Remember the episode ‘The One With Joey’s Porsche’ from Friends where Joey covers up a pile of boxes shaped like a Porsche under a car cover to impress girls? The episode was hilarious and the takeaway message from it is that, you can use a car cover to cover up anything. Leaving jokes aside, a car cover is an essential car accessory. Whether your car is a high-end model or not, it is still a significant investment. Since many of us do not have the luxury of a garage, it is essential that we use a car cover to protect our vehicle from dust, bird droppings, stains and other harmful materials. If you are in the market for a new car cover, the best place to shop for it is online. Yes, buying car covers online has many perks, with the major one being that you will have your product delivered right to your doorstep. Now, before you buy a car cover online, there are certain basics that you need to keep in mind. Few basics of the car covers

Fit : This cover fit our test car perfectly. The elastic hem is strong enough to keep the cover secure without the need for additional straps. However, CarCovers.com does have a strap to keep this cover secured in high winds. We gave the highest scores in this category to snug-fitting car covers that managed to envelop the entire vehicle. Loose-fitting car covers that can be well-secured with tie-down straps could still receive a high score in this category. Car covers that are especially baggy or could blow off in a strong wind scored poorly in this category. At the low end, an affordable canvas or nylon indoor car cover is sort of like a windbreaker for your ride; it provides an initial line of defense and not much more. High-end indoor car covers (like the CarCapsule we tested here) protect a vehicle from everything—including critters. This style is more of an inflatable mini-garage that can filter incoming air. If your ride deserves the ultimate indoor protection, that's the kind of car cover you'll want to consider.

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Water proof car covers are usually made out of plastic film or out of fabric that is then coated in plastic. Because of the possibility of condensation forming between these covers and the vehicle, they are typically used alongside a non-water resistant cover to protect against moisture gathering on the exterior of the car. You can put a cotton or a cotton-polyester blend cover directly on the car and then place the plastic, waterproof cover on top of it. You can use this type of cover for long term storage over winter or for outdoor protection against the rain.

Material : While some other car covers we have tested seemed like they had a high propensity to rip or tear, the material of this car cover was great to work with. The stretchy material meant we didn’t have to worry about tearing holes in the cover. The silky material is gentle on car surfaces.

The Monsoon covers are winter car covers for use in temperatures below 70f / 21c. If you require a year round cover, we suggest that Stormforce will be a better option Outside, there are a multitude of different things that can truly harm your vehicle. Sunlight, ice, moisture, dust, sap, and bird droppings are just a few.

Fabrics that are breathable and treated for UV protection usually make for the best outdoor car covers. Are outdoor car covers a good idea?Snow/ice : Similar to rain, you will want a water-resistant cover to protect against snow and ice. There are also car covers available on the market that are specifically designed for ice protection. Besides the obvious damage that bad weather will inflict on your car over time, there are other hazards that you need to protect your vehicle against. Bird droppings, industrial fallout, dust, scratches, acid rain, and ultraviolet radiation can all have a strong negative effect on your car’s exterior and unprotected parts. Even if your car is kept in a garage or in a car port, dust gathering on the exterior can have a corrosive effect, so it is still recommended that you use a car cover to protect it from the long-term effects of dust and fallout. Rain : If you’re worried about rain, a water-resistant cover is the way to go. At the very least you may need a water-repellent material, but it’s also a good idea to research covers that have been treated for mildew. Fit : This cover fits as well as any custom-fit car cover that we tested, and we noticed no excess material. If the fit is a little baggy, the Tour Performance cover has integrated tie-down straps. A lot of car covers are, admittedly, indistinguishable: Despite the sales jargon, most are simple canvas or nylon/poly covers with perhaps some sort of weather protection (or not) and maybe a soft interior lining (ditto). So we decided to test different types of car covers to gauge the performance and abilities of each.

Additionally, make sure your car is clean before putting a car cover on. That pesky dirt can leave its mark in your car's clear coat surprisingly well. Why Trust Us? The third type of car cover available is the waterproof cover which is best for guarding against rain, but which can cause condensation to get trapped between the material and your vehicle. This trapped condensation can damage you paint, sometimes to an astounding extent. In many cases, the problems caused by this condensation are worse than the ones that the rain would have caused had the car been uncovered to begin with.

Reviews

Our review team recently caught up with Kyle Marker, Parts Manager at Leith Lincoln in Raleigh, NC, to discuss his favorite car products and accessories. If you’re looking to buy a car protector, you’ll need to know the dimensions of your car. You can measure this by hand, or find the right dimensions online, so you can choose a cover that fits snugly. Our advice is to go for one a little bigger than the dimensions of your car. You want a snug fit, but not too tight. Waterproof Car Cover Indoor car covers provide protection from dust and mildew that can accumulate on stagnant vehicles. Typically, they aren't built to withstand high winds or subzero temps. Thus, these tend to be cheaper, especially on the low end, but you can really go crazy for the ultimate protection of your prized possessions. We think this car cover excels in every important category: it’s made from a durable material, is easy to install, and fits like a glove (due in part to model-specific sizing). Fit : The fit was about what we expected. It fit overtop the vehicle, but it didn’t cover much of the wheels. Sewn-in grommets and an included cable ensured the cover wouldn’t blow off in the wind.