Cargo cover for 1996 - 2002 Toyota 4Runner, $2.

A cargo covers is a very handy addition to any suv, as it allows for the covering of the area behind the rear seat from prying eyes. These covers are built essentially like window shades, with the 'shade' part being the cover that actually rolls out to go over the cargo area.

I mention the similarity to window shades because people see these things at yard sales and actually think they are window shades (hopefully you won't make that mistake!) Like so many other vehicle accessories, cargo covers often become available because an owner sells or trades in the vehicle, only to realize later (later, as in 'getting ready for yard sale' time) that they forgot all about the cargo cover. Naturally, they have no use for it anymore, so it ends up on the ground at the yard sale waiting for you to buy it and present it to your buyers on eBay!

You just clip the cover into its slot right behind the suv's rear seat, then pull it out and hook it into place. Since there's a cargo cover available for nearly every make and model of suv, there are lots of different shapes and sizes of them out there, so be careful. Prices vary widely by make, model and even color. Pay $5 or $10 and you're usually safe. But wait a minute...

If you really want to be safe, especially in the beginning, you may want to stick with Toyota or Lexus cargo covers, since they not only sell very well across the board, but they also have a distinctive feature you can use to identify them: the four clips. On the cover in the photo below, notice the four little clips that stick out along the cover's lower edge. These clips secure to the rear seat's headrest bars, and hold up the little flap of material that lies on the front side of the main support bar. Note that on some models these clips will be secured to short pieces of strapping, and in some cases, as seen here, they're secured right to the flap itself. So, look for the clips, and you should be in pretty good shape. I'm not saying that my little clip trick is 100 percent, but a check of eBay's highest-priced closed auctions for cargo covers will reveal Toyota, Lexus and clips! Viva the sweet spot!

Always be sure to ask the seller which model and year of vehicle the cover was on. Sure, you can decide to figure out later on which particular vehicle a cover you bought fits, but it never hurts to save yourself time and effort whenever possible. And when you get back to your vehicle, write down what the guy said so you don't have to worry about remembering it throughout the day.

Finally, whenever you're considering the purchase of a cargo cover, always extend the cover to ensure that it doesn't have any holes or tears, which will effectively kill its value. Have someone hold one end while you stretch it open, and check both sides very carefully for any damage.

This cargo cover sold on eBay for $95.