[rajathv8]

Originally Posted by rajathv8

Noticed a few more tears today.

My car cover has met its grim reaper.

I moved residence and a bunch of stray dogs tore the entire driver side off. So when you look at the car from passenger side, front or back it look perfectly fine but as soon as you step to driver side, the entire car is visible, bumper to bumper

I ordered a ~Rs.700 cover from autofurnish on amazon and it turned out to be a good laugh. It was 2 sizes bigger than my tiny A-Star.

I have placed an order for Polco N-Series @Rs1741 incl delivery from polco website and I should get it around 20th July. Need to check if the dogs are generous enough this time.

[sumeethaldankar]

My one and half year TPH cover Aqua King tore from the rear last week while I was trying to adjust the cover on the car. It had already become brittle at the rear left bumper and it finally tore a little to the left at the bottom rear. I have done a patch up job with 2 zip ties at the tear. A 7k cover should be tougher in my humble opinion. It seems the 6 months continuous parking due to the Covid situation was harsh even on the TPH. Anyways the cover did seemed a bit tight. I had a TPH cover on the Verna, that used to fit well on the car and easy to remove probably due to sedan shape of the car. Hatchbacks the cover is definitely a bit harder to put and pull off. One more reason to go for sedans .

[iamitp]

Got the TPH Pilot 373 for my new Creta last night and installed it after a dry wash. I got my younger brother involved and it took a bit of fumbling to get the cover on. Once we manage to figure out the ORVM inserts, it was much easier. Wondering if there's an efficient technique for installing, uninstalling and storing these kind of heavy microfiber lined covers?

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by iamitp

... Wondering if there's an efficient technique for installing, uninstalling and storing these kind of heavy microfiber lined covers?

Yes! It's easy when you get used to it. The key is to always fold/remove it by the same method, and simply reverse when applying. This is my method,beginning with removing the cover...

1. fold each side edge up and onto top of car, edge to centre line.

2. fold each side again up and to centre line.

3. Roll forewards, onto bonnet... pick up roll.

Covering car

1. Place roll on car bonnet.

2. Unroll up windscreen and onto roof, making sure OVRM "ears" fit over OVRMs

3. Continue rolling back. Make sure antena, if you have one, fits in its cover.

(getting it right up to this point means little or no movement of cover against car, minimising swirl risk, but sometimes you just have to adjust)

4. Let rear part of cover fall down over hatchback.

5. Fold out both sides.

6. Hitch elastic edge under back of car.

7. Hitch elastic edge under front of car.

8. Check that elastic edge is securely under each side.

That's it, and it takes longer to type than to do. Simply follow and repeat identically, this, or any routine, that allows you to cover/uncover the car without sliding the cover around or having ends drop to the ground.

Cleaning the cover

This has been on my mind for some time. This is a very dusty area and fine dust had impregnated my cover over four years of use. The car was away for a few days for service, tinkering and polishing and I knew that I now had to make the effort to minimise the amount of dust in the cover.

1. I put it on the concrete and shook it vigorously from each end and then all along each side. This created huge clouds of dust. Mask required!

2. Turn over and do it again.

3. Go directly to shower!

second round.

1. Rig line between two uprights (I had meant to use our terrace washing line, but forgot to coordinate with others and it was occupied)

2. Beat soundly all over.

3. Turn over (inside out) on line.

4. Repeat beating. Go to shower

I had been wondering what to beat it with. In my British youth, there were carpet beaters, shaped a bit like tennis rackets. I used a broom: the kind with long plastic "strands" because one can hit really hard with this, and they spread out a bit on impact. I wouldn't like to be on the receiving end!

A final session with a vacuum cleaner would be good, but don't currently have a working one with attachments.

[iamitp]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

A final session with a vacuum cleaner would be good, but don't currently have a working one with attachments.

A massive Thank you! for your extensive guide

I'll give it a practice run tomorrow

Wondering if it is okay to put the cover in a washing machine? Since the inner microfiber lining is likely to pick up dust over time.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by iamitp

Wondering if it is okay to put the cover in a washing machine? Since the inner microfiber lining is likely to pick up dust over time.

Thanks... that's just how I do it. The only thing I could never do was fold it so that it fitted back in the rather nice case they supplied with it!

See their instructions. Or call them. If I could get mine in a washing machine, I would, but it was their top model, 4 years back, and is pretty thick. Even half the thickness, I don't believe I could jam it in.

[iamitp]

Bought the TPH Pilot 373 for my Creta 2020 around the beginning of the month at Rs. 11,350. It is big, heavy and looks premium enough for me to worry about someone actually nicking the cover instead of the car.

The cover is a single tone of blue with pink inner microfibre lining, which helps in preventing scratches while taking it on and off. I also opted for reflective piping for preventing accidental dings at night due to my open parking on the colony street.

Due to its weight and size, it is a bit of a chore to put it on and take it off. However, some practice and good advice from BHPian Thad E Ginathom has had helped me bring down the time to 1 min, when doing it alone.

Tip: If you are opting for a custom logo, then consider getting something like 'Warning: Under CCTV surveillance' printed on the cover. I thought about it after receiving the cover.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by iamitp

Bought the TPH Pilot 373 for my Creta 2020 around the beginning of the month at Rs. 11,350. It is big, heavy and looks premium enough for me to worry about someone actually nicking the cover instead of the car.

Wow. Maybe same as mine, which cost about 8k several years back. Thought that was a lot!

Due to its weight and size, it is a bit of a chore to put it on and take it off. However, some practice and good advice from BHPian Thad E Ginathom has had helped me bring down the time to 1 min, when doing it alone

You're probably beating me! The good student becomes better than the teacher .

I forgot to mention that I fold the front up to the windscreen, and the back up too before folding the sides in. Last few months has seen so little driving. I am about to fill diesel for the first time since March!

Tip: If you are opting for a custom logo, then consider getting something like 'Warning: Under CCTV surveillance' printed on the cover. I thought about it after receiving the cover.

Good idea. I did not get a custom logo, but I did specify the colours

[Sebring]

I had my eye on TPH, so ordered this beautiful cover on their site when they had upto 50% off.

[Gansan]

I always buy MGA car covers from MSM. Costs around Rs 1k and lasts for 18 months since car is always parked in the open. As soon as it tears, I buy a new one.

[straight6]

Which tph cover is absolutely waterproof and no water gets in from the seams?

[iamitp]

Originally Posted by straight6

Which tph cover is absolutely waterproof and no water gets in from the seams?

My Pilot 373 isn't entirely waterproof as the seasonal rains in January proved. AFAIK, all their covers are marketed as 'Water resistant' and not 'Water proof'.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Waterproof, as I recall from my wet-weather sailing gear long ago, is not easy to achieve. It means taping seams, which adds quite a lot to the cost and price.

Whilst that Dupont fabric, which I forget the name of, is waterproof, the seams are not. Some water will get inside.

My tph cover is only ever used under a car port. But drips do indeed wet it, and the wetness goes through.

I bought mine some years ago. and haven't looked at their specs/claims again since. I knwo they say that the car will dry through the cover ("don't cover your car when dirty, wash it first: it will dry when covered").

Anyway, mine is certainly not cat-proof, and has lots of small claw holes now.

[straight6]

Originally Posted by iamitp

My Pilot 373 isn't entirely waterproof as the seasonal rains in January proved. AFAIK, all their covers are marketed as 'Water resistant' and not 'Water proof'.

They have one called aqua king which they claim is all weather proof.

[iamitp]

Originally Posted by straight6

They have one called aqua king which they claim is all weather proof.

I disagree. According to the brochure supplied, Aqua King also said water resistant. Screenshot attached.