BlurredLines

I've never purchased any form of paint protection from a dealership before and I get the sense it can be done more thoroughly as well as less expensively in the aftermarket. I've seen a few shots of folks having the entire front end (bumper, hood, mirrors, and front edge of the roof) done, but wondered if anyone had experience with this or recommendations to make? Is it worth it at all or just a margin booster for the dealer?

Cheers!

Dan in St. Louis

There are several worthwhile threads about paint protection in the regular A4/B9 forum.

You will find a consensus that it is a profit center for the dealer and best done aftermarket if you want it.

bob m

Exactly.

snagitseven

To clarify, the term "paint protection" usually refers to the various coatings available which are applied to the entire car's surface and protect the paint from UV and other environmental damage. "Film" is used to protect the paint from chipping from rocks and such and is either a bra or often installed on the full front of the car.

Victoryroad

Given the shape and material on the frontal area of the AR, I passed on Expel Ultimate film and just had the Opticoat Pro applied (to the entire exterior). The stuff is amazing. Never have to use polish again and the finish is protected from all types of caustic stuff one is likely to encounter. Small stone chips on hood or front fascia can be touched up with Dr. Color Chip system easily.

Obsidian3K

The subject of coatings is a new one for me. From some discussions here and a bit of Googling, I gather that they're basically the same idea as, say, a synthetic sealant you'd apply with an orbital buffer, but the application method is different and they last for a few years rather than a few months?

bob m

Take a peek here - I like "Driver's response.

https://www.autopia.org/forums/car-d...ant+vs+coating

snagitseven

Paint protection coatings, unlike sealants, provide a long lasting, hard shell over the paint. Most are ceramic which is essentially a hard, glossy layer that does not require waxing while protecting the paint from UV, bugs, acid rain, tree sap, etc. Some of the highly rated brands are Ceramic Pro, Opti-Coat and CQuartz. Ceramic coatings are applied by hand, usually done by a skilled detailer. Multiple layers are often applied.

bob m

To add to - the professionally applied coatings will last longer than the ones available to the end consumer.

snagitseven

Right. In fact the pro coating versions like Opti-Coat Pro Plus and Ceramic Pro 9H are not even available to the public, only authorized detailers.