Would you get this on a new car?

[Square Wheels]

They tried to sell me a million dollars worth of extra warranty stuff, my brother is a mechanic, I'll let him work on it.  I did not buy any of them.

This one he wasn't sure about though.

https://www.simonizglasscoat.com/

The car guy claims modern paints are more environmentally friendly and therefore may not be as robust as paint on older cars.  In a little bit of internet searching, I find a lot of people saying the same thing.

It would cost $979.  Would you get it?  It takes a whole day to apply (by them).

[Wilbur ★]

Yes.  I use ceramic paint sealant on all my cars.  Worth every penny.  

[Tizeye]

No. First of all, just for fun I play with the salesman asking him why (inset Car Manufacturer) uses inferior paint (fabric or whatever) on their cars that needs this protectant (that will wear off during everyday use) to make them right? ?

Back to the point, I always wax my car anytime the water doesn't bead (about once a year) with a high quality wax.  This $979 stuff, while it doesn't sound like wax, sounds more like the $10 acrylic based Nu-Finish which I used for years before switching back to wax. Save your money and put a coat of Nu-Finish on your new car within the first couple hundred miles.

On a related note, all waxes can't be used on those flat black and rubberized trim pieces. To avoid having to attempt ultra precise application to avoid overlap in those areas, treat them first with Mother's Back To Black Restorer. While as a restorer will tend to resolve the wax overlap after the fact, if done prior to waxing will leave a silicone finish that the wax won't attach to.

[Square Wheels]

I need @jsharr to weigh in.  I respect the opinions above, but he's pretty smart.  True he's no @Thaddeus Kosciuszko, but alas, we've lost him.

[Wilbur ★]

3 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

It would cost $979.  Would you get it?  It takes a whole day to apply (by them).

I should say that I know nothing about the simonize product but the name makes me think it may be ceramic.  I really like ceramic sealants and the paint is well protected and looks great. It is best applied by professionals but you can do it yourself.   They wash the car, apply a bonding agent, then apply the ceramic which sits on the car all day bonding.  Then they polish it.  I have left my car with them overnight on occasion.  

This is the one I use.

https://avalonking.com

[Square Wheels]

Thanks @wilbur, from their site, it claims to be ceramic.  I like the idea of the dealer putting it on.

The end result is an extremely tough and durable ceramic film which protects your vehicle's paint.

[ChrisL]

Do you have to decide now? Maybe shop similar products and see what it costs for an auto detailed to do it.

My $.02 is it’s not worth it.  And if they work it into the price of the car you are paying interest on it too.

[sheep_herder ★]

52 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

Do you have to decide now? Maybe shop similar products and see what it costs for an auto detailed to do it.

My $.02 is it’s not worth it.  And if they work it into the price of the car you are paying interest on it too.

Maybe he paid cash, as some do. Lack of taxes is why you should all plan your vehicle purchases for Montana, plus, you can get tank heaters installed.  Just what you all need.?

[smudge ★]

7 hours ago, sheep_herder said:

Maybe he paid cash, as some do. Lack of taxes is why you should all plan your vehicle purchases for Montana, plus, you can get tank heaters installed.  Just what you all need.?

As in gas tank heater?? Huh! I know about engine block heaters, but not tank heaters.

[maddmaxx ★]

7 hours ago, sheep_herder said:

Maybe he paid cash, as some do. Lack of taxes is why you should all plan your vehicle purchases for Montana, plus, you can get tank heaters installed.  Just what you all need.?

Tank heater??  

[Tizeye]

7 hours ago, sheep_herder said:

Maybe he paid cash, as some do. Lack of taxes is why you should all plan your vehicle purchases for Montana, plus, you can get tank heaters installed.  Just what you all need.?

