Why new is the right time
Modern paint is applied thinner than it was twenty years ago, to meet environmental rules, and it is soft for the first months. Every commute on I-95 or the Turnpike puts chips in the bumper and hood. Film applied before that keeps the paint at zero. Film applied later locks in whatever chips are already there.
What to protect, in order
- Front bumper and headlights. Partial Front from $899. Takes most of the hits.
- Hood, fenders, mirrors. Full Front from $1,799. What most new-car owners choose. Includes a $549 Ceramic Pro coating.
- Rockers and A-pillars. Track Package from $2,590, for cars that live on the highway.
- Everything. Full Body from $4,990, with the coating over the whole exterior.
Coating alone
A ceramic coating blocks UV, stops etching from love bugs and sprinklers, and makes washing easy. It does not stop rocks. On a garage-kept city car it can be enough. On anything that sees the highway, it is the second layer, not the first.
What to skip
The dealership "paint protection package". It is usually a sealant applied in the service lane, priced like a coating, without the paint correction or the warranty. Ask what product it is and who installs it. Then bring the car to a shop that does this all day.
