Dealer Paint & Leather Protection worth it?

NewBimer · 11-13-2007, 08:17 AM

Hi all,

Great to read all your comments and nice to find this forum.

This is my first post here and also just bought by first BMW. Its a basic 320i Exec. But very excited about getting it at the end of this month.

I have a question though. The dealer is offering Paint protection, leather protection and window tint. I think the package for the three things is around $1500.

Is the paint, leather protection necessary?
Is this worth it?
If not, is there anything better?

I'm in Brisbane

Thanks heaps for your help.

phantom330 · 11-13-2007, 09:23 AM

They are never worth it, it's really pure profit for the dealer. Take the car home and put a nice coat of wax on it and get some zaino leather care for the seats and you're good to go.

BBQWER · 11-13-2007, 11:10 AM

Dont worry about the dealer offer.... BMW is a good brand, expensive car, we pay a lot of money for the car, and the basic paint on the car is already good paint. no need any paint protection..... give a proper wash on the car, and everything is fine.

1q2w3e4r · 11-13-2007, 03:06 PM

I'd look into the paint protection and ask them about it specificially.

You'll find its basis in marine and aviation use where airlines use it to protect their airplanes and reduce fuel costs, so it must work.

astra · 11-13-2007, 05:51 PM

I never thought it was worth all these protection packs, and if you keep your paint in good condition, you should never need it (there are other places to get it done at ayway...)

But the leather protection on the other hand was a BIG thing for me... My leather got black stains all over it, and weird spots... I have no idea how they got there! And then the leather from my steering wheel got eaten away by the BMW leather cleaner...

Having the leather protection from BMW though, turned out to be a blessing in an expenive disguise, because they replaced my steering wheel free of charge, cleaned my leather a few more times untill all the stains were out, and then offered to clean it from here on in when ever it needed doing

eml · 11-13-2007, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astra

turned out to be a blessing in an expenive disguise

agree -- the way i looked at this was some sort of insurance. i do clean the car myself regularly but, just in case something happens, i have this to fall back on. luckily, was able to get the dealer to include this for free (after pricing has been settled ... oh, was able to add heated seats as well).

LEA69 · 11-13-2007, 07:02 PM

NO. Every dealer I went to, when you quietly ask them if it is worth your while, they honestly say dont bother with it. Just customary for them to ask.

NewBimer · 11-13-2007, 07:03 PM

Thanks for all your comments. So you guys think that the leather protection is good but the paint protection can be done at other places for cheaper?

What exactly does the paint protection do? what does it achieve?

I read somewhere on this forum that the tinting can be done at half the price if I take the car to Tintguard Window Tint, this is where BMW take it to as well.

LEA69 · 11-13-2007, 07:17 PM

paint protection - covers minor chips/ scuffs etc. You pay a small excess fee and BMW will organize to get it fixed. But only up to certain size, like a golf ball if i recall correctly. So its like an insurance for your paintwork. It involves putting a really thick clearcoat on your car which also helps prevent bird poo/ corrosive substances eating thru the paintwork. If i recall correctly, you get the paint & leather protection as a package together for like $3000. You can get your paint protection done privately at reputable places for $400-$800 which have the same 'warranty/ guarantee'. BMW just cover small stone chips as well in their package.

Leather protection, similar, but they treat the leather for you. But really, what really goes wrong with your seats? U spill something, easily wipe it off. Buy a good quality leather condition like Maguires/ AutoGleam or BMW brand for $15 and itll last you years. I do mine 2-3 times a year and keeps leather soft and clean.