Unfortunately, that "lack of taxes" may be a false economy unless also moving to Montana. I know in Florida, when you go to register the car that you bought out of State, they charge you sales tax, less credit for sales tax paid to the other State. as shown on the bill of sale. No bill of sale, no credit for taxes paid and based on book value - not the $1 you claimed. That would apply to recent new/used purchases, as I think people who are registering their existing car as part of a move to the State are exempt. However, they and all Floridians would be subject to an additional $150 registration fee if they are not replacing an existing car registered in Florida. On a positive note, while the State sales tax of 6% is charged, the 1/2 to 3/4% county addition is flat rated to $25. Also, while most States charge a renewal based on  ad valorm of the depreciated value each year  - when in Arizona was equal to sales tax each year, Florida is one of the few States that charge based on the vehicle weight putting wear and tear on the roads, so the renewal based on the weight zone stays relatively  constant each year. With my renewal based on birthday in July, just got my bill. Fiat $28.10 (2500lb) and the heavier (and largest Mini @ 3600lb) Mini Countryman $46.10.

[Square Wheels]

I paid 4 grand to mass in taxes.  Then about a month later I'll get an excise tax bill for about 1200.  No idea what excise tax is, I think it's a tax for the privilege of driving on roads with potholes the size of NJ.  Plus if you hit one of the potholes and cause thousands of dollars of damage, tough luck, the state has laws protecting them from being sued.

[maddmaxx ★]

On the other hand you don't own a Toyota Corolla.

[team scooter]

14 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

They tried to sell me a million dollars worth of extra warranty stuff, my brother is a mechanic, I'll let him work on it.  I did not buy any of them.

This one he wasn't sure about though.

https://www.simonizglasscoat.com/

The car guy claims modern paints are more environmentally friendly and therefore may not be as robust as paint on older cars.  In a little bit of internet searching, I find a lot of people saying the same thing.

It would cost $979.  Would you get it?  It takes a whole day to apply (by them).

We have been dealing with the same sales guy for 12 years, great guy He learned early on not to try and up sell us with extras. But when we bought the Miata he did recommend we get the paint protection package. We figured the car would only see daylight on picture perfect days and get a few thousand miles per year, so we passed. But after monitoring the Miata forums for a few years and reading horror stories about how easily these new paints chip and how hard it is to apply or even match the color, I wish I HAD gotten the paint protection package. I guess it depends on how long you intend on keeping the car.  We plan to keep the Miata forever. 

[MickinMD ★]

14 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

They tried to sell me a million dollars worth of extra warranty stuff, my brother is a mechanic, I'll let him work on it.  I did not buy any of them.

This one he wasn't sure about though.

https://www.simonizglasscoat.com/

The car guy claims modern paints are more environmentally friendly and therefore may not be as robust as paint on older cars.  In a little bit of internet searching, I find a lot of people saying the same thing.

It would cost $979.  Would you get it?  It takes a whole day to apply (by them).

No, I wouldn't get the extra warranty and I keep my cars for a decade or more.  My last car, a Ford Taurus was owned by me for 16 years and the paint held up fine.  My current 2013 Honda Fit is fine except for a small ding I'm going to apply paint to with small brush to keep it from rusting.

[maddmaxx ★]

3 minutes ago, MickinMD said:

No, I wouldn't get the extra warranty and I keep my cars for a decade or more.  My last car, a Ford Taurus was owned by me for 16 years and the paint held up fine.  My current 2013 Honda Fit is fine except for a small ding I'm going to apply paint to with small brush to keep it from rusting.

That's what I have, a small chip on the hood probably from a rock strike on the highway.  I don't know if paint protection would have helped or not.  It's going to be interesting to see if I can match screaming green though.

[Wilbur ★]

2 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

I don't know if paint protection would have helped or not.

Not always.  The hood looks fine though..

[team scooter]

24 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

That's what I have, a small chip on the hood probably from a rock strike on the highway.  I don't know if paint protection would have helped or not.  It's going to be interesting to see if I can match screaming green though.

Some people are going so far as to put that clear plastic film on the front of their cars to protect against chipping. As for color matching these days, Mazda has been offering Soul Red since 2016. But its been a little different shade each year since. 

And I concur that the paint on these newer cars is not as durable as the Machine Gray paint on my 2004 Dakota. Which still looks like new. 

[sheep_herder ★]

3 hours ago, smudge said:

As in gas tank heater?? Huh! I know about engine block heaters, but not tank heaters.

I've heard the terms used interchangeably.  No big deal. One on our VW is actually a magnet that fits on the oil pan, as the car was purchased in Texas. That is what happens in my mind as we have heaters on vehicles, as well as, tractors.

