It can be costly to purchase and maintain a vehicle that you are proud of. If you’ve invested in a beautiful car, it’s important to keep its paint shiny, scratch- and chip-free.

With many different new car paint protection products on the market, it can be confusing to choose the one that offers the best protection for car paint.

This article offers information about the protect product options for cars, to help you choose the option that gives you the best chance of maintaining your vehicle’s beauty and while boosting its “wow” factor.

BEST PROTECTION FOR CAR PAINT

WAXES

Waxes are made from Brazilian carnauba, which often leaves a warm glow on the vehicle’s surface, or a wet look on darker or metallic paint. Typically, the wax is applied to the surface and left on for a period before it’s buffed off. A protective coating remains, which lasts between four to eight weeks.

There are different grades of the carnauba wax – the highest grade is yellow in color and provides the best protective properties. For the best results, have an installer apply the protective wax rather than doing it yourself.

Protective wax only provides a light “sacrificial” layer on the surface of your car that will protect it from mild wear and tear and light scratches. Although easy to use, there are drawbacks of using wax as your only protection – it must be reapplied often and it only offers minimal protection compared to the other new car paint protection products.

SEALANT

Sealants are made from synthetic polymers that are easy to apply over your car’s paint. Unlike waxes, most sealants are sprayed and left on the surface of your car rather than being buffed off. Multiple layers of sealant can be built up on the surface, offering better protection than wax alone.

The simple application is a plus and it is relatively inexpensive to apply yourself, but the best results may be achieved by going to a professional rather doing it yourself. To strengthen a sealant’s protection, multiple coatings can be applied and it can be layered over other protective methods, such as wax and clear film.

Although the multi-layered protection is stronger than wax protection – is it the best protective coating for cars? Read on for more options.

COATINGS

There are a variety of coatings that protect the car by leaving a hard-candy coating over your paint. Coatings are usually made from ceramics, are semi-permanent and last up to five years and protect your car from heavier wear and tear than waxes and sealants alone.

Coatings stand up to environmental contaminants, bird droppings, chemical deterioration and scratches caused by everyday driving. Some coatings come with a warranty that is registered with the coating’s manufacturer, guaranteeing outstanding protection for the life of the warranty.

Coating costs vary by manufacturer and installer, ranging from several hundred dollars to thousands.

While offering outstanding protection, the cost of coating could be higher than the price of the materials and labor to install it. Because coating bonds with the surface of the car’s paint, it’s recommended to correct any defects in paint, surface dings or scratches because once the coating is applied, it is nearly permanent.

CLEAR FILM

Initially used by the military to protect airplanes and vehicles from surface scrapes, chips and environmental wear and tear, clear film became available to consumers first in the high-performance vehicle market.

The protective properties vary widely, depending on the manufacturer, some offering temporary protection against road abrasion to long-term protective qualities with warranties that cover five to seven years of protection.

Recent developments in the clear film market include “self-healing” properties, which allows the appearance of light scratches to be reversed with exposure to heat, or over time to a near scratch-free look.

As with coatings, before applying clear film, it’s important to correct all paint flaws and surface imperfections to ensure a lasting, beautiful vehicle surface.

In addition to protecting the car’s surface, clear film’s protective properties can reduce body maintenance and provide the most durability, making clear film the best protective coatings for cars, the cost running into the thousands of dollars for a full vehicle wrap.

BLENDING PROTECTIVE METHODS

Although it’s worth the money to provide the best overall protection for your luxury vehicle, you may want to consider a less expensive option. Ask your car protection pro for suggestions on how to get the most out of your auto protection at a lower cost.

Your car pro may suggest applying clear film to the vehicle surface that are most at risk for damage, including the front fender, hood, inside of door handles and side skirts, while using less expensive protective measures on the rest of the car surface to save on costs.

Whichever new car paint protection products you choose, it’s important to be informed of each option and to ask for advice from a trusted auto protective professional. Your auto’s beauty contributes to its overall value. Help protect it, so you can feel the pride of ownership every time you slip behind the wheel.

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If you want specific details on vehicle wraps, give us a call today or visit our website! We look forward to working with you to assist you with your vehicle wrap.

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