What should I buy for a car cover in Australia?

What should I buy for a car cover in Australia? This is the question - not should I buy a car cover!

Hot sun, drought,heavy rain, hail and buzzing insects: all these things irritate us to no end so what should I buy for a car cover in Australia?

Incidentally, your car probably doesn’t like all those things too.

Without either keeping your car inside or using a car cover, things don't  look good for your car!

What is a car cover?

You’ve probably seen covered cars parked around the place..

They can be any colour but grey/ silvered sheet is the most common. They are all made to fit the shape of the car.

These sheets are car covers, and they come in a wide variety of materials.

These covers can be made out of simple cloth or a silvered, plastic material.

If you park your car outside, the better ones will provide protection against the weather. A cheap one may do more harm than good!

Why should I buy a car cover?

A car cover will  protects from debris like fallen leaves, bird poo and road dirt as well as the sun and rain.

Of course, you can constantly run your car through a car wash and keep it clean but that does not protect against the UV rays of the sun or the damage from a hail storm.

Australia has some of the fiercest sun in the world as well as some of the worst hail storms, it makes sense to protect your car. The sun will not only fade and lift your paint on the outside but it will ruin the interior of a car.

That’s because the ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight break down plastics and leather over time. If you always park your car in the sun, the process will accelerates.

A car cover will save you money

A car cover will save you time in cleaning and money in depreciation of your asset. It does the job of keeping your car clean even when you’re not using it.

• They’re useful for a number of reasons:
• they protect your car from direct sunlight,
• bird droppings,
• plant sap 
• dirt and dust
• and a special hail protection cover cover will do all of the above. It will also keep your car protected from hail storms.

It’s the same concept when you buy a case for your smartphone – you want to keep your phone clean, scratch free and in good condition.

If you consider your insurance excess, (the amount you must pay before your insurance kick in), and how much you’ve already paid for your set of wheels, it pays to protect your investment for the long term.

This is especially true in keeping a good value for your car. A well-maintained car retains good value and a cover is essential for a well-maintained car.

What should I look out for when buying a car cover?

First, decide the purpose. Is it for inside use or outside use? Do you need hail protection in your area or do you just need a light cover or a full weatherproof cover?

Get one which fits your car model. A cover that is too big or loose can cause minor scratching of paintwork in high winds.

If it is an outdoor cover, make sure it has tie-down straps. Considering how strong winds can get in many parts of Australia, it pays to get a car cover which can be strapped down.

Spend a bit more on a good-quality cover. Cheap ones may end up scratching your car and causing bad condensation which make things worse than not using one at all!