Your New Porsche: Expert Protection for a Future Classic

Imagine your Porsche years from now, sitting patiently in your garage, waiting for the big moment that’s soon to come. As the garage doors open, your son steps in. He’s confused, but as you hand him the keys to the Porsche and tell him it’s his, his face lights up.

You have passed on your prized possession to your living legacy, as many Porsche owners do.

To prepare for this moment, you’ve had to keep the vehicle in immaculate condition. Keeping up with the wear and tear of any car takes work, but it’s not impossible. A good place to start is the paint.

Fortunately, you can protect your Porsche’s paint effectively and efficiently—with Paint Protection Film (PPF), Ceramic Coating, and proper Porsche car-washing procedures.

Paint Protection Film (PPF)

Do you protect your smartphone’s glass with a screen protector? Paint Protection Film is like a screen protector for your car. It prevents flying rocks and road debris from chipping your paint.

PPF is best applied when a Porsche is brand new. However, you can apply it to a car you’ve been driving awhile, and some vehicles with thousands of miles are still great candidates for PPF.

But remember: You can only protect a new-car finish if you have a new-car finish.

PPF is a clear polyurethane film that’s virtually invisible and engineered to be removable years after application—revealing the brand-new, factory-finish paint that’s been protected below.

It’s composed of several advanced layers:

• A release liner (removed during installation).
• A layer of strong, yet removable, adhesive.
• A thermal plastic impact layer that absorbs the force of stones.
• A layer of clear coat that offers UV protection.
• A hydrophobic top coat to repel water and grime.
• A final gloss enhancer.

The top clear coat layer is also self-healing, which means your vehicle will always look freshly polished!

Pro-Tip on Maximizing Resale Value:
It may sound counterintuitive, but we advise leaving the PPF on the vehicle when it’s time to sell or trade it in.

Here’s the “insider” reason why: When you remove the film, the paint underneath will be factory-fresh. A dealer inspecting a used car with impossibly perfect paint often won’t see this as a positive. Instead, they may assume the car was repainted after an accident, which can lower your value. By leaving the PPF on, the film becomes proof of your meticulous care.

It’s one thing to read about the layers and benefits of PPF, but seeing the meticulous, hands-on process brings it to life. The video below showcases a full PPF installation on a classic Porsche 911.

Ceramic Coating

A ceramic coating (sometimes called quartz) applied to your car gives it amazing shine and makes it dramatically easier to maintain. The key benefits include:

• Amazing Shine: It gives your Porsche a deep, “wet-look” gloss that is richer and more brilliant than factory paint.
• Effortless Maintenance: The super-hydrophobic surface makes your car dramatically easier to wash, saving you time.
• UV Protection: The coating acts as a hard-wearing barrier that protects your Porsche’s paint from harmful UV rays, preventing fading and oxidation.

A professionally applied ceramic coating lasts for years, compared to a traditional wax or sealant that might only protect your Porsche for a few months.

Important Aftercare Note: After having a ceramic coating applied, it’s crucial to keep your Porsche dry for 14 to 21 days, ideally in a garage. This allows the coating plenty of time to fully cure and harden.

Washing Your Porsche’s Paint

How do you wash your Porsche? Very carefully!

Even if you protect your Porsche with PPF and a ceramic coating, it can still be scratched by dirty sponges, snow brushes, and other common paint hazards. The best rule of thumb to keep in mind is a simple one: Anything that touches your Porsche could scratch it.

What to Avoid ❌

• Kitchen Supplies: Never use anything from your kitchen sink on your Porsche—no scrub pads or scratchy rags, ever.
• Automatic Car Washes: Do not take your car to an automatic car wash with brushes or spinning cloths.
• Unapproved Washes: Never allow your service center to wash your vehicle. The risk of damage from improper methods is too high.

The Recommended Method ✅

• Mind the Sealants: If you take your Porsche through a touchless car wash, do not apply any of their spray-on sealants. These products will mask or override the benefits of your professional ceramic coating.
• Use the Two-Bucket Method: Use one bucket with a soapy solution and a separate bucket with clean water to rinse your wash mitt after each panel.

Professional Techniques to Remember:

• Use the least amount of pressure possible. Let the weight of the wash mitt do the work.
• If you find yourself rubbing to get rid of a bug or tar, STOP! You are scratching the paint. You need a dedicated chemical cleaner for that.
• If you ever drop a wash mitt on the ground, it is finished. Set it aside immediately and get a clean one.

If you use these tips to wash your Porsche, it will look better than 95 percent of the other vehicles on the road.