Keeping your car in tiptop shape should be much like how you take care of your apartment. You make sure that the carpets are cleaned and vacuumed, and you make sure that everything is running smoothly from under the hood.
It’s important to keep your car in its peak condition because people may judge you by the way you keep your car clean. Sometimes, it’s not just enough to give it a good wash, you also have to take note of the physical appearance of your car’s exterior.
As a discerning car owner, you may have done your research about those products available on the market that claim that they are able to not only protect but preserve your car’s paint as well. You may have also taken note of the two different products that offer these: Paint Protection Film (such as XPEL Ulitmate) and Ceramic Coatings (such as Ultimate RainCoat)
What is the difference between the two, and which will offer the best protection for your car?
First off, let us answer the question: Is Car Paint Protection Worth it?
As a car owner, your car is your responsibility. Think of it as an extension of yourself, where you have to do regular maintenance checks and work on the aesthetics to keep up the wow factor. With that being said, your car’s paint job takes a regular beating with the unpredictable weather, pollution, and other external factors. With that being said, car paint protection is one of the fastest and most recommended ways to give your car that added protection that they need. But are they worth the hype, or is it just a Jedi mind trick?
If you want to protect your investment, then you will find ways to protect that investment.
What is a Paint Protection Film?
A paint protection film is a clear, urethane material that can be applied to the painted surface of your car, and it can protect and preserve its paint job by reducing its risks of damages from external factors such as chips and scratches, oxidation, swirl marks, and hard water marks.
Car paint protection films have three layers, namely clear coat, polyurethane, and adhesive. Ultimately, a paint protection film will protect your car’s surface from scratches and the weather since the protective film is made of materials that revert to their original shape. These protective films can also protect your car’s paint from fading in the long run.
What is a Ceramic Coating?
A ceramic coating, on the other hand, is a liquid polymer that is your car’s surface area. Once the liquid polymer is applied to your vehicle’s surface, a chemical bond is formed with the car’s exterior paint, thereby forming a hydrophobic surface. Because of the ceramic coating’s hydrophobic properties, contaminants will have a hard time penetrating your vehicle’s exterior surface.
Ceramic coatings can protect your vehicle’s exterior surface from such damages, such as chemical stains and oxidation from UV rays. Ultimately, ceramic coatings can keep your car cleaner for longer, and make it easier to clean when it is time for it to hit the car wash.
Both products give you the added benefit of keeping your car looking like new by preserving its paint job. They also reduce the damage from exposure to UV rays, as well as acid contaminants.
Now you are probably wondering which product is best for your vehicle in the long run? Both have their own unique properties that can save you a bundle in the future. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses that cannot be ignored.
So here’s a solution, both would be the perfect dynamic duo for your car. Think of both acting as an invisible force field for your car’s paint job.
Think about it, a paint protection film is thicker compared to ceramic coatings. Its chemical composition allows it to “self-heal”, meaning it can go back to its original form. This means that it can take on damages from small scratches, swirl marks, and even hard water spots without it being permanently damaged.
On the other hand, a ceramic coating can keep contaminants off your paint and make your car easier to clean. So, being a wise car owner, it is not a matter of choosing between option A or B, it is finding the strengths in both choices and knowing where to use them.
So, to answer the question: Is car paint protection worth the money? Definitely. Just make sure that you get a good deal on a professional before you get the job done. Your car will thank you for it.