| Car covers, or indeed any protective cover you are | | | | protected the vehicle leaving the exposed portions |
| looking to buy for your SUV, truck, boat or even an | | | | seriously faded and dull. Just as with humans, the |
| airplane, all have one thing in common - their goal is | | | | sun's rays harm paint work and fade colors, especially |
| to protect your vehicle and the investment you have | | | | in the interior so you need to source a cover which |
| made. | | | | has a high UV rating to protect your vehicle. |
| Depending on where you are storing the car will have | | | | Heat is an underrated contributor of degradation to |
| a bearing on the type of cover you are going to be | | | | vehicles because it doesn't make its effects |
| looking at; the reason is because different types of | | | | immediately felt. Excessive heat accelerates |
| cover are better at performing certain protective | | | | corrosion, encourages the growth of mildew, impairs |
| functions than others, so it will help you in your | | | | engine performance and can seriously affect electrical |
| decision if you understand what is happening with the | | | | systems. It is wise to do whatever you can to |
| elements and environment which is attacking your | | | | minimize the heat around the vehicle and |
| vehicle. | | | | unfortunately, many car covers will simply trap the |
| The major elemental factors which cause damage to | | | | heat under them. A thick car cover will minimize heat |
| your vehicle are rain, sun and heat but there are | | | | build-up because it is insulating the vehicles compared |
| others such as dirt and physical knocks, bird | | | | to a light-weight version - it is important that it will |
| droppings and tree sap which need to be considered | | | | allow air to circulate too. |
| too. | | | | Another factor is permeability which measures how |
| When choosing a cover you need a material which | | | | well material such as water but also dirt and dust, can |
| will allow the air to circulate underneath the cover; | | | | pass through the cover. A low permeability rating is |
| this will allow moisture to be taken away from the | | | | what you are looking for so that air will still circulate, |
| vehicle and will prevent the growth of mildew and | | | | water can still exit from under the cover and it is not |
| mold. If you have a cover which is completely | | | | going to allow much dirt to come into contact with |
| waterproof then it will trap the moisture in with | | | | the vehicle underneath. |
| obvious, bad results. The flip side of this is that water | | | | The car cover has also got to provide a "soft touch" |
| will be able to penetrate on to the vehicle through | | | | inner surface where it comes into contact with the |
| the cover; you need to source a cover which is only | | | | bodywork. You do not want a coarse material |
| water permeable to a low degree so rain and snow | | | | brushing across a fine paint job creating scratches on |
| have plenty of time to drop off or evaporate before | | | | it when you are trying to protect it. You also need |
| it reaches the car underneath. | | | | the cover to provide robust protection so physical |
| Sun is a serious cause of damage to paint work - we | | | | knocks, such as the kids playing ball or a falling tree |
| have all seen the effects of sun causing faded paint | | | | branch do not create a ding in the body work. |
| work with unsightly lines where shadows have | | | | |