A car cover is essential for keeping your car, truck or SUV looking its best. Even if your vehicle is parked indoors, it needs some protection from fine dust and moisture in the air that can settle on the car’s exterior. The best car cover material protects your vehicle’s paint from getting damaged due to rain, snow, UV rays from the sun, bird droppings and ambient moisture.
The car cover material should be durable enough to protect it when parked outdoors, in a garage, or beside the road. It protects against scratches, debris, tree sap and stains by providing a waterproof barrier against the outside elements.
Since there is a wide variety of car cover materials to choose from either online or at car accessory stores in your local market, it may be a daunting task to choose the right one. This car cover guide should make your decision easier when you have all the details on the best car cover material.
Advantages of using a car cover
A car cover can help you keep your vehicle looking brand new. A car is a big investment and it makes sense to protect it. Keeping your car covered with the best materials has several benefits.
Prevents dents, scratches and marks on your paint
No one likes their shiny new ride to get scratches or dented. Unfortunately, no matter how hard you try, your car will end up with some scratches. A car cover is ideal to provide a layer of protection against stray pebbles that get thrown off the road, or to prevent a accidental car door from taking a blow to your car.
Keeps the exterior protected from the weather
Harsh weather can ruin your vehicle’s paint finish. A light shower may seem harmless, but the rain water can find its way into nooks and crannies and start the corrosion process. A tiny scratch may expose the metal underneath the paint and begin to rust. A water resistant vs waterproof car cover can keep your car completely isolated from the rain and prevent any damage.
The summer season is great for outdoor activities, but the harsh sun contains UV rays that can dull the paint finish and cause discolouration. A car cover is similar to adding sunscreen and acts as a layer of protection against harmful UV rays of the sun. Some car covers come with a silver reflective surface that even prevents the vehicle from heating up in the sun.
During winter, the moisture in the air can accumulate on the car exterior or condense on cooler parts of the body. This moisture can lead to oxidation, rust and deterioration of the paint job. Your new car will look years old after one cold season. Fortunately, a car cover can prevent damage to your car in the winter quite effectively.
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A deterrent against natural hazards
Your prized vehicle can get damaged from tree sap, bird droppings and dust when parked out in the open. We often think that parking under a tree is safe because it will offer some sort of protection. But the opposite is true. Tree sap can drip onto the car exterior and cause permanent stains that will have to be professionally buffed out. Outdoor car covers are made up of several layers of plastic, cotton and PVC that will not allow tree sap to penetrate.
Bird droppings are high in acidity and can seriously affect the paint finish. Paint is only a few millimetres thick and will not last long when exposed to such deposits. The majority of car covers are not affected by the acidity and can protect the car’s exterior.
Even if your car is parked indoors, there is always the possibility of dust particles settling on your car. There have been cases where dust turns into an abrasive material and cause delicate scratches on the paint. Car covers are specially designed to keep dust away from your car and can be used on vehicles that have been parked indoors. Some car covers are made of breathable fabric so that they allow air to circulate in a closed space. This is important if you love in a humid climate.
There are a wide range of high-quality car covers at Carorbis that suit different car models and body types. Car covers protect your vehicle from dust, dirt, heat and rain and keep the paint looking brand new.
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Used as an effective measure against thieves and vandals
A car cover is just a thin layer of fabric that sits on top of your car, but it can do wonders in keeping thieves and vandals away from your vehicle. It often takes a while to break into a car and thieves a reluctant to deal with a vehicle that has been covered, simply because it adds to the time they need to get in. They would prefer to deal with an uncovered car that shortens the time they are engaged in the act of theft.
If you had a strong strap and belt to your car cover, it is almost impossible to get through. You can be assured that your car is safe even in a high-risk area.
Custom fit car covers add more protection
A car cover that is specially tailored to the lines and contours of your vehicle is even better because it covers each inch of your prized ride. Every detail of the car is covered including side view mirrors, antennas, rear spoilers and door handles.
Custom fit car covers also fit around wheel arches and tyres completely so that no part of your vehicle is left exposed to natural hazards, the weather or anything else.
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What is the difference between a water resistant and waterproof car cover?
Water resistant car covers can protect against water penetration only to a certain extent but there are chances of moisture seeping through them. Water resistant car covers are good to use in areas where there is a lot of fog and moisture in the air, accompanied by light rain. These covers can resist water to a certain degree but are not 100% guaranteed to keep off the water.
