Your paint is as good as it will ever be on the drive home from the dealership. Every mile after that is wear. Three steps, in this order.
1. Film on the impact zones
Before your first real highway drive, get paint protection film on the hood, front fenders, mirrors, and bumper. This is the only step that physically stops a rock chip. It is also the only step you cannot backdate: a chip that happens before the film goes on is a chip you own for the life of the vehicle.
2. Ceramic coating over everything, film included
Once the film is on, a coating goes over the whole exterior. It adds gloss, UV resistance, and a surface that sheds water, salt spray, and grime, which is what makes winter washing far less of a chore. Coat the film too. Otherwise the protected panels start looking noticeably better than the rest of the car after a couple of years, and that mismatch is hard to fix later.
3. Tint
Tint cuts cabin heat, blocks the UV that cracks a dash and fades upholstery, and takes the edge off glare on long drives. On a new vehicle it is mostly about keeping factory-fresh trim and seats from cooking through their first few summers. We build the shade around the current legal limit for your registration state, because North Dakota and Minnesota do not set the same number.
The order matters more than the timing. All three can happen in one visit, which usually means less total time without the car, but if you are spacing them out, start with the film. Coating and tint prevent future wear, so adding them in September costs you little. Film is the one that has to be there first.
Two easy additions while the car is already with us: interior fabric or leather protection, and a coating on the wheels so brake dust rinses off instead of baking on. Neither is essential on day one. Both are cheaper to do now than to schedule separately later.
One thing to check before you book anything. If the dealer sold you a paint sealant or a protection package, find out what was actually applied, because most factory and dealer options are a considerably lighter-duty product than a dedicated coating and a fair number of owners are paying twice without knowing it.
Reach out and we will put together a real number for your vehicle.