Caravan Covers ?

[Andrew_5098956]

Being very new to the caravan world, I am looking for some advice on Caravan covers.

Are they a good or a bad idea? in principal they seem good, but isn't a caravan designed to withstand the riggers of a british winter anyway, or will I be protecting my caravan by fitting one? also are the Non fitted general covers any good, and are there any makes I should look out for, and any to avoid!

 

[Damian]

Andrew, there are differing opinions on covers, so you will get different views.

We have a cover, the van is stored outside and without a cover quickly gets very dirty and covered in green algae and black streaks from the window rubbers etc, and that takes time to get clean when we want to use the van.

Also, uncovered, the paintwaork is vulnerable to the acid in bird droppings, tree sap and the acids in rainwater, as well as being subjected to the damaging UV rays from the sun which fades paintwork and curtains and interior upholstery.

Covers are not cheap, and we have a Protec made to measure cover which is excellent as it is breathable and keeps the van in pristine condition whilst in storage with no paint fade, no curtain or upholstery fade and, a huge bonus, makes the van less attractive to passing thieves as it is another thing to get past to steal anything.

Non fitted covers are not recommended by all the manufacturers, but Protec IS endorsed by the major makers.

The reason is that there is less chance of a fited cover flapping about in windy conditions as there is no spare fabric loose once the straps are tightened correctly

Whatever you decide, you need a breathable cover or you will end up with more problems than you set out to avoid.

 

[Richard_5082045]

Andrew, there are differing opinions on covers, so you will get different views.

We have a cover, the van is stored outside and without a cover quickly gets very dirty and covered in green algae and black streaks from the window rubbers etc, and that takes time to get clean when we want to use the van.

Also, uncovered, the paintwaork is vulnerable to the acid in bird droppings, tree sap and the acids in rainwater, as well as being subjected to the damaging UV rays from the sun which fades paintwork and curtains and interior upholstery.

Covers are not cheap, and we have a Protec made to measure cover which is excellent as it is breathable and keeps the van in pristine condition whilst in storage with no paint fade, no curtain or upholstery fade and, a huge bonus, makes the van less attractive to passing thieves as it is another thing to get past to steal anything.

Non fitted covers are not recommended by all the manufacturers, but Protec IS endorsed by the major makers.

The reason is that there is less chance of a fited cover flapping about in windy conditions as there is no spare fabric loose once the straps are tightened correctly

Whatever you decide, you need a breathable cover or you will end up with more problems than you set out to avoid.

Could I add a word of advice? Having made the decision to protect my investment thro the winter I decided to go for a made to measure type and not necessarily the cheapest .The cover fits well but just one slight problem-the caravan is totally saturated under the cover when it has rained !!!.To such a degree that the rain water runs down the corner gutters!! If you do buy a cover make sure it states it is WATERPROOF! My caravan probably now spends longer being wet than it did when it was uncovered.I am at a loss what to do next-whether to demand a refund and buy another new cover of the waterproof type this time.The existing cover is probably the most expensive on the market and are not fit for purpose.Regards