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I'm looking for a budget cover that I can use when we do trips to the beach or other places where I leave the car out at night and 1) don't want to bother with putting top up and windows on it it rains and 2) don't want to draw attention for people walking by to mess with the car.   

Doesn't need to be a perfect fit or industrial strength or anything since this is for limited situations a few times a year.

Last edited by MarylandGuy
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I’ve bought several covers from Carcovers.com. They’re have a 20% off birthday sale right now.



I believe the last one I bought was the Ultimate for my 968. I like it because it’s a lightweight flannel backed waterproof fabric, so it’s not as bulky as something like a Evo3 of Noah cover.
https://www.carcovers.com/cove...957/convertible.html

ps: thanks for posting this. It made me look and I need to get an indoor cover for my Spyder and they’re 20% off.

Last edited by dlearl476

I just watched the Microbead video. That looks like the same fabric my 968 cover is. It’s a little cheaper and includes security straps, which is nice. I don’t know if it’s fitted as well, from the sounds of the video, it seems kind of generic, but it looks like it fits the car in the video perfectly (like my 968 cover does).

@MarylandGuy posted:

The carcovers.com basic seems like it would work well for my needs and on $87 on sale.   I like that you can also get the cable with lock for $13.   Does their 356 convertible fit work for our speedsters given ours are wider than the original?   

The basic isn’t waterproof.

As for fit, call Henry. He’s made tons of covers for replicas. I knew he knew what he was doing when I ordered my first Spyder cover and he asked me if I had the headrest nacelle or not.

The cable is a pretty good deal, but you’re going to want to get another lock. The ones that come with the cover aren’t very good. There’s a little brass Master with a skinny shackle that fits the cable and has a real key. The ones that come with the cover can be picked with a Bobby pin.

Last edited by dlearl476
@dlearl476 posted:

The basic isn’t waterproof.

As for fit, call Henry. He’s made tons of covers for replicas. I knew he knew what he was doing when I ordered my first Spyder cover and he asked me if I had the headrest nacelle or not.

The cable is a pretty good deal, but you’re going to want to get another lock. The ones that come with the cover aren’t very good. There’s a little brass Master with a skinny shackle that fits the cable and has a real key. The ones that come with the cover can be picked with a Bobby pin.

Or cut the whole thing off with a knife.

@Jon T posted:

So if a car cover is described as being designed for a 356, and assuming it has mirror pockets, would the pockets align with fender or door mounted mirrors?

Those are the questions Henry will ask if you call. FWIW, neither of my 968 covers have mirror pockets. But I have folding mirrors. My experience is the mirror pockets are kind of nice because they help keep the cover secured in light breezes. OTOH, they’re kind of a PITA when putting the cover on.

Maybe you can tell them where to put the mirror pockets.  It has been a long time since I bought my cover but I seem to recall that I was able to do that.

I can’t remember if it was car covers.com or someone else, but one cover I ordered they had me send the a profile pic of the car and an overall length to digitize and measure.

Oh wait, now I remember it was when I ordered the “California” (interior) cover for my 968, because the first one they sent me didn’t fit with the top up. (Not that it’s ever up)  



ps: I ordered a “Basic” from carcovers.com today. $101.00 shipped, with the added wind straps. I don’t need a ; seasons cover as the Spyder is either in its garage or in the carport of my complex. Both are very dusty if the wind blows.
I’ll post a review when it gets here next week.

Last edited by dlearl476
@dlearl476 posted:

Those are the questions Henry will ask if you call. FWIW, neither of my 968 covers have mirror pockets. But I have folding mirrors. My experience is the mirror pockets are kind of nice because they help keep the cover secured in light breezes. OTOH, they’re kind of a PITA when putting the cover on.

Henry who?  On this site, references to 'Henry' refer to Henry Reisner of Intermeccanica.  I don't  think he is into making car covers...

I'm still kicking around getting the carcovers.com basic which comes with cable/lock, storage bag, and wind straps for around $107 or the microbead which sounds like is better for outdoor and comes with all the same accessories for $99.   I think the outdoor use tips the scales to microbead as long as they line up the mirrors to my door mounts.   

Am I missing anything here?

@MarylandGuy posted:

I placed an order for the $99 microbead this morning and it already shipped out.  I will let everyone know how it fits and post some pictures when I install it.

"Henry" from carcovers.com won't stop spamming me    they have maybe went a little overboard on digital marketing campaigns for being in the car cover business.

Thank god for spam filters.

Whenever I need a cover, I dig the latest emails out of my spam folder and look for the codes. Otherwise, they’re on auto flush.

I got the microbead cover today and put it on the car.   I'm not sure if they sent me the wrong cover or if these things just aren't intended to fit right, but I'm not impressed.   The mirror covers hang way below the mirror levels.   If anything with our speedsters being wider than the originals I thought they would sit high, but maybe need to put the top up.   

What do you guys think from the pictures?  20210820_16245820210820_16244620210820_162425

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Looks just like mine for my Speedster and 356SC Coupe. Should fit pretty snugly at front and rear.It may billow up in a moderate wind. Side tie down straps can be used if needed. I don't mind the looseness. It's easy to bundle up and put on/take off. Works just fine for me. Custom fit covers will cost considerably more and probably not last any longer. I recall the instructions suggest removing the cover if it is extremely windy. Microbead has 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Jim Ruiz

Westchester, CA 90045

The microbead company emailed me back promptly and it was the wrong cover they sent.  They have shipped another one already and provided an shipping label for me to send this one back. 

Its unfortunate because I was planning to take the speedster to the beach for a few days, but I'm a little hesitant to have it sitting out uncovered, but not that big of a deal to just take it next time.

In related news: My “Basic” showed up on my doorstep Friday afternoon, but I haven’t had a chance to put it on.

That night I had a dream that I opened it up and it was a bunch of cut up garbage bags duct taped together.

LOL. I’m going to go down and take the Spyder to the car wash (it’s pretty dusty from sitting in the storage unit with no cover) and I’ll put it on and report back.

Well, thank goodness my dream didn't come true. The cover I got fits more like Impala's than MarylandGuy's, but it's a little loose. I guess I should have told them I had the low screen instead of the Speedster one. That would have made a lot of difference. It will be fine for keeping the dust off it, whether in my storage unit or under the carport here at home. I forgot my phone when I went to wash it and put the cover on it.  I'll do it next time I'm down there.

I should have saved the $10 for the "wind straps" though. It's just a bag of awning clamps and bungee cords, like I already have from my full-time RV-ing days.  I thought they'd be faster buckles and nylon straps like my Evo III cover had from the description.

Last edited by dlearl476

I think it is just the mirror bags being so far off that optically throws me off.   Good point on the softtop being down also not helping.   If there isn't anything better in this price range that will support some outdoor use, I guess I'll make it work.  Its really only for when we go to Ocean City, MD.   We have a covered space, but I don't want it visible at night to encourage people to mess with it.   Hoping weather is good enough to take it down this weekend.

I used to have a Noah fitted cover, too, but iirc it was $250-$300.

I got down to the shop the other day but forgot to post my picture. It’s a “Sm” generic, but it fits pretty well. My little home test with the cover revealed it’s mostly waterproof and breathable. I wouldn’t use it for continual outdoor use, but for keeping dust off of it in storage or my carport, or keeping the sun/rain off of it on the rare occasion when I park it somewhere outdoors, it will be perfect.
18CCC0E1-16B2-4A3A-9F83-0F06EF05920C

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