Paint Protection Product .. worth it or rip off?

[driva]

I will soon take delivery of a new Polo. The dealer is recommending "Fusion Advanced Protection" interior and exterior treatment for around $1400. I notice it's also being offered by other car dealers including Holden and BMW. The sales pitch is quite extraordinary "lifetime warranty, no need for inspections" etc, etc. It's on the website as well.

Advanced Protection: Welcome

I'm aware there is a fair amount of opposition to dealer treatment plans because they're seen as rip offs. Obviously the dealer is also aware of the industry's poor reputation and assures me that this is a far superior product which, "unlike the others" does what it says it will do. I'm told the product has been around for about two years, and conveniently (for the dealers) it is only available through dealers .. or so I'm told.

So is there anyone out there who has had this product on their car for a while and, better still, parks it in the street and rarely washes it?

Also I'd like some feedback on window tinting. Worth doing or not. Thanks.

[Transporter]

I prefer a good wax at least once a year.

[Guest001]

Absolute waste of money.

If you want it done, get it done yourself after taking delivery. still wasted money IMHO

My wife got it done on one car she bought Then found out we could have got the outfit that dealer got to do it would have done it for under half the dealer price

BE WARNED

Also it never made any improvement to the paint

Window tinting Same applies take car home get on here and ask for recommendations SAVE MONEY


If you want a show car there is a sponsor on here who makes a great job of rejuvenating old scratched paint.

However with a new vehicle a good polish with a quality product is all thats needed UNLESS you are anally fussy

[Martin]

I agree it's an expensive waste of money

A friend of a friend sold his car sales and told us not to buy these extras,
he described them as "do you want fries with that" extras that are cash cows for the dealer
Paint protection, leather protection, rust prevention device on the battery terminal, etc

The paint protection product is ok - but it's cost is $75 to $140 - plus one hour of labour
So you're paying $900~$1,200 for this product plus a 3rd party warranty
Wax 2 or 3 times a year will be just as effective

[Swainey32]

I got opti coat on mine, first like 4 months, water flew off the car which was great, washed it weekly as explained, but after that, I really didn't notice any real gain by paying for the protection.

Just wax it

[tonyf]

Look, at the end the of the day, it is a good idea to have some sort of protection, be it wax, sealant, or coating, but $1400, ouch, they are really pocketing a fair bit of extra for that one. There are a lot of good detailers around that can do it for a fair bit cheaper and they can do a superb job. And by the way, NOTHING lasts forever. Have a look at Car Care Products here on this forum, and google products like 22ple, nanolex, Cquartz, Opticoat, thay are all coatings that if applied properly can last a good 1 to 2 years with correct maintenance. Also important before puting these coatings on is if any correction to the paint is needed. The paint should be as good as it can be before applying these products. This is something a good detailer will point out and explain, where as the dealer just wants to up-sell.

[fuzion]

Tony has covered it very well.

Anything is better than nothing, so do something soon before your paint becomes a bit 'how you going'.

and of course, maintenance is the key! two buckets, microfibre wash mitts, microfibre waffle weave to dry .. usual stuff

[Twin_Dad]

Tony's post is right on the mark. The main point to take away is the applied correctly part. The pros can take quite a time just preparing a car for a coatings (which btw is different to a sealant and of course wax). In general expect 1 - 2 years from a coating, 6mths from a sealant and 6-8 weeks from a wax.

That $1400 would get a very top end car a very good paint correction and coating from an expert in the field (have a look on Detail Paradise for the difference between good work and bad work). Just because the car is brand new don't expect it to be swirl free.

[Guest001]

That $1400 would get a very top end car a very good paint correction and coating from an expert in the field (have a look on Detail Paradise for the difference between good work and bad work). Just because the car is brand new don't expect it to be swirl free.

It would from a professional restorer Yes.

However a dealer will just send it to a polisher and charge you $1400 for a $300 job.

We found that out when I took wifes car for its 12 month paint checkup and saw the advertised price for what we got. Was well under half what the wife paid and wasnt even worth that for some infra red paint treatment which didnt make the vehicle look any different to any other 3 year old of the same model An utter waste of money

[Twin_Dad]

Sorry I should have clarified my statement. What I ment was if you take your car to a professional (not the dealer) you would get a lot for that kind of money. Just to be the Devil's advocate here sometimes it's not the dealer detailers fault, he is under pressure to get 2xX amount of work done in X amount of time (but others are just rubbish).

[Wolfgang]

I got opti coat on mine, first like 4 months, water flew off the car which was great, washed it weekly as explained, but after that, I really didn't notice any real gain by paying for the protection.

Just wax it

The Opticoat has probably become imbedded with contamination. Use a traffic fillm remover like P21S TAW and it should restore the hydrophobic properties of the Opticoat.

[Wolfgang]

Sorry I should have clarified my statement. What I ment was if you take your car to a professional (not the dealer) you would get a lot for that kind of money. Just to be the Devil's advocate here sometimes it's not the dealer detailers fault, he is under pressure to get 2xX amount of work done in X amount of time (but others are just rubbish).

You'll get more for less from a detailer.

If you want low maintenance paint protection your options are: cquartz, opticoat, 22PLE, nanolex.

Car Care Products can advise you on the best for your budget and even apply it for you.

[Tommysvw]

Guys this thread has me confused after my confused thread about paint protection! There seems to be a mixed arguement as to whether its worth it or not.
I have booked my car in for Cquartz Finest in 2 weeks time, but now I am double thinking if it is indeed worth it? I have spoken with the detailer yesterday (Reflection Perfection) and he said to just give him a weeks notice if I cancel. What should I do? The detailer did not try and persuade me either way which I appreciated. Just told me of the benefits. I reduced his price a bit by bargaining but I dont want to be throwing money away here! But then I think I cant be stuffed with the maintenance myself. It will be all well and good for 3 months and then I lose interest, I know myself to well!

[Dutch77]

As per prior posts choosing any of the quality options like opticoat, cquartz, nanolex etc is without doubt better than having nothing on there.

However it's not going to stop all damage, and you will still need to maintain it properly using correct wash procedures if you want to keep it in top condition.

[Martin]

I don't think there is any confusion at all - everybody is in agreement that the dealer is charging $900 to $1,200 for a simple $300 process

If you're not able to invest some time in looking after your car's paint twice a year you need to accept the asthetic and depreciation consequences

I did get paint protection on my Mazda3 - after three years I got water spots etched into the roof (won't buff out)
This is a car that's been garaged all it's life but seldom had wax and TLC