[Wilbur ★]

A lot of corporate aircraft operators are using ceramic sealants on the paint these days, myself included.  If applied bi-annually, it tends to extend the life of the paint to nearly double that of untreated.  Considering aircraft operate in temperatures from +50 to -50 degrees C and are constantly exposed to the elements including sandblasting, electrical discharge and saltwater exposure, the performance of the sealant is amazing.  Airplanes cost between $200k and 500k to paint so $5k every two years for sealant makes a lot of sense. 

[Randomguy]

Ok, so the premise is that paint chips and scratches maybe a bit more readily now, even on expensive cars.

Maybe you look at it this way:

• I take my chances and deal with paint falling off by buying red electrical tape or somesuch, nobody might notice.
• I know that little chips and scratches would bother my OCD side and just do it and hope that this is a real thing and I didn't just give the dealer another grand for no reason.  This fragile paint thing may very well be true, though, remember when cars rusted away to nothing unless you applied extra rustproofing?
• I know that this car will eventually be resold for a different vehicle.  Would you more easily be able to sell a car if you had proof you put it in a condom before you drove it?  The answer to this one is almost certainly yes.  When I sold my lesbian magnet, I had ALL the maintenance records, receipts, etc. for the entirety of the car's life, AND I could talk somewhat intelligently (to someone that didn't know much about cars) about the work I did myself, for which I also had receipts for materials.  The value of lowering risk for all is appreciated when buying a pretty thing (or a lesbian thing).

I say do it, even if it is for the last reason.

[sheep_herder ★]

1 hour ago, Tizeye said:

Unfortunately, that "lack of taxes" may be a false economy unless also moving to Montana. I know in Florida, when you go to register the car that you bought out of State, they charge you sales tax, less credit for sales tax paid to the other State. as shown on the bill of sale. No bill of sale, no credit for taxes paid and based on book value - not the $1 you claimed. That would apply to recent new/used purchases, as I think people who are registering their existing car as part of a move to the State are exempt. However, they and all Floridians would be subject to an additional $150 registration fee if they are not replacing an existing car registered in Florida. On a positive note, while the State sales tax of 6% is charged, the 1/2 to 3/4% county addition is flat rated to $25. Also, while most States charge a renewal based on  ad valorm of the depreciated value each year  - when in Arizona was equal to sales tax each year, Florida is one of the few States that charge based on the vehicle weight putting wear and tear on the roads, so the renewal based on the weight zone stays relatively  constant each year. With my renewal based on birthday in July, just got my bill. Fiat $28.10 (2500lb) and the heavier (and largest Mini @ 3600lb) Mini Countryman $46.10.

You are correct about at least some of the taxes, as this happened to us when we moved from Texas to Colorado in 1963.

[Ralphie ★]

15 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

They tried to sell me a million dollars worth of extra warranty stuff,

I hate that!  This is one of the things that makes me keep cars until they drop.  But I have gotten better at saying no, as I become a cranky old Clint Eastwood, although not rich like Clint so I am even crankier.

 

[Ralphie ★]

18 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

I know that this car will eventually be resold for a different vehicle.  Would you more easily be able to sell a car if you had proof you put it in a condom before you drove it?  The answer to this one is almost certainly yes.  When I sold my lesbian magnet, I had ALL the maintenance records, receipts, etc. for the entirety of the car's life, AND I could talk somewhat intelligently (to someone that didn't know much about cars) about the work I did myself, for which I also had receipts for materials.  The value of lowering risk for all is appreciated when buying a pretty thing (or a lesbian thing).

This is a very valuable but hard to find  thing when used car shopping.  I have seen obviously faked "records" though, like a list of oil changes over the years obviously written down all at once.

But if you know that big expensive hings like timing belt changes have been done it makes a huge difference in the value of an old car.  

[sheep_herder ★]

1 minute ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

This is a very valuable but hard to find  thing when used car shopping.  I have seen obviously faked "records" though, like a list of oil changes over the years obviously written down all at once. 

We keep a log book, but not a record of all repairs.  I only use two garages for the VW, so the records are available. Normally we keep vehicles so long, they are pretty used up by the time we sell.  We really hope that we do not need another vehicle, and the current ones are a 1996, 1997, and 2009.

