No matter what kind of weather you have where you live, car covers are an incredibly useful tool for car owners. But can car covers really protect your car from the sun? That’s what we’re going to find out in this article.
So what kind of damage are we talking about here? Well, if a car sits in the sun for too long, you may notice some of the following signs:
- Dust and debris can get on your car and fuse with your paint. If you don’t regularly wash your car, you can discover that the dirt is going to take some of the paint with it when you get around to scraping it off.
- If you leave your car in the sun for long enough, your paint may even fade away.
- The heat will cause heightened tire pressure, which will leave the tires more susceptible to damage.
- Furthermore, the interior of the car will also suffer. As temperatures rise, your oil, the transmission fluid, and the coolant will evaporate. Inside the cabin, the dirt could stick to the plastic components. Additionally, the seats can fade and even crack from the heat.
Of course, all of these negative consequences only get worse the longer you leave your car out in the heat. Fortunately, I’ve got another article for you if you want to learn how to protect your car from this type of sun damage. As for this one, let’s see if car covers can help you solve this problem. But first, let’s talk about what they are and what kinds exist.
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What Are Car Covers?
Essentially, car covers are fitted blankets that cover the entirety of your car. Many of them even have extra material covering the side view mirrors. Still, because they completely cover your car, you can only use them when the car is parked.
That’s why I consider some of the other sun protection methods to be more practical. However, car covers do have their uses.
For one, many of them can effectively protect your car in all types of weather conditions. In fact, covering your car right before a snow storm would protect your gaskets. As I explained in the article on fixing a leaking windshield, ice is the main reason why your windshields start leaking in the first place. However, even during summer, covers are hugely useful, as long as you get the right kind.
Namely, you should keep in mind whether you’re getting an indoor or an outdoor cover. Indoor covers tend to be much flimsier, as they’re only supposed to protect your car from dust. On the other hand, outdoor covers like the AUDEW All Weather Car Cover offer more substantial protection. These covers claim to protect your car from the sun, snow, and rain, as well as sand and dust, leaves, and even scratches.
Now, whether or not I believe all of these claims is the real question. Personally, I don’t think that car covers are the magical cures to all of your ailments. However, they should be able to protect your car from the sun.
As long as you get a cover that fits your car, you’ll be fine. And if you’re not in love with the silvery foil covers, you can also get one in a different color, like this black one from WELEYCLORE.
Are Car Covers Effective Protection From Sun Damage?
To answer the main question of this article: yes, car covers are fairly effective at protecting your car from the sun. In fact, they’d deal with all of your major concerns:
- Covers protect the car paint from fading in the sun.
- They also lower the interior temperature of the car.
- And they offer all-weather protection.
- Additionally, covers prevent dust and pollutants from getting on or into the car.
- They’re even a great theft deterrent.
All of these benefits come in a very portable and pretty affordable package as well. Most car covers can be rolled up into a small rectangle you can keep in the trunk of your car. What’s more, many of them are budget-friendly at around $40. So there’s really no reason for you not to keep one on hand.
However, I wouldn’t say that covers are going to fix all of your problems.
The Limitations of Car Covers
As I have previously mentioned, you should use outdoor covers to weatherproof your vehicle, since indoor covers are less effective. After all, outdoor covers have a waterproof top layer that also has built-in UV protection. There are also all-weather covers that should protect against hail as well, so if the weather in your area tends to be unpredictable, you may want to consider those as well.
Additionally, you should also keep in mind that car covers can only help if the car is going to sit in one spot for a while. In fact, they’re kind of a hassle to put on and pull off if you’re only going to be parked in a spot for a few hours. However, if you’re planning on leaving your car in the spot for a few days or even weeks, I wholeheartedly recommend covering it.
Some people have complained about the car covers themselves scratching the paint. However, as far as I know, that’s just a matter of the technique you’re using to put the cover over the car. And if you want to know the correct way to do this, you can learn it from YouTube videos like this one.
Besides, many covers do have a soft lining inside to prevent users from scratching their cars while they’re putting the cover on. The lining is usually made of soft cotton, which allows water to escape from your car. The top layers are usually sun-reflecting aluminum or waterproof polyethylene — so both will protect your car from various threats.
Basically, the limitations of car covers come down to them being a bit annoying to put on if you’re doing it, say, every day. Still, the results are, in my opinion, worth it.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, I firmly believe that all drivers should have some type of a weather cover in their cars at all times. After all, you never know what kind of weather you’re going to be stuck in. Car covers certainly aren’t as effective as parking in an underground garage would be. Still, they’re definitely better than having nothing.
Come sun, rain, or snow, a car cover will be able to protect your car from the negative effects of the weather. So, if you’re planning to leave your car behind while you’re on your summer vacation, you should use a cover. It will protect your car from dirt and debris, not to mention the harmful UV rays that can damage your paint.
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- By Car Roar