A car cover might seem simple and unimportant. But it helps ensure your car or truck stays in good shape. It protects various materials that make up your vehicle’s parts, such as leather that degrades from ultraviolet radiation exposure and steel that might corrode and rust after getting wet. Also, a car cover keeps your vehicle clean, maintaining its appearance. Given the benefits of a good car cover, you must pick the right one for your vehicle. Not all car covers are equal, and you want to save time and money by not having to return an unsuitable cover.
Choosing the right car cover can prove surprisingly tough. You must consider several practical factors to ensure the new cover meets your application.
Make sure that the car cover is compatible and fits your vehicle. A cover that works for a sedan isn’t going to fit the contours of an SUV, and vice versa. Check the make, model, year, and other options that might affect the fitment, such as your truck’s cab configuration.
Next, ask yourself what the car cover must do for your vehicle. What is the cover intended to protect your vehicle from? Where do you plan to park your car? What’s the climate in the area where you’re storing your machine?
Now it’s time to choose the car cover’s fabric. Some of the most popular materials are acrylic, polycotton, and urethane. Each material provides a different level of protection against specific threats.
Last but not least is color. You want a car cover that looks good and helps your vehicle stand apart from others if it’s in a shared storage area.
An indoor car cover can handle the conditions in enclosed indoor spaces, such as garages and parking structures. It serves as a protective layer that prevents dirt and dust from accumulating on your vehicle’s exterior.
Indoor car covers are often made of flannel or synthetic fabrics like polycotton and polyester. Some covers might combine multiple materials to deliver higher performance.
Some covers use breathable materials to help circulate fresh air. Others have ventilation panels that allow air to flow in and out. Air circulation is important because it helps keep the vehicle dry and prevents mold from growing on damp surfaces.
An outdoor car cover is designed to protect your vehicle from the elements. It uses tougher materials like acrylic fiber, silicone polymer fiber, and urethane-coated polyester. Outdoor car covers are waterproof.
Depending on its material and design, the outdoor car cover can protect your vehicle from harsh conditions. Some products excel at blocking sunlight to keep the vehicle cool and prevent ultraviolet rays from damaging vulnerable materials like leather and plastic. Other outdoor car covers can handle heavy rains and snow.
Most outdoor car covers have no problem with indoor usage. However, they also tend to cost more than their indoor counterparts.
The cab cover is designed to fit over the cab of a Jeep or truck. It typically covers a smaller percentage of the vehicle’s surface area than a car cover designed for a sedan.
While all car covers fit over the vehicle’s cab area, individual products might differ in the other areas they also cover. For example, Jeep cab covers usually extend over the entire body tub but leave the hood uncovered. Some truck cab covers do the same thing, covering the cab and the truck bed. But other truck cab covers go over the front end, covering the hood.
The convertible interior cover is for convertibles with folding or removable soft tops. It drapes across the exposed passenger cabin, protecting the interior from dirt, moisture, and UV light.
While the convertible interior cover isn’t a substitute for the soft top, it can provide a modicum of coverage without unfolding or returning the car’s top first. It works well as an indoor cover for keeping your convertible clean and dry in the garage for weeks or even months.
Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.