[lotos]

I wish Ray would make me one of his...