Protective Coating ?

[hnnnnnh123]

Hi all, just wondering if any of you got the protective coating for your car when you first purchased it from the dealer ?

Long story short, the car now has around 5k miles on it and I can spot a hand full of rock chips from driving on the free way.

I don't think my dealer offered to me at all. (nervous)

 

[kzcan]

Coat is good BUT if it sits on the car for years the paint fades differently. Especially if you have red colour or similar. But does protext the front from chips. I just bought a touch up marker and do it twice a year or so. It depends on how bad it gets

Hi all, just wondering if any of you got the protective coating for your car when you first purchased it from the dealer ?

Long story short, the car now has around 5k miles on it and I can spot a hand full of rock chips from driving on the free way.

I don't think my dealer offered to me at all. (nervous)

 

[sm1ke]

There are two different kinds of coating you can do: Paint Protection Film (PPF) or ceramic coating. As far as I know, only PPF can be dealer-installed.

PPF protects against rock chips/scratches, and it is usually only applied to the hood, fenders, bumper, and mirrors (though you can also get PPF for the lower portion of the doors to protect against road contaminants). Ceramic coating will not protect against rock chips or scratches, but it provides a hydrophobic effect that makes the car easier to wash and keep clean, and also provides excellent UV protection (same as waxes/sealants, but is advertised to be much more durable). Ceramic coating is usually done on the entire vehicle and can last from 3 years to 8-10 years.

They both vary in professional installation costs, anywhere between $400-800 for either. My advice for a new car would be to have PPF installed, then give the car a proper detail (wash/decontaminate/polish/wax) 1-2x a year. That way, you get rock chip/scratch protection on the front and UV protection on the whole car.

EDIT: In your case, I would suggest getting a touch-up paint pen from Mazda. If the chips are small enough, the paint pen will fill them in easily.

 

[ninja729]

I've ceramic coated my last car before and it works great. I plan on doing it again on the new cx-9 i just got. If you find a reputable place that does tinting chances are they can do the protective film / car bra as well as full wrap if you want it.

 

[hnnnnnh123]

Thanks all for the feedbacks ! !! looks like I'm going with the touchup paint pen.

 

[PTguy]

The ceramic coating, also called semi-permanent clear coat or a nano-coat, is hard enough to prevent the swirl marks from a car wash. There are many brands available to do it yourself--check any on line auto detailing vendor--or have a local detail shop do it. It won't prevent rock chips.

 

[BOOSTR]

That protective coating looks like crap when it gets chips in it and as it ages. Don't know about ceramic coating. To me all that stuff is a waste of money. You are better off putting multiple coats of a synthetic sealant on your new car paint. Its really easy to apply and wipe off. Also don't follow closely behind rock haulers or other vehicles which may throw up road debris. Chips are going to happen no matter what as the paint just is not as tough as it used to be. But a slick sealed surface can help things to bounce off and makes bug and other stains easier to clean off. Just my O2 from working on all types of vehicles with over priced dealer and aftermarket products on them.

 

[PTguy]

Here's how one company describes their ceramic coating: "BLACKFIRE Pro Ceramic Coating uses thermoplasticity to produce a protective shell that possesses 9H+ level hardness and a lifetime of up to 2 years. Its amazing balance between hardness and flexibility makes BLACKFIRE Pro Ceramic Coating especially resistant to abrasion and corrosion!"

I think that's pretty much accurate. It is thicker, harder, and great looking compared to a polymer sealant. I like Menzerna sealant, and the ceramic coating greatly beats it in hardness and durability.

 

[sm1ke]

I'd love to see a test that compares PPF to ceramic and shows that the ceramic "helps things to bounce off".

Here's the bottom line: Ceramics and other nano-coatings, waxes, and sealants protect against UV damage and chemical damage, and also improve hydrophobicity (dirt is less likely to "stick" on the paint, making the car easier to clean). PPF provides a more substantial physical barrier that will help to protect your paint from rock chips and scuffs, to a certain extent (i.e. if someone drops a 3" piece of concrete on your PPF, it will likely break right through and chip/dent the car). PPF will not protect against UV damage or chemical damage. Over time, the PPF will of course start to look battered and bruised, but when you take it off, the paint underneath should remain untouched, and then you can reapply some new PPF if you want to.