On the other hand, waterproof car covers are treated with special materials that do no allow moisture to get through the material. Waterproof car covers have a special plastic coating that keep rain off the car and will not allow condensation to penetrate the fabric.
Water resistant car covers are often more breathable than water proof car covers. If your car is parked indoors in a humid climate that has a high amount of moisture in the air, then you should use a water-resistant cover that is breathable and will not trap moisture on the inside. A water proof car cover may lead to rusting of exposed metal components when the car is parked in a closed garage that does not have a good circulation of air.
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What are the different car cover types?
You may want to protect your car, but are unsure about what is the right material to choose for the car cover. Certain materials are better suited for outdoors while some are used as water resistant or breathable protective covers. Each fabric suits different needs and has various benefits such as water resistant vs waterproof.
Polypropylene
This is a synthetic material that can be used for cars parked indoors or outdoors. It is breathable kind of fabric that keeps moisture at bay. At the same time, it prevents dust, dirt and other elements from getting trapped on the car’s surface. Polypropylene is a durable material and can be found on many brands of car covers.
Composite materials
Some car body cover types are made of composite materials that consist of 2 or 3 layers of fabric. These materials are UV resistant and are highly waterproof because moisture has a tough time of getting through all the layers. These composite materials are also breathable and suitable for cars parked indoors in a garage.
Satin
Car covers made from satin are very soft and are used for indoor situations to prevent scratches from dust and dirt. The clear coat finish is protected by the soft satin material because it is a very lightweight and breathable fabric. It is the perfect car cover often used on expensive cars that are not driven often.
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Conclusion
The best car covers you require for your vehicle will depend on your specific needs, areas where the car will be parked and the seasonal climate. If the car is parked outdoors where it will be exposed to sun, UV rays, rain and harsh weather, you will probably need a robust car cover that can protect your vehicle from these elements.
If your car is usually parked indoors, in a garage and isolated from the environment, then you will be better off with a soft fabric that just keeps dust at bay while allowing air to circulate through its surface.
Some of the features to look for in car cover best material will take into account their waterproof ability, elastic properties, breathability, anchoring fixtures, contours and body lines and protection properties.
For the best car covers from brands such as Polco and myTVS, visit these online car accessories stores that stock car covers which are dust resistant, UV and water resistant and come with warranty and replacement.
If you found this article on car covers interesting, you may also want to read about how to wash your car cover and visit carorbis blog for more blogs like this.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Do I need to cover my car if it is parked indoors in a garage?
Ans. The simple answer is yes. A car cover can keep your car’s exterior free from dust and save you a lot of time and money on frequent washing. Soaps and shampoos that are applied to car’s exterior may be harsh on the paint and eventually lead to fading. A good quality car cover avoids this.
Car owners may think that a car will not get dirty if parked indoors. However, there are minute dust particles floating in the air along with moisture, especially if you live in a coastal, humid environment.
Q2. Do I need a car cover if I park my car outside?
Ans. You most certainly have to use a car cover to protect the paint from harsh UV rays, rain, snow and hail. Even the interiors such as seats, dashboard and vinyl material can fade if exposed to sunlight for long periods. The safest and surest way to protect your car is with a car cover.
Q3. How does a car cover protect my car?
Ans. The most corrosive substances that can land on your car are tree sap, UV light from the sun, animal droppings and acid rain. These elements will destroy your paint finish and leave stains on the exterior. The paint also fades and cracks with exposure to these chemicals and elements. Most cars come with a clear coat on the top layer of their paint which provides the gloss and shine and keeps the paint looking new. Exposure to weather can strip this clear coat and discolour the exterior. During the rainy season, a water repellent vs waterproof car cover can protect the exterior from getting wet and dirty, in addition to protecting it from all other exposure.
A car cover is also essential to keep your interior belongings, devices and contents out of sight from thieves. A vandal is most likely to break into a car if he sees something valuable inside. Car covers prevent this from happening. Your vehicle has less chance of being meddled as compared to cars that are parked out in the open with a car cover.
Q4. What is the cost of a car cover?
Ans. Good car covers cost from Rs. 2000 onwards and are widely available online at Carorbis website. You should keep the car cover clean by washing it regularly. This will prevent any scratches or stains from appearing on your paint finish.
