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Your car cover protects your automobile investment, but to do so it must be properly used and cared for. Here we present our usage and care tips so you can get the maximum benefit and lifetime from your new car cover.
Your car cover will come rolled in a box. Place your cover on the hood of the vehicle and unroll it towards the back end. You'll then unfold the sides so that the car cover is over most of the car. If the car cover is equipped with mirror pockets, install them first - then the front end and finally the back end.
Be sure to take care with exhaust tips if hot! Avoid direct contact with the car cover material until the exhaust tip has cooled.
If your vehicle has a fixed position antenna, you will need to make an opening in the car cover. To do this, remove the antenna and place the cover over the vehicle. Feel for the base of the antenna and pierce the fabric where the antenna meets the base. Next install the antenna and remove the car cover. Use the included antenna grommets to reinforce the cover on both the inside and outside of this area. There are a few car covers that will have an antenna pocket already included, the product description will indicate this if included.
To uncover your vehicle, simply reverse the installation steps.
The custom and semi-custom car covers will have elastic in the front and rear hems.
Grommets are also installed on every car cover (driver and passenger side) which are designed to be used with our car cable lock kits. The car cable lock kit is an accessory item that can be added to your car cover purchase during checkout or by ordering separately from our Car Cover Accessories page. A free cable-lock kit is currently included with all of our Custom Fit Covers.
Yes! This is actually the best way to dry the cover. As the temperature warms up, all the moisture will evaporate, since all of our fabrics are breathable.
Other than parking in the shade, because most of our better fabrics will protect against bird droppings and tree sap, the best thing to do is to lower your side windows about two inches. Ambient temperature builds inside enclosed spaces, and if you open the windows slightly you'll allow air to circulate, just like it circulates under the cover. Some of our fabrics offer more heat insulation than others, simply because they are multi-layered and are more effective at keeping heat away from the vehicle surface, but any cover will help reduce the vehicle temperature on a hot day.
It is important to keep your car cover clean. Car cover fabric performance can be affected by dirt that builds up on and within the material.
Light brushing with a soft rag will often remove most dirt. For more persistent dirt/stains, follow the instructions below:
You may use an outdoor water hose to clean your cover, or you may wash your cover in a large commercial washing machine WITHOUT AGITATOR. Never use a washing machine with a center agitator. Unless otherwise noted, home-sized washing machines are not large enough and may damage your cover. Our Weathershield HP covers are the ONLY covers that may be washed in a home washing machine. Never use fabric softener. If the cover is excessively soiled, you may use 1/4 cup of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner. Put the cover in the washer and pour the cleaner in the tub AFTER it's filled with warm (never hot) water or pour it directly into the machine first and then put in the cover and start the machine. Rinse the cover twice to remove all of the cleaner.
Hang your cover out to air-dry. Do not dry your cover in a dryer unless your car cover care instructions specifically note that this is ok.
A cover may also be cleaned by turning it inside-out on the vehicle. Mix one ounce Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner per quart of warm water. Spray or sponge onto the cover. Rinse with plain water (until no suds) and allow to air-dry.
If your vehicle has been recently painted (within the last 6 months) check with the paint shop/dealer before using a cover to make sure the paint has had ample cure time etc. This rule applies to re-painted vehicles only. The paint process at the factory is very different than that from the local body shop. At the factory, the parts are painted and baked at high temperatures to fully cure the paint. Because most local body shops do not bake the finish, it takes a longer time for the paint to cure. The cure time will vary depending on the body shop and quality of paint/process used for a repaint. New car owners don't need to worry because the paint is cured before it leaves the factory.
If using the cover in high-wind areas (and for prolonged storage), use the loops and rope to pull the cover tight under the center of the car (in addition to a cable-lock kit). The cover is not designed to replace a garage and should be checked for flapping in high winds. If there is excessive flapping, remove the cover.
If you use a car cover in sub-freezing temperatures and it freezes to the vehicle, do not attempt to remove the cover while frozen. Very carefully pour warm (not hot) water over these areas and carefully remove the cover taking care to inspect the surfaces of the cover and vehicle during removal. Stop immediately if you encounter any resistance and pour more warm water over the area.
If your vehicle has very sharp bumpers, hood ornaments, moldings etc., we recommend that you reinforce the inside of your cover at the areas of concern using cloth-reinforced duct tape or Mystic Brand tape which may be purchased at hardware, plumbing or automotive stores. This will help to extend the use of your cover.
Do not cover a vehicle that is being towed.
| CoverSearch.com, PO Box 3027, Dana Point, CA 92629 | Toll Free: (877) 687-5687 Contact Us | |||
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