[scottyyyc]

I can't say as I've heard too much about SymTech (I live in Canada as well - Calgary), but I know lots of people who've opted for other options paint-protection add-ons like DiamondKote, etc. Most people I've talked to seem to be reasonably satisfied with them. As far as upholstery goes, if you eat/drink a lot in your car, it can be worth it. Electronic rust protection is really only worth considering if you live in a coastal region, and even then consumer reports seems to say it's not really worth it anymore (only because the quality of paint and rust-protection out of the factory is so good these days). It does work and the basic science has been around for ages though.

The best thing you can do for paint and keeping a showroom finish is just a bit of care and wax. I've always waxed my cars/bikes and it definitely makes a huge difference in the long run. I do it a little more in my bikes because it's quicker/easier than doing a whole car, but 5 years on, my bikes still look like they belong in a showroom. Just about any 'ol wax will do - I've personally use McGuire's (just make sure your car is very clean before applying waxes. The other option is getting a body-shop to re-do the clear coat every 5 or 10 years. A friend of mine swears by this, but needless to say his 10-15 year old car looks brand new (from the outside).

But nothing's more satisfying than a nice glossy finish from an afternoon of waxing in your driveway.

 

[scottyyyc]

Only thing more satisfying than the "glossy finish from an afternoon of waxing" is the 2nd look as your tooling down the road from that cute young thing in the car next to you...

True, good sir, true...

 

[scottyyyc]

Another important thing regarding paint maintenance - claying.

Ever noticed after you wash your car, there still seems to be just a little bit of crap or spots that don't seem to come off? If you run your hand along the surface and it doesn't feel perfectly mirror-smooth, that's where clay comes in.

If you don't know what claying is, google it, there's lots of articles and videos out there. It's an incredibly effective way to remove the crap that builds up on the surface, no matter how well/often you wash & wax. After a good claying, the surface of the paint will be truly clean and smooth. It's at that point where you should start to polish/wax. Even new cars often need a clay because they've usually been sitting around on a lot for a while. Not to mention, they were transported to the dealer on public roads, and the dealer themselves just give the car a basic pressure-wash.

The first time I clayed what I thought was a 'clean' car, I was blown away at how big a difference it immediately made.