Twenty years ago, clear coat car paint protection was all the rage. Clear coat for cars promised to end paint damage from road debris and leave cars looking new year after year. The problem was that when the clear coat got a nick or a scratch, it looked nearly as bad as damage to the paint itself. Repairing extensive clear coat damage was just as time consuming and expensive as repairing the paint job itself. Clear coat offered a degree of protection, but nowhere near what was promised. These days there’s something new on the market that fulfills many of the broken promises made by clear coat: Clear automotive car wraps Protection Film.
Paint protection film is the latest evolution in the automotive paint world. It’s been around for a few years, but just lately has it caught on to the masses. Though not a perfect solution to all problems paint related, it’s the best thing on the market and should be considered by anyone looking to protect an expensive paint job.
Paint protection film is made out of a thin thermoplastic urethane. Anyone familiar with do-it-yourself window tinting film should have a good idea of what paint protection film is since the two are nearly identical. Window tinting is of course tinted and paint protection film transparent.
The film comes in sheets or rolls. Several companies are now producing custom protective film pre-cut to fit a particular vehicle. This is a wonderful innovation and saves time in the cutting process, which can be very tedious for amateurs.
Recently, custom paint protection film shops have become very popular. Though the film can be applied by anyone with patience and some skill, the best results will be obtained by a professional service. These shops have the facilities to apply the clear film in a clean environment, which is critical. Any dust, dirt, pollen etc. on the paint when the film is applied will be trapped there until the film is removed. Most do-it-yourself people just don’t have the necessary facilities to do that. Even clean garages contain dust and must be draped with plastic sheeting to achieve anything near the required conditions for a clean environment.
Although car protection film is not armor plating and can sustain the same nicks and abrasions that a clear coat paint job is vulnerable to, it isn’t permanent. When the film becomes damaged, it can easily be removed without damaging the paint and new film applied. This is much cheaper than trying to repair damaged clear coating or paint.
Paint protection film can be used on non-painted parts of the car also. Apply it to plastic headlight and taillight covers to protect from scratches. It will also protect these parts from cracking in certain situations, and will hold the covers intact if they do become damaged. This could save you from a costly ticket. The sky is the limit when finding new uses for paint protection film, and people are encouraged to find innovative new uses for it.
