Dealership "Paint Protection" package

[gollums_friend]

When I bought my car 2 months ago, I purchased the rediculously priced "paint protection package" offered by the dealership. It was only after the fact that I realised how many great items existed to the consumer, if willing to do the job themselves...

This morning, I was re-reading the extra bottle the dealership sent me home with. This particular stuff is called "The Protector/Paint Shield Cleaner with Dupont P.T.F.E". Here's my question: Since the dealership gives a 5 YEAR guarantee with this stuff, WHY does the bottle say "should be reapplied every 2-3 months"???? (PS. When I asked salesguy why I needed an "at home" bottle since it was supposed to be guaranteed, his reply was "if you have an accident/body work done and need to touch up an area or something".)

So......is this stuff not as good as they claim? I just don't understand why a 5 year guarantee but yet the bottle of product claims it needs to be reapplied every 2-3 months. I did use it this morning, on just one section of the hood.....and I will say that it made the hood feel smooth as glass.....smoother than the rest of the hood which had ColorX and GC paste put on last weekend. So, while it may "feel" great, I really don't have a clue how well it protects. I found it interesting that of the 4 ingredients listed in this product, CLAY was one of them....and PETROLEUM was another?! Out of curiosity, I checked ebay.....one bottle for auction, at $99/best offer!! Yikes!

So, does anyone have experience with/knowledge of this product?

[scrub]

The five year guarantee is if you use their products as recommended.

I asked the same question when we bought our Honda Accord. They were trying to sell us the First Place finish system. All the while, I was trying to sell them my detailing services for their used cars. I think they got the point we didn't need the system and wasn't gonna pay for it.

I've got some bottles of the product but never used it. Yet.

[gollums_friend]

Impossible. There's no way they could/would know if you used the product at home or not. I'd like to see them try to refuse or deny the 5 year guarantee to me.

[scrub]

The thing is the product doesn't last 5 years per application. If the products are used as directed then the surface will have a five year warranty. That's why there is a frequency of usage, "should be applied every 2-3 months" on the bottle as you stated.

Not too sure how they police that. I think one could tell if a vehicles surface has been grossly neglected or maintained. Swirls (from auto car washes or even hand washing), oxidation, and water etching would be evident if the surface was neglected.

That's how it was explained to me. Take it for what its worth.

Hey you got the warranty, make them back up their claims. I'm not sure what your coverage entails, but hold them to it. Let them try to prove whether or not the products were used.

[gollums_friend]

Even if you are correct, there's NO WAY this bottle of product would last over the next 5 years, with reapplications every 3 months. There's not enough of it, so I don't see how they could make that claim.

But I have another question about this stuff.....will it work ok if used WITH Meg's waxes? (Meaning if I used it as either the first or second layer of wax, with either ColorX or GC as the other). Clay and Petroleum.....I'm still having a time getting over that, I dunno why......

[Jbirk]

It is probalby a very small bottle of wax to make you feel good.

Is it small like 4 to 8oz?

[gb387]

My G/F just bought a new Scion TC and initially she started out asking for the dealer paint protection(Dealer Sealant - $825 - Ahhh!) after doing some research for her I discovered the product this dealer applied lasted 6 months but the dealer offered a 7 year warranty. Not sure how you can prove a warranty claim but there is was in writing, I never did see the 'fine print'. The dealer did use the example.... 'If you were to spill something on the dash and it couldn't be removed and/or stained we would replace the dash'... now come on!?!?

She now has the car without the dealer paint protection and sometime this month I am going to put a coat of #21 on the vehicle.

[MotorcycleDetailing]

When my wife brought her 2002 VN Aclaim we get the whole dealer kit put on....the thing they don't tell you is that you have to apply the contents of the bottle every wash, that you are not to use any type of wax, polish or cleaner other then what is supplied. That the product in the bottle only lasts approximately 6mths and cost 5 times more than other car wash products to get a new bottle.

And you need to take it back to a registered dealer to get it checked every year.

To me it is definatley not worth the price to get it done in the first place as you cannot fix the swirls in the paint work yourself and have to take it back to the dealer for them to buff and reapply the **** back over the paint.

Yes it does come with a 5 year gaurentee but in those 5 years you will be spending so much money keeping up with there product that in the end it better to do yourself.

Just my rambleing 2 cents worth.

[farmboy]

The chances of paint failing in five years is slim to none, even not waxed. Most companies have a better factory warranty than that. Of course it doesn't cover rust from scratches, chips and dents.

[123anthonyG]

It is pretty obvious that this is another means of the dealer making more money. Most dealers would love to add on more items to boost their profit margin on the sale of the car. When I buy new cars I always decline the following; extended warranties(typically overpriced and rarely needed for a new car), gap insurance (great to have but you can purchase this from others such as your credit union at much better prices), glass etching, fabric protector, paint protection, etc. The dealers count on up-selling more products to you. Then, not only are you paying for that, if you include that in the loan, you are paying interest on those extra products. I don't have any references to give you at the moment, but if you do the research, you will find that most of these above mentioned products are a waste of your hard earned money. That's the sad truth.

The money you spend on paint protection can buy you plenty of Megs car care products to protect the paint that would last quite a while.