Is the Dealer’s Paint Protection Package Worth It?

If you’ve bought a new car lately, you’ve probably been offered a paint protection package in the finance office. It’s usually described as a coating or sealant that keeps the paint looking new for years, sometimes with a warranty attached. Is it worth it? Sometimes it’s fine. Often it isn’t what it sounds like. Here’s how to tell before you sign.

What dealer packages usually are

Dealer paint protection packages vary a lot from store to store, but many have a few things in common:

• The product is often a sealant, not a professional coating. Sealants add gloss and some protection, but they’re usually rated in months, not years.
• It’s applied quickly. New cars move fast through a dealership’s prep area, and a proper coating needs a careful wash, decontamination, and time to cure.
• The paint isn’t prepped first. New paint often picks up light swirls from transport and dealer washes. A coating locks in whatever is under it.
• The warranty has conditions. Some require regular inspections or reapplications at the dealership to stay valid, and many cover only specific kinds of damage.

None of that means every dealer package is bad. It means you should know exactly what you’re buying.

Questions to ask before you say yes

1. What exact product is being applied? Ask for the brand and product name, then look it up.
2. Is it a coating or a sealant, and how long is it rated to last?
3. What prep is done first? Is the paint washed and decontaminated, or is the product wiped on over whatever is there?
4. Who applies it, and where? In a clean shop, or on the lot?
5. What does the warranty actually cover, and what do I have to do to keep it valid?
6. Can I see it in writing?

If the answers are vague, that tells you something.

What a professional coating includes

For comparison, here’s what’s included when we ceramic coat a new car at our shop in Wildwood:

• A full exterior wash and decontamination, so the coating bonds to clean paint
• A light polish to remove surface swirls on Shine & Protect, before the coating goes on
• A CARPRO coating rated in years: CQuartz Pro on Shine & Protect (5 to 7 years) or CARPRO Finest Reserve on Showroom Shine (7 to 10 years)
• Glass, lights, trim, and wheels coated too, depending on the package
• Application in our climate-controlled shop, with time to cure
• Care instructions at pickup, and a call a few days later

You know your price before you drop off, because we quote from your year, make, and model.

What about film?

Dealer packages almost never include paint protection film, and a coating or sealant won’t stop a rock chip. If you drive the highway or plan to keep the car a long time, film on the front end is what actually keeps the paint chip-free. See is paint protection film worth it?

The best time to protect a new car

As soon as you take delivery. The paint is as good as it will ever be, and there’s nothing to fix first. If you’ve already said no to the dealer package, you haven’t missed anything. Bring the car to us in the first few weeks, before the first round of chips, water spots, and lovebugs.

If you’re comparing a dealer package to a professional coating, send us the year, make, and model, and we’ll send you a quote you can compare side by side. You can also read what goes into the price of a ceramic coating.