Post your delivery pics here!

[Integra23]

They gave you an actual number!?

Yeah not as exhilarating as the other dealers claiming la waiting list of 100

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[Azkyrie6]

The film itself is translucent; whatever happens on the surface doesn't affect the satin/matte look. This picture kind of shows what I'm talking about:

And the same rules apply; at corners/edges it's still film so is prone to dirt getting in there and lifting over time. Installer choice is very important with film, and as a general rule you get what you pay for. If someone says they'll do your whole car in Xpel Stealth/Ultimate for $4k, expect some serious defects and errors. If someone charges $12k they're probably ripping you off, but some installers are in high demand and they go the extra mile by removing doors/bumpers/etc. and might be worth it (not for an ITS IMO- I wouldn't spend for that kind of attention to detail on a sub-$100k car minimum).

That all depends on what the owner sees as value. You would spend a premium on PPF for $100k+ car because you either like the look, want to protect and keep the paint in pristine condition. At the same time, someone who spends $55k+ on an ITS might be the most they’d ever spend on a vehicle. Many of us here love the look of the ITS; so paying for quality PPF could be well worth it if you’re the type of owner that would appreciate the look of the ITS 3, 5, 10, 20 years down the road.

How an owner perceives value isn’t always measured in dollar amounts. That said, I’m leaning on no PPF, too costly no matter what car I have.

 

[Tw1stedlog1k]

That all depends on what the owner sees as value. You would spend a premium on PPF for $100k+ car because you either like the look, want to protect and keep the paint in pristine condition. At the same time, someone who spends $55k+ on an ITS might be the most they’d ever spend on a vehicle. Many of us here love the look of the ITS; so paying for quality PPF could be well worth it if you’re the type of owner that would appreciate the look of the ITS 3, 5, 10, 20 years down the road.

How an owner perceives value isn’t always measured in dollar amounts. That said, I’m leaning on no PPF, too costly no matter what car I have.

You're right, value is determined by the owner. As evidenced by the many, many cars whose sum of aftermarket parts could easily outweigh the value of the car itself.

From a purely financial standpoint, PPF is not worth the dollar amount it commands.

That being said, I'm not against PPF but I'm not FOR it on the ITS.

 

[meki22]

That all depends on what the owner sees as value. You would spend a premium on PPF for $100k+ car because you either like the look, want to protect and keep the paint in pristine condition. At the same time, someone who spends $55k+ on an ITS might be the most they’d ever spend on a vehicle. Many of us here love the look of the ITS; so paying for quality PPF could be well worth it if you’re the type of owner that would appreciate the look of the ITS 3, 5, 10, 20 years down the road.

How an owner perceives value isn’t always measured in dollar amounts. That said, I’m leaning on no PPF, too costly no matter what car I have.

Ive been shopping around in my area in preparation for when I take delivery. I’m leaning more towards ceramic coating only. Might consider PPF with just the bumper but the quotes I’ve been getting are for the entire front end of the car.

 

[Tw1stedlog1k]

Ive been shopping around in my area in preparation for when I take delivery. I’m leaning more towards ceramic coating only. Might consider PPF with just the bumper but the quotes I’ve been getting are for the entire front end of the car.

Keep in mind ceramic coat's job is not to protect the paint (that's what PPF is for), despite how they market it. It's really just boils down to making it easier to clean the car and to keep it clean, longer.

 

[meki22]

Keep in mind ceramic coat's job is not to protect the paint (that's what PPF is for), despite how they market it. It's really just boils down to making it easier to clean the car and to keep it clean, longer.

yup! I just want to preserve the paint as best as possible.

 

[Azkyrie6]

Ive been shopping around in my area in preparation for when I take delivery. I’m leaning more towards ceramic coating only. Might consider PPF with just the bumper but the quotes I’ve been getting are for the entire front end of the car.

Would you be okay with just half car PPF? Wouldn’t the color complexion be much different if not applied on the entire car? Secondly, assuming you keep the car long term, would you then need to apply PPF a second time? The costs really adds up significantly

 

[meki22]

Would you be okay with just half car PPF? Wouldn’t the color complexion be much different if not applied on the entire car? Secondly, assuming you keep the car long term, would you then need to apply PPF a second time? The costs really adds up significantly

honestly my biggest concern really is for chips on the front bumper. In all the cars I’ve driven in the last 20 years I’ve never really had any issues with the hood or even side mirrors. I personally hate the idea of having a film on top of the paint so I’m not too interested in PPF except for possibly just the bumper.

 

[Azkyrie6]

honestly my biggest concern really is for chips on the front bumper. In all the cars I’ve driven in the last 20 years I’ve never really had any issues with the hood or even side mirrors. I personally hate the idea of having a film on top of the paint so I’m not too interested in PPF except for possibly just the bumper.

What I’m referring to is this:

Right below the hood , there is a section that has PPF. Neither the hood nor the bumper has PPF. When I saw it in person the color difference really stood out. Perhaps with white, it’s hard to get away with just partial PPF on the car

 

[Tw1stedlog1k]

One part I'm actually considering PPF for is the windshield and headlights. I'm a stickler for having a clean, clear windshield and good headlights. My pet peeves with cars is not being able to see and not be able to see at night. However, I really don't trust PPF to be 100% "optically clear" and without distortion. Plus the eventual hazing and nightmare to remove aged film. I'll likely buy precut headlight film and install it myself. Hoping the windshield isn't made out of eggshells.

