Looking for experiences with motorhome covers

[Fishercol]

Just about to get the motorhome professionaly cleaned.Would like to put a good breathable full cover on afterwards as I am surrounded by trees dropping you know what all over my pride and joy. There are loads of covers on the market , many about the same price. Then there are Protec covers for loads more . Would really appreciate some opinions from anyone with any experience of these things before I shell out. Cheers!

 

[Brains]

I'm thinking that it maybe best to leave the cleaning until the Spring!

I have the same issue, I also park under trees which turn the roof black in about 2-3 weeks.
I've been looking for a 'shower cap' type of cover for ages, but I have 4 vents, 3 skylights, two solar panels and a large satellite dish on top.

 

[Richard n Ann]

I put a protec cover on the caravan one winter, by spring the van had got mildew on the curtains and the cover was wearing out where the wind was moving it.
Maybe just cover the roof but you'll still get streaks down it.

 

[Fishercol]

I'm thinking that it maybe best to leave the cleaning until the Spring!

I have the same issue, I also park under trees which turn the roof black in about 2-3 weeks.
I've been looking for a 'shower cap' type of cover for ages, but I have 4 vents, 3 skylights, two solar panels and a large satellite dish on top.

Thanks for your thoughts on the proble.m

 

[Fishercol]

I put a protec cover on the caravan one winter, by spring the van had got mildew on the curtains and the cover was wearing out where the wind was moving it.
Maybe just cover the roof but you'll still get streaks down it.

Really helpful to hear about some experience of the expensive one.

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[PP Bear]

Leave it grubby for the winter, then full valet for next years adventures.

 

[Fishercol]

Leave it grubby for the winter, then full valet for next years adventures.

A few folk seem to agree with that strategy

 

[Wombles]

Motorhome covers are best described as a bit Marmite on here however if used on a freshly washed motorhome & secured well then the Maypole breathable ones are excellent (see our experience here https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/winter-covers-for-motor-homes.180115/#post-2934348 ) & generally last around 3 years. Searching on the forum will bring up lots of feedback both positive & negative.

 

[Badknee]

If I could I would build a car port like structure, cover for the roof but air around the van.

 

[Just smiffy]

Drive it somewhere warmer….

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[Just smiffy]

If I could I would build a car port like structure, cover for the roof but air around the van.

With a built in gantry to do the roof jobs….

 

[Roby2008]

I cover mine, we do get 2 foot or more of snow here though.....

My previous MH was left uncovered for the first 7 years, the decals were totally trashed, the front scuttle got blocked and the overflow destroyed the electric in the headlights, the MH did stay leak free though and dry inside.

I did look at covers and the option of a roof and front cover was appealing but the price differential was not that different from a full cover, I have one of the Reimo tent technology breathable ones, cost was around €200, cheaper than the grands worth of damage I did to the previous MH by not covering it.

The cover fits the new MH well and the are no rubbing issues at this time, we shall see as time goes on if we get any, but polishing out a few scratches or adding PPF on those points is small beer compared to the paint damage and electrical issues from not covering it.

 

[cyberyacht]

I'm thinking that it maybe best to leave the cleaning until the Spring!

I have the same issue, I also park under trees which turn the roof black in about 2-3 weeks.
I've been looking for a 'shower cap' type of cover for ages, but I have 4 vents, 3 skylights, two solar panels and a large satellite dish on top.

It's the partridge in a pear tree that's probably making the mess.

 

[U.Toadifact]

Here at Toadifact Towers we are very exposed to winds, tree sap and gifts from the birds so have used a Protec cover for the last three winters. The key is to ensure the cover is tightly tied down to prevent as much movement as possible and ensure the van is newly washed and waxed. We also use a silver screen under the cover to protect the A pillars. We have had no issues with mildew.

The first year we noticed that the cover was slightly damaged where the rubber rear door stops had chafed so we now remove them when the cover is on.

I must say there is a great kick when removing the cover in spring when the van is pristine.

 

[meanders]

We used one with the first van, but when we went to collect the van for Christmas away, the cover had frozen solid to the van surface. It took ages to get the furry bits off the paintwork. Have never bothered since, but to be fair, the van looks a little uncared for!

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[Jim]

I notice a couple of "Influencers" are busy pushing covers on their channels, gushingly saying how wonderful they are.

In my experience they seem to have more cons than pro's. In November I always coerce a wife or a child to get on the roof and lay down a coat or two of wax. It really is all the protection you need.

 

[GROMIT69]

We have a protec cover made to measure used for five years now never any problems with scratching or damp , i think you get what you pay for , they have been making covers for over forty years if hey were no good i think they would have gone out of business by now ,you have paid all this money for you dream motorhome , a few hundred pounds is not a lot to keep it clean and dry in the grand plan of life

 

[icantremember]

I used a Protec cover on a previous motorhome and when I looked inside after a couple of weeks everything was running with condensation including locker doors and walls ... didn't use it again!

