Auto body repair & detailing: Question

Question
Hi Dave -
I buy an auto cover with the intention of protecting my Acura RSX paint so that it doesn't fade - so far the paint hasn't faded. The elastic of the cover does give away such that I would have to buy a new one say every 4 to 6 months (it's windy where I live).  The car cover is about $20.

My questions are: does a car cover truly prevent the car paint from fading?  At about $40 per year, is this a good deal or are there other car covers which offer a better price performance?

Thanks.

Answer
Hi Wayne!....A $20 Dollar car cover will certainly keep your vehicle protected from bird splatter, tree sap, etc., and since you mentioned it is windy where you live, it will also help protect your paint from any wind damage, such as blowing sand, dirt and other debris. That being said, you may wish to also check into a more expensive car cover, as some of the cheaper ones are made of a more coarse fabric, and do not have a soft interior liner, if they have liner at all. Living in a windy area, the coarse fabric will actually act like sandpaper, scuffing the top coat as the car cover brushes continuously over it during these conditions. In regards to UV protection and fading, with paint technology as advanced as it is today, fading does not occur at the alarming rate as it has in years past. In today's market, pretty much everything is a 2 or 3 Stage paint system. Two Stage, meaning Base/Clear, and Three Stage, meaning Base/Midcoat/Clear. The Clearcoats used today, have a UV protection built into them, therefore drastically lessening the fading process. You could also apply a high quality wax with a UV block in it, to further the protection if you choose to go without a cover. This should be applied about every 4 to 6 months.....Hope this helps you out....Please drop me a line anytime, if there is anything else I can help you with....Thanks....Dave