Basically, i wont bother with the package. I figured paying $3k upfront for 'possible future events' (like small stone ships or bird poo) is a lot. And these things are bound to happen, keep a wet chamois in your boot, get a bird poo, wipe/wash it off immediately and wax it after. No biggie. Small chips, if you get any, detail your car for $200 once a year. itll be a few years before you get back your $3k that you would have spent upfront!

amberzombie · 11-13-2007, 07:19 PM

paint protection is basically a layer over your car's body... kinda like a Teflon layer meant to keep the UV and bird poo and dust and whatever from harming your paint work.

what they dont tell you is that paint protection, like wax, wears off as you wash your car so you end up having to reapply the paint protection or end up without paint protection after about a year or so.

my dealer didn't offer any paint protection or leather protection. he told me the leather's already been treated and it's pointless to use any sort of leather protection. just a clean damp cloth will do the trick.

however, he did throw in tints for free just to protect the leather coz i told him i park my car out in the sun during the day. i dont remember the people who did the tint but it's an owner lifetime replacement warranty (ie they will fix/replace the tint for as long as i own the car).

hope this helps

LEA69 · 11-13-2007, 07:20 PM

BMW send the cars off too for window tinting. I got mine thru BMW but that was actually a mistake on their half so I didnt have to pay for it! (They tinted the wrong car by mistake! Bonus for me though!)

Tinting at BMW i got quoted around $1200. Forget that. Again, go to Tintguard and get it done for 1/3 the price. They both have the same lifetime guarantee.

NewBimer · 11-13-2007, 07:28 PM

Thanks heaps guys/girls, you guys are fantastic. I will get the car tinted directly from Tintguard. I will look into getting paint protection and leather protection from a 3rd party. Or I could look into doing it myself.

amberzombie · 11-13-2007, 07:49 PM

i actually dont really recommend paint protection because hearing from some people who actually apply them, the moment you send your car to a car wash or use any sort of brush to clean your car, you're actually rubbing off the paint protection layer - and that means you're just washing a couple of hundred down the drain

astra · 11-13-2007, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eml

agree -- the way i looked at this was some sort of insurance. i do clean the car myself regularly but, just in case something happens, i have this to fall back on. luckily, was able to get the dealer to include this for free (after pricing has been settled ... oh, was able to add heated seats as well).

Insurance is the perfect word for it

The insurance, which cost nearly $1000, turned out to pay for it's self about 3 times over so far

Swoop · 11-13-2007, 09:00 PM

had a guy at the dealership do it all for me for $20....definitely not worth it...

NewBimer · 11-20-2007, 08:23 PM

Hi all again,

I still can't decide. BMW tells me that the paint protection, leather protection and window tint is $1780. The paint protection does not cover stone chips.

Is this package worth getting just as an insurance policy?

My car will be at the dealership soon, I need to decide soon.

amberzombie · 11-20-2007, 10:42 PM

hi NewBimer

ok if i were you, i'd definitely say NO to leather protection as BMW already treats their leather and only needs the occassional wipe with a damp cloth

as for paint protection, i would say NO UNLESS you park outdoors everyday and you are close to the beach. even if that's the case you can still get paint protection done at almost any reputable detailler/car wash.

as for tint. i recommend tints especially in the QLD summer. but again, you're better off getting it aftermarket as it's cheaper.

i hope this helps. as i said before, i just got a 320 a couple of months ago too and the dealer threw in tints for free so i am quite surprised you didn't get the same offer. but out of the 3, i'd say tints are most important followed by paint protection then leather protection.

thoughs anyone else?

BBQWER · 11-20-2007, 11:08 PM

Hi,

Say NO NO to paint protection / leather protection. We bought BMW, it is a good car and of course we already got good quality of those product.
my suggestion is, take care your paint and leather by yourself and will last longer.

Since i got convertible, i say NO to window tint either. waste of money if i put tinting on my windows

VGR00 · 11-21-2007, 12:45 AM

Window tint is the only thing I would do (and I have). Don't let the dealer charge you $500+ for it. They pay less than half that. I had mine tinted at the same place that does all of Brisbane BMW's work and only paid $225 and it only took 2 hours to do.

BBQWER · 11-21-2007, 03:57 AM

for window tinting, check this out

www.tintacar.com.au

price is good, and many range of product

astra · 11-21-2007, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amberzombie

hi NewBimer

ok if i were you, i'd definitely say NO to leather protection as BMW already treats their leather and only needs the occassional wipe with a damp cloth

thoughs anyone else?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBQWER

Hi,

Say NO NO to paint protection / leather protection. We bought BMW, it is a good car and of course we already got good quality of those product.
my suggestion is, take care your paint and leather by yourself and will last longer.

