If you want to keep your car in pristine shape, you’ll need to make sure it’s protected from the elements. Over time, exposure to wind, rain, snow and sun can wear down your vehicle’s exterior and leave the paint looking faded and dull. Fortunately, it’s easy to guard your car against the elements. We’ve rounded up the best car covers below.
A car cover is a piece of material fitted to slip on and off of your car relatively easily, protecting it from weather, bird droppings, harmful UV rays and wear when you aren’t driving it. While that may sound simple in theory, there are many different kinds of car covers, which can make finding the best car cover for your vehicle a challenge. You can get something generic or even buy a custom fit car cover with adjustable straps or reflective strips.
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Here are our recommendations for the best car covers across a variety of categories, based on customer satisfaction ratings and expert opinions. Keep reading afterwards for more information about the different types of car covers, how they differ and the best ways to use them.
Comparison of the best car covers in 2022
There’s a car cover available for almost every storage situation.
Budge
What to know about car covers
A car cover has more car owner benefits than you may realize. Yes, the right car cover keeps outdoor elements like rain, snow and dust from collecting on your vehicle. It protects against scratches and other minor forms of damage, but it also helps moderate the temperature inside the vehicle. After all, a cover will block out the sun on a hot day and provide an extra layer of insulation on a cold one. If you have a breathable car cover, you can prevent rust accumulation, as well – even if you live by the sea. Car covers are typically designed for either outdoor use or indoor use.
The wrong car cover can potentially cause damage to your vehicle’s paint job. Outdoor covers are built to be more durable than indoor covers, but if they don’t have a soft interior lining, they could cause scratches. Likewise, a car cover that doesn’t fit well could rub against your vehicle, especially when exposed to wind. Finally, if the fabric is weatherproof, but not breathable, then moisture might get caught under the cover (again, this is more likely when parked outdoors). That moisture could also damage the paint. For that same reason, you shouldn’t put a car cover on a wet car.
“When possible, apply your car cover to a dry car surface,” says Kaitlyn Short, senior content editor for BestCompany.com’s automotive vertical. BestCompany.com curates user reviews and creates rankings of companies across a variety of categories. “A best practice is to wipe off any residual water with a microfiber towel before applying the cover. You should also try to keep the cover and your car clean. Car covers can easily become dirty, increasing the chance for scratches the next time you want to use them. Try to reduce dust and debris on your car before applying the car cover.”
If you have a few bucks and prefer not having anything touch your car, the CarCapsule is an excellent car cover choice.
CarCapsule
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Outdoor car covers are subjected to different external factors depending on the time of year, so it makes sense to find one that’s versatile. Winter is a particularly important time to cover a car due to the risk of snow, but during the winter, you may find that your cover has frozen and stuck to your car. Rather than trying to pull the cover off, you should pour hot water on the cover until the frost melts and it can be removed easily.
None of this is to say that indoor car covers are any less necessary than outdoor ones. They offer protection against different hazards, many of which depend on whether you’re parked in a public or home garage. These risks range from pollen to moisture to animals, all of which can easily cause superficial damage to an uncovered car.
Choosing the right car cover
Car covers are available in a variety of materials, and the one that’s best for you will depend on your needs, such as the environment in which your car will be parked. Soft cotton covers, for instance, are good for protecting cars that will be parked indoors, but they’re not waterproof, so they’re not recommended for people who plan on keeping their vehicles outside. Outdoor car covers need to withstand more environmental hazards, so many companies use proprietary fabrics designed to weather sunlight and precipitation.
Outdoor car covers are made from materials designed to handle the elements.
Leader Accessories
“For car covers used indoors only, the best car cover material is cotton-based, ranging from light laminated cotton to thicker woven and napped flannel,” says Karen Condor. Condor is a writer, editor and expert at 4autoinsurancequote.com, a company that matches drivers with insurance companies and creates content around protecting drivers and cars. “For car covers used outdoors, the best material is synthetic fabric of multiple layers, such as solution-dyed polyester and acrylic microfibers, which can be just as soft as cotton but also provide natural ultraviolet light and mildew resistance and water repellency.”
Sizing is another concern when selecting a car cover, as a cover that’s too large can potentially cause the type of damage you’re trying to avoid. Many manufacturers have their own sizing charts based on either measurements or car makes and models for a more custom fit cover. You’ll want to make sure you have all the necessary information before buying a cover. For this reason (and because of breathability concerns), it’s not recommended to use a tarp as a car cover, or anything besides a cover specifically designed for your vehicle.
Remember, your personal circumstances will dictate which car cover is right for you. Consider factors such as where you’ll be parking, your area’s climate and your car’s size before you make your selection.
Proper car cover fitment is important to prevent potential damage to your car’s paint.
Audew
How to use and take care of a car cover
Once you’ve bought your car cover, putting it on your car is relatively easy. Usually, one side is marked “front,” and you can affix that side to the front bumper. After that it’s a matter of pulling it evenly so it doesn’t bunch and then securing it to the back bumper. The whole process doesn’t take long and can be done anywhere you park.
A car cover’s job is to protect your car, but it needs attention of its own in order to last for as long as possible. Most car covers are machine washable, but each still comes with its own instructions for proper cleaning, which ought to be followed exactly in order to maintain efficacy and longevity. You shouldn’t use fabric softener and while hand washing is typically acceptable, dry cleaning is not. Make sure to use cold water when washing a car cover.
Don’t forget to keep your car cover clean with an occasional wash.
OxGord
Additionally, you can wash your cover as needed – if you follow instructions, regular washing shouldn’t damage the cover. Car covers, of course, are liable to get dirty fairly quickly – there’s never a bad time to put a cover on a parked car, so just think about all the dirt (and worse) that can accumulate with that level of use.
“Since protecting your vehicle’s paint and reducing wear on the interior can help the trade-in value,” says Condor, “you should cover your car when you want to protect it from dust, dirt, pollen, bird excrement, tree sap and branches, sun and UV rays, heat, rain, snow, sleet and hail.”
When not using your car cover, the safest place to keep it is in a storage bag. That way, you won’t have to worry about dust or any other environmental hazards.
Worried about hail? The Hail Protector will keep your ride protected.
Hail Protector
Five things to know before buying and using a car cover
- Do you want an indoor car cover or an outdoor car cover? This will hinge on where you primarily park your car, but if it varies, you may want to get one of each.
- If you’re getting an outdoor car cover, what’s the weather like where you live? Do you live by any large bodies of water? This information may seem obvious, but you’ll want to take full stock of it, because the outdoor elements will likely affect the material of the cover you buy.
- If you’re getting an indoor car cover, what will be going on in the garage where you park your car? If your car will be exposed to physical hazards, you may want to get a thicker or padded cover.
- What size is your car? The size of your car will obviously affect the size of your cover. Since you want a tight fit, it pays to be as precise as possible.
- How can you best care for your car cover? Make sure to familiarize yourself with storage and washing instructions prior to use in order to ensure that your cover lasts as long as possible.
Written by Scott Fried for CNET Cars.
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Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Outdoor