Why You Need a Car Cover for Outdoor Parking

There’s room to park two cars in the driveway at our house. You’d think that would be plenty, but life is different when you’re married to a car enthusiast. We rent an additional parking space near home for our Mercedes-Benz SL500 and Volkswagen Golf. (I think it costs ¥10,000 per car per month.)

Since the cars are parked outdoors, exposed to the blazing sun, wind, and rain, my husband decided earlier this year to cover one of them—the Mercedes-Benz SL500—with a custom-fit car cover from Nakabayashi Kogyo, which I introduced on the blog recently.

Until recently, ours was the only car in the lot with a cover. But the other day, while we were out as a family, we spotted a Mercedes-Benz C-Class parked in the same lot with a car cover. My husband was delighted, as if he’d found a new member of the club:

“Maybe they saw my car cover and thought it looked like a good idea! A covered car stays cleaner, needs washing far less often, and suffers less wear. I can’t think of a reason not to use one. Good for them!”

When a Car Cover Does More Harm Than Good

But then, one day, my husband came home from work and immediately said, “That car that recently started using a cover? That’s no good! It’d be better off without one!” Apparently, the fabric was so thin and flimsy that the hem had already come loose. Every time the wind blew, it got underneath the cover and made it flap against the car.

“It doesn’t even have a soft, brushed lining, and the fabric is paper-thin. Every time that cover flaps in the wind, it could leave countless little scratches and really damage the paint. It’d be better to leave the car out in the rain. Maybe I should leave them a card saying, ‘How about a Nakabayashi Kogyo car cover?’ lol”

By contrast, our cover hadn’t budged. It fit snugly around the car, with no problems at all. My husband had seen firsthand just how much car covers can differ, and he’d even taken photos to show me. First, here’s the cover that had come loose.

Honestly… isn’t this cover the wrong size to begin with? It’s pulled tight around the side mirror, which could put stress on it when the cover is removed, and the whole thing looks a bit too snug. I also can’t see any way to secure the hem. Here’s our SL with its cover on:

The car is fully covered, and the hem can be secured, so everything looks just right. Even during the torrential rain that hit western Japan recently, the cover didn’t lift at all, and not a drop of rain got through. My husband was seriously impressed.

The Difference a Custom-Fit Car Cover Makes

There are plenty of affordable, one-size-fits-most car covers on the market. But when you’re choosing something to protect a car you care about, it pays to take your time. Cars come in all shapes and sizes, so a generic cover may not fit properly. It can flap in the wind—or even damage the car it’s supposed to protect.

In that case, it may be worth paying a little more for a custom-fit cover designed for your specific car. It can provide a better fit and more reliable protection against dirt and damage—and could prove to be the better choice in the long run.

When I spoke with the president of Nakabayashi Kogyo recently, he told me that many customers say their cars sell for significantly more when it’s time to trade them in because they’ve used a custom-fit cover. Of course, the ideal solution is covered parking, but that isn’t always an option. If you’re going to use a car cover, it’s important to choose one that fits your car properly. That’s a lesson we’ve been reminded of once again.

*Later, Nakabayashi Kogyo featured our interview with them on their Minkara blog.↓↓
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