Should I buy protection for the paintjob of my new X5?

[sharpeyes1]

Hello. When I bought my X5 a few days ago, I was sold the "Touch of Class" Automotive Sealant Protection Plan a few days ago for $900. I was under the assumption that it would protect against dings, as well as from tree sap,.etc.. (it also includes spraying the carpets and seats with a protectant). I have since found out that this will not protect against dings, and am now thinking that I may be getting ripped off for the price I am paying for this. Since the car still has not been serviced, I am thinking of canceling it. Any suggestions?

I also just heard about a "clear armor" company in my neighborhood that applies a clear 3M film on the chip-prone surfaces of a car to protect if from dings and rock chips. Is this a good product, and how much should it cost? Any feedback is much appreciated!

[Antiburn]

Its pretty much a big piece of clear thick tape thta they lay over the front of your hood and bumper area. It does stop chips but dents it wont. For 900$ save your money. Becides you bought the car to drive, not to show off so whats the big deal about a few chips.

[sharpeyes1]

Since my original posting, I have additional info.

The $900 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!