I like to know, If you don't have a storage/garage to keep your RV or fifth wheel in when not in use, and it stays outside, how many of you cover your RV with one of those expensive covers???

I'd like to know what others out there do. Are they worth the money? Do they prolong the life and look of the exterior of your RV. Are they hard to put on? Is it hard to get them to fit properly. Are there some types that are better than others.....any types not to use?

I read in MH magazine about one person who used one and got condensation/moisture problems up under his cover and then had problems with his roof. Then the cover manufacturer didn't want to cover any of his expenses to fix these problems from excess moisture.

Are there issues about getting into your storage areas with it on?

Let us know.

Ann and Tom

War Eagle!!!

We generally don't use covers in southern NM.  The primary threat is UV degradation so most put up reflector window insulators to protect furniture, curtains, carpet etc.  Some people try to use the covers but seem pretty frustrated with the wind causing rub or chaffing marks on their RV and the dust gets in anyway.  It seems the RV ought to take the weather.  Fulltimers seem to do all right without covers.  A good gelcoat finish, a roof that gets properly cleaned once or twice a year and you should be good to go.

Larry and Jacki

Well, our experience was not good. Here in So. Cal. we get a lot of wind at times and after a while we noticed that the cover had worn through the clear coat on our Alumascape. Our neighbor also used a cover but he would take it off during the fall and winter months to avoid the wind damage. Smart! We no longer have that trailer and when we got the 5er we toyed with the idea of a cover but we decided that a cover that big would be very difficult to put on and take off and store when not using it. We are just going to take our chances and be sure to care of the finish and roof as the manufactured advises.

I think it all depends on what you are protecting against. Here in the mid Atlantic I store/park around a lot of trees and always use an ADCO cover w/ the Tyvek top when I am not using the rig. Why? Keep the tree sap, brown leaf outline stains, pollen during the spring, and during the summer that nasty tree pee off my rig. Since this cover is not waterproof it in no way traps moisture. Cheaper covers tend to be plastic trapping water and ARE more abrasive than the very soft side of the ADCO. Rain basically rolls right off it meaning the rig is subjected to less direct soaking during rains. Absolutely no indication of moisture retention or any abrasion damage on the rig anywhere. If I had full paint I’d be hard pressed to NOT use one on it as well. Survives 40+mph thunderstorm winds w/o incident. The cover (now in its 4th season) is a stained and ugly mess from the trees but my snow white roof remains snow white and I never have those black streaks on the sides when I take it off. A quick hose off to eliminate any accumulated dust on the rig and I am ready to hit the road - looking really nice. It has several zippers up the sides making storage and door access relatively easy. Probably the best $300 I spent as my 2003 rig w/50,000 miles looks and most importantly still smells brand spanking new! When I get ready to sell, I suspect I'll more than gain the initial cover cost.

-- Edited by RVDude at 20:52, 2007-01-09

We, like RV dude have had good luck with our ADCO cover, it fits great others we know have had a little trouble with the fit.  It seems they make one size to fit units with as much as 8 foot diff in lenght.  If your unit happens to fall near the biggest size of that particular cover it should fit nicely, and stay in place.  The top only is waterproof the sides are breathable thus no problem with moisture. Easy to put on, provided the wind isn't blowing, man those things are like a parachute when the wind blows while it is open before you get it on the unit. Easy to get off, storage is kind of a hassel its big, we purchased a 40 gallon tupperware tub and store it in that. We remove ours in March and leave it off all summer, no trees in the storage lot, and put it back on again around Thanksgiving. Zippers seem to be in the right places for our rig when/if we need to get in.

 Flyone