PPF and ceramic coat pricing??

[ghostkp]

Good luck. Hope you can do it asap and when you take it in try to avoid traffic and or highways to prevent any chip damage enroute.

Definitely going to have it done before I even take delivery (probably 3 months out still), as I'm buying it 8 hours away. I was gonna drive it, but I may just have it delivered and I want it all protected before I even set foot in it. I also want Xpel Stealth, so I don't wanna get used to it being gloss lol

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[Lflouie]

This was very informative. I thought I would just forgo PPF previously, but I love the look of the car and would like to preserve it for as long as possible.
Nice to know clear cost would be cleaned and protected, now I just have to decide what to do with the platinum white paint.

is ppf supposed to go over edges? If not the dirt on edges becomes visible after a while. Considering matte ppf but have no idea on the long term maintenance that comes with it. Ideally I really only want to pay for ppf once, with little washing/cleaning as possible.

If you are looking for resistance to scratches, easy to keep clean and no seams or edges, ceramic coating maybe the better approach for you. Ceramic bonds to the paint providing a harder, slippery surface (easier to clean), and a glossier appearance. Once the paint has been corrected, and assuming no additional imperfections, the next time you want to ceramic coat it, you will not need the paint correction. Ceramic coating is generally a 3 - 5 yr life cycle for the mid range coatings, longer if always garaged. It is relatively easy to do yourself, and material costs are around $100.....can do 2 cars.

PPF is far surperior to ceramic in preventing stone chips, but it is also easy to damage it from washing bc it is a softer plastic film. It will cover minor micro surface finishes but isn't as shiny as ceramic. It challenging to remove.

Your concerns about visible seams and dirt on the edges is valid on a light colored car. In general, the darker the car the less you will notice the ppf. Metallic paints (especially darker colors) helps reduce the visibility.

I have never owned a white car with ppf, and the ones I've seen that did ranged from good to not good after 5 yrs......due to the dirt on the edges. However, well done applications (installs) that wrapped the edges looked much better.

My compromise after years of various colors, car shapes, and body design complexities is: if you want to minimize the ability to see the film do a full hood wrap (wrapped edges) and bumper, but only partially wrap the front fenders (wrap edges where possible). This limits the amount of edges on the paint surface that can trap dirt, provides protection for the most exposed surfaces, and if damaged are easiest to remove and replace.

I have taken this approach on several cars and it works well, dramatically reducing the exposed edges (8 -10" vertical edge on each fender, zero on the hood). On darker colored cars I will do a partial hood bc I've never had any paint damages past the front 18" of the hood, nor the sides of tge fenders behind wheel well.

 

[Liquid ITS 24]

Between the two, is solution 2 worth $600 more?

Need to decide ASAP but also getting ceramic window tint for $275

 

[Clark_Kent]

Between the two, is solution 2 worth $600 more?

Need to decide ASAP but also getting ceramic window tint for $275

A few notes:

• From a coverage standpoint, Option 2 is worth the extra money; however, I would add the following and/or confirm coverage of those areas. I would add the leading edge of the roof which typically comes as part of the a-pillar kit. Include the b-pillar, c-pillar, and a custom piece of film that resembles the shape of a shark fin on each rear door. The rocker panel kit typically includes additional film for the rear bumper to provide coverage for that impact area.
• From a product perspective, I suggest looking at XPEL, Suntek, or STEK for paint protection film from a reputable installer. Installer is crucial; however, so is the product
• Look deeper into the window tint as not all "ceramic" film is created equal. You should focus on TSER and IRR with the appropriate infrared range if you care about heat rejection.

 

[Gbsn721]

This is what I was giving. Their paint correction and general attention to detail are top notch.

 

[Lflouie]

Between the two, is solution 2 worth $600 more?

Need to decide ASAP but also getting ceramic window tint for $275

It appears the difference is A pillars and side skirts. I've never had my A pillars done, nor ever had any damage. The rockers are ok, and it is primarily to protect from shoe scuffs....however + $600 sounds high. I can get rockers done for $300.

I will also have film on the add-on rear wheel trim on the rear door, that's where you'll get stone chips. Guessing this will cost $150.

 

[Clark_Kent]

It appears the difference is A pillars and side skirts. I've never had my A pillars done, nor ever had any damage. The rockers are ok, and it is primarily to protect from shoe scuffs....however + $600 sounds high. I can get rockers done for $300.

I will also have film on the add-on rear wheel trim on the rear door, that's where you'll get stone chips. Guessing this will cost $150.

Applying film on the rocker panels is not to protect against shoe scuffs, it's to protect against damage caused by rocks, gravel, and foreign objects on the road. That bottom portion of the vehicle will absolutely take on damage if left unprotected.

 

[Azkyrie6]

If you are looking for resistance to scratches, easy to keep clean and no seams or edges, ceramic coating maybe the better approach for you. Ceramic bonds to the paint providing a harder, slippery surface (easier to clean), and a glossier appearance. Once the paint has been corrected, and assuming no additional imperfections, the next time you want to ceramic coat it, you will not need the paint correction. Ceramic coating is generally a 3 - 5 yr life cycle for the mid range coatings, longer if always garaged. It is relatively easy to do yourself, and material costs are around $100.....can do 2 cars.

PPF is far surperior to ceramic in preventing stone chips, but it is also easy to damage it from washing bc it is a softer plastic film. It will cover minor micro surface finishes but isn't as shiny as ceramic. It challenging to remove.

Your concerns about visible seams and dirt on the edges is valid on a light colored car. In general, the darker the car the less you will notice the ppf. Metallic paints (especially darker colors) helps reduce the visibility.

I have never owned a white car with ppf, and the ones I've seen that did ranged from good to not good after 5 yrs......due to the dirt on the edges. However, well done applications (installs) that wrapped the edges looked much better.

My compromise after years of various colors, car shapes, and body design complexities is: if you want to minimize the ability to see the film do a full hood wrap (wrapped edges) and bumper, but only partially wrap the front fenders (wrap edges where possible). This limits the amount of edges on the paint surface that can trap dirt, provides protection for the most exposed surfaces, and if damaged are easiest to remove and replace.

I have taken this approach on several cars and it works well, dramatically reducing the exposed edges (8 -10" vertical edge on each fender, zero on the hood). On darker colored cars I will do a partial hood bc I've never had any paint damages past the front 18" of the hood, nor the sides of tge fenders behind wheel well.

Thanks again for the detailed information. I’m leaning towards a matte satin PPF for the platinum white. I’m afraid the glossy clear ppf will not wear and tear quite as well on a white car and as you’ve mentioned, visible edges.

to take this route I’d have to apply ppf to the entire ITS, it would be silly otherwise. But the cost will be substantial. I have a 2006 black TL and the paint/rock chip damage is horrendous. I plan to keep the ITS til the wheels fall off but don’t want it to end up looking like a beater.

lastly, I’m looking at the STek dynoshield matte PPF. I think it has hydrophobic properties in the film. Should I still do nano ceramic coating on top? I’ve heard it helps prevent edge lifting and dirt accumulation but not sure if it’s true. Just don’t want to be wasting money if it’s not beneficial.

 

[Lflouie]

Thanks again for the detailed information. I’m leaning towards a matte satin PPF for the platinum white. I’m afraid the glossy clear ppf will not wear and tear quite as well on a white car and as you’ve mentioned, visible edges.

to take this route I’d have to apply ppf to the entire ITS, it would be silly otherwise. But the cost will be substantial. I have a 2006 black TL and the paint/rock chip damage is horrendous. I plan to keep the ITS til the wheels fall off but don’t want it to end up looking like a beater.

lastly, I’m looking at the STek dynoshield matte PPF. I think it has hydrophobic properties in the film. Should I still do nano ceramic coating on top? I’ve heard it helps prevent edge lifting and dirt accumulation but not sure if it’s true. Just don’t want to be wasting money if it’s not beneficial.

If you are going matte finish, it seems odd to put a high sheen ceramic coating on top. Suggest you discuss with installer how that will work.

I don't know if ppf would help edges, but it will put a more durable coating on the ppf, which helps reducecswiirls in ppf coating.

A question on matte film is how will it hold up long term? I've used matte on very small areas (front inlets) but not extensively on large panels.

If my goal was a "forever car", I'd do ppf full hood, partial fenders, bumper, rockers, mirrors, and rear door wheel valance to protect from impacts and chips, then ceramic coat the ppf and remainder of the car to keep paint as perfect as possible bc small scratches can be easily polished out. This is for a normal film, not matte.

 

[Lflouie]

Applying film on the rocker panels is not to protect against shoe scuffs, it's to protect against damage caused by rocks, gravel, and foreign objects on the road. That bottom portion of the vehicle will absolutely take on damage if left unprotected.

I have had good luck using mud/stone guards to minimize stone chips, bc the ppf will get damaged and abbrated by the stones making it look bad immediately behind front wheels. Usually stone chip damage on rockers is much less once past the front door, and using ceramic coating does a reasonable job protecting this area when combined with mud/stone guards.

 

[Clark_Kent]

I have had good luck using mud/stone guards to minimize stone chips, bc the ppf will get damaged and abbrated by the stones making it look bad immediately behind front wheels. Usually stone chip damage on rockers is much less once past the front door, and using ceramic coating does a reasonable job protecting this area when combined with mud/stone guards.

Mud guards definitely help, but I dislike the look on these types of vehicles. It kills the aesthetic IMHO. Also, ceramic coating will not prevent or protect the paint from rock chips. That's what paint protection film is for and even then it's fallible.

I don't mean to be pedantic and I know members of the forum are coming from a place of wanting to help the community, but there's quite a bit of misinformation in this thread. The details matter. I suggest people perform enhanced due diligence on paint protection film, window tint, and ceramic coatings. Trust, but verify, always. See this stuff in person, inquire with purpose, and don't make a rash decision. These products can be incredibly expensive and you don't want to have to do this twice because you rushed into it.

 

[Clark_Kent]

@Liquid ITS 24 I forgot to mention one item. I suggest having film on the headlights as part of the front clip. I understand this may be controversial due to the potential of delamination. That's something you'll need to decide if you're comfortable with.

 

[optronix]

I don't mean to be pedantic and I know members of the forum are coming from a place of wanting to help the community, but there's quite a bit of misinformation in this thread. The details matter. I suggest people perform enhanced due diligence on paint protection film, window tint, and ceramic coatings. Trust, but verify, always. See this stuff in person, inquire with purpose, and don't make a rash decision. These products can be incredibly expensive and you don't want to have to do this twice because you rushed into it.

I agree. There always seems to be a good amount of misinformation in every one of these ceramic/PPF threads. With such a large disparity in cost, this doesn't surprise me at all. If the detailing community can't even agree on what they want to charge people, then there's no limit to the crap that they'll pass along to their customers as truth.

A couple thoughts:

- ceramic coatings are NOT WORTH in excess of $500. Under no circumstances could I ever justify that, unless it included a comprehensive paint correction on seriously damaged paint. Absolutely not needed on a brand new car... I don't care how long someone says it should last, no one should ever pay more than $500 for the application of ceramic coating. I'm a vocal advocate of buying a quality DIY brand (I'm a fan of AMMO Reflex Pro but would also recommend GTechniq) that doesn't require "professional installation", and just treat it like an annual wax application like we used to. Don't believe any claims that ceramic coating will protect the paint in any way aside from maybe UV. I personally don't buy in to even light scratches; you most certainly can and will still scratch the hell out of your paint if you're careless even just washing it, regardless of any chemical product you have applied.

- many if not all ceramic coatings can go on top of PPF, and do not leave behind a "sheen", even on matte PPF like Xpel Stealth. I know this from experience.

- Quality PPF applied by a good installer does not look any "less shiny" or glossy than ceramic applied directly to paint. A good PPF installation is effectively invisible from more than a few feet or even inches away in many cases.

- That said, PPF with visible edges on light colors is almost impossible to keep free from dirt. Be aware of this particularly with rocker panels or anything "partial" including fenders, hood, and roof. It's not hideous if installed correctly but it will be noticeable.

- It's worth saying again- a bad PPF installation can ruin the ownership experience. Try to do due diligence on the installer but at the very least inspect it very closely upon delivery BEFORE driving off, and hold them accountable for fixing anything you have issues with.

 

[optronix]

@Liquid ITS 24 I forgot to mention one item. I suggest having film on the headlights as part of the front clip. I understand this may be controversial due to the potential of delamination. That's something you'll need to decide if you're comfortable with.

Apparently only Porsche has made it clear that they do not recommend applying PPF to headlights because of some special coating they apply at the factory? At least I recall a few times that came up on Rennlist but I haven't seen it referenced for any other marques.

In any case it always gave me anxiety having everything else protected with PPF other than the headlights, so I did the headlights on this one.

 

[Lflouie]

As stated above, you can ceramic coat your own car for roughly $100- 150 for materials. It makes it far easier to wash and keep clean.

There are some cars that "have a factory lens coating"...Porsche is one of them, Acura is not.

Ceramic coating bonds to the paint and is "hard" after it cures. This bonding provides added protection for minor scratches, and abrasions....but not to the degree of ppf. That's why ppf on forward facong surfaces is recommended for best protection.

Couldn't agree more, the skill and attention to detail of the installer is a make or break factor as well as wrapping edges.

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