If you want to keep your car looking as new as possible, then you can wash it regularly and even get a ceramic coating done, but if you want to take it a step further, then you can get it wrapped with paint protection film. There’s a lot that goes into the procedure, not to mention the high cost and time you’ll have to spend waiting for your car to be done. But is getting your car wrapped paint protection film worth it?

What is paint protection film?

Paint protection film is arguably one of the best car care inventions since the chamois. Whether you just bought a brand new car or repainted your old one, there’s almost no better way to protect the car’s finish than paint protection film. But what makes it so great?

According to Ceramic Pro, paint protection film is a polymer or polyurethane film that is placed over the car’s body panels in order to protect them from scratches, UV rays, rock chips, and other road debris. Have you ever seen, or heard of, a clear bra? Well, that’s basically “stage one” of a protection film procedure. Most shops that do it nowadays cover the whole front bumper the entire hood, side mirrors, and rear bumper. Basically, all of the body panels that are considered “high impact” areas that are vulnerable to most damage.

There are different stages to paint protection film

If you do decide that you want to protect that fancy new car of yours, then you’ll likely find a lot of different shops in your area that provide a paint protection film service. Most of them will offer different packages, or stages, that provide different levels of protection. For example, you can opt for just the clear bra and front bumper or you can even get the whole car done.

How much does paint protection cost?

If you’re planning on applying paint protection film yourself, then you can buy the actual material and tools that you need for a few hundred dollars, depending on the size of your car. Although, we will warn you that it’s not easy to apply it yourself if you don’t know what you’re doing. Have you ever applied a screen protector on your cell phone? Try doing that on something that is 1,000 times the size.

However, if you plan on getting your car done by a professional – which is recommended – then it can cost anywhere from $1,300 (for a clear bra) to up to $7,000 to cover the whole car. You can choose between a matte or glossy finish depending on what type of paint job your car has and some shops even offer a warranty.

Is it worth it to get paint protection film done on your car?

Although getting paint protection film done to your car can be costly, we can’t recommend it enough if you have the means to do so. Sure, spending a couple of grand on your car might sound steep at first, but considering it can prevent thousands of dollars’ worth of damage to your car over the next five years, not to mention the added value that it brings if you plan to sell it, we would say that paint protection film is definitely a worthy investment.