The benefits of car covers

There are many benefits for the car owner in using a cover for their car. It may be that your vehicle is one that you do not drive frequently, or, that your car is always parked outside and is therefore vulnerable to the weather.

Car covers come in differing materials, dependant upon its use. And, you can either purchase a car cover that is designed for your specific car, or choose a universal cover, however, these generally are not such a good fit and may leave parts of your vehicle exposed to the elements.

For those that keep their car in a garage but perhaps do not drive it often, a cover that is more of a dust sheet is a good idea. This is particularly true if you like to keep your car clean and spend a lot of time detailing it. Some car colours show dust really quickly, black is particularly bad. Even immediately after washing and polishing your car, dust can already be seen on the surface. It is much better to put a dust cover over the car once cleaned.

Top end models of cars, such as Ferrari have dust covers as part of their accessory range. However, one of the best covers you can use for just keeping the dust off is a surplus parachute, if you can buy an old one, it may even be made of silk. Such fabrics are kind to your paintwork and will not scratch it as you either put on or drag off the cover. Add to this that parachute material is designed to be compressed, so storage when not in use is easy too. It is a good idea though to remove all strings, cords and any other part that may make use difficult or may damage the cars surface.

If you are looking at getting a car cover to keep the weather off of your car, then there are quite a few brands available but the more expensive ones are those that are designed to cover your specific vehicle. Again, generic covers may leave parts of your vehicle exposed.

Old fashioned car covers for outside use tended to be made of canvas or similar. These are not really suitable as unless the waterproofing on the fabric is renewed, eventually water will pass through the cover and onto your car. Such canvas covers really needed quite high maintenance to ensure waterproofing integrity. In addition, canvas can mark the polished surface of your car, especially when dragging the cover over the surface when putting the cover on or taking it off.

Modern plastic based fabrics are much better for your car than the old canvas style and in addition, the inner surface is often a soft material that is kind to your paintwork.

Covers generally come with securing points so that the cover is not blown off during high winds. In addition, some covers have Hi-viz panels so that your parked car is easy to see by other passing motorists.

So yes there are benefits in using a cover for your car. However do make sure that the cover is not put on a wet car, as the cover will keep the moisture in, perhaps causing damp, mould or even rust.