protective coatings for paint job

Hello. I just bought a car and the dealer is offering me a package for $800 in which a protective coating is applied to the car paint job. Is this something that is really needed? If it is useful, is this something I can do myself, or have it done for a cheaper price at a third party source? Any suggestions is appreciated.

Barry

That's a big profit for the dealer. They throw on a wax job and that's it. The new finishes are pretty darn tough and if you read the owner's manual it will spell out that no added protection is recommended I believe.

I got this done, and personally I'm regretting it. I paid 700 bucks for it, and it didn't really do much to the look of the car. It just makes it unecessary for you to wax your car after washing it. The dealer told me it would up the re-sale value, but that was bull, since it only last about 4 years anyways. I'd advise you not to get it.

That's a big profit for the dealer. They throw on a wax job and that's it. The new finishes are pretty darn tough and if you read the owner's manual it will spell out that no added protection is recommended I believe.

Thanks for your info. It was very helpful!
Barry

Since my original posting, I have additional info.

The $800 job was just for the extra sealant and protectant. I have since talked to many other new car owners, car sales people, body shop owners, & detailers, and the universal opinion is: * DON'T GET IT -- IT IS A MONEY MAKER FOR THE DEALERSHIP! * Any wax job, repeated 2-3 times a year, will do the same job as the car sealant. You need the wax anyways, because despite what the ads say, the sealant will not keep the car shiny and will not stay on.

The dealership did offer me as a straight swap the "3M clear film protection", a product that's supposed to protect the car from rock chips and scratches in high-risk areas. I've checked the different forums, and the product does seem to do what it claims to do. I also dropped into one of the shops that apply this, and it looks pretty good, although there is a visible seam from the edge of the film across the front of the hood (very slight). In one of the older cars, there was also a noticeable yellowing, although the store owner says that they have fixed the problem with the new 3m films. In the end, I think it is worth the slight deterioration in looks to protect the paint and lights of the car (I can always peel it off when I sell the car -- who knows, the prospective buyer may even appreciate the fact that I have it on the car). The price I was quoted for the deluxe package that includes light protection was over $1200, so overall, the dealership price was good (their warranty is also better). I know you can do it yourself for much less, but this is one instance where I think I will pay the extra money for someone else to do it. I hope this info helps others!