Shield Your Ride: Best Outdoor Car Covers

Leaving a car outdoors expose it to elements that can damage it in time. Prolonged exposure to wind, dust, and rain can affect the paint on the vehicle, ultimately leading to rust and visible scratches and defects. Even animals such as cats can scatch it with their claws.

To be sure the car is protected you should use a cover, but finding the best one is a little tricky as there are multiple brands and models on sale. 

Best Outdoor Car Covers Reviews

TONBUX Truck Cover 6 Layers – Waterproof All Weather Car Covers with Cotton Protection for Auto Vehicle Indoor Outdoor for Pickup Truck Fits up to 246” 

Tonbux truck cover is an exceptional truck cover made from 6 layers of PE&EVA. The inside is padded with cotton to protect against scratches. This truck cover is completely waterproof and can withstand high temperatures due to its aluminum coating. 

It can be used all year round and it’s one of the strongest covers on the market. It’s easy to put on trucks as it weighs only 9 pounds. It can be secured with a series of strong straps. The straps are fully adjustable. Strong winds are no problem for this truck cover. 

The Tonbux truck cover can be fitted on almost any truck as it’s a universal cover and with the help of the straps you’ll get a snug fit.

The main feature of this truck cover is the intelligent zipper system. Getting something from the inside of the truck is as easy as unzipping the door part.

CARBABA Car Cover, Universal Full Car Covers with Zipper Door, 6 Layers All Weather Protection Waterproof/Windproof/Scratch Resistant/Reflective Strips for Sedan Wagon Use (177″ – 191″) 

Carbaba’s cover for cars is a good one. It is entirely waterproof and can withstand harsh conditions from the outside. As with other outdoor car covers, this one is comprised of 6 layers, each fulfilling a particular task. The exterior layer is responsible for keeping the rain away from your car. The intermediate layers diffuse heat from the sun. The last layer was designed to protect the vehicle against any scratches it may appear during installation.

Do you need to get something out of the car after the cover was put on? No problem. This cover features a zipper right on the driver’s door for easy access.

Due to it’s built, the cover can be used in any climate, even in those areas with strong winds. 

Best Car Covers Guide

Types of fit

If you are owning a mainstream car then the chances to find a car cover for that model increase. These covers are called custom-fit as they will fit the car perfectly. The advantage of these custom-fit covers is that they emulate the car’s size and shape exactly. The main advantage of this type is that it offers the most protection when compared with the other types.

If for your car model, there are no car covers you can go with universal ones. You can purchase them for the type of car(SUV/Cabrio/Sedan) or as a generic one that can be used for all cars. The disadvantage of these covers is that they offer the least protection. Universal covers do not fit perfectly and it’s possible that a strong wind to break them or end up losing them.

Outdoor or indoor car covers?

If you plan on getting a cover that is advertised for indoor use keep in mind that it can be used only indoors. These covers usually are not waterproof, break easily and after prolonged exposure to UV rays, they can discolor, and break. Use them only indoors as their only task is to protect the car from dust, and pollen.

On the other hand, the covers for outdoors are stronger and waterproof. We call these all-weather covers. While they do cost more, the degree of protection they offer is unmatched by an indoor cover. 

Material

Most of the covers are made from cotton or synthetic microfibers. Each of the materials has its pros and cons. For example, cotton covers are more suited for indoor where the moisture can condensate on the cover and dry faster. More exactly, the material “breaths”. The main con of cotton is the resistance, it’s lower than synthetic fibers.

Synthetic microfibers, on the other hand, do not let moisture go through them. It’s more durable and it can withstand outdoor use. The biggest selling point of synthetic covers is that they can be used indoors and outdoors.

Best Outdoor Car Covers FAQ

Q: Can a car cover damage your paint?

Usually, a car cover can not damage the pain. Most car covers are made from a textile material that can not scratch the paint. It would be a little counter-productive for a car cover to damage the paint as the main goal of it is to protect it.

Q: Can the car cover be washed and cleaned?

It can be cleaned and washed as in time the cover can be dirty from dust and rain sticking to it. The simplest way to clean it is by using a power washer. 

While the cover is still on the car, start power washing it but not from a close distance. Stand a few feet apart. After cleaning it, remove the cover and wash the car. If the cover is not waterproof you’re gonna need to wash also the car. 

Another way is to put it in a washing machine. This method is not recommended for all car covers. Before throwing your car cover in the washing machine, be sure that the manufacturer considers it safe and that it will not damage the cover.

Q: When to put the car cover on?

A car cover should be put on most of the time. During the day it can protect the paint against the sun’s radiation and keep the car cool inside. During the night it can keep the car clean if it rains.

The cover can also protect against unforeseen events, like a kid scratching it. Our recommendation is to use a cover on your car all the time the car is not used. 

Q: Should I put the cover on the car in the winter?

I’ve seen lots of people covering their cars in the winter but you should not do it. 

In winter, if it snows or rains and the temperature is below freezing, all that water and snow will become ice. If water gets in between the cover and the car, the cover will stick to the car making it almost impossible to remove it. 

Another thing is that the snow may become ice and removing the snow from the car become’s a really hard task. As the covers are made from textile material, the cover may be ripped with the expansion and contractions of water in winter.

Overall, do not use a cover for your car in the winter. It’s a bad idea and could ultimately result in damaging the car cover or even the car.

Updated on January 4, 2023