Best Waterproof Car Covers: Protect Your Car’s Paint

When your vehicle is outdoors, it's exposed to dust, dirt, bird droppings, sun damage, and more, so getting a car cover is imperative to giving your vehicle the best level of protection. To save you the cost of re-waxing, polishing, or repainting your paintwork, we will guide you through getting the best waterproof car covers.

Car covers are an investment in protecting your investment. Making sure to get one that will stand the test of weather and time is crucial to protecting thousands of dollars of your property. Between hands-on experience in our personal lives and plenty of research, we are able to produce a buying guide we're sure will serve the general public well.

For more on how we select products, check this out.

The Ultimate Shield Cover features an almost impenetrable five-layer construction with a soft fleece lining to help protect your vehicle's finish and prevent cosmetic damage. One of the materials used is an oil-based multi-layer polypropylene with a micro-porous film sandwiched between the layers to improve breathability. This helps to prevent rot or mildew from attacking the material. For all-weather protection, the material is UV-treated and also includes a coating that repels water. The seams are also ultrasonically welded to help keep water out. An elastic hem at the front and rear offers a snug fit, and there's a label sewn into the front to help you install it the right way on your first try. 

While it may be a heavy-duty cover, it's only designed to hold up to mild winds. As a result, you need to purchase extra straps to secure it during the windier times of the year. 

The cover's layers include a non-woven and reflective protective coating, a UV-resistant aluminum film that's sandwiched between two layers of waterproof and dustproof polyethylene, a waterproof EVA layer, and finally, a soft cotton inner lining to protect your paintwork. It offers all-season protection by effectively keeping out water, snow, dust and preventing heat damage. Five reflective stripes at the front, middle, and rear help improve your vehicle's visibility at night. The cover is available in two universal sizes: one that can fit sedans ranging from 175 to 192 inches in length and a larger size that can fit SUVs measuring 190 to 201 inches in length. 

Despite having tie-down straps, users claim it can still be blown off by strong winds. Therefore, consider having your vehicle indoors when it's extremely windy or purchasing extra straps.

This cover is made of woven polyester fabric that’s layered with a reflective urethane coating to help reflect sun rays and keep water out—rain droplets bead on the surface and roll to the ground. The material is also breathable, so it resists rot, mold, and mildew. On top of all-weather protection, the cover helps to keep your car clean by protecting it from dust, dirt, tree sap, bird droppings, and other harmful pollutants. Installing it is a one-man’s job as it only weighs 10 pounds. An ultra-soft fleece liner ensures that you don’t scratch your vehicle’s paintwork. For a snug fit, it’s fitted with an elastic front and rear hem and also comes with an anti-theft cable and lock. 

However, just like the other covers from CarCovers.Com, this won’t be able to hold up to strong winds. Also, it’s a bit more expensive in comparison to the alternatives.

This car cover from Kayme comes in a variety of different sizes to fit both small and large vehicles. It's made of heavy-duty PE and EVA material that is 100 percent waterproof. The cover blocks UV rays and has a zipper on the driver's side for easy access. It also includes reflective stripes, mirror pockets, and straps on the front and rear to keep it in place during windy conditions. The material is thick and strong, yet soft enough on the inside so it won't scratch the finish. It takes about a minute or two to put it on your vehicle, and the elastic at the bottom and around the cover keeps it in place. It also has eyelets on the passenger and driver's side, so you can use a bungee cord or a few feet of rope and tie it between them for extra support.

However, when installing or removing the cover, the clip fasteners can drop or drag across the car paint if you're not careful. Also, the clips themselves aren't the best quality, and you have to be extra careful to order the proper size for a correct fit.

The OxGord Executive Storm Proof Car Cover is among the best car covers on the market. It is designed with a five-layer, heavy-duty waterproof cover and three layers of polypropylene. This means that the cover offers superior protection from rain, bird droppings, and other sturdy weather conditions. With a breathable film, there’s no condensation, which prevents the buildup of mold or mildew. On top of that, its reinforced seams ensure the cover will stay put during strong winds and prevent any damage to the car’s body. Its soft cotton fabric prevents any unexpected scratches on the paint job. An elastic hem also ensures that the cover fits snugly on the vehicle. 

