F430 "Bubble Baby"...

A few of my friends have taken to calling my car the "Bubble Baby" because I put it in a bubble (made by CarCapsule) if I'm not planning to drive it for a few days (see pictures). My F430 is definitely not a garage queen but I do like to keep it very clean. The dust in Arizona is terrible and so I needed something to keep it off the car. There is a very visible layer of dust even after a day of sitting in the garage. This seemed like a good solution to the problem. The air in the bubble is changed out four to five times an hour and it is filtered. Since the bubble has positive pressure, nothing is going to get in. Plus, the bubble keeps those "accidents" that can happen in the garage to a minimum. You can drop a hammer on the bubble and it still won't hit the car. The downside is that the plastic bubble can drag across the car when putting it on (the zipper is nylon so it doesn't scratch and it doesn't ever really touch the car anyway). I devised a system to keep the plastic raised above the car (and off the car) by anchoring it to the garage ceiling but it still touches the car when putting it back on.

My question is, does anyone think that having the plastic touch the car will cause scratches over time? I usually wipe the car down after drives (Griots Speed Shine) so there aren't a lot of visible contaminants on the car surface when I park it. Just looking for feedback on that...I'm sure you guys will have comments on the bubble too, so fire away!
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My understanding from the detailing folks is that a California Duster is a really bad idea. You are basically pulling particle debris over the vehicle each time you use it. Over time, from what I've been told, the scratches will show up. BTW, the bubble is actually not a lot of trouble. I can get it on or off in the same amount of time it would take to dust the car (if not quicker...especially with the way I have it set up). Also, I am willing to bet that the deserts of Arizona have more dust in the air than Colorado.

 

No doubt Jerry would have a good time with it! The Bubble Boy is one of the best Seinfeld's ever (although the "shrinkage" episode is still at the top of the list).

If you live where I do, you'd understand the logic. The dust literally piles up on my car. When I drive it, I get a bunch of grime that collects in the areas that the wind doesn't affect...particularly at the back half of the roof but also on the tail and other places as well. It really looks like crap to me (and enough people commented to make me want to try to do something about it). Believe me, I didn't "want" to go this route, but I also don't want to spend 20 minutes cleaning the gunk off the car when I take it out.

 

Actually, it doesn't. It is positive pressure so dust and bugs (and if you live in humid climates, moisture too) are kept out.

 

So do I. That's one of the reasons I posted this here. I figured everyone would have something to say about it or at least get a laugh out of it. I was waiting for someone to come up with the 430 condom...I knew it was only a matter of time! Honestly, the thing works and it isn't any extra effort. My key concern was if anyone thought it could scratch the car by having the plastic drag across it. I suppose that the question is a little rhetorical though since the obvious answer is "of course it can if there is a big enough piece of dirt and enough pressure applied by the plastic". Anyway, I hope that some folks find this information useful (sounds like a few of your didn't even know something like it existed). And, if I've made others laugh, then it's a good thing too. Enjoy!

BTW, the other reason I use it is to keep "accidents" from happening. We have 3 large dogs that are generally well behaved but have managed to put a few scratches on my wife's H2. Plus I have two motorcycles, two quads, and a large telescope that reside in the garage. Working on those things in such close quarters always presents an opportunity for a mistake. We're in the process of building a 2,800 sq ft garage so at some point space won't be an issue...today it definitely is.

 

I tried the compressor idea first (I think you may have even posted it in a different thread) but...the dust up here in Oro Valley must be inDUSTrial strength. 150psi air didn't move it off of the car.

 

I'm not afraid to drive it places. We're building a new house where all there are is dirt roads (see attached pic...this is facing our ranch property in New Mexico). But, if I can keep it clean I will.

No problem on the "ribbing" (condom pun intentional) from you guys...I expected it. In fact I thought you all would get a laugh at my expense (things seem to intense around here a lot of the time).
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I think it was around $400. You can go to www.carcapsule.com and see the different sizes/prices.