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There are lots of ways of sheltering your car from the winter weather, but the best car shelter for snow is undoubtedly a permanent brick or steel garage or carport – accumulated drifts can put a heavy snowload on any structure.
But what if you’re not fortunate to own one, don’t have access to one, or your main garage, like ours, is full of garden tools and kids’ toys, or you just don’t have the room?
Enter the portable temporary carport or garage, made of tarp and steel, or plastic. There are many on the market, but what things should you consider in assessing the best car shelters for snow load, and which are the best? Read on below to find out.
Check out how to protect your car from snow without a garage here
Any recommendations we make are always based on either products we already own and use, or are carefully assessed in terms of their attributes and user feedback – criteria we use ourselves whenever we buy.
Where products sold by Amazon are suggested, they will have the following criteria at the time of writing:
- Minimum of 4 stars
- No more than 10% of all reviews are 1 or 2 stars
- The product has a minimum of 100 reviews
- The supplier has a good feedback rating
We also highly rate products that have free shipping or are sold through Amazon Prime.
The Best Car Shelter for Snow – 10 Features To Look Out for
1. Strong and durable.
It should be heavy-duty steel framed with double or even triple layer polythene, PVC or polyethylene fabric (UV and water-resistant). A heavy-duty portable carport will be needed for significant snow loads.
2. Powder-coated Steel Frame
Steel will give the shelter strength, but make sure the diameter of the steel tubing is sufficient to stand up to your local weather conditions, and the weight of the snow you expect.
3. Something that gives complete car protection
Watch out for portable car shelters which are open on one side, or have significant gaps around the bottom of the cover; not only could these let the snow in, but also be unstable if the wind is strong or in the wrong direction, and the cover is not tied down sufficiently.
A good quality heavy-duty carport should also protect the interior of your car right through winter. Remember to check the interior of your car for vermin, as they are looking for somewhere warm to live in winter and can damage the interior if they get in. The best car shelter for snow should give complete car protection.
4. Easy to assemble
A car shelter ideally should be easy to assemble with clear instructions. It should be relatively light, as you may be putting it up yourself, but that may mean the shelter is less robust.
On the other hand, some of the covers are quite heavy and it will take two people to lift them and put them away, this is reassuring as a heavy cover is very protective for your car and will probably last for a long time.
5. If it has a zip check the strength
Unless you are going to store your car away for winter without using it, you’ll need easy access, with straightforward drive-in, drive-out capabilities. Just imagine trying to access your car early in the morning with thick snow and frost on the portable garage cover. It could be challenging!
This will mean fuss-free door stowage as you get in/out, and a strong door securing mechanism, whether this is a zip, velcro, a rachet fastening system, or catches. These need to withstand daily opening and closing stresses.
6. Easy to store
When winter is over you will probably want to store your temporary car shelter until next year. Make sure that it is clean and dry before folding it away. Check that the ropes aren’t knotted and are in good condition and wipe down the metalwork. Everything should be folded up and stored away in a clean dry place inside, and this way it will last for a lot longer, don’t leave it lying around outside.
Actually, you may not want to put it away – Bear in mind that the shelter will also protect your car from harmful UV light, so if you can leave it up for the summer, consider doing so.
7. Secure tie downs
Most temporary car shelters come with some form of tie-down or anchor. If you are anchoring your portable carport on asphalt or tar you will require a hook anchor, as the anchors made to grip dirt will not be suitable. The best ones have something called jaw to jaw turnbuckles and these are much stronger than other anchors.
These more secure tie downs are often permanent should you want to move the position of your temporary portable car shelter, but have the advantage of being in place when you need them in future years.
On soft ground, you may need a heavy-duty auger anchor, which spirals into the ground, often using a DIY drill, to make sure that your shelter is secure. These are easily removed to store away for next year.
8. It needs to be big enough
Obviously, the car shelter should be big enough to comfortably fit your car in, but you also need to think about opening the doors and boot sufficiently wide to get yourself and your luggage in!
Also, you may have stuff that you want to store with your car, such as de-icer and screen wash.
9. Warranty
Ensure the portable car shelter has a good warranty when you buy it, and the supplier has a clear returns policy.
10. Multi-purpose
Some temporary carports can also be used for other activities during the summer, such as a garden gazebo, home gym or party tent. Buying it with this in mind makes the purchase more economic.
Current Best Sellers
Any recommendations we make are always based on either products we already own and use, or are carefully assessed in terms of their attributes and user feedback – criteria we use ourselves whenever we buy.
Where products sold by Amazon are suggested, they will have the following criteria at the time of writing:
- Minimum of 4 stars
- No more than 10% of all reviews are 1 or 2 stars
- The product has a minimum of 100 reviews
- The supplier has a good feedback rating
We also highly rate products that have free shipping or are sold through Amazon Prime.
Heavy Duty Portable Carports
Best DIY Portable Garages
Last Thoughts
Protecting your car with a heavy-duty carport is certainly money well spent, and once you have done your research and bought the best one that you can afford, it should last for many years. The best car shelter for snow protects your car from UV light, which can in time fade the bodywork, as well as ice, rain, and snow, so you will have the benefit of keeping your car looking new for longer all year round. Check out our buying guides to Heavy Duty Portable Carports and the Best DIY Portable Garages. If these are not in your budget, take a look at our car cover buying guide.
