Hey guys Greg from CARiD.com and I am back in the shop with you today to talk about car covers.
But more specifically my goal is to take you through everything that you need to know when
it comes down to shopping for one.
So, let's be honest with each other, you don't just WANT a car cover you NEED a car cover.
And because there are so many different hazards that can damage your car, we're going to
give you every bit of information possible so by the end of today you are going to know
everything about car covers.
Now we're also going to be showcasing 20 plus covers by industry leaders like Coverking
and Covercraft.
But the covers that we feature are just a sample our extensive inventory.
CARiD.com is your one stop shop, we stock it all, and that's why we're able to give
you the information that you need to make the right decision.
So here is a quick summary of today's agenda.
We're going to start with explaining the key differences of indoor and outdoor covers,
and the most important protection qualities they need to possess for each environment.
Then we get into some soggy issues, specifically what you need to know about protecting your
car from rain and snow.
Then we transition to the opposite end of the spectrum blistering heat from the sun
and UV rays.
Up next it will be all about keeping that film of dust and dirt off your clear coat.
Then we consider what's needed to prevent dings and dents from the inevitable garage
accident.
Following our protection categories, we then explain why it's so important for a cover
to breath.
Then we explain what it takes to ensure you have a soft inner liner to pamper that paint
job.
And after all that we wrap everything up explaining the main differences between universal and
custom fit covers.
So, go ahead strap in because we are going for a ride and when we reach our destination
you are going to have the perfect car cover, not only for you but your car.
Alright so the first thing that you need to figure out is where you plan to store your
car and ultimately use your cover.
Now there are 3 main usages types, outdoor, indoor, and indoor/outdoor.
Now if you want my opinion I think it just boils down to just indoor, and indoor/outdoor.
There is absolutely no reason why you can't use an outdoor cover indoors.
But the most important thing to remember is that both indoor and indoor/outdoor covers
are going to have their strengths and weaknesses when it comes down to protecting your vehicle.
From bird dropping bombings, rain, snow, grass clippings, dirt and dust, too even falling
hazards in your own garage.
Now depending on where you plan to store your car these threats are going to vary so you
need to choose a car cover that's going to be capable of protecting your car against
the threats in your environment.
Now let me go ahead and give you an example.
Let's say you're already able to keep your car inside your garage.
You're not really going to be concerned with normal outdoor hazards like extreme weather,
your more so worried about keeping it clean, right?
So the main factors that you need to be concerned about if you are storing your car indoors
are dust and dirt, inner liner softness, ding protection, and breathability.
And just remember no indoor cover will be able to protect your car from outdoor weather
hazards.
So, if you do end up having to store your car outside, even just occasionally, focus
your search on outdoor covers only.
Now speaking of outdoor covers, if you are storing your car primarily outside the main
categories you should be concerned with is anything and everything that mother nature
subjects your car to!
Now again all of this will vary depending on the climate that you live in, but you should
already have a pretty good idea of what to expect.
Things like rain, snow, dust and dirt, powerful UV rays from the sun, and breathability, are
all things that you need to be mindful of when storing your car outdoors.
But so you can get a better idea of exactly how a car covers can keep your car protected
from all of these threats let's go ahead and get right into it and start explaining
each protection category.
Alright let's get things started with one of the main reasons that most people get a
car cover and that's wet nasty weather.
A cover that's exceptional in water protection is crucial.
Now all of you that live in rain saturated areas like Florida and Louisiana, or high
snow fall states like Alaska and Colorado this category is important.
Now I want to stress that most covers on the market are not water proof but actually water
resistant.
But this is done for a good reason though, it's important for a car cover to breathe
and not to trap moisture underneath it especially on top of the paint.
Now full waterproof covers will trap water and damage paint so bottom line stay away
from those.
Now the level of how protective the cover is against rain and snow all comes down to
the layers of fabric.
A basic single layer cover will do ok for small time periods outdoors but over time
it will just end up absorbing all that moisture and it's going to get through the cover.
You're going to find that the better the cover is at protecting against water it usually
has multiple layers to do so.
At times, it may be even up to five layers of densely woven microfiber material.
Now this use of fine woven materials and dense layers of fabric creates holes that are so
small not even a drop of water can fit through them!
This design keeps water on top of the cover and any excess moisture under the car is still
able to evaporate.
Alright so to keep your car dry, and car rust free, here are three recommendations of covers
that we offer that perform well in this category.
Let's start off with an entry level cover this time it's the Trigaurd cover from Coverking.
The Trigaurd is an affordable outdoor cover that's rated at a 3 out of 5 in the rain
protection category.
