A car’s paint is under continuous assault from UV radiation, airborne contamination, bird droppings, road tar, tree sap, and the abrasion of washing that removes the compounds deposited by all of the above. The factory clear coat that protects the color layer is measured in microns and does not regenerate once it is removed. The paint protection decisions an owner makes in the first year of a car’s life determine the condition of the paint for the remainder of its ownership, and potentially through subsequent ownerships for cars that retain value over time.