Our cars are our vessels, our prize possessions, and our means of getting from one place to another. Unless you live in a heavily populated city area where it’s more convenient to take a cab or train, having a car is a necessity to travel to work and other important places. While cars are functional and serve a basic need, most car owners also want their car to look somewhat presentable.
Keeping a car clean and shiny on the outside can be a hassle all on its own. You have to wash it regularly just to maintain that new car shine. One of the other ways to keep a car’s exterior looking new is to have a quality paint coating on your car. Some of the most used car paint coaters are Ceramic Pro and Clear car bra paint protection in rockville MD. Here are some pros and cons of each.
Clear Bra Paint
For those that may not know, this type of coating is a paint protection film that is placed over regions of your car that may be easily susceptible to damage. Some of these areas include the mirrors, the front bumper, and the lower ends of the doors. These areas may be exposed to gravel and other debris flying up from the road while driving. Here are some pros to this type of paint coating.
Pros Of Clear Bra
One of the biggest pros for this type of paint coating is that it is known for providing long-term paint protection for areas that are easily damaged. These are the areas like the front bumper and the bottom edges of the doors. These areas are most easily damaged, because they are the lowest parts of the car that face the ground which means they are more likely to be dinged and scraped by rocks and other road debris.
With this type of paint coating, these lower areas of your car are more protected from road debris which will give the paint a significantly longer lifespan. When most car owners have issues with the paint coming off it usually starts in the lower areas of the exterior. The shine that will remain on these areas will help maintain the car’s fresh-off-the-lot look.
Another pro of using this type of paint coating is that it will reduce the cost of bumper maintenance. Since the bumper is an area of the car that is often the most damaged and scraped, most car owners have to take it in to get it repainted. Repainting your bumper several times a year can become quite costly, so the longer lifespan provided by this paint coating will reduce the need to have your car constantly repainted.
Besides saving money on repainting, this type of paint coating will also add value to your car or at least keep the value of your car from depreciating too much. Most paint on new cars will start to chip in just over a year’s time, which will take the value off of your car when you go to resell it. Having the paint last will maintain the new look on your car when you go to resell, and you can ask for more than you could if the paint was chipping.
This type of coating is also the best way to ensure that your car paint won’t scratch. The coating provides a layer of film protection to act as a shield against oncoming debris. The coating also gives the existing paint a much more obvious shine, and the coating is virtually invisible on your car.
Cost Of Clear Bra
Clear Bra paint coating can cost up to $900 and varies depending on how much of your car you want covered. Some may see this price as a bit much, but people who really care about the appearance of their vehicles may see this as a necessary investment into maintaining your car’s look.
Ceramic Pro
This type of coating is more standard on most factory-made vehicles. The coating is a clear liquid coating that is applied on the first paint job and the coating forms a chemical bond with the paint. Here are some pros to Ceramic Pro use.
Pros
The biggest pro to ceramic coating is the lifespan it gives the paint. The coating is infused with a strong chemical compound that bonds with the paint and also gives the paint that new glow. This chemical bond increases protection against shock and debris.
Cars that have a ceramic coating are much easier to clean than cars that don’t have one. The layer of coating acts as a barrier to protect your car’s exterior from dirt and debris, making residue hard to stay on the car and reducing the time needed for cleaning. If you do find some dirt hanging on your car, simply wipe it away with a towel or rag.
Beyond saving time and money on cleaning costs, ceramic coating will also save resources on waxing. Waxing helps a car maintain the shine given by new paint. When the paint chips off, so does the shine. With ceramic coating the shine will last significantly longer than standard paint alone.
Cost And Time To Set Up
Ceramic Pro is more expensive than Clear Bra. Most things on a person’s car will be a little expensive so it may see this as a worthwhile investment. To get a professionally installed ceramic coat, it can cost upwards of $2,000. Some may see this as worth the money when you consider the longer lifespan your paint will have.
One thing to keep in mind about ceramic coating is that it does take some time to fully coat the exterior of the car. It can take up to three days if you’re getting it done professionally. If you don’t need your car for a few days, then this isn’t that inconvenient, but some people may not be able to afford to go a day without their vehicle.