Why Modern Cars Need New Solutions for Old Paint Problems

What’s the point of car paint? Is it just for the looks? Aesthetics play a part, of course, but the paint is also your first line of defense against damage. When you first buy a car and drive it off the lot, the paint is perfect and gleams like glass. Fast forward a few months, and that flawless surface has scratches, chips, and possibly even fading. For as long as cars have existed, we’ve always been trying to figure out how to protect the paint. Today, that’s even harder because with modern cars come new problems that make keeping the finish perfect even trickier. 

Modern cars aren’t built the same as oldtimers. We have aluminum and composites instead of heavy steel, which makes vehicles more efficient, but also more prone to damage. Paints have changed, too; they’re no longer formulated how they were in the past. New paint formulas are more environmentally friendly, thinner, and more delicate than before. All of a sudden, old methods of protection just don’t cut it anymore. 

Let’s see exactly what’s changed and how you can keep your modern car looking new for a long time. 

The Biggest Paint Problems in Modern Cars

You probably love all the advancements in the car industry and design, and why wouldn’t you? But those advancements also made protecting paint more complicated; although they all look fantastic, they come with trade-offs. 

Here are some of the biggest paint-related problems for modern cars. 

1. Chipping 

Modern cars use less traditional steel and more aluminum and composites. That’s great because modern materials are more flexible, but it’s also not so great because the flexibility makes the car’s paint more prone to chipping. 

Now, combine that with thin layers of water-based paint that’s used today and what do you get? You get paint that can get damaged by even small gravel. The worst thing about these chips isn’t that they make your car look worse but that they expose it to rust and corrosion. 

2. Scratches and Swirls

Softer, thinner paints are much more environmentally friendly, but they also get scratched easier. Even if you’re just washing your car, there’s a chance you’ll leave fine scratches and swirls on the surface, especially if your car has a matte finish. 

3. UV Damage and Fading

The sun is brutal on modern paint and if your car is exposed to the UV rays for too long, the paint will start to fade. Water-based paints aren’t as protective and, over time, your car’s paint will become more dull and washed out. 

4. The Environment

Acid rain, bird droppings, and tree sap are all very common issues that will etch into modern paints quicker than they would into older, thicker coats. Specialty finishes like metallic or pearlescent paints are particularly problematic because they’re more sensitive to contaminants. 

How to Handle Problems with Modern Car Paint

Advancements in the car industry have come a long way. Luckily, so are the ways in which we protect car paint. 

You’ve probably already heard about ‘PPF’, or paint protection film. It’s a clear, durable layer that’s applied directly to the surface of the car. It’s a physical shield that protects the paint from chips, scratches, and road debris. It works especially well for high-impact areas like the front bumper, hood, and side mirrors. Today’s PPF is also self-healing, which means that minor scratches just repair on their own when you apply heat. 

There are also ceramic coatings. It’s a liquid that bonds to the car’s surface and creates a hard, hydrophobic layer that repels dirt, water, and other contaminants. As a result, your car is cleaner for longer, and when you end up washing it, the process is faster and easier. 

Hydrophobic sprays are another protection method and they’re excellent for touch-ups and as an extra maintenance tool. They won’t last as long as PPF or ceramic coating, but they enhance water repellency and add a layer of protection against dirt. 

The thing to do would be to combine all of these methods. You can apply PPF to the hood and bumpers, then ceramic coatings on the rest of the car and use hydrophobic sprays as part of your regular maintenance routine (every couple of weeks/months, depending on the product you’re using).

Conclusion

There’s nothing you can apply to your car that would make it completely resistant to any kind of damage, but you already know that because it’s common sense. There are, however, a few very effective ways of keeping it looking new for a very long time. 

Even if you aren’t sold on using three different protection methods, that’s completely fine. PPF will do great even on its own. Ceramic coatings will be a good protection, too, although they get scratched a bit easier than PPF does. 

Whatever method of protection you decide on, it’s still better than not having any. Just make sure to maintain your car regularly and you’ll enjoy that shiny finish for years.