Interior Care
303 Automotive Protectant vs Chemical Guys VRP
Two protectants sold for the same three materials, with the same unrated UV claim. The difference you can see in a minute is the finish, and it decides where each one belongs.
By Sawyer V. · Last verified 2026-09-10
We have not tested any of this. Everything below is compiled from published manufacturer specifications, and the arithmetic is printed so you can check it. This page carries affiliate links: if you buy through one we earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and it does not change the order of the picks. Full disclosure.
| # | Pick | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 303 Automotive Protectant 303 | A dry, non-greasy finish with a UV claim | 4.3/10 | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 | Chemical Guys VRP Vinyl, Rubber, Plastic Protectant Chemical Guys | Deep black on trim, inside and out | 7.3/10 | Check price on Amazon |
No live price is currently verified, so every button here reads Check price rather than a number we cannot stand behind. Why we do it that way.
Side by side
| 303 Automotive Protectant | Chemical Guys VRP | |
|---|---|---|
| Stated surfaces | Vinyl, rubber, plastic | Vinyl, rubber, plastic |
| Stated protection | UV damage, fading, cracking | Harmful UV solar rays |
| Finish | Non-greasy | Deep black look, enhanced shine |
| UV rating | Not published | Not published |
| Durability | Not published | Not published |
| Sizes | Not published | 16 oz / 32 oz / 1 gallon |
| Price | Not published | $11.99 for 16 oz; $56.99 a gallon |
The finish is the whole decision
303 describe a non-greasy finish. Chemical Guys describe VRP as restoring a deep black look and enhancing shine. On faded exterior trim that shine is the point: gray plastic goes dark again. On a dashboard it is the thing to avoid, because gloss reflects into the windshield at low sun and a slick film holds dust.
That is the same trade-off as 303 versus Armor All, and the conclusion is the same: choose the finish deliberately, and use the dry one inside.
The numbers neither publishes
Neither maker publishes a UV rating, a test standard or a durability figure, so the two UV claims cannot be compared. 303’s product page does not list a size or a price either, which is why the 303 card here shows no price.
Chemical Guys publish sizes from 16 oz to a gallon, which makes VRP easy to cost: 75 cents an ounce in the 16 oz bottle and about 45 cents by the gallon.
A case for owning both
Both name the same three materials, so the choice is about where the surface is rather than what it is made of. VRP’s deep black suits faded exterior trim; 303’s non-greasy finish suits a dashboard and door panels. Plenty of people keep one bottle of each.
Who should buy which
- A matte, factory-looking dashboard: 303.
- Faded black exterior trim: VRP, for the deep black finish Chemical Guys describe.
- You want to know the price before you click: VRP publishes it; 303's page does not.
- You want a UV rating to compare: neither publishes one.
- Trim so faded a dressing will not bring it back: a trim restorer, compared in the trim restorer roundup.
Every pick, with the working
Each entry lists the specifications the maker publishes, the axis scores those specifications produce, and what you give up. Rows that read “Not published” are not omissions on our side: they are figures the maker will not commit to in writing, and they cost the product points on the transparency axis.
Our pickA dry, non-greasy finish with a UV claim
303 Automotive Protectant
303
303 publishes a UV protection claim for vinyl, rubber and plastic and describes a non-greasy finish, which is the pair of properties that separates a modern protectant from an old-fashioned dressing. What it does not publish is a UV rating, a durability figure or a price.
- Stated surfaces
- Vinyl, rubber and plastic
- Stated protection
- UV damage, fading and cracking
- Finish
- Non-greasy
- UV rating
- Not published
- Claimed durability
- Not published
- Size
- Not published
- List price
- Not published
What it does well
- Non-greasy finish stated on the manufacturer page, which is the practical difference from a silicone gloss dressing
- UV protection claimed specifically against fading and cracking rather than as a generic benefit
- Sold for automotive, marine and RV use, so the same bottle covers more than the car
Who it is not for
- No UV rating or SPF-equivalent figure published
- No durability figure published
- No size or list price published on the manufacturer page
How this score was calculated
- Protection claimdropped
- 303 publishes no durability figure for this product, so the axis is dropped rather than guessed at.
- Capabilitydropped
- No single published number decides capability in this category, so the axis is dropped rather than invented.
- Cost per ouncedropped
- Either the list price or the container size is unpublished, so the division cannot be done and the axis is dropped.
- Price against the ceilingdropped
- The maker publishes no list price, so there is nothing to score here and the axis is dropped.
- Written commitmentdropped
- 303 publishes no warranty term on this product's own page, so the axis is dropped. On a tool that is worth noticing, and it costs the product points on transparency instead.
- Spec transparency4.3/10, weight 18%
- 3 of the 7 specifications we went looking for are published by 303. Every blank row below is something the maker will not put in writing, and it costs the product points here.
Specifications from Gold Eagle's 303 Automotive Protectant page, compiled September 8, 2026.
2Deep black on trim, inside and out
Chemical Guys VRP Vinyl, Rubber, Plastic Protectant
Chemical Guys
$11.99 for 16oz in two scents, restoring a deep black look on vinyl, rubber and plastic with stated UV protection. It works inside and out, which is why most people who own it use it on the dashboard and the tires from the same bottle.
- Sizes
- 16 oz / 32 oz / 1 gallon
- Stated surfaces
- Vinyl, rubber, plastic
- UV protection
- Stated; no rating published
- Finish
- Deep black, enhanced shine
- Claimed durability
- Not published
- Coverage
- Not published
What it does well
- One product for interior plastics, exterior trim and tires
- UV protection stated
- 16oz, 32oz and gallon sizes
Who it is not for
- No UV rating or SPF-equivalent figure published
- No durability figure published
- A deep-black finish is a shinier dashboard than a factory matte
How this score was calculated
- Protection claimdropped
- Chemical Guys publishes no durability figure for this product, so the axis is dropped rather than guessed at.
- Capabilitydropped
- No single published number decides capability in this category, so the axis is dropped rather than invented.
- Cost per ounce9.1/10, weight 16%
- $11.99 for 16 oz works out at $0.75 an ounce, scored against a band of $0.60 (good) to $2.20 (expensive) for a dashboard protectant.
- Price against the ceiling6.0/10, weight 14%
- A listed $11.99 against the $30 one upgrade in this category realistically tops out at. A list price captured on the compile date, not a live price and not what you will pay.
- Written commitmentdropped
- Chemical Guys publishes no warranty term on this product's own page, so the axis is dropped. On a tool that is worth noticing, and it costs the product points on transparency instead.
- Spec transparency6.7/10, weight 18%
- 4 of the 6 specifications we went looking for are published by Chemical Guys. Every blank row below is something the maker will not put in writing, and it costs the product points here.
List price $11.99 per Chemical Guys' own store, 16oz, captured on the compile date below. Not a live price and not what you will pay — the button is where the real number is.
Specifications from Chemical Guys' VRP product page, compiled September 8, 2026.
No live price is currently verified, so every button here reads Check price rather than a number we cannot stand behind. Why we do it that way.
Questions people actually ask
+Is VRP a tire shine?
+Which is better on a dashboard?
+Does either stop plastic from cracking?
+Which lasts longer?
Where these figures came from
- Gold Eagle, 303 Automotive Protectant product page — retrieved 2026-09-08
- Chemical Guys VRP product page — retrieved 2026-09-10
Every figure on this page is a published manufacturer or authorized-retailer claim, not a measurement we made. How we research explains exactly what we did and did not do.