A crisp paint job is a terrible thing to waste. There are a few ways to protect your car’s paint while driving or transporting your car over many miles.
Driving a car with a fresh paint application can be nerve wracking. You can protect the paint by applying a protectant to a car before you leave on the trip. When using a car paint protectant you have three main choices.
The three best ways to protect your pain on a road trip are paint protection film, ceramic coating and spray paint protectant. These range in price and they offer various levels of protection. They range in cost from $35 for a diy spray film kit to over $10,000 for a professional installation of a custom paint protection film.
Paint Protection Film, PPF or Clear Bra is like contact paper that is wrapped around your car to protect the paint. These can be professionally applied or applied at home with a kit purchased online.
Spray protectant is applied at home to the front of the car to reduce the impact of bug stains and light scratches. Designed to be temporary for off-roading or racing.
Ceramic Coating is a liquid applied over your paint to create a thin layer of glass that makes it harder for things to stick to the paint. This is applied by a detailer or other car care professional.
Depending on your skill and budget one of these choices will help you maintain the pain on your vehicle for years.
| Cost | Durability | Can Be Removed | |
| Paint Protection Film | $$$ | 5/5 | Yes |
| Ceramic Coating | $$ | 3/5 | Wears Away |
| Spray Film | $ | 4/5 | Yes |
The Best Option for Road Trips
If you are just concerned about a single long trip, I would choose the Road Warrior Plus roll on paint protection film.
The kit comes with a paint tray and roller and is a temporary covering designed for off roading and used by hobby racers to protect paint when the car will be exposed to extreme conditions for just a few days.
This is the best option because:
It can be applied easily at home.
It is very affordable.
It is easily removed at home.
It protects paint very well from normal road hazards.
You may not want to use this film if you want your paint to look good while you are driving. Imagine covering your car with Elmer’s glue. It has that thick hazy look because it needs to be applied thickly so that it can be peeled off.
I would buy the 16 oz kit with roller and paint tray, unless you have a very small vehicle or only want to use it on the front panels, you will want to have 2 bottles of the product.
3 Ways To Protect Your Paint
If you want to learn more about all three options, here is your information.
There are pros and cons of all the options below and you want to choose the one that best fits your trip.
A lot of these options are a more permanent solution that will keep your car’s paint looking good for months or years.
1. Paint Protection Film
Paint protection film or PPF is the most expensive and most durable option.
It is like contact paper that is designed to protect your paint from light scratches and even rock chips. They can be applied to the front end of the car or the entire car.
They are cut to a standard size and applied directly to the car.
This job is best left to the professionals, although you can find plenty of DIY kits online.
When choosing PPF, you have the option of shiny or matte, instant self healing or standard. They come in a variety of thicknesses and quality levels.
If you are worried about a single, long trip, a budget option on Amazon will protect you against most minor scratches and bug stains.
You can choose a precut kit that is specific to your make and model. It is still a pretty difficult DIY.
This guy has some great tips if you decide to take it on.
2. Spray Paint Protectant
If you want to diy your paint protection, I suggest you use a spray on paint protectant.
It is recommended that you mask off any parts of your car that you do not want coated, then spray the film directly onto the car.
Be careful, some of these are easy to remove, and some are more permanent.
If you choose this method to protect your car’s paint, I recommend that you coat the front three inches of the hood, the lights, the bumper and the mirrors. These are the areas most prone to bug stains and minor scratches.
There are several options available, but these are the easiest to find:
Road Warrior Plus Paint Protection Film
This is a roll on paint protection. It is designed to be used temporarily for off roading or road trips. You can buy it on Amazon, there are a few options for getting one bottle or two.
For a long distance road trip, I think one bottle to hit the hood, bumper, mirrors and maybe the fenders should be enough. It can be purchased for less than $50! That is a great option to protect your paint temporarily.
It is designed to be applied at home, it does not have to be perfect. It will look like your car is covered in school glue, but it peels off in a very satisfying way.
It is perfect for temporary protection of your car.
It is impressive what this stuff can do!
Rustoleum Peel Coat
This is a spray on paint protectant. This would require some masking, but will result in a quick full coverage.
It works like spray paint, but it creates a protective coating over your car’s paint and peels off when you no longer need it.
This is not clear. This comes in a variety of colors, it is designed for car enthusiasts to be able to temporarily customize your car with stripes or accents.
On our white van, it is not a big deal to just grab the white color and spray it to cover the high impact areas for a road trip.
You need to mask to use this, otherwise you will need to use high pressure to wash off the flakes and specks of the product. Masking gives you and edge to peel.
Again, it is available on Amazon, I would recommend you buy it directly from the Rustoleum store on Amazon, and grab two, just in case you need more than you originally thought.
3. Ceramic Coating
Ceramic coating is a popular way to shine up your car and improve the look of the finish.
Ceramic coatings are advertised as a way to protect your car’s paint and keep it looking newer longer.
It is a service that is designed for car enthusiasts, and while it will protect your paint and make it easier to get it clean and shiny, it is not a low maintenance finish.
It is installed by professionals and requires meticulous cleaning of the vehicle and careful application of the product. The coatings last between 3 months and 5 years depending on the brand, the application and the level of wear on the paint.
There are a lot of brands and price points of ceramic coatings, but you should contact a car detailer that is reputable and well reviewed in your area and talk to them about your needs.
A professional ceramic coating will cost between $500 and $2500 and will last for years.
This is not a temporary paint protection, this is designed to last for years, and it does require maintenance to keep the coating looking shiny.
It is essentially a thin layer of glass that is applied over the finish on your car, it gives the paint a very high surface tension so things like dirt, car and bug splatter have a hard time sticking to your car.
Going through a cheap car wash or washing your car improperly will degrade the finish. It is also recommended that you get the finish maintained and serviced every six months.
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