To cover or not to cover

[yukonxl1500]

We moved out here to Arizona about 6 months ago and the sun is very hot and strong. We normally garage both cars (2 car garage), my BMW and the Yukon XL. I just bought a golf cart so my wife could take my kids to school and to save on gas. She was having such hard time with parking and getting around the school parking lot (very small and old..know room for such big vehicle . Now that the Yukon will probably see the road about every other weekend (major shopping) and the cart will get daily use, I was thinking about parking the SUV in our three car driveway and the golf car in the garage to keep it cooler and clean. It is very very dusty here, you could detail the car one day and there is a layer of dust the next.

Should I cover the SUV while parked outside or just let it bake in the sun. It does not rain much here and my only concern is in the hot summer months. I was thinking about getting a generic car cover for around $80 not the high speed all weatherproof type. My major concerns are paint and interior damage.

Thanks for bearing through the long question

 

[Big Tap]

If you're only going to be driving it every so often, it sounds like a good investment if you're not going to keep it in the garage. A cheap car cover is a cheap price to pay to save wear and tear on your paint and interior.

 

[Jeremy_K]

I'd invest in a sun shade and some ventshades for the windows. The ventshades will allow air to circulate through the interior. I used to live in Albuquerque and my first day in NM my dash cracked on my car. It was from the cold dry air in the winter. Window tint will also help preserve the interior. As for the sun damaging the exterior, you will probably have sold it or traded it in by the time that happens. Paint technology has come a long way and is more resistant to the elements. Also, I learned that Armor all does more harm than good in that environment.

 

[withac]

The Yukon cost how much? And the golf cart cost how much? And you're putting which one in the garage and which one out in the elements? Sorry dude but that just doesn't make sense. It's nice you want to keep it cool for the missus but that sounds bass-ackwards to me. You live in Arizona, it's gonna be hot, I'd suggest you cover the golf cart so it's not dusty for your wife, accept the heat, and keep the Yukon garaged.

 

[yukonxl1500]

The Yukon cost how much? And the golf cart cost how much? And you're putting which one in the garage and which one out in the elements? Sorry dude but that just doesn't make sense. It's nice you want to keep it cool for the missus but that sounds bass-ackwards to me. You live in Arizona, it's gonna be hot, I'd suggest you cover the golf cart so it's not dusty for your wife, accept the heat, and keep the Yukon garaged.

When you put it that way it does sound stupid. But it all boils down to convenience. The cart will get daily usage, and the other option would be to park it behind our fence. Parking out front would be begging for someone to steal it etc. I was going to go with that idea and just get a cover for it. but after a few days of dealing with trying to keep the gate open, having to manually unlock/open close, it is just easier to keep it in the garage. So I went ahead and ordered a 100% waterproof car cover from covercraft. If I had the 3 car garage this would not be an issue, I know now for our next move.

 

[withac]

When you put it that way it does sound stupid. But it all boils down to convenience. The cart will get daily usage, and the other option would be to park it behind our fence. Parking out front would be begging for someone to steal it etc. I was going to go with that idea and just get a cover for it. but after a few days of dealing with trying to keep the gate open, having to manually unlock/open close, it is just easier to keep it in the garage. So I went ahead and ordered a 100% waterproof car cover from covercraft. If I had the 3 car garage this would not be an issue, I know now for our next move.

Sorry, I see what you mean, I shouldn't have been such an ass in my response.

 

[yukonxl1500]

No worries, my only concern was whether to cover or not to cover. While we lived in Hawaii we had no garage and our garage in Florida was too full for cars. The cars just went uncovered. For some reason with the 120 ext heat and I am sure 150+ interior heat I just though by leaving outside and unused that some deteriation would occur. As I drive down my street and neighborhood I see most cars parked in drive way. At least now it will stay clean between washes/uses vs washing car one day and leaving it sit to collect dust, bird droppings etc.

 

[CHISTOSO]

How big is your garage? I have a 16x18 and I keep my GNX, my Tahoe and a limo golf cart in it and they fit fine. I just built a shed on the side of the garage for the rest of the stuff I can't keep in the garage.. The GNX fits in all the way to the wall and the Golf cart sideways in front of the car and my Tahoe on the other side.. Nothing else fits in there though.

 

[yukonxl1500]

I dont have the measurments but with the xl, it took up space from garage door to wall and I parked close enough to drivers wall to get out, the BMW get slightly more room since it is used more, but there is no way I could fit the cart inside.

 

[mary900]

I'm from AZ. It's hot, dusty and a pain-in-the-a$$ to keep dust off a vehicle. At a minimum, get a car cover.

 

[oomindwarpoo]

LOL, I've never heard of so many people driving golfcarts around...?

 

[CHISTOSO]

Golf carts are the $h!ts !!! I love mine..