If you really want to keep your car’s paint looking fresh, the best thing you can do is keep it parked indoors and clean it regularly.
I’m serious.
The key is consistency. Washing, protecting, and keeping the paint free from dirt will slow down fading and damage. Even if your car has a ceramic coating, it still needs regular washes.
Use a UV protectant on everything—paint, plastic, glass, rubber. I use spray sealants for this. Interiors need UV protection too. Every 3-6 months, apply a conditioner to plastic and trim.
If you live where roads are salted, use Fluid Film on the undercarriage. It’s an oil-based coating that helps prevent rust and should be applied twice a year.
Wash your car at least once a month in warmer months. In winter, focus on keeping salt off if you’re in an area where they salt roads. Nothing eats a car faster than road salt.
I’m in northern Illinois, and this routine has kept my 2010s car looking more like a 5-year-old car rather than a 15-year-old one. It still has rust, but you can’t stop rust—you can only slow it down.
I wouldn’t suggest wrapping the whole car in paint protection film (PPF) unless it’s a high-end vehicle. It’s often more expensive than repainting.
The best approach? Wash it often, use paint sealants, and don’t let dirt build up. Keeping up with maintenance is the only way to make the paint last.
@Rayne
This is super helpful, I’m definitely gonna start doing this.
@Rayne
As far as I know, waxes, sealants, and ceramic coatings don’t block UV rays directly. They just protect the clear coat, which already has UV protection for the paint underneath.
Campbell said:
@Rayne
As far as I know, waxes, sealants, and ceramic coatings don’t block UV rays directly. They just protect the clear coat, which already has UV protection for the paint underneath.
That’s right. Most of these products don’t have built-in UV protection. The main goal is to protect the factory clear coat, which does have UV blockers.
@Rayne
Which spray sealant do you think works best for UV protection?
Sidney said:
@Rayne
Which spray sealant do you think works best for UV protection?
Turtle Wax, Meguiar’s, and Griot’s Garage all have great options that are easy to use. Even pros use them with good results. What matters most is how often you apply them.
Keeping an eye on this thread. Apart from parking in a garage, what else helps?
There’s no way to fully stop paint from wearing down. Your best bet is regular washes, ceramic coating, or PPF on high-impact areas. Also, keep your distance when driving to avoid rock chips.
I love my 2022 Sport, but the paint is awful. Honda switched from oil-based to water-based paint, and it wears out way faster.
One major tip—DO NOT park under trees. The sap will destroy your paint, and branches can fall and cause dents.
Daily drivers won’t stay perfect, but you can at least slow down the wear and tear.
@Kai
I park under trees in the summer to keep my car cool. Worth the risk?
Dillon said:
@Kai
I park under trees in the summer to keep my car cool. Worth the risk?
Honestly, you’d be better off getting a sunshade and tinting the windows. Tree sap is nasty, and branches falling can do real damage.
@Kai
I haven’t had sap problems, but one time a branch fell and put a few dents in my roof.
Dillon said:
@Kai
I haven’t had sap problems, but one time a branch fell and put a few dents in my roof.
Yeah, I avoid trees completely. Acorns fall like crazy in my area, and I don’t want to deal with dents.
@Kai
Man, parking in the sun sounds awful, but if it means my paint lasts longer, I might just do it.
@Kai
Yeah, Honda paint is absolute garbage. My hood looks like two different colors now, but I’ve just accepted it.
Don’t use sponges or rags unless you’re using the two-bucket method—one for soap, one for rinsing. Otherwise, you’ll drag dirt across the paint and get swirl marks.
A foam cannon and pressure washer work great for breaking down dirt before you touch the paint. After rinsing, a leaf blower or microfiber towel is best for drying. The less you touch the paint, the better.