You can narrow your selection considerably by determining if you need a woven or non-woven cover. Woven covers are typically thinner, which makes them easier to clean in the home washer and less bulky when storing in your trunk. They also tend to have better airflow to prevent heat and moisture from building up underneath. Most have some type of coating, like CoverCraft’s Reflec’Tech for sun protection or UltraTech for water repellency. Some have spandex added for stretch, which helps the cover retain its shape and fit snugly on the car.

Non-woven covers, like those made from the popular Evolution and Noah fabrics from Kimberly-Clark, are made from a polypropylene material and are typically multi-layer. Multiple layers are stronger and thicker than woven fabrics, but that also gives them an advantage for dent and ding protection. On the downside, the thickness makes them heavier and bulkier when storing, and you’ll likely need to clean them in a large commercial washer, like those found at local laundromats. Like woven materials, non-wovens are usually treated for sun and water protection.  The plus is that the multiple layers give you dent and ding protection, and they also prevent the dust from finding a pathway through the fabric and onto the car. It works OK outside but has no water repellency.

For outdoor parking or storage,  Noah, UltraTech, or WeatherShield are good choices. In areas with a lot of sun,  Evolution, which is a less expensive version of Noah, or Reflec’Tect, a woven polyester with a silver urethane coating,  are better at keeping out the UV rays.

For Thunderbird owners who store their cars inside during the winter, Dustop is a popular choice. It provides dent and ding protection, plus the multi-layers prevent dust from going through it. If you really want to pamper your Retro, consider Form-Fit, made from a knit-polyester woven material. The outside is stretch knit and the inside is 100 percent cotton loop that has been sheared, so it’s pure cotton fleece against the paint. It’s quite expensive but it does a great job and looks great on the car.

Nearly all of today’s covers feature a breathable material, which repels water but also allows moisture to escape. Breathable material is important because if any moisture-condensation, rain, etc. gets under a cover, it needs to be able to evaporate easily. If it can’t, then the only direction it can go is into the paint, which can create clouds in the paint that are very difficult to get out and can  ruin a paint job.

Water-resistant versus Waterproof

Don’t confuse water-resistant with waterproof. In  a light rain, most car covers will keep a car  pretty much dry underneath. But in  heavy rain, there’s no such thing as waterproof.  Water is not a big concern  as long as it can evaporate.