subject: How to Choose a Car Cover, and Why It Matters [print this page] How to Choose a Car Cover, and Why It Matters
To the average automobile owner, car covers may seem like a needless luxury used mostly by car collectors or by the enthusiastic young adult male who just invested all of his money in his first set of wheels. But, practical reasons abound for using car covers, and any automobile owner can benefit from using them on a regular basis.
Protection from Natural and Human Influences
One of the first reasons to consider using car covers is to protect a vehicle from environmental damage. Depending on where you live, your car takes a multitude of abuses just by sitting along a street, in a parking lot, or on a driveway. Wind blown sand, sea salt, tree sap, bird droppings, dirt, dust, falling twigs or other debris, and weather conditions like snow, rain, and ice can take an expensive toll on a car's exterior.
Additionally, car covers protect your car's interior from sunlight. Interior temperatures are reduced to a more comfortable level on hot, sunny days when a car cover is in use, and interior fabrics and materials are protected from damage by the sun's harmful UV rays. Materials like upholstered fabrics, leather, plastics, and vinyl that are exposed continually and over extended periods of time to UV rays can become cracked, discolored, and weakened. Environmental conditions quickly age a vehicle's interior and exterior, and car covers are an easy solution that can dramatically slow down that process.
Car covers are also helpful in deterring thefts because they keep expensive interior components out of view. And, car covers can prevent the harmless, but curious, passerby from peeking into car windows and leaving fingerprints on your car's exterior. Thicker car covers can even prevent minor dings caused by inconsiderate neighbors in the parking lot.
Selecting the Right Car Cover
What is the best kind of car cover to choose? Comparing the available materials is an essential place to begin. If your vehicle is kept outdoors for most or part of a day, look for a cover made from breathable material. Breathable car covers allow condensation to escape from underneath. Over time, moisture that cannot evaporate from under car covers can cause mildew or corrosion and discoloration. Look also for a car cover that offers superior weather protection. The best materials are the newer, high-tech, multi-layered materials that are breathable, lightweight, rugged, and can handle extremes in temperature and weather conditions. These materials will protect more effectively than cheaper materials like plastic or vinyl.
A car cover that fits properly is an essential feature when it comes to choosing the right one for your vehicle. Covers that are too large for the vehicle can fill with air like a balloon on breezy days. If not secured well, a ballooning cover can tear or blow right off of the car. Even if the cover does not blow off of the car, the excess fabric that lashes against the car's finish over and over on windy days can damage the finish over time. Car covers that fit snugly and that are equipped with elastic hems, ties, or drawstrings are the most suitable choices. Even better are custom car covers that are made to fit your car exactly. Custom car covers tend to cost more, but many automobile owners believe that any extra expense is worth it.
On the whole, taking care of our big investments, like vehicles, makes more sense than ever now that rough economic times make it difficult to trade in our existing vehicles every few years for shiny new models. Protecting a vehicle with a superior quality car cover is an easy and practical way to keep that car's exterior and interior in like-new condition for as long as the car continues to run.
