New to all this, where do I even start?

[betseybennetts]

Just bought my first decent car and suddenly everyone's telling me I need to protect the paint before it's too late. Problem is I don't even know the basics, like what's the difference between a coating and a film, how long does each last, does it affect resale value. Feels like everyone assumes you already know this stuff. Someone told me the basics are covered on this page so I'm planning to read through it tonight before I call any shops. But I'd also love to hear from people here, what's the one thing you wish you knew before getting into all this? Trying to avoid the rookie mistakes if I can.