Is Walmart's Carport Worth Buying If You Miss The Big Sale?

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If you don't have a garage at your house and can't build one, one of the most common garage alternatives that doesn't require construction is a carport. It has a roof and open ends, providing adequate protection from most weather events for your vehicles. High-end metal units can cost as much as $10,000, while fabric (or portable) carports cost up to $2,000. Some people might choose to DIY a carport for a more budget-friendly option.

If you're looking for a deal on a carport and you don't trust your DIY skills, Walmart has an option at a significant bargain. The Hoteel 10-by-20-foot unit normally sells for about $500 at Walmart, but the retailer recently dropped the price to about $190. The Hoteel model uses a polyethylene fabric roof with a metal frame underneath. It has removable sidewalls and is large enough for one vehicle. While $190 is an extremely low price, that doesn't necessarily mean you're receiving good value. Is the Hoteel carport worth buying at its significant discount price, and is it still a good deal at its normal $500 price?

Our research shows that the incredibly low sale price for this Walmart portable carport represents good value. If you pay a low price for a fabric carport, and hail destroys it while it's protecting your car, it's still a smart investment. However, if you don't catch the sale and have to pay full price, you may want to look for some other options. Learn more about why we like this carport at $190 and not as much at $500.

One of the biggest drawbacks to fabric roof carports is that they are nowhere near as durable as metal roof ones. Hail may destroy or damage the non-metal carport roofs while they're protecting your vehicle. Although some models are rated to stand up to snow loads, the Hoteel unit doesn't have a snow-load rating listed. Metal roof carports are far more effective at standing up to hail and snow and maintaining durability. 

One customer reviewer mentioned poor durability with the Hoteel model. "It didn't take long for the top to crack. I'm so mad at the poor quality of the tarpaulin." A few customer reviewers mentioned that the fabric did not stand up to heavy rain or inclement weather conditions, compromising its durability. "The wind tore it up In less than 6 months," one reviewer said. 

As long as you understand the limitations of fabric carports, we do like the $190 sale price for this model. If you're worried about it falling apart in rain or hail, you could buy two of the Hoteel carports on sale (to have a replacement model on hand) and still be more than $100 below the regular price. At full price, though, better options are available. Walmart recently advertised a 12-by-20-foot carport with a metal roof for less than $500, while a highly-rated Costco steel frame carport with a fabric roof costs only $400. We'd recommend either of them over paying full price for the Hoteel model.

To make our recommendation on this Walmart fabric carport, we relied on customer reviews from multiple retailers, YouTube reviewers, and our first-hand knowledge of the durability of both metal and fabric carport roofs. We also compared it to other similarly priced carports and the customer review rankings they have.

The Hoteel carport has a 4.4-star customer review rating on Walmart, so many customers do like this product, which is why we feel comfortable recommending it at a sale price of $190. Although many customers seemed to expect greater durability out of the fabric carport roof, others understood that it provides at least some protection for your vehicle at a low price, even if it doesn't survive harsh weather. If the fabric carport doesn't hold up to a severe weather event like a hail storm, you're only out $190. As long as it protects your vehicle from the brunt of the hail, you'll save money compared to paying a car insurance deductible, which is commonly $500 or $1,000.