Toyota interior/exterior protection options, they worth it?

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levander

New member
I`, looking at,purchasing a new RAV4. Toyota offers a few options you can buy with your car that are designed to protect the car from cosmetic damage. I`m figuring you guys are the best ones I know to ask about it.

Here are the options you can buy:

Resist All - $599. This is like Scotch Guard for your car seats / floors. And they warranty it that it`ll protect that stuff for three years or they fix it for free. I am getting cloth seats, not leather, if that matters.

Clear Paint Protection:`Hood - $399. Clear Pain Protectin is some film they put over the paint to protect the paint itself. In the promotional video they had some kid throw a baseball and it accidentally hit an area that had this protection on it, claiming the protection would help with that. Now I`d be surprised if it will help that much. But I`m sure it helps with some stuff. This $399 package is for the hood.

Clear Paint Protection: Front Bumper - $449. That same film over the front bumper.

clear Paint Protection: Front bumper & hood - $798. Combo of the 2 packages above with a $50 discount.

Clear Paint Protection: Door - $199. Door cups (the area behind the door handle - so that when you grab the door handle...), doer edge guards (like the edge of the door you only see when the door is open), & rear bumper.

So what do you guys think? Any of those packages worth it?
 
Likely they send the RAV4 to a local place to have that installed with some level of mark up. I work at a dealer they can get you pretty much whatever for a price. Call around to a couple places that offer paint protection film and price shop if you want it for your car. That`s up to you really. Some like it some don`t


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If you have professional detailing services available in your area, it would be much better for your new RAV4 to have them do it than a dealer. Why??
Cost effectiveness (IE, value) is one reason. The other is talking with a reputable detailer to discuss exterior options (like coatings) and interior options they may have available for you to fit your budget.

Will you have to come back to professional detailers on a regular basis, say yearly? Yes, if you want to keep that vehicle looking new. Is it worth it?? Depends on how long you want to keep the vehicle. When you factor in the fact that a new RAV4 is about $21,000 to $27,000 depending on options and trim levels, spending $300 to $400 a year to have it professionally detailed is like buying vehicle appearance insurance.
You could do it yourself if you have the time and money to invest in car-care chemicals and polishing machines and all the other detailing equipment, not to mention the time and effort (sweat equity) to physically detail the new RAV4. But many find that that route is just too expensive and time-consuming, so they hire out to have it done. I am not saying you shouldn`t do it yourself. Most of the Autopians on this site are hobbyist (like myself) who got started washing a waxing their own vehicle and progressed from learning about new chemicals, equipment, and techniques on and from this very forum and its members.

I think, though, that there are SO many horror stories about dealer-applied interior/exterior vehicle-care "packages" that finding a good one is not in your best interest. They make money from these add-ons. Likes adding $5.00 worth of pin stripping to a new vehicle and then charging you $75.00 as a "dealer-installed option". The dealer wants to make money off of you and your new vehicle if they can keep you coming back for that service to keep up the "vehicle-appearance warranty", why wouldn`t they want you to buy a vehicle-appearance package.
Lets put it this way: do you buy new car insurance from a dealer? (Although that can be done) Why, then, would you buy vehicle appearance packages from them?
Lastly, if you want something done right, and if you do not have the tools or expertise to do it, let the professionals or at least an experienced hobbyist do it.
 
I`d also suggest skipping the dealership packages. As mentioned, many times they outsource the work to a company and charge a high mark-up.
You can probably find a pro-detailer in your area doing some research who provides quality PPF products and services for cheaper. You may want to do price shopping for this regardless.

The Resist All package for $599 is outrageous. You can easily buy the products here on Autopia and do it yourself for 1/4 of the price may less.
 
Yah, you guys sound like what I was thinking.

but if anyone has a contrarian opinion, I`d still love to hear it. There`s a minimum of three days before I make any kind of decision.

RaydiantDetail - I think the reason it`s $599 is it also includes a warranty. Where if your seats do get messed up, they fix it. Still, it`s probably like buying an extended warranty on your electronics gear at Best Buy.

is there any way to find a good pro detailed in the northwest of Atlanta are? I`m between Roswell and Woodstock up there.
 
Warranty? Read the fine print!!!!!!! Many of those giant dealer mark ups require the product(s) to be reapplied annually and you pay for it. Biggest rip off ever......tell them NO.
If you get the RAV check out rav4world.com. Tons of information and some great folks there.
 
Even the best product/etc. is only as good as the person using it and their performance on that specific job. Noting that I once worked at a dealership in New Car Prep, and have even had dealership guys who *were* good enough to do my/my family`s vehicles.....

NO WAY would I let them do it. They`ll have a "typical customer`s expectations" mindset, even if they are unusually talented people using good stuff. I see zero reason to expect that a competent person using the best products will be giving this his best work. Rather, it`ll be "another one to get done before quitting time.." and it`ll get treated exactly the same as every other vehicle that person does.
 
levander said:
Yah, you guys sound like what I was thinking.

but if anyone has a contrarian opinion, I`d still love to hear it. There`s a minimum of three days before I make any kind of decision.

RaydiantDetail - I think the reason it`s $599 is it also includes a warranty. Where if your seats do get messed up, they fix it. Still, it`s probably like buying an extended warranty on your electronics gear at Best Buy.

is there any way to find a good pro detailed in the northwest of Atlanta are? I`m between Roswell and Woodstock up there.
Click to expand...

I understand about the warranty but read the fine print on it. Usually you have to do an application every year to maintain the warranty and you pay for that also I do not think it covers tears to the fabric. So if its just as simple as fabric protection for stains you can pick up some carpro fabric https://www.carpro-us.com/coatings-sealants-spray-wax/cquartz-fabric-16oz-500ml/ and literally just do it yourself and save yourself a ton of money. Plus that 16 oz bottle will probably last you 3 years anyway.

I am in Atlanta in the Dunwoody area:) I only do this as a part time business but dont do PPF and I can help you out as needed or if you have any questions please feel free to reach out.

If looking for pro then the following may be good places to check out: (again id call around to a bunch and do some due diligence - google is your friend)

Detailed Designs -http://detaileddesignsautospa.com/
Elite Auto Spa of Atlanta - Auto Body Repair, Window Tinting: GA: Elite Auto Spa of Atlanta

I singled those two out because they do PPF installs and detailing/ coating applications. I meant no offence to any other pro Atlanta detailer`s on here if I missed you.

If I had to take my car anywhere if I wasn`t going to do something myself id probably take it to Detailed Designs - just my two cents. I am not affiliated with them in anyway (no shilling here) I just know Jean Claude`s work is outstanding.
 
Most of these products, even the good ones, don`t offer a warranty that extends beyond the value of that product`s actual application cost. Sooner or later the consumer`s detailed interest will wane and they quit thinking about the warranty. They charge you enough up front that the few consumers who actually collect on the warranty don`t weigh too heavily on their costs. I`d read the fine print again.
 
Sounds pretty cheap for good PPF, but just say NO to the interior Scotchguard stuff. Pick up the CarPro interior coating and do it yourself in ten minutes. Personally I do not want a dealer doing any paint protection on my vehicle unless I get to talk to the installer and see an example of his work. I`m particular.
 
I`d sure want one of the newer PPFs, some of which sound *awfully* imressive compared to what was available back when I had that Yukon done.

Heh heh, actually...I think about finding some Autopian Pro to put some of the [whatever`s best] on some sections of the Crown Vic.

Interior coatings? Eh, guess it depends on how the vehicle is gonna be used, but IME it`s easy enough to keep interiors virtually like-new indefinitely (says the guy whose dog-haulers/wife`s daily driver get used *HARD*).
 
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