3M Door Edge Protection Film, 36 Inch, Protect Door Edges from Chips, Scratches, and Scuffs, No Tool Required, Yellowing and Staining Resistant, Professional Grade Solution (08582)

Why it's worth it

3M's 08582 is a clear urethane film that dealerships use on new cars before delivery. It's virtually invisible, resists yellowing and staining, and peels off cleanly — but each pack is 36 inches, so covering a car takes several of them.

Yellowing is the thing clear guards usually get wrong, and this one doesn't. Clear PVC trim can go faintly amber after a few summers of direct sun, which looks worse than no guard at all. 3M specifies this film as yellowing- and staining-resistant, and it's the same material science behind their automotive films generally. If your car lives outside and you want a clear guard you won't have to think about, this is the safest bet here.

Clean removal is the reason to buy it for a lease. The film is designed to come off without leaving adhesive behind on the clear coat. That's exactly what you want when the inspector is walking around your car at lease return — protected paint underneath, no residue, no evidence. Adhesive guards without that promise can lift clear coat or leave gum that takes solvent and patience to remove.

From our review of 8 car door edge guards, by Ben Carter, Tech Editor

What we like

• +Yellowing is the thing clear guards usually get wrong, and this one doesn't
• +Clean removal is the reason to buy it for a lease
• +It's flat film, not molding, so it disappears against the paint
• +Application is hand-only and forgiving if you prep

What to know

• –Thirty-six inches per pack is the whole problem
• –It protects paint, not sheet metal