The Challenges of Outdoor Parking

Our family rents an additional parking space in the neighborhood, where we keep our Mercedes-Benz SL500 (R129). We live in the suburbs, and there aren’t any covered parking spaces nearby, so we rent an uncovered spot with a gravel surface. It costs about ¥10,000 a month. Here’s what it looks like…

When you park outdoors, your beloved car is exposed to wind and rain. My husband was adamant: “We absolutely have to cover it! The SL is old as it is—leave it out in the rain, and something’s bound to go wrong before long.” He started searching websites and the Japanese car-enthusiast community site Minkara to find out which car cover to buy.

That search led him to the covers made by Nakabayashi Kogyo Co., Ltd. Founded in 1972, this Osaka-based company specializes in car covers and has more than 45 years of experience. It makes custom covers to order, and apparently was the first company to develop the modern fleece-lined car cover.

Nakabayashi Kogyo has even ranked No. 1 in the Body Cover category of Minkara’s car-care rankings, so it seems to be quite well known among car enthusiasts. The company website has a distinctly old-school look, but its lack of any attempt to be stylish for style’s sake hints at a wholehearted commitment to craftsmanship. I hope you’ll take a look around the site sometime. The passion they put into making car covers is remarkable, and even the Q&A section is an informative and enjoyable read.

Which Cars Can Get a Custom Cover?

I wondered, “Can they make a car cover for just about any car?” A look at the website revealed a wide range of models—not only Japanese cars, but German, French, Italian, and American ones, too. Most patterns are carefully calculated using measurements taken from actual vehicles, so the covers are said to fit the bodywork exceptionally well. That’s impressive. Even for the Porsche 911, there are four different patterns:

① 911 (930/964/993) 911 Turbo
② 911 (964) 911 Carrera 2/Carrera 4/Cabriolet
③ 911 (993) 911 Carrera/Carrera 4/Cabriolet
④ 911 (993) 911 Carrera 4S

That’s quite a selection. They even make a cover for the Panamera. I imagine putting a cover on a car that large must be a bit of a job. Still, even our home parking space lets wind and rain in from the sides, so a cover would probably help reduce wear and dirt.

What Does My Husband Think of Nakabayashi Kogyo’s Car Cover?

My husband went ahead and ordered a Nakabayashi Kogyo cover for the SL, and he’s been using it ever since. He chose a fleece-lined version with vents to let air escape. After a few weeks of use, I asked him what he thought—and he couldn’t praise it enough. Here’s why.

① It Stays Put in Wind and Rain, Keeping the Car Clean

The cover fits the car snugly, keeping dust off and preventing water spots or droplets from forming, even after exposure to wind and rain. As a result, he’s been washing the car far less often. “It stays clean no matter how long it’s been!” he said, delighted. Spring is one thing, but hand-washing a car in the middle of summer is hard work, so having a cover really does make sense.

② Easy to Put On and Take Off

Fleece-lined covers are usually heavy, thick, and stiff, which can make them a hassle to put on and remove. But Nakabayashi Kogyo’s cover is light and thin, so it’s quick to handle. Fold it using the method the company recommends, and it packs down neatly, too. My husband said, “It’s easy enough that I wouldn’t mind putting it on and taking it off every day.”

③ Lightweight Yet Durable

The fabric is durable as well as thin and lightweight. It’s clear the company doesn’t see its work as simply making car covers; it takes great pride in creating “a cover that properly protects your beloved car.” Apparently, it chose this silver fabric after looking for a color that would help deter birds from leaving droppings while also blocking sunlight.

④ Fast, Thoughtful Customer Service

Impressed with the cover for the SL, my husband decided to order one for our Boxster, too. “Even though our home parking space is covered, rain and wind still come in from the sides. I want to protect the Boxster as well,” he said. But he noticed that a seam on the Boxster cover had started to come undone. He emailed Nakabayashi Kogyo, and they replied right away:

“We will make and send you a new car cover right away. We’ll include a prepaid return label, so please use it to send back the cover you currently have.”

The replacement cover and return label arrived in less than a week. The company also took the time to explain what had caused the seam to come undone, apologized, and assured him, “We will take every measure to ensure this does not happen again.” My husband was almost embarrassed by how well they handled it: “I only emailed because I noticed a little fraying, but they’ve gone this far to put things right. I almost feel bad!”

You May Even Be Able to Get a Cover for Free

Nakabayashi Kogyo has around 3,000 patterns, but it’s possible they don’t have one for your car. In that case, you may be able to bring your car in so they can take measurements. As a thank-you for bringing it in, they’ll give you a car cover free of charge.

If you bring in a vehicle that Nakabayashi Kogyo is looking for and help us take measurements, we will give you the first car cover made from TT-9000 (fleece-backed) fabric as a thank-you gift. If you have a vehicle we need but don’t want a car cover, we will instead give you a ¥10,000 VJA gift card.
Please check here for the vehicles Nakabayashi Kogyo is looking for. Even if a pattern already exists, we may still be looking for that model to make improvements.

How generous! It looks like they don’t have a pattern for the new Panamera Turbo yet, so maybe I’ll take ours in and have them measure it.