Ceramic Coating & PPF Guide: Compare
How to Protect a New Car's Paint in the First Month
A new car is the only time its paint will ever be this close to perfect, and the first few weeks decide how long it stays that way. Swirls from a careless lot wash, a rock chip on the drive home or a bird dropping baked on in the sun can all happen before the first payment is due.
The good news is that the steps that matter are simple, and most of them cost nothing. Here is what to check at delivery, what to decline, how to wash in the meantime and the order to protect things in if you plan on film or a coating.
The short answer
To protect a new car's paint, inspect it in daylight before you sign, ask the dealer not to wash it, and hand wash it yourself with a pH-neutral shampoo until it is protected. If you want PPF or a ceramic coating, do it early: decontaminate and, if needed, polish first, install film on the high-impact areas, then coat the remaining paint and the film. Avoid automatic brush washes from day one.
Key points
- New does not mean flawless: lot washes and transport can leave swirls and bonded contamination.
- Inspect the paint in sunlight at delivery and note any damage before you drive away.
- Dealer paint protection add-ons are optional; ask exactly what the product is and decline it if you do not want it.
- Protect in order: wash and decontaminate, correct if needed, film, then coating.
- Until protection goes on, hand wash only and remove bird droppings and bugs promptly.
Day one
Inspect Before You Sign
Ask to see the car outside in daylight, not in a showroom under soft lighting. Walk around slowly and look at the paint at an angle. Swirls show as fine circular scratches around the reflection of the sun; chips show as small dots of a different color, often on the front bumper and hood edge.
Check the lower doors and rockers for scuffs, the bumper corners for transport marks, and the roof if you can see it. Note anything you find on the paperwork before you accept delivery. A dealer is far more likely to fix a problem recorded at handover than one you report a week later.
- Look at the paint in direct sun and in shade.
- Run a clean fingertip lightly across the hood: a gritty feel means bonded contamination.
- Check panel edges and door edges for chips.
- Photograph anything you find, with the date.
At the dealer
Questions to Ask About Dealer Paint Protection
Many dealers offer or preinstall a paint protection product at signing. Some are useful; many are a quick sealant applied during lot prep. Before you agree, ask what the product is, how it was applied, what preparation was done, how long it is rated to last, and what the written warranty covers.
You do not have to buy it. The Federal Trade Commission has brought cases against dealers who charged customers for add-ons such as protective coatings without authorization or told them the add-ons were required. In one 2024 case, the FTC said a dealer group pitched preinstalled protective coatings and theft protection as required even though they were not part of the advertised price. If you do not want the product, ask for it to be removed from the contract.
Also ask the dealer not to give the car a final wash before delivery. Lot washes often use shared brushes or towels, which is a common source of swirls on brand-new paint.
The order
Protect in the Right Sequence
Wash and decontaminate
Even new paint can carry bonded contamination from transport and storage lots. A thorough wash with an iron remover and clay bar leaves the surface clean enough for film and coating to bond. At our shop, the Level 2 Detail covers this and is the minimum before a coating.
Polish only if needed
If the inspection found dealer swirls, a light machine polish or a 1-Step correction removes them before they are sealed in. Many new cars need only an enhancement for gloss, not a full correction.
Install film on the impact zones
PPF goes on bare, clean paint. LLumar advises against waxing or coating before installation because it can interfere with adhesion, so film comes before any coating.
Coat everything else, and the film
A ceramic coating then goes on the remaining paint and over the film. IGL lists its Kenzo and Quartz coatings as safe for PPF and vinyl, so one coating can cover both surfaces.
Let it cure
LLumar recommends not washing new film for three days. Coatings have their own cure window; follow the care instructions you receive at pickup.
In the meantime
How to Care for New Paint Before It Is Protected
- Hand wash only, with a pH-neutral car shampoo, a clean mitt and two buckets.
- Skip automatic brush washes. They are one of the fastest ways to add swirls to new paint.
- Dry with a clean microfiber towel or a blower, never a squeegee or old bath towel.