 

[Two on Tour]

Our experience with using a motorhome cover was not good and we will not use a cover again on a motorhome that's parked outside, the reason why is, well we used a cover over winter to keep the muck and grot off as it was parked partly under a tree and although the cover was tight on the motorhome the wind moved the cover about and rubbed through areas of paint to the aluminium on the top corners of the motorhome.
The cover was not a cheap one, it was a Royal breathable with a soft flock-type lining.

 

[eddie]

We use ours all year round, just back from a Scotland trip, last week, off to Cornwall tomorrow so any crap on the roof blows off!

So the faff of putting a cover on and off doesn’t appeal and thought of dragging a cover over the van with the potential risks (snagging scraping and scratching etc) doesn’t appeal

Another reason for us to have the motorhome accessible 24/7 in the Winter apart from going away is in Somerset we’re prone to power cuts in very windy conditions and it’s easy of an evening, simply to ‘up stumps‘ and resume what ever we doing ( dinner, film, game) in the van.

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[Plumb]

I notice a couple of "Influencers" are busy pushing covers on their channels, gushingly saying how wonderful they are.

In my experience they seem to have more cons than pro's. In November I always coerce a wife or a child to get on the roof and lay down a coat or two of wax. It really is all the protection you need.

Like the wife and child bit ! Like sending them up the chimney

 

[Neil183]

We use the Maypole cover and as the motorhome is stored in our rear garden and very secure we are able to leave the windows and skylights open a tiny bit so that air flows nicely. Open all cupboards/fridge and no issues with damp mould etc.

Amazon product ASIN B0043E9AUU

 

[Monkeynuts2215]

Just about to get the motorhome professionaly cleaned.Would like to put a good breathable full cover on afterwards as I am surrounded by trees dropping you know what all over my pride and joy. There are loads of covers on the market , many about the same price. Then there are Protec covers for loads more . Would really appreciate some opinions from anyone with any experience of these things before I shell out. Cheers!

We purchase a protec cover based on the 3 layers and it being breathable, we had no challenges with it as long as it is used correctly

 

[richard8]

I’ve used maypole covers on both my motorhomes and rearly can’t fault them. Waterproof and breathable. Put them on on a dry day with little wind for obvious reasons and remove in similar conditions, pack away in the bag provided ready for next winter.

 

[Lenny HB]

I used a different approach, I cut the trees down on my drive, cheap as I did it myself and the problem permanently solved.

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[Mal+Moy]

Have used a protech cover since covid and found them reasonably easy to put on and made sure that it is tied down tight. Protech also suggest if a storm brewing putting a strap over the top of cover on windward end stops the wind getting under the cover. Go into van once a week (on a dry day) so the air gets changed and never had any condensation problems. Remember to leave all the cupboard and fridge doors open to prevent damp accumulation. The cover stops paint colour degradation and the little bit of flapping in places helps keeps paintwork dry. If you need to put repair patches on rubbed area's these will require hand or machine stitching as the minor permeability will throw off any self adhesion type tape (had tried several types). Protech recommend washing van first so no grit bits on van to cause scratching under cover. If you have a couple roof protrusions (AC unit, Sat TV etc consider filling space between with something as the protech cover will hold a pool of water between ( this does help prevent wind-age flapping mind). Still using mine and frequently removing and replacing so plenty of exercise for me and Mrs, definitely at least a 2 person job a third even better. Hope this helps

 

[R2C2]

We have a Leisure Depot Premium Motorhome Cover for my 6m Chausson Flash S2.
Overall (see what I did then?) I think it's worth the cost and effort. I always give the vehicle a good clean before covering - the roof gets really dirty because of dust from from a nearby lane (horses, farm vehicles) and pollen from a large magnolia tree above it that turns black and sticks firmly.
I think our cover is a 6.5m one (I worried that 6m would be big enough to include the bike rack). Once the cover is on, there's heaps of extra material at both ends. This isn't a big problem because it can all be folded and contained using the copious straps attached. I have never been any good at wrapping presents though.

Main pros: Keeps it clean and dry. Seems to have adequate ventilation - no bad effects over 3 winters. Saves at least one, probably two big cleaning operations. Protects the vehicle from general weather and light damage. I think it's a good theft deterrent.
The (wide) zipped opening for the habitation door is on one side, which is fine because the cover appears to be identical front-to-back, so it just means putting it on the right way around for your vehicle.
This Fiat Ducato model has a (known) problem with being left standing for long periods, where the throttle body corrodes due to water ingress. I've tried all sorts of ways of stopping this, and although the covers seems to be a dramatic solution, appears to be the best one so far.

