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Car Seat Cover Benefits
Seat covers are a great add-on to any car. Not only do they improve the appearance of damaged or sun-faded seats, but they can also help to retain your car’s value.
Car seat covers are an essential add-on to any new car purchase.
They offer many benefits, not the least of which is contributing to the car’s resell value.
As if more money weren’t reason enough, car seat covers help maintain the vehicle’s temperature.
These handy items prevent seats from getting too hot or too cold.
Some seat covers are washable, and this is a plus for parents of small children or kids of the four-legged variety.
Keeping it cool—or not
For those who live in the desert, car seat covers make getting into a hot car less of a hazard.
Usually made of fabric or synthetic, some covers include vents specifically designed to keep seats cool in hot summer months.
Others are designed for cold-weather residents and made of microfibres or other materials that repel cold and hold heat.
According to Freedom General, car seat covers also make children more comfortable.
While it’s much easier to leave children bundled up in jackets or winter gear, car seat manufacturers warn against doing so.
The thick clothing can impair the seat’s safety functions in the event of a crash. A seat cover of a plush fabric will do a fine job of maintaining the interior climate and keep your children safer.
In warmer months, covers will protect the car’s fabric from little ones slathered in sunscreen. Choosing a ventilated type of cover means bare legs won’t get burned, and the air conditioning will be more effective at cooling off everyone more quickly.
Keeping it clean
Seat covers are the best protection for new upholstery.
Depending upon the type of fabric used, even new cars can quickly show wear and tear at passengers’ hands and paws of our best friends.
If your vehicle is the de facto transportation for the youth footy team, consider floor mats to go along with thick, washable, and stain-resistant seat covers.
Temporary covers
Many car owners purchase car seat covers, install them, and forget them. However, if you’ve upgraded your interior to leather, adding a fabric car seat cover hides the leather’s beauty. In this case, try removable seat covers instead. This type of cover does not fully cover the seat—it is positioned in the seat and held in place with elastic bands that wrap around from the back to the front. Easily removed, they allow you to enjoy the luxury of leather, yet have protection for the seats on hand when needed, such as a trip to the vet with three dogs.
Some seat covers can do more harm than good, says CalTrend. This is often the case when they are made of hard plastic material, as is the case with many of the ventilated types. The stiff seams can become a point of additional wear, leaving marks or deteriorating the seat to the point it can rip. When choosing covers for leather seats, go with a soft fabric and be sure there are no fasteners or joints that come into contact with the seat.
Protecting your investment
Purchasing a new car is, for most people, the second largest purchase they will make next to their home. Taking good care of a vehicle and avoiding accidents will mean more money when it comes time to sell or trade-in and less money to borrow. Even with interest rates as low as they are, reducing the loan amount because you have a hefty trade-in can mean a saving of hundreds or thousands of dollars when it’s time to buy your dream car.
Seeing the difference
Car seat covers can improve the look of an older, worn vehicle or protect a new car’s beauty. Additionally, protecting the interior from the sun’s rays means the car will cool off faster when running the air conditioner or stay warmer and boost the heating system’s effectiveness. Children, too, will enjoy a softer fabric and, because many car seat covers are washable, clean up is more manageable.
Your car is a large investment, and car seat covers help protect it and maintain its value when it comes time to sell.