This cover is a perfect solution for those of you that need basic protection, without
breaking the bank.
Our middle of the road cover in this category comes from Covercraft with the Ultra'tect.
Once again you will pay a little more in price but by doing so you get a cover with a 4 out
of 5 rating in rain protection as well as in inner liner softness and UV protection.
But for a cover that provides so much protection it's like your car is stored indoors you
got to check out Covercrafts Weathershield HD.
This cover is a serious heavy duty outdoor cover with a full 5 out of 5 rating in rain
protection.
As always though, premium protection will cost you premium prices, so for this cover
be prepared to shell out more than average for maximum protection.
Ok so to sum up our rain protection category, here are the key factors to remember.
Look for car covers that uses, dense fabric, fine woven fabric, and multiple layers of
dense fine woven materials.
If it's a 4 out of 5 or better it will offer exception rain protection.
Alright let's go ahead and turn up the heat a little and talk about sun and UV ray protection.
This category should be important to anyone that is storing there car outside for an extended
period, but especially for those of you that live in the sunbelt.
You know who exactly you are, places like Nevada, Arizona and Southern California, these
environments subject cars to serious sun damage.
The sun can fade paint and clear coats, fade interior fabric and plastics, and even cause
plastic and rubber moldings to crack and dry rot.
Now when shopping for a cover that is exceptional at blocking UV rays remember that material
is everything.
A standard car cover will certainly help and be better than nothing.
But what you really need is a cover that uses polyester with the addition of special reflective
properties, or a cover that incorporates the use of acrylic fibers, which are naturally
UV resistant.
But now that you know what it takes for a cover to be exceptional at protecting against
UV rays, let me share with you three options that we offer that excel in this category.
Let's start things off with the entry level option the Coverking Silvergaurd outdoor cover.
The Silvergaurd will provide you with excellent UV ray protection and is rated 5 out of 5
in this category.
But on top of that it's also very effective in the breathability category.
All these features at an entry level car cover price.
A step up from that is the Coverkings Silvergaurd Plus which will still give you a top rating
of 5 out of 5 in the UV protection category.
The biggest difference compared to the Silvergaurd is its thicker material which allows it to
excel in both inner liner softness as well as ding protection.
But if you're looking for the true cream of the crop it's going to be Covercrafts
Sunbrella.
This cover is the best of the best when it comes to UV protection with a 5 out of 5 rating
but it's also very strongly rated in rain, inner liner softness, breathability and even
ding protection!
But because it excels so well in all categories be prepared to shell out a few more dollars
for this cover.
Ok so to sum up our UV ray protection category, here are the key factors to remember if you're
looking for exceptional UV ray protection.
Look for a car cover that uses, any material that reflects UV rays, this can include a
material that has reflective properties added to it, or a material that is naturally UV
resistant such as acrylic fibers.
If it's a 4 out of 5 or better it will offer exceptional UV ray protection.
Alright now let's take a closer look at one of the most annoying issues about keeping
your car uncovered, dust and dirt.
Now dust and dirt really can be very harmful to your car but only when persuaded.
Now let's just say you live by the beach and constantly experience high winds.
Dust and dirt get pounded into the paint which can cause fine scratches all over the car.
Or maybe your able to keep your car inside but no matter what dust will accumulate overtime.
If you wipe it down with anything other than a microfiber cloth this can also cause fine
scratches everywhere.
So, to keep it clean and reduce some frustration excellent dust and dirt protection is important.
Now to get that kind of protection you're going to want to stay away from single layer
non-woven fabrics.
They can be quite porous and allow more dust to get through.
Covers that excel in dust and dirt protection use tightly woven fabric, and multiple layers.
Just think about it, dust and dirt particles are TINY, so the tighter the fabric and the
more layers that are, the less chance that dust has getting through.
But don't look at just the fabric, how its secured is also just as important.
If you do choose a cover that is loose around the bottom edges dust and dirt can still be
blown up from the floor onto the paint.
So, find a cover with a strong and tight elastic so it seals as tightly as possible.
Ok now that you know what's needed for excellent dust and dirt protection, here are three recommendations
that we offer that excel in this category.
Now first, we have an entry level cover, Coverkings Coverbond 4.
This cover provides a middle of the road dust and dirt protection and rates at a 3 out of
5.
But considering its entry level price and the fact that it has high ratings in both
inner liner softness and ding protection it's a great option.
But if you're looking for something with more dust and dirt stopping power you got
to check out Covercrafts Evolution cover.