[Randomguy]

16 minutes ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

I hate that!  This is one of the things that makes me keep cars until they drop.  But I have gotten better at saying no, as I become a cranky old Clint Eastwood, although not rich like Clint so I am even crankier.

 

One of the most valuable statements you can make when buying something with lots of options is "I have lived (x number of years) without this car, and I can live another one, two, or ten without it, too.  If I never get a new car (or whatever) I will still be ok.

I have bought two new cars, that statement really clarifies the situation to all involved.  It can with options, too.  Maybe they come down in price, who knows?

[ChrisL]

11 hours ago, sheep_herder said:

Maybe he paid cash, as some do. Lack of taxes is why you should all plan your vehicle purchases for Montana, plus, you can get tank heaters installed.  Just what you all need.?

Well if SW is Baller enough to pay cash then he should get the paint protection. Sheot he might as well get the lug nut warranty too!

[Wilbur ★]

2 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

Well if SW is Baller enough to pay cash then he should get the paint protection. Sheot he might as well get the lug nut warranty too!

If he is going to keep it, get the paint protection.  It is New England winters after all.  If it is a 4-6 year car, don't bother. 

[ChrisL]

2 hours ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

I hate that!  This is one of the things that makes me keep cars until they drop.  But I have gotten better at saying no, as I become a cranky old Clint Eastwood, although not rich like Clint so I am even crankier.

 

Just say no?!?!  We have purchased numerous new cars and never once elected to any of the extra warranty things they try to slip in after the price has been negotiated.

Many of those programs are high margin & designed to pad profit given away on the initial sale. I have had some very hard sales on those items.

[ChrisL]

1 minute ago, wilbur said:

If he is going to keep it, get the paint protection.  It is New England winters after all.  If it is a 4-6 year car, don't bother. 

I’m not opposed to the protection, I bet the price offered by the dealer is highly inflated.  I’d decline & have it done elsewhere.

[Square Wheels]

1 hour ago, ChrisL said:

I’m not opposed to the protection, I bet the price offered by the dealer is highly inflated.  I’d decline & have it done elsewhere.

I thought about that, but what if something goes wrong?  

They wanted 9 hundred to wrap the front with plastic that will last 10 years and almost a grand to treat the paint and interior.  I talked them into 1500 for both, I'm sure I'm still getting screwed, but I'll feel a little better knowing the paint won't fall off tomorrow, maybe next week, but not tomorrow.

[Airehead]

I did it on mine and Mr Aire initially gave me a hard time. He now admits it has held up well. 

[Wilbur ★]

4 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

I thought about that, but what if something goes wrong?  

They wanted 9 hundred to wrap the front with plastic that will last 10 years and almost a grand to treat the paint and interior.  I talked them into 1500 for both, I'm sure I'm still getting screwed, but I'll feel a little better knowing the paint won't fall off tomorrow, maybe next week, but not tomorrow.

The plastic wrap has saved the front end of my daughters car.  Good stuff that 3M makes.  just keep the line where it ends clean.  Nothing drives me crazier than a line of dirt.  

[jsharr ★]

Busy weekend, sorry it took me so long to respond.  I would get it, but I might do a bit of google research to find the going rate, read reviews etc.

I have heard great things about the ceramic coatings, but I am not sure who or what is the best brand, applicator, etc.

I would also consider the 3M stone shield that Wilbur and othes mentioned.  

[Square Wheels]

17 minutes ago, jsharr said:

Busy weekend, sorry it took me so long to respond.  I would get it, but I might do a bit of google research to find the going rate, read reviews etc.

I have heard great things about the ceramic coatings, but I am not sure who or what is the best brand, applicator, etc.

I would also consider the 3M stone shield that Wilbur and othes mentioned.  

Too late, they are applying it now.  Got the "ceramic" coating for the paint, and they are wrapping the front of the car.

I got it from the dealer.  I was imagining picking the car up and Bubba said, "geez, that's the first time we'd evah seened the paint peel off like dat.".

[Kzoo]

I have a friend that owns one of those dent removal businesses.  In addition to the dent business they do detailing, upholstery repair, windshield chip repair AND ceramic coating.  He swears by the stuff but then he sells it.  AND he doesn't charge $1000 for the process.