How to protect your car paint when parking outdoors!

OUTDOOR PROTECTION

I have a 2019 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and mostly park it outside my house as I do not have enough space inside. Do I need to worry about the car and paint being exposed to the elements? Also, should I use something like a paint protection film? The paint is still shining and I have also installed a rat mesh from Maruti Suzuki.

Suma, Bengaluru

The paintwork of a vehicle is definitely prone to getting damaged from various elements of nature, including consistent harsh sunlight, bird droppings and rain.

If your vehicle remains parked in the open, it is best to get a paint protection treatment done, such as a ceramic coating done, in order to ensure that the life of the paint is extended and doesn’t deteriorate prematurely.

While a ceramic coat from a reputable brand like 3M would give protection to the entire vehicle, a paint protection film (PPF) will protect specific areas such as bumper corners, roof and door edges from getting chipped in day-to-day usage.

A PPF will also become dull with time due to the intrinsic nature of the plastic film, and is significantly more expensive than ceramic treatment. So, you could go ahead with a combination of both to ensure longevity of paint on your Ciaz.