The Evolution rates at a 4 out of 5 in dust and dirt protection and has very strong rating
in rain, UV and even ding protection.
Now you're going to pay more for this cover but the additional benefits make it worthwhile.
For supreme protection Coverkings Autobody Armor comes in at the top with a full 5 out
of 5 rating in not only dust and dirt but multiple other protection categories.
Once again you will pay a premium price for this cover, but your also getting top quality
protection in all categories.
Ok so to sum up our dust and dirt protection category, here are the key factors to remember.
Look for car covers that uses, tightly woven fabrics, multiple layers of tightly woven
fabric, and also a tight elastic at the bottom of the cover.
If it's a 4 out of 5 or better it will offer exception dust and dirt protection.
Now I don't know about you guys but for me regardless of how clean and tidy my garage
is there is always a chance of something falling on top of or even running into my car.
Shit happens, right?
We may not all have the ideal storage locations for all of our cars.
They may end up in barns, packed warehouses, or even a shared storage unit.
That's why having an indoor cover with exceptional ding protection is not something to overlook.
To achieve that stay away from thin covers with only 1 layer, there simply just isn't
enough between the hazard and the body.
The main feature that allows a car cover to excel at ding protection is layers.
Just think about it, the more layers of fabric create a thicker cover, and a thicker cover
gives you more cushion on top of the body.
That way if your cat decides to run across the hood, or maybe your kids drop a bike into
the side of it, you have a lot better chance of preventing that ding, dent or scratch,
with a thicker cover.
Now I can't help you create a force field around your car, but what I can do is share
with you some covers that we offer that shine when it comes down to ding protection.
Now let's go ahead and start things off with Covercrafts Block It 380, this cover
has a middle of the road rating when it comes to ding protection with a 3 out of 5.
But where it lacks in ding protection it makes up in both rain and inner liner softness.
Now if you're looking for something a little stouter check out Covercrafts NOAH car cover.
This cover will give you a 4 out of 5 rating in ding protection as well as full 5 out of
5 ratings in both rain and dust and dirt, so it's a perfect middle of the road option.
But if you want the closest thing to a force field a solid choice is the Coverking Moving
blanket.
This is one of the thickest and softest covers on the market and comes with a 5 out of 5
rating in ding protection, inner liner softness and dust and dirt.
Now you're going to pay a premium price for this cover, however you will also get
premium protection.
Ok so to sum up our ding protection category, here are the key factors to remember.
Always look for a car covers that uses, thick woven fabrics, multiple layers of thick woven
fabrics, and you got to stay away from single layer non-woven covers.
If it's a 4 out of 5 or better it will offer exception ding protection.
Alright so up until now we have focused primarily on elemental protection categories, let's
go ahead and get into our first base protection category, breathability.
We all know that water and moisture can destroy a car over time.
When water and metal mix over time that causes rust and corrosion.
Not only that but if water gets trapped under the cover its got nowhere else to go but right
into the paint.
And if that happens that shiny clear coat is going to turn cloudy, and the only solution
at that point is a pricey repaint.
Therefore, breathability is a key factor for cars being stored outside, or indoors in an
incredibly damp area.
Now believe it or not a waterproof cover will do more damage than it not being covered at
all just because it can't breathe.
This is the reason that most car covers on the market are actually water resistant, and
not water proof so some moisture is expected to seep through the cover.
But if a cover can breathe, water and moisture underneath the cover can escape faster allowing
your car and cover to dry quickly.
Now it's important to remember that solid layer non-woven material, or multiple layer
thicker covers will tend to be less breathable.
The key here is tightly woven multiple layer fabrics or woven single layer fabrics, this
is going to create holes so small it's difficult for water to pass through, but large enough
so that moisture can escape.
So, to ensure that any trapped moisture can escape, a car covers material needs to have
the appropriate amount of breathability.
Now to get an idea of some covers that efficient at being breathable here are the top 3 on
our site.
Let's start with the entry level Coverkings Trigaurd cover.
This cover is rates at a 4 out of 5 in this category, but where it lacks in breathability
it makes up in inner liner softness as well as rain protection.
But if you have the cash and you want to step it up a little further, you got to look at
Covercrafts Fleeced Satin.
This cover is rated at a full 5 out of 5 in breathability, with another 5 out of 5 in
inner liner softness it's a great package.
However, if you only want the best of the best of your prized ride look no further than
Covercrafts Form-Fit, you will certainly spend some extra cash on it, but with a 5 out of
5 in this category as well as ding protection, and inner liner softness I think it pays for
itself.
Ok so to sum up our breathability category, here are the key factors to remember.
