When you want to preserve and protect your car’s exterior, the modern market will offer numerous paint protection options. And while each manufacturer will claim that his product or solution is the best on the market, its efficiency depends on various factors. In other words, what works for one car may appear to be a waste of effort and money for another.
In this article, we shall discuss the most popular paint protection options to help you choose the most suitable method for your vehicle.
Wax
It is one of the traditional widely-known methods to protect a car’s paint from dirt and grime. Proper waxing will last for about four months, and regular application guarantees that your vehicle will preserve the maximum of its original exterior and marketable condition.
However, the efficiency of wax usually depends on how much a vehicle gets exposed to direct sunlight, rain, or extreme temperatures. It is also pretty vulnerable to strong detergents, which means that one rough car wash may reduce its effect to a zero.
Sealant
Sealant is often considered an advanced alternative to waxing. Unlike traditional wax paint protection, it lasts for up to 6 months and can protect your vehicle from chemical staining.
However, sealants are also pretty vulnerable to chemicals used in car wash products. It means that the effect of the procedure will mainly depend on how often you wash your car.
Ceramic Coat
This popular paint protection might be the most durable out of all chemical solutions. It creates a strong bond with the vehicle’s paint, making it more durable against environmental impact, direct UV lights, contaminations, and even chemical stains.
It does not require re-application and can protect the car’s exterior for a long time no matter how often you wash your car or where you keep it.
At the same time, it is essential to remember that Ceramic Coating still won’t save the paint from mechanic scratch, chips, or other damage.
Paint Protective film
The transparent thermoplastic film covers your vehicle, protecting it both from environmental and mechanic damage. It means that Paint Protective Film is equally efficient against Uv Lights, extreme temperatures, dirt, and rock chips or minor abrasion.
However, this method is not intended to cover the entire vehicle’s surface. Therefore most experts recommend combining Paint Protective Film with another suitable protective way.
Which pain protection is perfect for my car?
As we mentioned above, despite their overall efficiency, paint protective options are not equally suitable for all vehicles and car owners.
Here are certain factors that will help you decide which paint protection will work best for you:
- Where do you leave the car? Once you park the vehicle outside, you will need a solution that works best against extreme temperatures and UV lights. Parking under a tree may make you want to find a solution that protects the paint from birds’ feces and wood chips;
- Where and how often do you drive? When you take your car for short essential rides in a city, the impact on its exterior will be minimal. Otherwise, in case you have to take long rides on highways or rural roads, maximum paint protection will be crucial for the vehicle’s exterior;
- Maintenance expectations. Some car owners genuinely enjoy cleaning and polishing their vehicles, pay attention to the slightest stain or scratch. Others wish to spend as little time and effort on the exterior maintenance. It is an essential decisive factor when you chose the paint protecting option as the price range may get pretty wise, and you want to choose the variant that will meet your expectations, needs, and budget.
Want to learn more about various paint protection methods for your vehicle? Contact OHS Body Shop today! We have branches all over Montana’s Greater Flathead Valley, in Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Polson. Our qualified experts will be happy to answer all your questions and help you take good care of your care, preserving its safety, comfort, exterior, and market value.
