Was a detailer for 4 years, car covers = car scratches. Dust gets under them and with wind they will scratch your car. I'm in sunny cali and both my 2010 truck and the wife's 2009 car lives outside with no cover and no scratches except my ******** mistake with my truck one day, allthough this latest fires did cause some CC issues, I just couldn't wash them everyday and I should have, that is on me.
One lady had a black transam, hardly ever drove it, her daughters car and she lost the ability to drive so they stored it with a cover under a carport. When they took the cover off after the girl passed, man you couldn't even tell it was black from the CC scratches everywhere.
Best practice just double bucket wash once a week and use these modern waxes as you dry. If you use a cover, make sure the car is clean when you put the cover on. I don't really think there is a perfect answer for this, it is likely a total wrap 3m vinyl kit would be the best thing if you are that **** about it.
Funny most of the cars we would wash that had 3m on them were fancy cars, Porsche and other high end cars. Good for rick chips as well. For a Ram, might cost you a grand. Everytime you wash a 3m'd car, it looks freshly waxed.