The life of your car depends on a variety of factors. But two of the most important are how you drive it and how you care for it.

You might remember the first time you saw the car you’re driving right now. Maybe you even saw a halo above it, as if it was magically calling to you from across the dealership lot.

No matter your first impression, chances are it looked shiny and new. And this is the look that just about every car owner wants to hold onto.

Studies show that a car’s paint job will deteriorate and become visibly dull after about two years of being exposed to the elements, no matter the color of your car. And with the average loan, most people won’t own their cars for 4 to 6 years after the initial purchase.

If you want to keep your car looking great, the following will detail a few tips to consider.

Clear Bra Protection

You might have heard of paint protection film, often referred to as “clear bra.” And this is simply a method for adding a coat of film that acts as a buffer between your car’s paint and abrasive conditions and road debris.

Clear bra protection helps to preserve your car’s original paint. And this application can help keep your car’s paint safe from acid rain, bird droppings, sand, rocks, tar, grease, bugs and a variety of other elements that your car is exposed to while driving.

No matter the type of paint you have on your car, it will be exposed to the elements. And clear bra protection acts as a shield against the harsh weathering from the sun, rain and other weathering factors that deteriorate a car’s paint job over time.

Wax

You may have seen many advertisements for car wax that claim to offer protection and shine with just one coat for up to a year or more. And while scientifically speaking much of this wax will still be present on the vehicle after a year, not all of it will.

The simple fact is that wax doesn’t erode evenly. Further, when it does begin to erode due to washing and weathering, it comes off in spots, and this can leave your car looking shiny in some areas and blurry in others.

When applying wax, it’s always best to use a second coat, no matter what the directions on the bottle claim. And you should also make sure that you’re applying it evenly over the entire surface of the vehicle. Further, wax applications also offer headlight protection as well

Additionally, you should never apply wax under direct sunlight. This should always be done in shade, and quickly buffed and polished thereafter for the best results.

Ceramic Coatings

A ceramic coating is the process of applying a liquid polymer coat to the surface of your vehicle. And it’s estimated that this type of coating can last up to 4 years.

The protection that a ceramic coating offers is much thicker than other treatments. And this can offer protection from most abrasive materials. Such materials include the following:

• Sap
• Tar
• Bug acid
• Salt
• Chemicals
• UV Rays
• Grease
• Road debris

Ceramic coatings offer perhaps the best level of protection, and they generally hold up much better to washing than wax or sealants. Additionally, when applied with wax and clear bra treatments, a ceramic coating can last up to 6 years as some reports have suggested.

The best way to apply a ceramic coat is professionally, after a thorough washing. After which a clear bra and wax offers even further protection.

Keeping your car’s paint job looking new and shiny is a battle that all car owners will endure. And though this might seem like a losing battle, if you value your car and want to get the most out of it while you drive it (and if you trade it in), taking care of the paint job via the methods listed here is a great strategy for doing so.