Clearcoat?
 

A car enthusiast at work told me I should really get my new black A3 clear coated to protect the paint.

Is this a thumbs up or down idea?

RE: Clearcoat?
 

It comes clearcoated from the factory with a beautiful finish.

RE: Clearcoat?
 

i already got somechipped paint at the front of my car... doesthe clearcoatreally help??

RE: Clearcoat?
 

I agree with Blue Jays, the factory paint job from Audi is superb. Though, like Steven, my car has a couple of nicks on the hood from stones on the highway. Basically, nothing you can do about it, and an extra clear coat is unlikely to do much to help. My advice is to save the money and down the road get it repainted when you can't stand the scratches anymore. Unfortunately, black cars, as much as I love them, really show the scratches.

RE: Clearcoat?
 

Maybe instead he was telling you to get a Clear Bra? Completely different story from getting it clearcoated.

RE: Clearcoat?
 

What about paint protection films? A local tint centre has this on their website.

Paint Protection Film FAQ's

What is it?

Paint Protection Film is a clear 8-9-mil polyurethane material that is applied to painted surfaces and protects against damage to paint caused by bugs, rocks and other debris.

Who makes it?

Paint Protection Film is made by a number of manufacturers including 3M, Avery Dennison and Venture Tape.

What parts of my vehicle can be covered?

Any painted area requiring protection from abrasions, rock chips etc. can be protected. Pre-Cut kits are most commonly available for areas that may receive damage such as the hood, fenders, frontal bumper areas, and mirrors.

Will it turn yellow? What is the warranty?

3M warrants their film for a period of 2 years. Venture Tape has a lifetime warranty against turning yellow.

Will the paint under the film fade differently from the rest of the vehicle?

The Paint Protection Film contains only enough UV inhibitors that keep the film from turning yellow; this allows the paint under the film to fade evenly with the rest of your vehicle.

How easily will it peel off?

The material has a strong adhesive to help keep it firmly attached to your vehicle. In the event you decide to remove the film, an easy release system is activated by stretching the film until the adhesive begins to release. Once the film is removed, the same material cannot be reused.

Is any special care required for my Paint Protection Kit?

Paint Protection Film should be cared for in the same way you would care for the paint on your vehicle. The product can be washed and waxed along with the rest of the vehicle. If any wax residue remains at the edge of the film it can be removed with a soft bristled toothbrush. If you use a high pressure wash to clean your vehicle, you should keep the high pressure nozzle at least 5 inches from the edge of the film to prevent lifting of the edge.

How is it installed?

Paint Protection Film should be installed by a professional installation center. A professional installer will apply the sheets of Paint Protection Film using a special application solution and special application tools to ensure a clean, clear, bubble-free installation that will last for many years.

How much is it?

Paint Protection Film kits vary based on how much coverage is required for your specific vehicle. Generally speaking, the cost to protect the hood and fenders is between $250 and $300. The cost to protect the entire front end of a vehicle with a full painted front bumper can be as much as $700 depending on the amount of coverage required. Pre-Cut kits are also available for some vehicles to protect the rocker panels down the side of the entire vehicle.

RE: Clearcoat?
 

IMHO these 'solutions' look worse than the scratches etc they are meant to avoid. Despite what they say, you can always see the lines, and the light does not reflect of the covered sections in the same way as the uncovered sections. So, you might avoid scratches on these sections, but from day one, your car will have a bit of a two-tone look.

Some people really love this solution. To me, it's aesthetically worse than the problem. Basically, if you drive your car, it's going to get scratched. Not much you can do about it other than wax it and take care of the bad scratches/dings right away. When my A3 got her first scratch I was very upset. She's had a couple more very minor ones, but I look at is we are growing old together. :)

RE: Clearcoat?
 

Very, very wrong. It's a great product and on my color can barely be seen if applied properly. Research the product before making those comments.

RE: Clearcoat?
 

And it's function (rock chips, road sands andbeer cans etc.). The intended purpose is not to protect from scratches but things that chip andsand blastthe front areaspaint finish.

