The internet is full of companies telling you how great their car covers are, a lot of it has shocked us in terms of how much "bull" there is and here we hope to give some REAL advice on what to avoid.
1) Lots of companies sell general fit covers. They come in a generic box with Small, Medium, Large etc printed on and usually a list of cars on the back that the cover will fit. If you thought you were buying a fitted car cover and one of these boxes arrives, send it back, or call and ask the company who supplied it to collect it.
2) Dont buy a Polyurathane cover if you are going to use the car indoors. Also dont buy one if you are going to use it in a hot climate. The material wont be upto the job. See also our recent Blog Checklist on what to look for when buying a cover for use in a Hot Climate
3) Avoid covers that have no method of securing it to your car other than a couple of holes at the hemline and a piece of rope which you pass under the car and tie. The rope will create a friction point as it moves and mark your paintwork. Look for a cover with integrated straps and protective silicone boots or even better a hemline securing system which will take pressure off the strap to cover attachment point.
4) When fitting the cover Dont drag it along the floor or over the car. Start from the roof and fold down to each corner.
5) Always store the cover with the inside protected ( ie folding inwards ) and dont store it anywhere dusty, damp or dirty.
6) The inside of an outdoor cover shouldnt be soft and fluffy. You may initially think this is a good idea but it will attract and hold dirt, dust and moisture so over time, everytime you put the cover you risk scratching the car.
7) The inside SHOULD be a non woven material that wont hold moisture and dirt particles.
8) If its cheap, its cheap for a reason. Some of the worst covers we have seen are just sprayed with a waterproofing agent and are not waterproof at all. When it rains water pours through the cover, sometimes taking deposits of the agent with it which can leave marks on paint / soft top.
9) If you use your car daily, chances are if you cover it it will be dirty when you do so always clean it first.
10) Buy the best cover you can for the application required. If you use your car often and want to take it with you in the car go for something robust and light which compresses quite small. ( like our Voyager or Voyager PLUS) If your car is being stored outdoors long term, go for something a bit more heavy duty, ( like our Stormforce or Stormforce PLUS ) cover.
11) If you are looking to invest in a really good cover then go down the Custom Fit or Bespoke Route, these usually take weeks to produce and come in a variety of colours. Like our Advan-Tex or Cielo Covers
12) If you are going to use your cover on the highway then you will need to display your number plates, this is the law. You will also need to consider displaying a parking permit if this applies to you. Taking this into account our Advan-Tex covers can come with window panels to display all these as an optional upgrade.
If in doubt give us a call on 01744 633985 or visit our website at http://www.coveryourcar.co.uk
