Tips for Measuring Van Car Covers

Whether you store your van in a garage or outside in the street, protecting your van with a car cover is a smart choice. Using a car cover can help defend your van from both outdoor and indoor threats, such as inclement weather, dings, and dust. Over time, exposure to the elements or hazards in your storage area can negatively affect your van’s paint, leading to fading and corrosion. When choosing your van’s car cover, having the right fit is paramount. Without a well-fitted cover, you won’t enjoy a high level of protection for your vehicle. To get the best fit and contour for your van, here are some tips for measuring van car covers.

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Car Covers Protect Your Van from Damage

If you enjoy having a clean van or want to preserve your vehicle’s condition and value, getting a van cover is a wise investment. Here are just some ways an outdoor or indoor car cover can help safeguard your vehicle.

Keep Your Van Safe with a Van Cover

The Elements

Harsh elements are not kind to your van’s exterior. From sun damage to hail to stubborn sap and animal droppings, your van is at the mercy of its outdoor environment. When you use an outdoor car cover, you can help protect your van from fading, scratching, discoloration, and more throughout all seasons.

Storage Protection

While indoor threats may not be as obvious, your van is not immune to harm when stored inside a garage or other type of covered storage area. When your van sits inside, it can easily collect dust and other particulates that can be harmful to your paint or compromise the internal engine parts. Plus, if you store other items such as bikes or lawnmowers near your van or work on other projects around your vehicle, having a car cover can help protect it from accidental damage.

Accident Protection

Outside of weather, dust, and other activities, accidents happen. Whether your kids are shooting hoops and accidentally bounce the basketball into your van or your cat likes to regularly climb on your vehicle, keeping it covered can preserve your paint job.

Benefits of a Custom Van Cover

When you get a custom van cover, you can make sure the cover is tailored to all sides of your van. This perfect fit prevents wind from blowing the cover off. This custom-fit also safeguards it from scratches that can happen when a loose cover rubs against any dirt on the car’s surface.

With a generic van cover, you may also have a hard time fitting it over your van and may require assistance. With a custom cover, it’s much easier to unroll and put the cover in place on your own, and the snug fit ensures it won’t move out of place each time you stretch or pull on it.

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Measuring Your Van for a Car Cover

Whether you’re opting for an indoor out outdoor van cover, you’ll want to get your van’s measurements to ensure the best fit. Your measurements should include the height, width, and length of your van. To help you get accurate measurements, you’ll need a tape measure, chalk, painter’s tape, and a phone or pen and paper and to jot down the measurements.

Protect Your Vehicle with a Quality Car Cover

Measuring Van Height

To measure your van’s height, you’ll want to measure from the ground up to the highest point on the van. Be sure to include roof boxes, racks, or cargo carriers on top of your vehicle.

The easiest way to measure the height is to park your van near a wall. Next, place the tape measure atop the van and extend it to the wall. If you don’t have someone to help you, secure the measure to the van with painter's tape and walk over to the wall to mark the point with chalk where the measuring tape touches. Measure the distance between the ground and the chalk mark on the wall and record it.

Measuring Van Length and Width

To get your van’s length measurements, start by measuring the nose of your van to the trunk, including bumpers or any other accessories on your van. If your van has a contoured shape, you can ignore these contours by measuring a straight line from front to back along the ground. To measure its width, measure your van at its widest points, except for the mirrors. Before you record the measurements, round them up to the next inch. This ensures your car cover has enough extra material for you to easily install and remove the cover from your van.

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Protect Your Van with a Car Cover

Investing in a car cover can help preserve your van’s value and condition. At CarCovers.com, we offer universal and semi-custom car covers for every van. If you want a custom van cover that fits your vehicle’s exact specifications, our team of specialists can help you obtain the measurements for your van’s make and model. Find the right car cover for your van online, or call us today at 800-385-3603 for assistance.