RE: Clearcoat?
 

"Very, very wrong. It's a great product and on my color can barely be seen if applied properly. Research the product before making those comments."


Hmmm. First, that is a bit subjective. To me, if I can see it, I don't like it. Plus, I couched my response is so many conditionals so as avoid any flame bait! Please check my post, I said...IMHO...For ME..... etc.

As for why I may be so picky...I am in the architecture and design field. I make my living in part because of design aesthetics, which very much include colour and texture. Thus, I stand by what I said...these solutions look worse than the problem they are meant to avoid. And as I noted, not everyone agrees! That does not make one right and the other very very wrong! And nothing else that I said goes against conventional logic, I'm sure everyone's car has a scratch, chip or dent somewhere if they have had it for a few months and drive it!

Usually the tone in these forums is super-relaxed. Hope that you realize I was simply expressing my opinion, which is, after all, the point of a forum!

RE: Clearcoat?
 

And just to reiterate!! I certainly hope you feel no ill towards my reply!! As I said in my first post, I know there are people who love this product, and it's COOL with me!!! Honest!!! Really!! :) :) Cheers!

RE: Clearcoat?
 

In my experience I can spot cars with the thick protective film at 65 m.p.h., at night, in the rain. A peculiar "prismatic shift" is consistently introduced into the reflection and it's easy to spot, in my experience.
Perhaps the solution is a traditional car bra temporarily installed on the vehicle if taking a long highway trip where rocks and flying debris might be more likely? I tend to just wax very frequently and hope for the best.

RE: Clearcoat?
 

Hi Blue Jays,

Ok, phew, I'm not the only one who can see these things! I'm with you in the wax crew!

It probably does a great job...
 

Given the thickness of the protective film, I'm sure it does a spectacular job protecting against sand buffeting and things like that. The car will look nice someday when the owner removes the film.
The unfortunate aspect is I can be walking through a mall parking lot, glance at a car quickly, and ascertain they have it applied.
If one has a very clean A3 parked, passersby aren't going to notice or care about tiny marks around the headlights.
Like I said, I'm sure it works precisely as designed and just not my cup of tea. My preference is to rely upon lots of wax and employ careful driving practices to hopefully avoid stone chips... :)

RE: It probably does a great job...
 

Sorry guys, as I can understand my response as being rude.https://www.audiforums.com/upfiles/smiley/imsorry.gif Of course it is a subjective opinion and I totally respect that. I think what it really comes down to is the eniviornment you live in and the type of driving you do. For me I live in a part of Canada that we see5 months of snow and winter driving where lots of sand and stonechips are constantly used and I do alot of highway driving. Keeping a clean car and unchipped windshield can be a task at the best of time. There would be nothing more to give me pleasure if I did not need it but for where I live it will give some good protection to give the front some good life. Hope you keep enjoying your ride as much as mine.https://www.audiforums.com/micons/m16.gif

Perfectly reasonable response...
 

If my home was in a remote and snow-filled section of Canada then I would absolutely consider the path you've taken.
An area blanketed with ice, cinders, sand, rocksalt, and gravel for nearly 50% of the year demands urgent measures, especially with frequent highway driving.
Your technique is definitely more understandable given the environmental challenges...

RE: Clearcoat?
 

I think they are talking about toughguard, it is like a wax that lasts for 3-5 years, so they say, it is a protective coat that infuses in the paint and fills all the pores, so dirt and such can get in. everyone in the u.s is very skeptical of products like it, but in europe people swear by these kinds of protections, saying thatit keeps their paint jobs looking new for years and years, without the constant waxing.

RE: Clearcoat?
 

Wyldman,

No worries on the apology! :) As a Canadian and A3 owner, you have at least 2 things going for you in my books!

I'm Canadian too. I solved my winter car issues by moving to a semi-tropical climate where we have "cold weather" warnings if the temperature goes below 12 degrees celcius! Keeping a car clean and protected in a Canadian winter certainly demands different solutions from the conditions here!

Peace to all!