To the typical car owner, car covers may seem like a needless extravagance used mostly by car collectors or by the eager young adult male who just spent all of his earnings on a new set of wheels. But, a trunk-load of practical reasons exist for using car covers, and any automobile owner can recognize the value of using them regularly to extend the life of a car.

Protection from Natural and Human Influences

One of the more obvious reasons for using car covers is to protect a vehicle from environmental damage. Depending on where you live, your car suffers a variety of daily abuses just by sitting in a parking lot, along a street, or on a driveway. Wind blown sand, sea salt, tree sap, bird droppings, dirt, dust, falling twigs or other debris, and weather conditions like snow, rain, and ice can take an expensive toll on a car's exterior.

In addition, car covers protect your car's interior from sunlight. Interior temperatures remain at a more comfortable level on hot, sunny days when a car cover is being used, and interior fabrics and materials are protected from damage by the sun's harmful UV rays. Materials like vinyl, plastics, upholstered fabrics, and leather that are exposed regularly and over lengthy amounts of time to UV rays can become cracked, discolored, and weakened. Environmental conditions quickly age a vehicle's interior and exterior, and car covers are one easy way to dramatically slow down that process.

Car covers are also helpful in discouraging theft because they keep expensive interior components out of view. And, car covers can prevent the harmless, but curious, passerby from peeking into car windows and leaving fingerprints on your car's exterior. Thicker car covers can even prevent minor dings caused by inconsiderate neighbors in the parking lot.

Selecting the Best Car Cover

What is the best kind of car cover to choose? Comparing the available materials is an essential place to begin. If your vehicle is kept outside for much of the day, look for a cover made from breathable material. Breathable car covers allow condensation to escape from underneath. Over time, moisture that cannot evaporate from under car covers can cause mildew or corrosion and discoloration. Look also for a car cover that offers excellent weather protection. The best materials are the newer, high-tech, multi-layered materials that are lightweight, rugged, breathable, and can handle extremes in temperature and weather conditions. These materials will protect more efficiently than inferior quality materials like vinyl or plastic.

A car cover that fits properly is another important factor when it comes to choosing the right one for your vehicle. Covers that are oversized for the vehicle can fill with air like a balloon on breezy days. If not secured well, a ballooning cover can tear or be blown completely off of the car. Even if the cover does not blow off of the car, the extra fabric that thrashes against the car's finish over and over on windy days can damage the finish over time. Car covers that fit snugly and that are equipped with ties, drawstrings, or elastic hems are the most suitable choices. Even better are custom car covers that are made to fit your car exactly. Custom car covers generally cost more, but many automobile owners believe that any extra expense is worth it.

In general, taking care of our big investments, like vehicles, is more important than ever now that tough economic times make it difficult to trade in our existing vehicles every few years for shiny new models. Protecting a vehicle with a superior quality car cover is an easy and practical way to keep that car's exterior and interior in good condition for as long as the car continues to run.