This cover however might be too large for some vehicles. Definitely not a good choice for sedans. It’s important to always check for features before purchasing any cover. Also, there have been some complaints that the cover cracks easily especially when used outdoors. This is in areas that experience harsh weather conditions.

This cover is designed for sedans measuring 185 inches long by 70 inches wide by 60 inches high. It has a silver reflective color to block UV rays and reflective stripes for night visibility. The cover is made of high-density polyester and is waterproof, windproof, and scratch-proof. It has an elasticized hem, hooks, and several straps to prevent it from blowing away in heavy wind. The fabric is thin and light, yet durable and breathable, with strong elastic corners that are built to last. The cover is very easy to put on and includes pieces for the side mirrors as well as a storage pouch. It's simple to manage and provides perfect protection against tree sap, sun, etc., and dirt does not penetrate.

One problem with this cover is it may blow off your vehicle if you don't tie it down to the wheels and the body. Also, it's almost impossible to fold it up to put it back into the storage bag, and the straps can tear off or fail after a short period of use.

The Ultimate Shield car cover takes our pick. Personal experience shows them to the leading brand in reliability and protection for your vehicle. However, an excellent alternative would be the Audew 6-layer car cover.

The primary consideration of any waterproof car cover is just that: resistance to weather, wear, and outside conditions. Finding the most durable cover for the least amount of money is paramount, as well as a cover that is quality enough that it will not scratch your car over long periods of windyness or other inclement weather.

The main reason for purchasing a car cover is to safeguard your paint job against harmful weather conditions. The cover’s material should be strong and sturdy to provide maximum protection from rain, hail, snow, and strong winds.

You want a cover that fits snugly on your vehicle so it doesn't get blown away even by mild winds. We recommend buying covers that are specifically designed for your vehicle's year, make and model. Alternatively, you can measure your vehicle's dimensions and get a universal cover that meets the specification. 

This allows the free flow of air, which in turn reduces condensation. Little or no condensation ensures that the car doesn’t rust, especially if it’s not in use for a long time. A car cover that uses good-quality, breathable fabric will help keep moisture that’s outside out and expel any moisture that’s underneath.

A soft interior makes sure that your vehicle is touched with care and doesn’t leave any scratches or dings on the paint job. Nothing is as annoying as getting a cover to prevent any damage and then ending up with unforeseen paint destruction.

Be sure to get a cover that can be secured to your vehicle so it doesn't fall off after you've installed it. Besides an elastic hem, ensure the cover has metal grommets so you can add tie straps or cables that secure under the vehicle.  

You've got questions. The Drive has answers.

If you have a waterproof cover, then leaving it on when it’s raining can help keep your vehicle dry. Also, there’s no need to remove the cover after the rain stops since any moisture sitting on the cover will evaporate when it gets warmer. 

A car cover with a soft inner fleece lining won’t do any damage to your vehicle’s bodywork when installed and removed correctly. However, metal grommets on the hem can scratch the paintwork, so keep this in mind when securing the cover on the vehicle. 

While a tarp can protect your vehicle from the elements, most do not fit vehicles well. It may end up being blown off even by a mild gust of wind. Instead, use a car cover for a snug fit and full protection of your vehicle.

Not all covers are universal, sadly. When a cover is considered universal, it means that it can be used on several vehicles as long as the length, width, and height of the body are almost similar. Some covers are custom-made for specific vehicles and cannot be used on other models.

If you intend to cover your car for over two months, be sure to get a cover that has straps. The straps safeguard the cover from being blown away. Also, be sure not to cover your vehicle for a long period in areas where the weather is very damp. You must remove the covers every so often to let in some air.

Car aerials are normally detachable hence this is not a big issue. Most covers come with instructions on how to deal with antennas and other car accessories.