I just bought an '07 SL55 with the Designo Mystic White/Charcoal Exclusive Leather combo. Soooo gorgeous right now, but I'm already worried about care "down the road." With a $7K paint job, I certainly don't want to have the paint damaged in any way at a hand wash place. Plus, the light color interior will probably be difficult at best, to keep looking fresh.

Does anyone know anything about the PermaPlate exterior & interior options offered by the dealership? Sounds great, but wonder if it's more of a money-making gimmic.

Thanks much!

 

It is nothing more than a sealant on the paint and scotch guard in the interior. Stealer gimmick and big profit maker. You can put a sealant on the SL in about an hour. I use either Zaino or Menzerna FMJ.

 

Like you said, its more of a money-making gimmic. There are some great detailers out there that will help keep the paint clean and polished just like new. Just keep up on the maintenance of the paint.

 

First and foremost I have never used the service you mentioned nor do I have any direct knowledge about their specific products. What I will share with you is what I've learned about general automotive protection plans that protect for 5 years. I tend to associate these services with the word "scam" but thats probably taking it a little too far. Your vehicle probably will be protected after the service but I just don't know how long it is truly protected for.

All of the products I have I use when detailing typically protect for months, not years. The best sealants on the market that I know of could maybe protect for one year in very ideal conditions. I could not find anything on there site that explained how their polymers protect for so much longer. I think really the key to making an informed decision would be to find out more about how this service will actually protect your paint and for how long.

Another question I regularly ask myself is why is this service not offered on any vehicle besides new ones. I understand the guarantee or replacing parts couldn't be the same but if it would still protect for five years I'd be happy to have it reapplied every five years. If these products offer such durable protection I'm not sure why other companies are not selling them to detailers. I'd be happy to invest in any product line that could protect a surface 10X longer than the average product we carry. My last question that I always think of is if I totally neglect a brand new vehicle would it really suffer that damage to those surface they protect.

I highly encourage you to carefully read their contract as well. Often times there are lots of clauses and disclaimers that can relieve them of virtually all of the liability. Again every place is different and I don't want to pre-judge this company but generally speaking this is a common trend.

I honestly think you could do a lot of the same treatments yourself for far less or visit a quality detailer. A good professional detailer may be able to offer a quality cleaning and protection. Typically I recommend three products to help "do it yourselfers" protect their new vehicles or really any vehicle. I recommend a good sealant (Menzerna FMJ), 303 Fabric Guard and the 303 Aerospace Protectant.

The Menzerna FMJ or other good sealant will protect your paint for 3 - 6 months, shine the paint, etc. I recommend applying this three times per year and you should be well protected year round.

The 303 Aerospace Protectant will help protect basically any rubber, coated leather, vinyl or plastic surface on your vehicle. This would be the majority of your interior, engine bay and some exterior trim. I use it my console, doors, arm rests, seats, trim, engine casings, rubber tires, rubber door seals, etc. I find this protection to last anywhere from several weeks to several months.

For carpets and fabric mats you can protect them with the 303 Fabric Guard. Basically just spray it on and you'll help preserve your fabrics so they look clean for longer.

Another huge step would be to learn how to wash and dry properly. Using the right tools and techniques will greatly help you minimize the chance of adding swirls and fine scratches to the paint. Most swirls are introduced through improper washing and drying. I suggest reading our Detailing Guide Washing and Drying section for more information and looking at our Washing and Drying Starter Kit to see the products you need.

Let me know if you have any questions about this information or anything else related to detailing I would be happy to help.

Greg @ Detailed Image