Car Paint Protection -have you had it applied

[culzean]

Another vote for 'they are a waste of money'

Dealers often misrepresent 'paint protection'. The only slight protection they might help with is bird droppings.

I can only speak from experience - my Civic is 10 years old now and never really gets cleaned ( maybe an occasional hosepipe brush with shampoo stick in winter to remover salt, but other than that not a lot ) wifes Jazz is 8 years old and same story....  If you plan to keep a car for a couple of years, maybe not considered worth it, but if you keep cars longer like we do and do not want to spend  half of UK GDP on cleaning products and esoteric magic claybars etc.  IMHO it is worth having it done.   Just like feminists used to say 'life is too short to peel mushrooms'  I say ' life is too short to clean cars' - I keep them in tip top condition as far as the oily bits are concerned, but waxing - Nahhhh

All I will do is remove bird droppings as soon as I see them, and use AutoGlym Super resin on the headlight plastic about once a month, I originally bought the super resin to clean up our PVC window frames and doors, but then I found out you were supposed to use it on cars Dooohhhhh!

We do have a garage,  but that is for motorbikes,  cars not allowed ! 

The neighbours on either side spend ages cleaning their car, one spends minimum 30 minutes a day, the other one about 2 hours once a week in one session,  and their cars do not really look any better than ours. 

[Jazzik]

I haven't washed a car in the last 10 years.
When they are really dirty we drive to a car wash where they are washed by hand (two bucket method). Also vacuum and sometimes have the windows cleaned and that's it! Maybe 5, at most 6 times a year.
Takes half an hour to an hour with a cup of coffee in the waiting area.
Costs on an annual basis no more than doing it yourself with "premium" car wax or whatever "premium" stuff you put on the paint... And certainly less sweat and wet feet and trouser legs
After years they were still in pristine condition, so I assume that the Jazz will still look good in years to come.

[peteo48]

Another vote for 'they are a waste of money'

Dealers often misrepresent 'paint protection'. The only slight protection they might help with is bird droppings.

I can only speak from experience - my Civic is 10 years old now and never really gets cleaned ( maybe an occasional hosepipe brush with shampoo stick in winter to remover salt, but other than that not a lot ) wifes Jazz is 8 years old and same story....  If you plan to keep a car for a couple of years, maybe not considered worth it, but if you keep cars longer like we do and do not want to spend  half of UK GDP on cleaning products and esoteric magic claybars etc.  IMHO it is worth having it done.   Just like feminists used to say 'life is too short to peel mushrooms'  I say ' life is too short to clean cars' - I keep them in tip top condition as far as the oily bits are concerned, but waxing - Nahhhh

All I will do is remove bird droppings as soon as I see them, and use AutoGlym Super resin on the headlight plastic about once a month, I originally bought the super resin to clean up our PVC window frames and doors, but then I found out you were supposed to use it on cars Dooohhhhh!

We do have a garage,  but that is for motorbikes,  cars not allowed ! 

The neighbours on either side spend ages cleaning their car, one spends minimum 30 minutes a day, the other one about 2 hours once a week in one session,  and their cars do not really look any better than ours.

I think there is a lot in what you say about some of the incredibly complex car cleaning and protecting methods that you see these days. Clay bars are a case in point. Essentially a bit of plasticine, you rub this over your paint after a wash with a "lubricant" to physically remove "bonded contaminants" - it's even accepted that this will "mar" your paint but, not to worry, you can grind the damage away with a compound applied with a rotary polisher. After that you have to use a panel wipe of some sort to removes the oils left behind by the compound before you can put a protective product on the paint like a wax or a "ceramic" spray.

I speak as somebody who has, to some extent, fallen for the hype because I do like a clean car but we had clean shiny cars before all these pastes, potions and waxes were invented. Even using a sponge results in howls of anguish from the detailing community and don't even mention a chamois leather!

I am currently in recovery

[Jazzik]

I am currently in recovery

I am fully recovered...
I think it's high time to throw out this old box, somewhere deep in a corner in the garage with (if I remember well) Meguiar's Ultimate products.
They must be way past their expiry date anyway, I suspect.

[Kremmen]

The bottom line for me is why pay a dealer ~£300 for something you can do yourself for a fraction (1/15) of that price.

[embee]

I can only offer personal experience and views, others will differ.
Modern car paint processes are pretty good generally. I recently parted with a 21yr old Yaris in silver which apart from actual scratches here and there and a few chips on the leading surfaces from grit etc, the paint was in excellent condition, the clear coat had not deteriorated at all. (think back to the Ford Silver Fox paint of the 1970's which actually peeled off in sheets    ).
I don't particularly pamper the cars (well. one I do but that's different). It got washed a few times a year, maybe half a dozen, with Autoglym Shampoo which helps maintain a protective layer. Once a year it got a treat with Autoglym Resin Polish (wax), usually in autumn to give it a bit of boost for winter.
As others suggest, just make sure to clean off any poop etc promptly.
Dealers offer these treatments as add-on cash boosters, and fair enough if it fulfills your wishes, I wouldn't say don't, it's up to you, but I can't help feeling it's rather unnecessary expense. If the car is worth spending that sort of cash then you'll be looking after it anyway, so regular(ish) washing with a decent shampoo product will probably offer all the maintenance it really needs.

[Lord Voltermore]

A good rule of thumb may be if  rain water  beads you are fine. If it doesn't bead give it a wax.   

I suspect that some people who frequently  wash and  polish their cars are making things worse. They may be  rubbing more off the paint surface than they are applying as a protective finish.   Especially if they use a slightly abrasive paint renovator product or are less than scrupulous about washing off surface dirt and grit.

I always hand wash my car myself.  I haven't used a car wash for about 10 years. And then only because I was in Austria where it is illegal (at least in some areas)  to wash your own car even on your own property. You must use a licenced car wash that recovers waste water, detergent etc.  It was one of those automated  rotary flappy things.  I cringe going through those.  They  get gritty unless well maintained, and avoid in cold weather in case they freeze and  flay your car with ice particles.

[Kremmen]

I've not used a rotary wash for more than 40 years.

A friend used one back then but the previous car had his wing mirror ripped off. Unfortunately it was caught in the bristles and battered his car to death.