Since i got convertible, i say NO to window tint either. waste of money if i put tinting on my windows

Easy for you guys to say, you probably don't have white leather... I have been so glad of my leather protection, and it has ended up actually saving me a few thousand dollars

And as for the window tinting, I got it, and i have a vert... I got it because when I have the top up cos of the hot summer sun, I don't particularly like to get burnt, and it keeps the car a little cooler... I never have the windows up when the top is down, so you dont' see the tint then (The windows up when the roof is down looks gay)

deep green · 01-19-2008, 01:59 AM

Couldn't help requesting some info re window tinting for my new car.
Got to say though, and after reading through all the posted comments, I was warned with my previous car ('05 320i) NOT to persue tinting as the window seals are tight and could result in scratch marks. I had them tinted anyway by a top end supplier and sure enough within a few months there were visible scratch marks from going up and down through the tight seals - particularly the rears.
Was not keen to duplicate the issue with my new car so I left the window tinting bisso out of the equation - until now.
Have you had any issues re: minor scratching on yours to date?

11-13-2007, 08:17 AM	#1
NewBimer New Member 4 Rep 7 Posts Drives: 320i Exec Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Brisbane, Australia iTrader: (0)	Dealer Paint & Leather Protection worth it? Hi all, Great to read all your comments and nice to find this forum. This is my first post here and also just bought by first BMW. Its a basic 320i Exec. But very excited about getting it at the end of this month. I have a question though. The dealer is offering Paint protection, leather protection and window tint. I think the package for the three things is around $1500. Is the paint, leather protection necessary? Is this worth it? If not, is there anything better? I'm in Brisbane Thanks heaps for your help.
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11-13-2007, 09:23 AM	#2
phantom330 Captain 20 Rep 892 Posts Drives: e93 335i Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: OH iTrader: (0)	They are never worth it, it's really pure profit for the dealer. Take the car home and put a nice coat of wax on it and get some zaino leather care for the seats and you're good to go.
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11-13-2007, 11:10 AM	#3
BBQWER Banned 10 Rep 219 Posts Drives: E93 325i Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Australia, Sydney iTrader: (0)	Dont worry about the dealer offer.... BMW is a good brand, expensive car, we pay a lot of money for the car, and the basic paint on the car is already good paint. no need any paint protection..... give a proper wash on the car, and everything is fine.
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11-13-2007, 03:06 PM	#4
1q2w3e4r Breakfast at Tiffany's 29 Rep 1,053 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sydney iTrader: (0)	I'd look into the paint protection and ask them about it specificially. You'll find its basis in marine and aviation use where airlines use it to protect their airplanes and reduce fuel costs, so it must work.
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11-13-2007, 05:51 PM	#5
astra Brigadier General 100 Rep 3,748 Posts Drives: BMW 325Ci Individual Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sydney iTrader: (0) Garage List 2005 325Ci Individual [0.00]	I never thought it was worth all these protection packs, and if you keep your paint in good condition, you should never need it (there are other places to get it done at ayway...) But the leather protection on the other hand was a BIG thing for me... My leather got black stains all over it, and weird spots... I have no idea how they got there! And then the leather from my steering wheel got eaten away by the BMW leather cleaner... Having the leather protection from BMW though, turned out to be a blessing in an expenive disguise, because they replaced my steering wheel free of charge, cleaned my leather a few more times untill all the stains were out, and then offered to clean it from here on in when ever it needed doing __________________
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11-13-2007, 07:02 PM	#7
LEA69 BORRIS the BMW! 26 Rep 369 Posts Drives: BMW E90 MSPORTS & BMW E34 535i Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 E90 M-Sports [0.00]	NO. Every dealer I went to, when you quietly ask them if it is worth your while, they honestly say dont bother with it. Just customary for them to ask. __________________
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11-13-2007, 07:03 PM	#8
NewBimer New Member 4 Rep 7 Posts Drives: 320i Exec Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Brisbane, Australia iTrader: (0)	Thanks for all your comments. So you guys think that the leather protection is good but the paint protection can be done at other places for cheaper? What exactly does the paint protection do? what does it achieve? I read somewhere on this forum that the tinting can be done at half the price if I take the car to Tintguard Window Tint, this is where BMW take it to as well.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-13-2007, 07:17 PM	#9
LEA69 BORRIS the BMW! 26 Rep 369 Posts Drives: BMW E90 MSPORTS & BMW E34 535i Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 E90 M-Sports [0.00]	paint protection - covers minor chips/ scuffs etc. You pay a small excess fee and BMW will organize to get it fixed. But only up to certain size, like a golf ball if i recall correctly. So its like an insurance for your paintwork. It involves putting a really thick clearcoat on your car which also helps prevent bird poo/ corrosive substances eating thru the paintwork. If i recall correctly, you get the paint & leather protection as a package together for like $3000. You can get your paint protection done privately at reputable places for $400-$800 which have the same 'warranty/ guarantee'. BMW just cover small stone chips as well in their package. Leather protection, similar, but they treat the leather for you. But really, what really goes wrong with your seats? U spill something, easily wipe it off. Buy a good quality leather condition like Maguires/ AutoGleam or BMW brand for $15 and itll last you years. I do mine 2-3 times a year and keeps leather soft and clean. Basically, i wont bother with the package. I figured paying $3k upfront for 'possible future events' (like small stone ships or bird poo) is a lot. And these things are bound to happen, keep a wet chamois in your boot, get a bird poo, wipe/wash it off immediately and wax it after. No biggie. Small chips, if you get any, detail your car for $200 once a year. itll be a few years before you get back your $3k that you would have spent upfront! __________________
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11-13-2007, 07:19 PM	#10
amberzombie Lieutenant 64 Rep 590 Posts Drives: MG F80 ZCP Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia iTrader: (0) Garage List 2007 E90 320i [0.00]	paint protection is basically a layer over your car's body... kinda like a Teflon layer meant to keep the UV and bird poo and dust and whatever from harming your paint work. what they dont tell you is that paint protection, like wax, wears off as you wash your car so you end up having to reapply the paint protection or end up without paint protection after about a year or so. my dealer didn't offer any paint protection or leather protection. he told me the leather's already been treated and it's pointless to use any sort of leather protection. just a clean damp cloth will do the trick. however, he did throw in tints for free just to protect the leather coz i told him i park my car out in the sun during the day. i dont remember the people who did the tint but it's an owner lifetime replacement warranty (ie they will fix/replace the tint for as long as i own the car). hope this helps
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11-13-2007, 07:20 PM	#11
LEA69 BORRIS the BMW! 26 Rep 369 Posts Drives: BMW E90 MSPORTS & BMW E34 535i Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 E90 M-Sports [0.00]	BMW send the cars off too for window tinting. I got mine thru BMW but that was actually a mistake on their half so I didnt have to pay for it! (They tinted the wrong car by mistake! Bonus for me though!) Tinting at BMW i got quoted around $1200. Forget that. Again, go to Tintguard and get it done for 1/3 the price. They both have the same lifetime guarantee. __________________
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11-13-2007, 07:28 PM	#12
NewBimer New Member 4 Rep 7 Posts Drives: 320i Exec Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Brisbane, Australia iTrader: (0)	Thanks heaps guys/girls, you guys are fantastic. I will get the car tinted directly from Tintguard. I will look into getting paint protection and leather protection from a 3rd party. Or I could look into doing it myself.
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11-13-2007, 07:49 PM	#13
amberzombie Lieutenant 64 Rep 590 Posts Drives: MG F80 ZCP Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia iTrader: (0) Garage List 2007 E90 320i [0.00]	i actually dont really recommend paint protection because hearing from some people who actually apply them, the moment you send your car to a car wash or use any sort of brush to clean your car, you're actually rubbing off the paint protection layer - and that means you're just washing a couple of hundred down the drain
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11-13-2007, 09:00 PM	#15
Swoop Resident Noob 143 Rep 1,911 Posts Drives: You Crazy w/ My Rear Fogs Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Manhattan Beach, California iTrader: (6) Garage List 2007 335i [0.00] 2004 Acura TSX [0.00]	had a guy at the dealership do it all for me for $20....definitely not worth it... __________________ A/W 335i e90 l Sirius l M6 Wheels l M5 Bumper l Eibachs l 20% Tint l CPE Exhaust & Standback l BLK Matte Trim l Xenon Interiors l Lux 4.0 l 8000k D1S l MTEC H7/H11s l Invisibulbs l BLK Matte Grill l Blacklines l Alum Pedals l Splt Armrest l Rear Fogs l RBT l K&N
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11-20-2007, 08:23 PM	#16
NewBimer New Member 4 Rep 7 Posts Drives: 320i Exec Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Brisbane, Australia iTrader: (0)	Hi all again, I still can't decide. BMW tells me that the paint protection, leather protection and window tint is $1780. The paint protection does not cover stone chips. Is this package worth getting just as an insurance policy? My car will be at the dealership soon, I need to decide soon.
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11-20-2007, 10:42 PM	#17
amberzombie Lieutenant 64 Rep 590 Posts Drives: MG F80 ZCP Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia iTrader: (0) Garage List 2007 E90 320i [0.00]	hi NewBimer ok if i were you, i'd definitely say NO to leather protection as BMW already treats their leather and only needs the occassional wipe with a damp cloth as for paint protection, i would say NO UNLESS you park outdoors everyday and you are close to the beach. even if that's the case you can still get paint protection done at almost any reputable detailler/car wash. as for tint. i recommend tints especially in the QLD summer. but again, you're better off getting it aftermarket as it's cheaper. i hope this helps. as i said before, i just got a 320 a couple of months ago too and the dealer threw in tints for free so i am quite surprised you didn't get the same offer. but out of the 3, i'd say tints are most important followed by paint protection then leather protection. thoughs anyone else?
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11-20-2007, 11:08 PM	#18
BBQWER Banned 10 Rep 219 Posts Drives: E93 325i Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Australia, Sydney iTrader: (0)	Hi, Say NO NO to paint protection / leather protection. We bought BMW, it is a good car and of course we already got good quality of those product. my suggestion is, take care your paint and leather by yourself and will last longer. Since i got convertible, i say NO to window tint either. waste of money if i put tinting on my windows
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11-21-2007, 12:45 AM	#19
VGR00 Major 56 Rep 1,497 Posts Drives: 430i Gran Coupe Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Brisbane - Australia iTrader: (1)	Window tint is the only thing I would do (and I have). Don't let the dealer charge you $500+ for it. They pay less than half that. I had mine tinted at the same place that does all of Brisbane BMW's work and only paid $225 and it only took 2 hours to do.
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11-21-2007, 03:57 AM	#20
BBQWER Banned 10 Rep 219 Posts Drives: E93 325i Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Australia, Sydney iTrader: (0)	for window tinting, check this out www.tintacar.com.au price is good, and many range of product
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01-19-2008, 01:59 AM	#22
deep green Private 3 Rep 64 Posts Drives: E93 335i Vert Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Melbourne Australia iTrader: (0) Garage List 2007 335i Convertible [0.00] 2007 335Ci [0.00]	Couldn't help requesting some info re window tinting for my new car. Got to say though, and after reading through all the posted comments, I was warned with my previous car ('05 320i) NOT to persue tinting as the window seals are tight and could result in scratch marks. I had them tinted anyway by a top end supplier and sure enough within a few months there were visible scratch marks from going up and down through the tight seals - particularly the rears. Was not keen to duplicate the issue with my new car so I left the window tinting bisso out of the equation - until now. Have you had any issues re: minor scratching on yours to date? __________________ luvnit
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