[Fester]

I paid ~$600 for it - is it worth it and can it last 5 years (as they claim it)?

[wuufer001]

what's that? it's really scaring me, gonna get a mightmare.
btw what's teflon? do you think it's really worth it? IMO i don't think i'll pay that much for paint protection as there are thousands of ways to get your paint messed up and not sure if that teflon you mentioned could withstand them.
(still have no idea what it really is)

[picus]

Originally Posted by Valient

I paid ~$600 for it - is it worth it and can it last 5 years (as they claim it)?

It is not worth it, and it will not last 5 years. I am normally not so "black and white" on detailing products, but Teflon and 5 year sealants are a scam. First, check the warranty on the product, you'll notice it mentions re-application; you need to have the sealant re-applied every 6-12 months. Problem is no one ever does this, and so the dealerships are often ignorant about it, claiming it does not need re-application (it does). Second, Teflon needs to be applied at 1600F for it to bond to a surface, DuPont actually has a disclaimer on their site that mentioned that the use of the brand name Teflon in conjunction with detailing products is marketing only. Third, you'll void the warranty that came with the paint protection if you polish, seal, or wax your car.

So at this point I'd either go in every 6-12 months (whatever the product info recommends) and have it re-applied, and take your chances with your dealership and the fact that you'll be going a large part of the year without protection OR suck up the $600 loss and treat the car normally, wash and seal it yourself.

Basically dealership paint protection is the application of a $30 dollar sealant for $600.

[Fester]

Originally Posted by picus

It is not worth it, and it will not last 5 years. I am normally not so "black and white" on detailing products, but Teflon and 5 year sealants are a scam. First, check the warranty on the product, you'll notice it mentions re-application; you need to have the sealant re-applied every 6-12 months. Problem is no one ever does this, and so the dealerships are often ignorant about it, claiming it does not need re-application (it does). Second, Teflon needs to be applied at 1600F for it to bond to a surface, DuPont actually has a disclaimer on their site that mentioned that the use of the brand name Teflon in conjunction with detailing products is marketing only. Third, you'll void the warranty that came with the paint protection if you polish, seal, or wax your car.

So at this point I'd either go in every 6-12 months (whatever the product info recommends) and have it re-applied, and take your chances with your dealership and the fact that you'll be going a large part of the year without protection OR suck up the $600 loss and treat the car normally, wash and seal it yourself.

Basically dealership paint protection is the application of a $30 dollar sealant for $600.

Thanks for sharing your opinion - how come they give a guarantee letter that says paint will be protected for 5 years? Can't I hold them accountable for that if anything happens to the paint?

[canucklion]

no, not really,

if I were you, I would invest in some clear bra, that's one purchase that I regretted not buying

Originally Posted by Valient

Thanks for sharing your opinion - how come they give a guarantee letter that says paint will be protected for 5 years? Can't I hold them accountable for that if anything happens to the paint?

[picus]

Originally Posted by Fester

Thanks for sharing your opinion - how come they give a guarantee letter that says paint will be protected for 5 years? Can't I hold them accountable for that if anything happens to the paint?

The guarantee doesn't say the paint will be protected for 5 years, it says that your paint is covered by their warranty for 5 years. That's what you pay for with those systems, the ability to have them fix small issues like bird poop etchings and hard water spots (but not things like scratches, swirls, rock chips, scuffs, etc) - there is nothing that warrants that the actual protection will still be there in 5 years or 5 days. Essentially what you're doing with these systems is paying for "up front detailing", since you can now take the car in every year and have the sealant re-applied, and can have them fix minor paint issues. The problem there is how much you trust your dealer to work on your cars paint - you'll find most people here tend to avoid dealerships with regard to detailing work.

Here's a helpful site where you can find more information on '5 year paint sealants' such as teflon, glare, xzilon, etc.

Xzilon
http://autopia.org/forum/search.php?searchid=931279

Glare
http://autopia.org/forum/search.php?searchid=931280

[Fester]

Originally Posted by canucklion

no, not really,

if I were you, I would invest in some clear bra, that's one purchase that I regretted not buying

Yup - I am planning to get that applied as well. I got 3M clear bra installed on my Acura TL-S and now Lexus GX470 - planning to apply that to 335i as well but I am kinda out of monetary reserves so waiting for a couple of months to get the tint+clear bra applied. I feel kinda ripped off by paying so much up front for the so called Teflon protection

[canucklion]

it's okay, we've all been ripped off by the dealer at one time or another, live and learn, right?

although I would suggest you getting the clear bra asap, as you drive your car more, more chances of getting paint chips and nicks

Originally Posted by Fester

Yup - I am planning to get that applied as well. I got 3M clear bra installed on my Acura TL-S and now Lexus GX470 - planning to apply that to 335i as well but I am kinda out of monetary reserves so waiting for a couple of months to get the tint+clear bra applied. I feel kinda ripped off by paying so much up front for the so called Teflon protection