Which Paint Treatment Provides The Best Protection in Scottsdale?
It’s not always easy to know which vehicle treatment provides the best paint protection from actual pebbles or other hard debris that gets kicked up on roads.
Nanoceramic and graphene coatings are advertised as providing protection from chips and swirling. While this is true thanks to their unique chemical compositions, ceramic and graphene coatings don’t precisely match the chip protection provided by a clear bra (paint protection film).
It’s essential to keep a few things in mind if you’re deciding which option is right for you:
- Some exterior treatments can be combined to provide the best of both worlds
- Paint protection film doesn’t possess some of the same dust or water-repelling benefits offered by graphene coatings
What Makes Paint Protection Film More Effective at Protecting Against Chips?
In previous blogs, we’ve explained some of graphene’s unique protective properties of this new car treatment option. Graphene coatings are fragile but 100 times stronger than steel at the same thickness (an equally thin layer of steel). That’s impressive, but it’s not exactly an invisible force field that will bounce off high-velocity rocks without a chip or scratch.
Graphene and ceramic coatings are liquids applied to a vehicle’s exterior. They add a physical barrier when done right and completely, but it’s relatively thin.
Paint protection films are applied, kind of like a vinyl car wrap. It’s essentially a special polyurethane sheet carefully attached to your vehicle’s exterior like a second skin, creating that force-field-like effect.
The polymers used to create paint protection film flatten out to their natural default state when heated, so little rock impacts or minor scratches that may leave a mark on the film can be flattened back out to restore the appearance of your exterior to a pre-impact state.
This self-healing occurs naturally in places like Phoenix and Scottsdale but may take some work in colder climates. In cold temperatures, vehicle owners may need a heat gun, hot water, or a warm, moist washcloth to kick-start the self-healing.
Why Would Anyone Choose Ceramic Coating or Graphene Coating if They Don’t Provide the Same Level of Chip Protection?
Some of the aesthetic benefits offered by a ceramic coating or graphene coating are enjoyed by clear bras, but not all. All the options can:
- Help prevent stains and etch marks from chemicals
- Reduce the effects of UV rays like oxidation
- Help a vehicle maintain its new appearance for a longer
Ceramic coatings and especially graphene coatings also:
- They have hydrophobic properties that repeal water (and dust in the case of graphene) to make cars look cleaner longer and make washing them to their pre-treatment glossiness a lot easier
- Provide additional protection from a longer list of contaminants
- Trap in optimal glossiness for as long as the coating lasts
Can You Apply Ceramic Coating and Clear Bra?
Yes, a straightforward bra and ceramic coating can be applied to the exact vehicle so it can enjoy all the protection possible and double up on protection from UV rays and chemical etching.
Detailers can also do customized combinations of films and coatings. The front of your car – like the hood, side mirrors, fenders, and bumper – are particularly inviting targets for rocks and other debris tossed up at high velocity on highways. An auto detailer can apply paint protection film to these areas of your vehicle and then use a ceramic or graphene coating to the entirety of your vehicle’s exterior.
You can also get the entirety of your vehicle covered in both. You’ll have optimal protection from rock impacts, resistance to water spotting and chemical etching, easy washing, and enhanced glossiness.
Find Out Which Option Is Best for Your Phoenix or Scottsdale Vehicle and Budget
Scottsdale and Phoenix car, truck, and SUV drivers interested in reducing the risk of paint chipping on their vehicles should call RPM Automotive for more information on their options. Our auto detailing experts would be happy to explain what each treatment accomplishes in greater detail and recommend which option or combination of options would work best for your car.
We can also explain our process and how we paint correctly and maximize your exterior’s glossiness before applying a clear bra or ceramic coatings to lock it in.
Call us at 602.776.8888 to learn about your exterior protection options.
