Car paint protection in Vancouver, from wax to PPF
Car paint protection comes in four levels: spray wax, hand wax, ceramic coating, and paint protection film. We sell three of them and refer the fourth to our sister company, so here's the honest ladder: what each level costs in Vancouver, how long it lasts, and which one your car actually needs.
Four levels, priced straight · Polish-first rule · Vancouver & Burnaby
The Ladder
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The four levels of paint protection
Each level up costs more and protects longer, and that's the whole trick to reading the table. None of them is wrong; they're just built for different cars and different owners, and shops that sell you the top rung by default aren't doing you a favour.
| Level | What it is | How long | Price here | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Spray wax | The finish on every Mini Detail | A top-up shine, shortest-lived | Included in the Mini | Between-detail upkeep |
| 2 · Hand wax | Wet Wax add-on; final wax inside the Diamond Exterior | Weeks, not years | $25 add-on | Seasonal shine on a budget |
| 3 · Ceramic coating | 5-year graphene coat, machine polish underneath | 5 years | $489 to $699, 30% off now | Keeping a car nice, long-term |
| 4 · Paint protection film | Physical XPEL film, by West Coast Auto Lab | Years, plus impact protection | $300 zones to $5,500 full body | Rock chips and highway kms |
One rule sits under the whole ladder: protection locks in whatever's underneath it, gloss or swirl marks. If the paint's already tired, restore it first from $150 per stage, then protect it. It's always in that order.
The 5-year ceramic coating
This is the level where protection stops being a chore you repeat and turns into something the car just has. You don't reapply it; it's simply there. A graphene ceramic coat bonds to the paint for 5 years: deeper gloss, UV resistance, and wash days that take half the effort because road film stops sticking.
Ours runs $489 to $699 by vehicle size, 30% off right now, and the machine polish is included underneath, so you're not paying twice to follow the polish-first rule.
- 5 years of protection in one visit
- Machine polish included underneath
- $489 to $699 by size, 30% off now
- Road film rinses instead of bonding
- The value pick for most keepers
Paint protection film
Film is the one thing coatings can't be: physical. A coating is measured in microns and a highway pebble doesn't care, but XPEL film absorbs the hit. If your commute involves the highway, gravel shoulders, or a truck-heavy route, it's the level built for you.
Straight talk: we don't install it. Our sister company West Coast Auto Lab does, in the same Burnaby building as our detailing facility, from $300 for high-wear zones to $5,500 for a full body. Send photos through the quote form and we'll route it. The common combo, and a good one: film on the impact zones, ceramic everywhere else.
- Absorbs rock chips and impacts
- XPEL film, $300 zones to $5,500 full body
- Installed by West Coast Auto Lab
- Same Burnaby building, one drop-off
- Pairs with ceramic on the rest of the car
Which level does your car need?
Find your situation, and if you're between rows, call us. We've talked plenty of people down a rung, and it's why they come back.
| Your situation | Start here | Typical spend |
|---|---|---|
| Daily driver, just want easy shine | Hand wax with your wash | From $25 |
| New-ish car you're keeping for years | Ceramic coating | $489 to $699 |
| Highway commuter, chips showing up | PPF zones via Auto Lab | From $300 |
| Paint already dull or swirled | Polish first, then protect | From $150 per stage |
| It's the underside you're worried about | Undercoating & rust protection | $300 to $450 |
Paint protection questions, answered
Ceramic coating or PPF: which is better?
They do different jobs. Ceramic coating is chemistry: gloss, UV resistance, and easier washing for 5 years. Paint protection film is physics: a clear film that absorbs rock chips and impacts. If you run highway kilometres, film on the front end is the honest answer; for everything else, ceramic usually wins on value.
Do I need both ceramic coating and PPF?
Some cars get both: film on the impact zones, ceramic over the rest. It works well. But most daily drivers do fine with ceramic alone, and we say so rather than sell the stack.
Does West Coast Wash install paint protection film?
Our sister company West Coast Auto Lab does, in the same Burnaby building as our detailing facility. XPEL film runs $300 for high-wear zones to $5,500 for a full body, quoted from photos of your car.
What does paint protection cost in Vancouver?
By level at our shops: a Wet Wax add-on is $25, the 5-year ceramic coating runs $489 to $699 with the current 30% off, and XPEL paint protection film runs $300 to $5,500 by coverage at West Coast Auto Lab.
Should paint be polished before protecting it?
Always. A coating or film locks in whatever sits underneath it, gloss or swirl marks. Paint restoration runs from $150 per stage, and the ceramic package already includes the machine polish.
