Car covers and Effectiveness
 

Hmm i'm wondering whether to get one of those whole car covers to help me in the Australian summer, assuming they even help with the heat inside the car.

Can anyone give me some personal experiences or just general information. Or even better tips to keep the car cool (that does not rely on parking under shade/undercover parking lots)

I can't speak about car covers, but I use the reflective windshield block and I just park so my windshield will be in the sun when I get back to the car. You can get multiple ones and use them all around the car if you really want.
Another thing that helps keep folks cool in the hot weather is beaded seat covers. They get you up and away from the fabric and lessen the amount of clothing sticking to your back. I have heard of others that have lower back supports made of mesh that like them a lot, the idea is just not sitting directly on the seat and getting some air flow under the body.

I got a cover for my Firebird from Empire Covers. They give ratings for all their covers for how well it protects the car in four different categories, including sun. And there are always coupon codes floating around for that site.

Empire Covers

Not sure if you want to go to the trouble of covering the whole car every time you park though. I think the sunshade would be a lot easier.

Cool i don't have a problem with constantly putting on/pulling off the cover as i am not usually late for most of my appointments, unless i slept in ;)

I have a few concerns about thieves and vandals though... Ever had someone take it/vandal it?

EDIT: aaah the best sun covers are so expensive ><

EDIT2: AND they dont ship internationally =( gg

Empire won't ship to Oz? Oops, sorry...

I was about to mention that they sell a cable lock kit too...

I have a super cheap way and it works great. You get one or two of those reflective blankets from outdoor suppliers. The silver thermal ones. They are large enough to cover almost half of the upper part of a small car. Last time I bought one it was $1.45. Then you use a bunch of rare earth magnets (about $15 for a bunch) to attach it to the outside of the car. This is most effective because it stops the glass and body getting hot. If you are really ambitious you could cover the whole car. It also protects the paint from the sun.

Get the the tall magnets so they are easy to remove. You could also use strips of that magnetic sign material. The only downside is you have to be careful of leaving no gaps on windy days as it can balloon out. You could do the same thing with thermal bubble wrap too but it's more expensive. It will last longer though.

It makes a huge difference in interior temperature. Way more than the interior shields and because it's so cheap you don't have to worry about theft.

But im sure someone could steal the magnets =( they\'re the \'expensive\' items. Oh well i guess theres a risk to everything thanks for the idea anyway i guess if im really suffering ill do that.

I like the window things. They\'re simple, effective, and you have no real excuse to "forget" to use them.

They actually make a lock for your car cover.
http://cache.autoanything.com/images..._and_cable.jpg

cool
 

I college,I sewed an all roof cover for my Karmann Ghia.I used aluminized plastic honeycomb radiant barrier material,tailored to fit the contours and ran it through a second-hand gear-drive Singer sewing machine.Sand filled plastic bags within cotton socks,attached to grommets with shoestrings held it on even in very strong west Texas winds.
I never documented the temps but my testimonial would be that it was very effective in blocking any UV from penetrating the glass where it could convert to infrared.
Also,upon entry,you did not sense the radiant load from the roof above,dashboard,or other surfaces,as they were at basically the outside air temp,but not a solar-heated temp.
The downside is,that once the cover is off,the cabin immediately begins to heat.