Tips on Shopping for the Best Winter Car Cover

If you’ve got a car you like to baby, chances are she stays covered for much of the year. Unfortunately, winter just isn’t the time to whip around in your mint-condition classic or gorgeous sportscar. This is the season when cars face a barrage of damage caused by freezing temperatures, ice, snow, and the enemy of a beautifully preserved body: road salt.

Keeping your vehicle stored in the garage, preferably under a cover, is the very best way to ensure that it emerges in the spring looking perfect and ready to hit the road. Here are a few tips on how to find the best car covers for winter.

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1. Choose Between Indoor and Outdoor Covers – Some of us simply don’t have the luxury of keeping our vehicles in the garage at all times, which is where a car cover comes in handy. But not all car covers are designed for outdoor use. If you need to store your vehicle outside during the harshest months of the year, it’s imperative that you choose a cover designed for outdoor use, such as the Platinum Shield Outdoor Car Cover. These are made with multi-layer polyester or polypropylene materials to offer premium protection against snow and water.
2. Choose a Semi-Custom or Custom Car Cover – Fit is paramount when selecting your winter car cover. A bad fit can mean exposure to cold and wet weather, which can compromise your car’s finish and integrity. It can be tempting, but do your best to avoid purchasing car covers that are branded as “universal fit.” Usually, these are only offered in two or three sizes and won’t fit as well as other options. Semi-custom car covers fit your make and model and ship quickly, whereas custom car covers are made to order and can take up to two weeks.
3. Choose a Breathable Style – When storing cars for the winter, we need to do everything we can to seal out even the tiniest droplets of moisture. At the same time, we need to encourage airflow to help prevent the development of smelly mold and mildew. While you might think the cold months aren’t the most hospitable time for those mildew-causing microbes to flourish, the truth is that when warm and cold air mingle, condensation can occur and lead to these gross growths. Be sure to pick out a car cover that keeps out moisture but still provides airflow to help dry up condensation and prevent creating a microbial hotspot under the cover.

1. Opt for a Style That’s Lightweight – A lightweight, easy to maneuver car cover can help ensure that you get your cover on properly every time. When the temperatures are cold and wet, certain materials can stiffen or become heavier. This causes them to sit awkwardly on the surface of your car and prevents you from being able to get them in proper positioning. Go for a style with a lightweight yet durable construction that’s easy to toss on and take off as needed. Remember, to help your car survive winter, you’ll need to drive it every couple of weeks to give the engine a bit of exercise. With this in mind, ease of use and reduced hassle is important this time of year.
2. Choose a Style with a Fleece Liner – The best car covers are made with all-weather fabric on the side that faces outside with soft fleece material on the inside. Just like the fleece layer you toss on when the temps dip low, a fleece-lined car cover helps insulate the vehicle and keep it warmer. Most importantly, fleece lining is non-abrasive and won’t cause damage to your car’s exterior.

The Best and Easiest Way to Buy Winter Car Covers

The way you store your car in the off season can make a big difference in its lifespan and beauty. Even a single season of exposure to ice, snow, salt, and sludge can wreck your ride’s exterior, so it’s important to be discerning about cold-weather storage. No matter if it’s a pristine vintage auto, your daily driver or a mid-restoration project car, CarCovers.com is here to help you find the right cover for your car this winter.