Look for car covers that uses, a single layer tightly woven fabric, or multiple layer tightly
woven fabric, and definitely stay away from solid layer non-woven materials.
If it's a 4 out of 5 or better it will offer exception breathability.
But what about the inside of the cover, the part that's actually touching your paint?
A covers base layer, or inner liner softness is an important part.
This is the area of the cover that is physically touching your paint.
And if the right material isn't used it can cause more damage than if it was just
left without one.
Now this category should be important to everyone, however more so for those of you with that
perfect paint job.
So, if inner liner softness is just as important to you as it is me, just remember it all comes
down to the fabric.
Now polypropylene is a common fabric that you will find more so on entry level universal
covers.
This fabric tends to be a little more abrasive then the others so it won't be the softest
touch.
Now a step up from the standard would be any type of polycotton material, although it's
not completely cotton it offers a much softer touch than polypropylene.
If you want the absolute best of the best though you can't go wrong with either nylon
fleece, cotton flannel, but especially 100% cotton.
Alright now that you know what to look for when it comes to a plush inner liner, here
are the top three covers that we offer that excel in this category.
Coming in at the entry level slot is the Covercraft Polycotton.
This cover offers a 3 out of 5 rating for inner liner softness, but where it lacks in
softness it makes up for in breathability with a 5 out of 5.
Our middle of the road cover is the Evolution from Covercraft with a 4 out of 5 in this
category.
But besides the inner liner it's also exceptional in other key areas such as UV, rain, and ding
protection.
So, for a few extra bucks you get a lot more all-around protection.
But if you want the epidemy of an inner liner then you need to check out Coverkings Satin
Stretch.
Not only does this cover give you a full 5 out of 5 rating in this category but it also
excels in dust and dirt, ding protection and breathability.
Just be prepared to cough up some more cash if you want the top notch.
Ok so to sum up our inner liner softness category, here are the key factors to remember.
Look for car covers that usea, a polycotton blend, nylon fleece or cotton flannel, but
the best of the best will always be 100% cotton.
If it's a 4 out of 5 or better it will offer exception inner liner softness.
Alright so in the full car cover realm, there are two main fitment types, universal, and
custom fit.
Now custom covers have a slew of features that all together creates an amazing fit.
Custom covers can be searched using your year, make and model and even sub model.
By doing so you can find a cover that has been manufactured to fit your exact vehicle.
So, every curve, side mirror, and even antenna location is designed to fit under the cover
perfectly.
And for those of you out there with custom body work, maybe a spoiler or aftermarket
hood.
Well our manufactures also offer additional features and can build you a cover specifically
designed to accommodate these modifications.
However custom covers can be expensive, so if funds are low you can go the universal
route.
Now if you're looking for a universal cover remember that searching using the year, make
and model will help narrow things down but, these covers are more so based off the vehicles
dimensions.
Remember universal covers are designed to fit a large array of vehicles.
So even if you purchase a universal cover to the correct dimensions don't expect it
to be a snug tight fit.
It's still going to be loose and baggy, so it's always a good idea to use a set
of straps to secure it if you're leaving it outside.
Now your wallet on the other hand will thank you, generally they are less expensive than
a custom fit, so if your short on cash it's a great solution.
Well guys we covered a lot today, I threw a ton of information at you and I hope you
found it helpful.
Car covers can be confusing, like I said earlier choosing the right one is never easy.
But hopefully after all of this you took away something that will allow your search to be
a lot easier.
And if you have more questions or are still unsure, that's not a problem just give one
of our product specialists a call.
Our team knows car covers, and can point you in the right direction to find the right car
cover for not only you, but that prized ride of yours.
Well thanks again for taking the time to join me in the shop today, and as always I will
see you guys next time in the garage.
For more infomation >> Researchers: Technology In Cars A Distraction For Drivers - Duration: 0:45. 
For more infomation >> Thieves, vandals target several car dealerships; unknown if incidents related - Duration: 1:02. 
For more infomation >> 3 Bears Found Inside Car - Duration: 0:23. 
For more infomation >> Video: 2 found dead in car during crash investigation - Duration: 1:49. 
For more infomation >> Stranger tries to lure 12-year-old into car - Duration: 1:48. 
For more infomation >> Dramatic Video Shows Suspect Trying To Seal Squad Car - Duration: 2:41. 
For more infomation >> Bristol Police warn residents of spike in car break-ins, thefts - Duration: 0:17. 
For more infomation >> Vehicle Simulator Trying out my car! - Duration: 6:32. 
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét