han jackal, the final coating of wax/coating/etc. is what will seal and protect your paint.
regardless if you drive a proton, or a honda, or a bmw. you can protect your patin and make it last almost as well.
Some are natural waxes, some are polymers..etc.. and then some use teflon(like PPS system).
just some "very basic" ideas of what you can do....
before any protective coating is put on, its important to wash your car properly, getting rid of as much surface contamination as you possiblly can. It is from here that you decide what you want to do, if you have lots of deep scratches, you might have to send it to a professional to grind down the clear coat to smooth it out.
if your paint is quite new, usually, its just a good wash, "clay" if you have it, which gets rid of the really sticky microscopic stuff you cant see, then finish off with a polish, and then wax. a 2nd layer of wax can be put on after 1 day if you wish. As mentioned, the regular "polish" you buy of the shelf is really very very mild, and acts more like a filler, rather than a wax. if you paint is in good condition, just go straight to wax, no need to 'polish'.
From then on, its just regular washing with a car shampoo that doesn't strip wax. Most regular waxes last about 2-3 months. after that, repeat from the 1st few steps again.
If during this period, you send your car to a regular car wash, becareful, sometimes, the soap they use can strip the wax of your car.
i personally use mequiars, but as an alternative entry level product, turtle wax is good also, and they also have different levels with platinum being the most expensive(RM20-50). Permaglass is also good entry level product, and its a 'cleaner wax', which seals your paint, and gets rid of mild surface contaminants.
all you really need is,
1. was car with a proper car shampoo (good soft sponge)
2. dry with a good synthetic chammy or microfibre cloth (never use those "yellow" magic drying cloths, coz they are useless, and always leave fibres all over your car)
2. clay bar (perma glass has one thats easy to use and cheap)
3. polish (skip if your paint is in ok condition)
4. wax
-some other tips:
-never wash under sunlight.
-was your car from top down.
-always wipe the car dry after washing.(dont attempt to dry your car by going for a drive around the block)
-wash off brake dust on your rims with rim cleaner at least once a week(brake dust eats at your rim)
-try to wash off bird droppings ASAP(very damaging to paint)
There are just some basics, it can actually get more complicated than this if you have the time and patience. detailing your own car can be a very rewarding, albeit expensive hobby ;)