Main cons: 1. It's almost impossible for one person to install, even if they are reasonably fit, over 6ft, brave, with a step ladder, and fine weather with no more than a slight breeze. One helper is needed to at least hold bits in place while the main operator pulls more of the cover over. It's not a quick and easy job and it needs dry ground on front of the vehicle.
2. It has to be installed when the vehicle is dry, and on a dry day. If I'm in any doubt I dry the vehicle with towel wrapped around my long cleaning brush.
3. The zips need tlc when operating them: Follow the instructions and it should be all right but I managed to damage a corner one by not unzipping it completely before a particularly hard yank (so don't yank it either!). I now have to coax that zip to and fro a couple of inches at a time along its full length, every time I put the cover on.
4. Descriptions/specs on some sites say that there is a zipped opening for the driver and passenger door: they're wrong. Ours does not have those, and the pictures don't show them either.

So, despite all of that, I'm sure the pros outweigh the cons for me, and I feel happier with it on in the winter - we usually don't travel between late November and late February. I'm now considering getting a roof cover to protect the vehicle for shorter periods but we'll still use the main one for winter.

Apologies for the long post, but hope it helps.
Rob

 

[R2C2]

We have a Leisure Depot Premium Motorhome Cover for my 6m Chausson Flash S2.
Overall (see what I did then?) I think it's worth the cost and effort. I always give the vehicle a good clean before covering - the roof gets really dirty because of dust from from a nearby lane (horses, farm vehicles) and pollen from a large magnolia tree above it that turns black and sticks firmly.
I think our cover is a 6.5m one (I worried that 6m would be big enough to include the bike rack). Once the cover is on, there's heaps of extra material at both ends. This isn't a big problem because it can all be folded and contained using the copious straps attached. I have never been any good at wrapping presents though.

Main pros: Keeps it clean and dry. Seems to have adequate ventilation - no bad effects over 3 winters. Saves at least one, probably two big cleaning operations. Protects the vehicle from general weather and light damage. I think it's a good theft deterrent.
The (wide) zipped opening for the habitation door is on one side, which is fine because the cover appears to be identical front-to-back, so it just means putting it on the right way around for your vehicle.
This Fiat Ducato model has a (known) problem with being left standing for long periods, where the throttle body corrodes due to water ingress. I've tried all sorts of ways of stopping this, and although the covers seems to be a dramatic solution, appears to be the best one so far.

Main cons: 1. It's almost impossible for one person to install, even if they are reasonably fit, over 6ft, brave, with a step ladder, and fine weather with no more than a slight breeze. One helper is needed to at least hold bits in place while the main operator pulls more of the cover over. It's not a quick and easy job and it needs dry ground on front of the vehicle.
2. It has to be installed when the vehicle is dry, and on a dry day. If I'm in any doubt I dry the vehicle with towel wrapped around my long cleaning brush.
3. The zips need tlc when operating them: Follow the instructions and it should be all right but I managed to damage a corner one by not unzipping it completely before a particularly hard yank (so don't yank it either!). I now have to coax that zip to and fro a couple of inches at a time along its full length, every time I put the cover on.
4. Descriptions/specs on some sites say that there is a zipped opening for the driver and passenger door: they're wrong. Ours does not have those, and the pictures don't show them either.

So, despite all of that, I'm sure the pros outweigh the cons for me, and I feel happier with it on in the winter - we usually don't travel between late November and late February. I'm now considering getting a roof cover to protect the vehicle for shorter periods but we'll still use the main one for winter.

Apologies for the long post, but hope it helps.
Rob

One more thing: having a cover helps prevent water puddling at the front corner of the roof - the cover is just tight enough to form a bridge over that part, so the water runs off nicely. Any small accumulations just dry or blow away.

 

[Pablo19]

We use ours all year round, just back from a Scotland trip, last week, off to Cornwall tomorrow so any crap on the roof blows off!

So the faff of putting a cover on and off doesn’t appeal and thought of dragging a cover over the van with the potential risks (snagging scraping and scratching etc) doesn’t appeal

Another reason for us to have the motorhome accessible 24/7 in the Winter apart from going away is in Somerset we’re prone to power cuts in very windy conditions and it’s easy of an evening, simply to ‘up stumps‘ and resume what ever we doing ( dinner, film, game) in the van.

I'm the same, we try and get away every month even if only overnight somewhere and it's useful as an emergency lounge occasionally. I'm from Somerset as well so maybe that's relevant (wind!)

 

[Fluffy]

Just about to get the motorhome professionaly cleaned.Would like to put a good breathable full cover on afterwards as I am surrounded by trees dropping you know what all over my pride and joy. There are loads of covers on the market , many about the same price. Then there are Protec covers for loads more . Would really appreciate some opinions from anyone with any experience of these things before I shell out. Cheers!

Maypole do a great one