Protecting Your Tacoma’s Exterior: Truck Covers

Covering up a truck to protect the paint is no new science. It may seem like a simple concept but there are some factors to take into consideration when shopping for a cover. The major benefits of putting a cover on your truck are to keep dust, sunlight, and minor contact from tearing through the paint. Outdoors, it seems pretty obvious to keep a cover on your Tacoma but even in a clean, climate-controlled garage, the use of a cover is just as important.

Indoor: When a truck is stored in a garage, the dangers of outdoor storage may not be present but there are still plenty of things within to be leery of. Dust is a major issue in any shop, especially one that sees the occasional weekend projects. A layer of dust piling up on top of the paint can easily lead to tiny scratches accumulating all over the surface area of the truck.

Busted pipes and slow drips can leave behind calcium deposits and other buildups that are a pain to get rid of. It’s also worth throwing a cover on considering you, or someone else in the garage will occasionally bump up against the truck and can leave behind light scratch marks. The use of the right cover is a surefire way to prevent most of these issues from happening.

Outdoor: Using a cover on a truck stored outdoors is an obvious measure to be taken when trying to protect the vehicle. You have plenty of dust and water issues to be concerned with along with a few other even more hardcore hazards that are present.

Birds, acidic rain, foliage, and kids running through the yard are all minions of the dark lord sent forth with the sole task of destroying the finish on your truck. The outdoors can be absolutely unpredictable, but popping a cover on the paint is a measure you can take to nearly disarm all enemies on the front lines.

Identifying the conditions your Tacoma will be stored in is but the first step. There are plenty of materials that are on the market that serve individual purposes. Knowing the characteristics of the materials will ensure you walk away with the best option for protecting your truck during storage.

Weathershield car covers offer the ultimate outdoor protection. The fabric is designed to be breathable, durable material ideal for offering maximum protection a car cover can provide a truck with. This is the most costly option but is ideal for those who are storing there truck in an area with rough weather conditions and unpredictable climates.

Pros

• Weatherproof
• Breathable
• Durable
• Maximum Protection
• Can be used Indoors or Outdoors

Cons

• High Cost

Noah is a durable material that is the step down from Weathershield covers. These covers will stand up to many outdoor obstacles but may not be as durable as the higher option. These covers are a bit more affordable and are perfect for mild climate areas or for Tacoma’s that may temporarily sit outdoors.

Pros

• Weatherproof
• Breathable
• Low Cost 
• Can be used Indoors or Outdoors
• Affordable

Cons

• Not as Durable as Higher Options

The Block-it covers offer minimal outdoor protection. These covers will help with keeping threats like dust and UV rays from tearing the truck apart but may not be suitable for prolonged outdoor storage. They are the most affordable option but serve a better purpose in the garage.

Pros

• Low cost
• Dust-Water Resistant
• Breathable Material
• Can be used Indoors and Outdoors

Cons

• Less than Ideal Protection Level for Prolonged Outdoor Storage

While shopping around, you’ll find that most covers are labeled as water resistant rather than waterproof. Knowing that water presents an obstacle will have you asking why you wouldn’t want waterproof covers.

Paint needs to breathe and it needs to be hydrated. By preventing any moisture to pass through the cover to the paint you will cause just as much damage as you would by not covering the truck at all. It’s also worth mentioning that with a waterproof cover, any moister trapped underneath cannot escape and will cause corrosion and rust.

You want to go with water resistant as it will let enough moisture through to keep the paint hydrated without allowing too many minerals or other harmful agents to pass through as well.

Coverage of the entire truck isn’t always an option. Sometimes only portions of the truck may be offered coverage by the product you are buying. You need to be careful of this when shopping for a cover for your Tacoma and you need to know the benefits of using partial coverage rather than full coverage.

Cab Covers: Covering up the cab alone while leaving the bed bare is something that may sound outlandish. For guys with flatbeds and utility boxes, this cover is the right choice. In these cases, even a full cover may only be able to cover the cab making it senseless to purchase something that will protect more than just that.

Traditional Covers: With standard bed options and even a cap, a full cover is the way to go. These covers will stretch the distance of the truck and can be fitted to cover the additional surface area of a cap or camper. You will need to search specifically for covers that have the options you need though.

Car covers are there to take the abuse you don’t want your truck to. This means that overtime they will begin to wear. You will want to give the cover a cleaning every couple of months just to get dust and debris both off the inner and outer layers. To do so, leave the cover on the Tacoma give it a spray with the hose and give it a once over with a rag or sponge. Once the cover is clean and dry, flip it in inside out and place it back on the truck. Repeat the same steps on the inside.

When to Replace Them: You don’t want to use a cover that’s past due for a replacement. If there are any tears in the fabric or the materials are shot, the cover can become very harmful to the paint when placed on your Tacoma. When you begin noticing significant signs of wear and aging, it’s time to shop for a new one.

Full covers aren’t the only means of protection you can offer to your truck. There are other smaller add-ons that are very affordable and will keep the surface of the truck looking as good as it did the day you bought it.

Truck Bra: The road offers up plenty of dangers that are sure to scuff up your paint. Stones and other debris can fly up, scratching and even chipping away the paint on the front of your Tacoma. A truck bra fits over the front end while allowing the lights to peer through and the radiator to breath. These covers will prevent small obstacles from damaging your paint.

Mirror Covers: Tacoma mirrors are on the same front line as the front end of the truck. Small stones and even the occasional branches can easily scuff up your mirrors during your travels. Mirror covers simply fit onto the backside of the mirror to prevent this from happening.

Sun Shades: Parking the truck in direct sunlight allows harmful UV rays to heat up the interior of the truck and even damage some components, including the windshield. The use of a sunshade prevents the sun from fading the interior and leaving the cab blazing hot on a summer day.