When buying a new car, many people are concerned with protecting the investment they just made. Whether you spend 20,000 on an economy car or 250,000 on a luxury vehicle the threat of the vehicle condition declining and the associated increase in depreciation is a real threat. Most new car buyers look for ways to stave off any increase in depreciation. Regular maintenance is important and is often covered under some new car warranties. Another very important step in protecting your investment and maintaining the vehicles appearance is detailing and paint protection.
If you’ve ever used a site like Kelly Blue Book or NADA, you know that each specific vehicle has a range of values – fair to excellent. The difference between “fair” and “excellent” for most vehicles two years old is in the ballpark of $2,000. That’s a substantial decrease in value due to having a neglected car. Fortunately, most factors in this depreciation are preventable.
KBB.com has 9 requirements to determine if a vehicle is in excellent condition. Out of these 9 requirements 6 are related to paint, wheel and engine cleanliness and integrity – Here they are:
- Has never had any paint touch-ups and/or bodywork
- Does not need reconditioning
- The engine compartment is clean and free of leaks
- Is free of rust
- The body and interior are free of wear or visible defects
- Wheels are flawless
This means that 66.6% of your depreciation comes from these issues. If you could prevent 66.6% depreciation in any other asset it would be a no-brainer, right? Of course! Most people feel the same way about their vehicles, however, most are given misleading, incorrect or potentially damaging advice. A dealerships role is to sell you a new car. The more often you buy a new car, and the less you receive for your trade in, the better their profit margin. This conflict of interest makes the dealership an unreliable source for long-term car care.
A great post-purchase care plan should include an immediate evaluation the vehicle by a detailer who can accurately assess the condition of the paint, rims, glass and interior components. The day your brand spanking new car was born, they adorned the paint with a layer of clear coat. This layer is about the thickness of a dime and is responsible for protecting the paint coat from damage. Another characteristic of this coat is that it provides the gloss that shows the beauty of your paint. The tiny swirls and scratches you see when looking at your paint under direct light are imperfections in the clear coat itself, not the paint. When this layer of clear coat is gone there is no simple or cheap means of replacing it. The condition of your clear coat is what makes the difference between a well maintained, new looking car and a faded, poorly maintained car.
Even though the vehicle is brand new there are often issues with these systems that occur during manufacturing and transport. Some conditions can be damaging if left untreated, like rail dust from train transportation and industrial fallout. When left to dwell, these contaminants degrade the clear coat of the paint system, rust and cause a chain-reaction effect.
Protecting this finite coat of protection is crucial to maintaining the value and appearance of your new car. The best way to do this involves two steps: decontamination and protecting. Decontamination ensures the surface has no potentially harmful particulates adhered to it. Adding a durable layer of protection on top of the clear coat offers many benefits. This layer provides a “sacrificial barrier” that will “catch” contaminants before they can contact and damage your vehicles paint system. Once the useful life of the protectant is over it can be easily removed along with the contaminants and a clean layer can be reapplied. These products are not only designed to protect, they are designed to enhance the appearance of the vehicle. Waxes, sealants and coatings compliment a vehicles finish, giving it a deep, glossy and wet look.
Protection varies depending on product choice and the owner’s car care regimen. Traditional waxes last less than 3 months. Sealants are a big improvement over wax and can see 1 year of service when well maintained. Ceramic coatings offer the highest level of protection and are often backed by a manufacturer and installer warranty guaranteeing the product to last the entire length of car ownership. Ceramic coatings are a great investment for a new vehicle. The car will stay cleaner, have a deeper, more luxurious look and have the ultimate protection available.
Whether your new car will be replaced in a few years or you plan on passing it down to your kids, investing in the longevity is a prudent step that will ensure the vehicle maintains its value and new car look.
Haven’t taken delivery of that new car yet? Car enthusiasts and those with a discerning eye often request the dealership does not remove any shipping plastics/covers and does not wash the vehicle – they take the vehicle to their detailer to perform these steps and implement the care plan immediately. While this may seem odd it’s important to remember that the vast majority of surface imperfections are caused during washing and drying. Avoiding these complications ensures as ideal a surface as possible for protection.
