Do you use a car cover to protect your car, truck or SUV? If not you should consider it. A quality car cover will last four to five years. That means you can use a high quality cover for $40 to $100 per year, depending on the product you choose. In this article you will discover how you can get more from your cover and how to use it properly to avoid potential issues.
Choose the Right Cover
Do you park your car indoors, outdoors or a combination of both? Do you live in a humid climate or a dry climate? Does your car need protection from heavy rain fall or snow? All of these questions and more help determine the type of vehicle cover you need. By this I don’t mean the brand; I’m talking about the material. Paint will oxidise and deteriorate over time, and new car paint protection process help to guard against these effects.
A quality cover can cost between $175 and $500, so you’ll need to check your facts to make sure you get the right one. The fabric you choose will have a lot to do with how well it works for you.
In some cases you will need to make some trade-offs or be prepared to buy two. For example, if you want to use your cover both inside and out, a heavy-duty waterproof car cover will probably drive you crazy. In this case, choose a material that’s light enough to use inside and can tolerate moderate weather conditions when used outside.
When you first start looking, the choices in fabrics might seem overwhelming or unnecessary, but I assure you each material has its benefits and distinct purpose. There’s too much information on this subject to share here.
Make Sure Your Car Is Clean
One of the horrible mistakes I see people make is using their car cover on a dirty car. If your vehicle is just a little dusty, you’ll get fine swirl marks in your paint. If your vehicle is really dirty it may start to look like someone scrubbed it with steel wool.
Here’s a tip. Get a California Car Duster. I’ve had mine for over twenty years and it’s fantastic. I prefer the original version with the wooden handle, but it’s also available in plastic.
All you need to do is dust off your car with the duster and you’ll be good to go. It takes about two minutes on a large vehicle. I kid you not, it’s fast and easy.
In case you’re wondering if they scratch, the answer is definitely no. The paraffin wax in the fibers of the duster work wonders, even on black cars.
Make Sure You Put It On Correctly
Nothing drives me nuts more than watching someone yank a cover off their car, wad it up into a ball, then toss it into the trunk or the back seat. Talk about a recipe for disaster. Let me explain.
Car covers use a lot of fabric; yards and yards of it, in fact. If you don’t fold it neatly, how will you ever know the front from the rear? While you’re trying to figure that out you’re sliding it all over the car, potentially making more swirl marks and scratches.
Here’s a better way. To remover your cover, always start at the front. Fold the front lip up towards the windshield in 12 to 18 inch laps. Once you get to the middle of the roof, do the same thing from the rear. Now go to the passenger side of the car and begin rolling the cover towards the driver’s side. Stop half way and finish from the other side.
To put it back on your vehicle you simply start from the driver’s side, hold the loose end, and toss the roll to the other side. Next, unfold to the rear, unfold to the front and you’re done. This way you completely avoid dragging the fabric over the paint surface.
Avoid Windy Conditions
A little bit of wind is not an issue. Heavy winds can be a disaster. If it’s going to be super windy, you may be better off removing and storing your cover. Imagine the damage that can occur if you live in a dessert or beach area and sand gets between your car and a cover that’s whipping in the wind.
Some products fit very snugly and have accessories to keep them in place in windy conditions. Be sure to read the instructions for proper use of the wind control devices and the wind conditions they can withstand.
Keep It Clean
It should be obvious with all that I have said that you need to keep your car cover clean. You might be wondering how to wash it. After all, if you have a large vehicle the sheer size of the ball of fabric won’t fit in most household washers. One way is to take it to a coin operated laundry. If you do, be sure to use one without a center agitator, as it will tear the fabric to shreds.
I do it another way. I literally wash it on the car itself. I hose the car down first, put it on and wash it with car wash shampoo. When the outside is clean I turn it over and do the underside. I rinse it well, allow it to drip dry for a while, then toss it in the dry to tumble dry for thirty minutes or so. Just make sure you don’t put it on your car wet and let it sit out in the sunshine.
I hope this article has helped you to be a better car cover user. They are a wonderful way to help you take better car of your car, but only if you take care to use it properly.
To learn more about custom car covers
and how to choose the best car cover
for your vehicle, visit David Bynon’s Autopia Car Covers website.
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