Community Forums

charger171 · 05-04-2011, 02:27 PM

As a new motor home buyer I have met a lot of motor home people and have asked the same question,why would I not buy a cover for my motor home.Since I would use it when it only if it is being stored for more then 2 months.Most of the answers where it scratches the motor home can"t see how since the newer covers have a soft liner,next answer was causes moisture,all the new ones have vents.I may have answered all of my questions but would like to know other views.

homerbw · 05-04-2011, 02:42 PM

I used a cover and water collected in spots and high winds tattered it. It was a pita.

DRosedale · 05-04-2011, 03:24 PM

Not sure about scratches, moisture, etc., etc., but just putting it on and taking it off would be a pain in the neck, even with help. Looks like it would get hung up on everything on the roof. No sure how much a good cover would cost, but I guess it would be cheaper than having some type of structure built to park under, but not as protective.

I don't leave my coach outside, but I do have to pay for storage. With the investment we all have in our MH's, protecting them from the elements is important. So if a cover is your best option, then by all means I would go for it.

Tha_Rooster · 05-04-2011, 05:19 PM

I had one worked well not that bad to put on or take off, but stuffing back in the bag was the worst for me. Mine lasted fr about 3 1/2 years so if you figure the math it's about $100 a year used 3months out of a year.

Lault · 05-04-2011, 05:37 PM

I have my employees help me with the cover. I have used it for a year now in Fl and all is good. No issues or damage at all covering a 40 foot Phaeton.

Cat320 · 05-04-2011, 06:52 PM

They are heavy, how would you get it on top of the MH, can you put it on/take it off alone, when travelling where would you store it, regardless of vents, it's going to sweat underneath the cover, regardless of padding, it's going to either wear a hole in the MH's paint, or wear a hole it's self.

I found a storage building, MH has power, is inside and locked...worth every cent.

CraigA · 05-04-2011, 07:09 PM

Saw a person at the storage facility where we store our coach, cover his motorhome by himself in minutes, it was amazing!

He has a storage pod on top of the coach, and he stores the cover in there. I only saw him cover it, he goes up on the roof, opens the storage pod and pulls out all the cover material that goes to the front and throws it over, and the he closed the pod and walked the rest of the cover to the back and came down the ladder. Of course he spent time securing the cover with ties and such on the ground. I would assume the reverse to uncover, and gather it all into the pod.

Not sure I like the look of the pod, but it sure made the process fast. I watched and was amazed. He obviously has done the many times and has it down.

frankdamp · 05-04-2011, 08:58 PM

It depends mainly on how windy it can get while your rig is stored with the cover over it. It's for that reason that I'm not using the cover that came with our rig when we bought it. In winter, we routinely get winds in the 40 - 60 mph range. No matter how soft the inner liner is, that amount of movement in winds so strong will cause damage.

Second reason is that the cover's too heavy for an old fart like me to handle, particularly as my rig has a rubber roof that you're not supposed to walk about on.

**NLOVNIT** · 05-04-2011, 09:39 PM

See pictures HERE of what parts of ours looked like after the 1st winter of use.

If you do a search on motorhome cover or RV cover, you'll find several threads where the use or non-use was discussed.

Lori-

njs42 · 05-04-2011, 09:54 PM

It seems this is all relative to where you live and how long you store and where you store. We basically do a 50/50 split using the MH in the winter and storing in the spring and summer except for a few side trips. In nine years I have had three covers the one I have just a year old. There have been many improvement in fit, construction and material during that time.

I get mine off and on by myself (fiberglass roof/it is easier to do with help for sure). It's not so heavy and I just tie a rope around it, climb up, and hoist it after I am on the roof. Ourt rig is nine years old and looks great, because we keep it up (wax etc

and also I believe because we cover it. We have a 36' class A.

Dutch Star Don · 05-06-2011, 04:06 PM

As njs42 stated, there are a bunch of circumstances that will determine if it's a good option for you.

We bought a high quality cover that is very heavy and awkward. On other motorhomes I had the cheaper covers that I could easily carry up the ladder onto the roof. These are the covers that scratch the paint and usually have a hard time making it through the first year without tearing.

The part of the country where you live will dictate if you will dampness issues. I'm in California and this wasn't a concern.

I park my coach at home and the rear of the coach butts up to a 5' tall wrought iron fence that divides the yard from the RV pad. I bought a plastic storage container for storing tools from Home Depot to store the cover in. I made a platform that I welded on top of the wrought iron fence and then placed the container on top of that. I store the cover in the container and can pull just a couple of feet of the cover out of the box as I climb the ladder to the roof of the motor home. Once on the roof, I drag the entire cover up and down the center of the coach. Once it's on, I unravel it over the edges. I do the reverse to store it.

With all that said, I think I developed a pretty good system for putting the cover on, but it was still a pain in the butt.

Just picture getting home after a long drive, unloading the coach and then having to wrestle the cover. Before you actually cover the coach, you have to remove roof antennas and cover rough spots. Once the cover is on, you have to mess with the tie down ropes that you have to through under the coach in about 6 spots and then go to the other side to grab, connect and tighten.

We found that we travel at least once a month and this was just too much work. If I know we're going to be stuck at home for a couple of months and its the wet season (not much of a season for California) I will cover the coach.

If your coach is going to sit for several months at a time and not be buffeted by winds, the cover may work well for you.

NatureCalls · 05-10-2011, 08:56 PM

We've used covers for years on our TT and MH here in the Pacific Northwest. One of the better "pros" is pollen and black streaks are eliminated when you clean before covering. Major "cons" include tearing from rubbing, protrusions, and ice buildup. The tears get fixed and new ideas arise on how to prevent them next time. Haven't found any damage to the rig, though.
On the other side of the fence, literally, my neighbor never covers his. Personal preference, I guess.

Ramzfan · 05-10-2011, 10:28 PM

I bought a cover for my 36' Gulfstream once. After I went to the trouble of putting it on, I tightened all of the straps as per the instructions and then left it thinking that I was OK...WRONG! When I returned after the following weekend, The cover was in tatters laying out in a nearby field next to a fence and the straps were ripped to pieces. Luckily, I returned it to Camping World and they refunded my money. I would never buy one again if I lived in windy country.

Luckiest Dreamer · 05-11-2011, 10:00 AM

I always wonder when I answer one of these questions if the answer was the same as the last one. That is mainly because I run hot and cold on some issues. I covered my 5th wheel for several years and it was a bit of a balancing act as there were pluses and minuses. There can be some abrasion caused by the cover and the straps and those are often found simply by the use of them. The need to find a solution before any damage occurs is needed. Putting the cover on or off when there is even a slight wind can make it difficult and even dangerous if the wind gusts at the wrong time, that thing is quite the sail! After covering, should you make a decision to head for warmer climates in the middle of the winter and the snow or ice is frozen on top, you are going nowhere, or you are going to damage a cover getting it off. If you do not watch your straps and they are in contact with the ground, they may be frozen in place as well.
On the other hand if you have a need to rent covered storage space as I am now doing, you will need to pay for that space all year round even if you become a snow bird. If you do not, the storage guy probably rented it to the next person on the waiting list while you are out there paying the campground!
If you do not cover there is a chance for damage and problems as well. Water can get in roof seams and may freeze and expand the seam! Sun may fade or otherwise damage the finish just as a hail storm of flying debri from the wind. All living things have waste. Tree seeds and leaves make a mess of your camper. Acid rain can cause nasty black streaks as well.
Covering does make sense, Should it be a building or a piece of canvas, both have some cost to it!