- Remove bird droppings, bug splatter and tree sap the same day. In Upstate summer heat they etch quickly.
- Avoid parking under pines in spring pollen season if you can; pollen and sap stick to bare paint.
- Leave a little more following distance on I-85 and US-76, especially behind gravel and construction trucks.
Choices
Film, Coating or Both on a New Car
- Coating onlyGloss and easier washing
- A ceramic coating makes paint slicker, more water repellent and easier to keep clean. It does not stop rock chips or scratches. A good choice if the car mostly sees town driving. What a coating won't do
- Front-end film plus coatingThe common new-car plan
- Film on the bumper, hood and fenders takes the stone hits; a coating on the rest of the car makes everything easier to wash. This suits most highway commuters. PPF and coating together
- Full filmMaximum coverage
- Whole-vehicle film covers every painted panel, including doors and the rear. It costs the most and suits cars you plan to keep long or that see harsh use. Is full car PPF worth it?
Timing
Why Sooner Is Better
Every week a new car spends on the road unprotected is a week of chances for a chip in exactly the spot film would have covered. Film cannot undo a chip that already exists; it can only seal over it after touch-up.
Doing protection early also means less prep. A car that has been hand washed carefully for two weeks may need only decontamination and a light enhancement. One that has been through a few automatic washes may need a correction first, which adds days and cost.
At our shop
New-Car Protection at The Auto Show
Our IGL coatings start at $699.98 for the 1-year EZ, $899.98 for the 3-year Quartz+ and $1,299.98 for the 5-year Kenzo (coupe pricing; larger vehicles cost more). Every coating requires at least a Level 2 Detail and a corrected or enhanced finish. Unless the vehicle is brand new, we also de-iron and polish the wheels where needed.
LLumar Platinum PPF packages start at $1,199.99 (Interstate) and $2,199.99 (Long Distance Driver). We are appointment only and there is no waiting area, so plan a ride. Final prices are confirmed after we inspect the car.
Protect It While It's Still New
Book an inspection soon after delivery. We will check the paint in good light, tell you whether it needs any polishing and quote film, coating or both.
Common questions
Does a brand-new car need paint correction?
Often not a full correction, but many need some polishing. Lot washes, transport and dealer prep can leave light swirls, and bonded contamination is common. An inspection in good light shows what is there. Many new cars need only decontamination and a light enhancement before a coating.
How soon after buying a car should I get PPF?
As soon as you reasonably can. Film protects only against future chips, so every week of highway driving without it is a chance for a chip in the zone it would cover. Factory paint is ready for film once it is clean and decontaminated.
Should I let the dealer wash my new car?
It is safer to ask them not to. Dealer lot washes often use shared brushes, mitts or towels that can leave swirls on fresh paint. Take the car home dirty and hand wash it yourself, or bring it straight in for protection.
Is the dealer's paint protection the same as a ceramic coating?
Not necessarily. Some dealer products are true coatings, but many are short-life sealants applied quickly during lot prep, without the decontamination or polishing a professional coating requires. Ask for the product name, the preparation done and the written warranty, then compare.
Keep reading
Sources
- FTC, Illinois Take Action Against Leader Automotive Group for Overcharging and Deceiving Consumers Through Add-Ons, Junk Fees, Bogus Reviews, Federal Trade Commission (https://search.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/12/ftc-illinois-take-action-against-leader-automotive-group-overcharging-deceiving-consumers-through), accessed October 2026
- Paint Protection Film Frequently Asked Questions, LLumar / Eastman Performance Films (https://llumar.com/en/resources/paint-protection-film-frequently-asked-questions/), accessed October 2026
- Ecocoat Kenzo, IGL Coatings (https://iglcoatings.com/products/ecocoat-kenzo-graphene-reinforced/), accessed October 2026
- Ecocoat Quartz, IGL Coatings (https://iglcoatings.com/products/ecocoat-quartz/), accessed October 2026
Prices on this page are The Auto Show’s published starting prices and are confirmed after we inspect the vehicle. Product ratings and warranty terms come from the manufacturers.