New Car Paint Question

[Calin]

Ok... so the new car will be here at the end of the month and I'm planning for the add on work I want done (namely window tinting in addition to the satellite radio and possible spoiler installation I mentioned in an earlier post). One of the "services" offered at the place I will get my tinting done is a "Digishield", which is a urethane based film they install on "scratch prone" areas of the vehicle.

When I was shopping around for cars, one of the dealerships was including in their price a clear coat type finish (though I think theirs was painted on somehow) for the same areas. I passed on that offering, and on the dealership.

My question for you all is does anyone have experience with these coatings and are they worth it? Do they hurt anything? Do they help anything? I live in Louisiana so we don't have the salt factor in the winters for paint damage, but the heat and humidity might cause other problems. Also, we have our annual "love bug" season which always does damage to paint jobs around town (supposedly the bug bodies are very acidic which is both why they do the damage to the paint and why the bugs don't have natural predators - they don't "taste" very good).

Anyway, any thoughts? Can I get the same/better/worse effect from a good waxing on a regular basis?

[G35MoneyPit]

Search "clear bra" in the forums. That is what you want, or a similar product. There is a lot of dicsussion on this and photos. And it is worth the money. The paint on these cars chips when the wind blows.

[MikeG356MT]

I have heard the 3m clear bug shield will yellow in time, but I have no firsthand experience in this, however, I did get what is called the Lex package with my car and basically what that is is a type of liquid polymer that is applied every 6 months and it does protect the paint and keep it looking new. It will not however deter chips or bugs. With the Lex from what I understand, it takes all the oxidation off the paint and you can feel the smoothness. Of course you can do it yourself with a complete detailing kit from Mother's or McGuires. As far as the 3m film goes, I have a bit in strategic locations like under the door handles and along the inside wheelwells and along the door edges; it does provide a bit of buffering to fingernail scratches, rock chips on the inside wheel lips, and door dings (light ones). Good luck.

[Hot Foot]

May I ask what is the cost for this paint option they offer?

[MikeG356MT]

it was $600 for 5 years, twice yearly applications but I got it free. They also give you a "package" that has the sealant and some nice cloths in a velvet bag embroidered "Lex". It may be a rip but I didn't pay for it.

[Calin]

Mike,

That sounds similar to what was being offered at the dealership I passed on. They hyped it as some "new" thing they were using and wanted $1000 or so for the product. There was no re-application mentioned.

Your comment about the 3M stuff yellowing has me a bit concerned. After digging a bit more, it turns out this "Digishield" thing is just the computer system they use to pre-cut the film to fit the car. I'm almost positive the actual film is the 3M product. It does say on the website that the film can be professionally removed (and so theoretically I suppose if it yellowed it could be replaced), but the thought of that scares the crap out of me.

[MikeG356MT]

Bottom line: if you use good products, wax every 3 months and clean the paint every 6 months (or so: you can go as long as a year), you should be ok.

[ironmike]

I'm in Louisiana as well, and you learn to deal with the bugs - daily. And that's the secret - daily. Wipe the leading edges of the vehicle with a soft cloth soaked in a good quality auto soap & warm water... every day when you're through driving the car. Just a quick wipe and follow with a dry soft towel... that eliminates bug-crud before the chemical reactions can take hold and it keeps the road gorp to a minimum. You'll also find any new chips and dings quicker. Yeah, I know... it sounds like too much work, but it works - and it doesn't cost $600-1200 as a dealer "add-on". Spend about six bucks on a gallon of automotive cleaning soap/detergent with a finish wax additive (no product plugs here - go to your local auto parts discount store, roam the aisles and read the labels... you'll find something). Mix up a bucket of the soapy solution and keep it handy in the garage... What, no garage..? Keep the solution in a spray bottle (with a sealable cap/nozzle) and a roll of those soft blue paper shop towels in your trunk (find those at the auto store too). If you're really anal, follow up with Honda aerosol spray cleaner wax (availabe at Honda motorcycle dealerships)... that stuff is intended the defeat the evil insect empire.
Of course, this is no substitute for the periodic thorough car wash, and the meditative zen experience of the all day wax job... wax on...wax off...