Benefits of Covered vs. Outdoor Parking: How my friend learned a valuable lesson about outdoor parking

I’m back with another story of my friend, a story you and I both can learn something from.One of my friends returned from his 10-day business trip. He had a BMW. 
When he came to the parking lot, he found his beloved car in a deplorable state. The paint was damaged. The interior was cracked. The bird droppings had ruined the car. 
The reason? Heat, hail, and lots of birds. It was an expensive repair costing thousands. 
And he told me that he could have saved all of that just by opting for a covered parking space instead of an open sky lot. 
Most of us don’t realize this. When it comes to money, the difference between covered parking and outdoor parking is not that much. It’s just a few dollars more. But what it can save us from is worth thousands of dollars. 
This decision alone can have a solid impact on our vehicle condition, our car insurance, and our overall car experience. 
It could be going to an airport parking lot when travelling. Or you could use parking on a daily basis in the city. Or even simply placing your car somewhere and planning to work on it after some while. It is important to know that covers vs. outdoor parking can impact the car’s resale value, its overall condition, and your peace of mind. 
So as someone who’s into the parking business, I did some research on damage claims due to weather and parking costs of major US cities. I also interviewed some of the facilities and asked them about safe parking. 
In the end I prepared this guide for travelers so that they could make better decisions for their cars. 

My new guide will help you:

• In differentiating the real money between outdoor parking and covered parking. 
• Determine how damages caused by weather can downgrade VAR's value overnight. 
• Know when you should go for outdoor parking because it will make sense.
• Find out the hidden benefits of covered parking.

Let the breakdown begin! 

The Cost of Weather Damages Caused by Outdoor Parking

One of the common things about parking is that most people think of its cost on a per-day basis. 
However, when it comes to smart parkers, they think of it as per year and per their car's lifetime. 
When you keep going for outdoor parking, here’s what it can cost you.

Exterior Damages
 

This includes
 

• Oxidation and Fading.
• Clear coat damages.
• Deterioration of plastic and rubber.

Damages (Weather Related)

• Hail damages depending upon the severity.
• Bird droppings and, in some cases, tree sap.
• Etching that can be caused by acid rain.

Interior Damages

• Cracking of dashboards.
• Fading of seat leathers.
• Warping of plastic components of cars. 

Extreme Temperature Damages

• Damages to electronic devices
• Reduction of battery life
• Deterioration of tires 

Mechanical Damages

• Seals and gaskets having accelerated wear
• Metal components exposed to corrosion
• Accessories having their lifespan reduced

When you measure the yearly cost of all this, this could easily be thousands of dollars. This is exactly how much outdoor parking can cost you. 

The Investment of Covered Parking
 

When you invest in covered parking instead of an outdoor one, here are the perks that you can enjoy. 

Weather Protection

• Your car has no contact with hail, snow, or rain.
• Covered parking helps you in blocking UV radiation.
• Car temperature remains moderate.
• 100% protection from debris and tree damage. 

Security Perks

• Reduced risk of vandalism and theft.
• Covered parking lots often have better security arrangements with better surveillance.
• The access to covered lots is limited as compared to outdoor ones. 

Convenience Perks 

• Your car is cleaner when you return.
• No hassle of cleaning snow and ice.
• No issues regarding bird droppings

When to go for Outdoor Parking 

One thing to know is that outdoor parking comes with its own set of conditions and perks. And there are scenarios when outdoor parking will actually sound reasonable. 

When you have a less valued vehicle and are for a short-term stay

• When the vehicles you have are under $10,000 in value
• When you're parking for less than 3 days
• The weather is predicted to be pleasant.
• If you’re a budget traveler. 

When your parking needs are infrequent 

• When you park less than 20 days a year
• When the cost difference is high between covered parking
• When the car already has high wear
• When there are other things where your money needs to be put in

Weather conditions

• When the climate is mild.
• When the areas predict no hailstorm activities.
• If the locations already have large trees that could be used as natural shades.
• Minimum possibility of extreme weather.

Best Strategies to Select Between Covered and Outdoor Parking

Here is a set of strategies to make sure you maximize the parking and avoid any loss or damages. 

Strategy #1: Go for the seasonal approach.

When it comes to maximizing your parking experience, it is best to pay a premium when you’re in a place with extreme weather conditions. This is ideal during summer and winter seasons. However, during spring or fall, outdoor parking could make more sense. 

Strategy #2: Use the car value formula. 

It also has to do with the car you’re driving. If your car has a value of $30,000 or above, simply go for covered parking. If it falls less than that, use covered parking if the stay is for more than five days. For vehicles costing less than $10,000, it is recommended to go for outdoor parking if the weather isn’t extreme and the stay is less than 5 days. 

Strategy #3: Using your car insurance

Before deciding on whether to park indoors or outdoors, check your car insurance. You need to see if they offer some sort of discount for covered parking. This ensures whether the insurance covers weather damages. Car insurance also provides rental car coverage when it comes to repairs. It would be better to factor in the implications of car insurance into costs. 

You now have the whole framework to make the best decision and go for covered parking or outdoor parking while considering the top concerning factors.