When you’re buying your new car you may be offered new car paint protection process as part of the deal, or as an add-on that you can pay extra for. But is it worth going for?

What is car paint protection?

Paint protection takes several forms – it can be a tough-but-transparent film that’s applied carefully to a car to take the brunt of stone chips, or a rub-on or spray-on clear layer that does a similar job. It’s usually the latter that a dealer will offer on new cars – often under the brand names GardX, Diamondbrite and Supagard.

Is car paint protection worth it?

Paint protection can help keep your car looking shiny and even help improve resistance to stone chips and scratches. It won’t work as well or last as long as clear paint protection film, but it’s far less expensive.

It’s worth having if it’s being given away as part of the deal, but it needs to be applied correctly to work well – preferably by a professional valeter. If this is done then it’s a good option for keeping your car in good condition.

Remember, there’s still no guarantee your car will be scratch free with paint protection applied, and you can always protect your paint yourself using a good quality car wax, or – if you’re serious about keeping your key free of scratches and stone chips – then a paint protection film may be a better bet.

What if it doesn’t work?

If you’re concerned about keeping your new car in tip-top condition then consider having paint protection film applied, or taking out scratch and dent insurance – read our scratch and dent insurance guide to see if it’s worth having.

If you’re interested in paint protection then ask your dealer for a quote. You can also buy it from any number of third parties.