How Much Should I Spend to Protect My Car’s Paint?

April 24, 2023

How Much Should I Spend to Protect My Car’s Paint?

The paintwork of a vehicle not only impacts it’s looks and desirability, it also directly affects the value. This, naturally, means that you want to protect it from damage to ensure it remains pristine—not only today, but for many years to come.

But at what cost? There are many different paint protection products on the market, ranging from a few dollars to hundreds, or even thousands.

The following looks at the options available and the reasons why the figure to protect the paintwork isn’t necessarily what you might think…

Protecting Car Paintwork: the options

  • A quick word on car wax
  • Paint protection film and ceramic coating
  • How much should I spend to protect my car’s paint? The bottom line…

A quick work on car wax

Car wax is by far the cheapest way to protect your car’s paint. Costing just a few dollars for a tin that’ll last at least 2 or 3 complete applications, wax can—to some extent—help reduce paint fade and give the exterior a good shine.

The biggest advantage is the low cost. But there are many disadvantages, such as:

  • It takes an awful lot of regular effort to apply. To have any benefit, you should be waxing a minimum of every 6 weeks (more in sunny and/or salty climates). 
  • Wax doesn’t protect from physical damage, such as stone chips and minor scratches.
  • It doesn’t provide any real barrier against chemical damage, including acid rain, bird droppings, and tree sap.

Paint protection film and ceramic coating

Paint protection film (PPF) and ceramic coating offer cutting-edge technology to protect your car’s paintwork.

PPF—often referred to as a “clear bra"—is a super strong, perfectly clear film that, once applied, provides a robust barrier between the factory paintwork and the elements. It protects against:

  • Stone chips and other physical damage
  • Acid rain
  • Bird droppings
  • Tree sap
  • UV rays
  • Salt

In addition, PPF has self-healing properties. This means that if, for example, a stone flicks up and damages the PPF, all you need to do is apply a little heat and it’ll magically morph back to its original shape.

Ceramic coating uses nanotechnology to create an uber-hard coating that bonds to the paintwork below. In addition to protecting it, this also creates an incredible gleam. You know those vehicles that sport that halo-like shine? That’s ceramic coating at work.

How much should I spend to protect my car’s paint? The bottom line

PPF and ceramic coating are undoubtedly more expensive than simple wax. You’ll pay anything from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand for the ultimate installation. You can have both of them on a vehicle if you want the very best paintwork protection.

But before you balk at the cost, consider this…

The value of a car is directly impacted by the state of its exterior. For sports cars, your dream 4X4, luxury saloons, and all prestige vehicles, it really is all about the looks. This means that a few hundred or thousand dollars spent on protecting the paintwork can increase the value of the vehicle more than the cost of installation.

Plus, let’s not forget the kudos you get from driving such a vehicle.

In short, the amount you should spend to protect your car’s paint is in direct proportion to how much you value your ride. If it’s an old beat-up jalopy that’s simply there to be driven into the ground, then you’re probably not going to invest much (if anything) into protecting its exterior.

But for your pride and joy? That’s a different story—and spending your hard earned dollars into enhancing her good looks is most definitely money well spent.

Contact Auto SuperShield Today for the Best Advice on Car Paint Protection

There’s an awful lot of paint protection suppliers out there who want your money. But… And this is a big but. When it comes to answering the question, “how much should I spend to protect my car’s paint?” it isn’t necessarily the case that you need to spend a fortune.

At Auto SuperShield, we pride ourselves in offering not only the best quality products, but also the right ones for your requirements—and that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to break the bank to do so.

Discover more about our PPF at https://www.autosupershield.com/paint-protection-films and call our expert team today to discuss your needs.

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