Buyers place a lot of weight on how well a cover is constructed and how much protection it provides for, say, rain protection. The issue it is easy to forget is that there are many factors to consider, and they all interact together. More than this, is the utility of the car cover itself because unless you have tried putting a car cover up in a Force Ten wind you are not likely to be thinking of easy it is to manage, fit and take-down your cover when you are using it!
Rain and water are obvious factors to take into consideration when choosing a car cover, but you should note that there is a difference between water-proof water-resistant. Waterproof covers may not allow water to pass through the material at all, but this is not a good thing even if it sounds like it is. A cover should allow the air to circulate and breathe because this is what will help prevent the build-up of moisture and in turn the accumulation of mildew. Ideally, the car cover will allow water to pass through the material, but very slowly so that moisture can roll off the cover before it can pass through and permeate the paint job and bodywork. Conversely, if water is trapped between the cover and the vehicle then it has a chance to pass out by exiting through the car cover which is good news when it comes to protecting your vehicle.
You also need to consider how well the car cover will protect your vehicle from tree sap or bird droppings. Bird droppings are extremely corrosive because they contain all kinds of acids and alkali substances which will readily stain your paint job even if left for a few short minutes.
Tree sap is also very messy and extremely difficult to remove from the surface of your vehicle so the car cover must not allow it to pass through to the underlying paint job. The attribute you should consider is “permeability”, how easy a fabric allows substances to pass through it – ideally you want a low permeability rating because less dirt, dust, poop and sap is going to be able to get through to your vehicle.
Sun protection is essential because bodywork is just as likely to get “sun burnt” as you or I are when we are out in the sun – even when we are wearing clothes. The culprit is the UV rays in the sun’s rays which not only burn your skin but will also create a faded paint job just as fast. Red pain is particularly susceptible, which we have all seen in faded red paint jobs that turn an unsightly pink. It is important to check the UV rating for the car cover - the higher the rating the more protected your car will be.
Tags: car cover, motorcycle cover, truck cover, vehicle cover