Chrysler LeBaron convertible boot cover, 1990-1995, $5.

A boot cover is used on convertible automobiles to cover the 'hole' behind the rear seat when the top is in the down position, adding a nice 'finished' look to the car. Boot covers were made for just about every model of contemporary convertible, and since they are dealership items, you can bet that they cost a bundle to buy new!

You'd think that a boot cover would stay with the car when it was sold or traded in, wouldn't you? Well, this obviously isn’t always the case. Many convertible owners store these covers in the garage, only to discover them long after the car has been traded or sold. And what does one do with an orphan boot cover for a car you don't own anymore? You sell it at your next yard sale, of course!

It's very important to note here that a boot cover is intended to be stowed in the vehicle's trunk when not in use on the vehicle, and is therefore intended to fold up, as seen in the photo below. Now, when yard sale time rolls around, do think the sellers will open their covers up for proud display, or will they be more likely to just toss them out out on the driveway, still folded up? You already know the answer to that one, which is why it's so important for you to train your eye to look for these boot covers in their folded state!

This particular boot cover is normally good for about $30 to $40 on eBay, but boot covers for other models you're likely to see, like the Chrysler Sebring or Ford Mustang, can go for well over $100.

This Chrysler LeBaron convertible boot cover sold on eBay for $95, and the only reason this particular one sold so well is because it had never been used, possibly never even taken out of the bag before I got it.