I really don't know how we all tolerated halogen headlights for so long. Modern headlights are amazing.

 

[meki22]

What I’m referring to is this:

Right below the hood , there is a section that has PPF. Neither the hood nor the bumper has PPF. When I saw it in person the color difference really stood out. Perhaps with white, it’s hard to get away with just partial PPF on the car

ooh yea I don’t like that at all. But you might be right, maybe it’s more apparent with white. Mine will be LCM so I guess I’ll wait to see.

 

[Tw1stedlog1k]

What I’m referring to is this:

Right below the hood , there is a section that has PPF. Neither the hood nor the bumper has PPF. When I saw it in person the color difference really stood out. Perhaps with white, it’s hard to get away with just partial PPF on the car

Wow that brings so much attention to the fitment issue between the fender and bumper. Also wondering which brand they're using for that film. Some aren't as"optically clear" as others. Not to say white isn't a problem color when it comes to PPF.

 

[Azkyrie6]

Wow that brings so much attention to the fitment issue between the fender and bumper. Also wondering which brand they're using for that film. Some aren't as"optically clear" as others. Not to say white isn't a problem color when it comes to PPF.

Yes this is the demo car in the showroom loaded with $10k worth of accessories. Looked wonderful in person, yet upon closer inspection I noticed a few fender to bumper fitment issues and gaps. I also didn’t understand why they only applied partial PPF which made the white color complexion very apparent across the different panels and bumpers.

Just something to consider for those getting a brighter colored ITS and plan to do partial PPF

 

[optronix]

That all depends on what the owner sees as value. You would spend a premium on PPF for $100k+ car because you either like the look, want to protect and keep the paint in pristine condition. At the same time, someone who spends $55k+ on an ITS might be the most they’d ever spend on a vehicle. Many of us here love the look of the ITS; so paying for quality PPF could be well worth it if you’re the type of owner that would appreciate the look of the ITS 3, 5, 10, 20 years down the road.

How an owner perceives value isn’t always measured in dollar amounts. That said, I’m leaning on no PPF, too costly no matter what car I have.

Maybe you haven't actually received a quote for PPF. It averages around $3k for just the front, $6k for the whole car. You can get it cheaper but you have to be careful, because a bad PPF job can ruin the ownership experience just as bad as rock chips, I would argue worse. In any case, it's a huge expenditure for not much net benefit. Spending more than 10% of a new car's worth to cover it in clear plastic is a tough pill to swallow, but as you say it may be worth it to some people.

Xpel Stealth is a little different, because it does actually change the look of the car, so it changes the algorithm on "cost vs worth" a little. But still outrageously expensive.

Keep in mind ceramic coat's job is not to protect the paint (that's what PPF is for), despite how they market it. It's really just boils down to making it easier to clean the car and to keep it clean, longer.

I'd argue that ceramic does absolutely protect the paint's finish from UV, wear, and to some degree scratches- but no, it's not gonna fend off road debris being blasted at the car from a brodozer on the highway.

After owning many cars with PPF, I'll caution against expecting it to hold up against most rocks. They WILL punch through the film, and it will be actually MORE expensive to fix the film than touch up a rock chip. God forbid someone dings your door in a parking lot. A $150 paintless dent removal from a guy in a truck just turned into a ~$700 reapplication of the door film.

It's not really easier to clean either. That's BS. It won't save you any time, you still have to physically touch your wash mitt to the car's surface, it just "glides" a little smoother? Keep it clean longer I can agree with. I put Ammo Reflex Pro on my son's Si a year ago almost to the day, and he has not washed once since then. It is obviously dirty, but it still shines and beads water remarkably well. Pretty crazy actually, as Larry from Ammo says you should reapply it every 6 months... I'm guessing it lasts longer if you don't wash it lol.

But for those of us who obsess over having a clean car, you'll still be out there washing it every week just like I do. It still gets dirty, just maybe not AS dirty...

One part I'm actually considering PPF for is the windshield and headlights. I'm a stickler for having a clean, clear windshield and good headlights. My pet peeves with cars is not being able to see and not be able to see at night. However, I really don't trust PPF to be 100% "optically clear" and without distortion. Plus the eventual hazing and nightmare to remove aged film. I'll likely buy precut headlight film and install it myself. Hoping the windshield isn't made out of eggshells.

I really don't know how we all tolerated halogen headlights for so long. Modern headlights are amazing.

I'm not sure if this is the case for all cars, but Porsche does not recommend PPF on the headlights. I can't recall the exact reason, something to do with some sort of coating on modern headlights, and people argue with each other on the forums about this continuously. My PPF installer doubled down and straight up told me not to do it. You might want to look into this...

Also jury is still out about the windshield. Some people swear by it, others hate it. I'd have to think that wipers sliding across PPF over time would absolutely scratch it to a point where it is visually noticeable... but to each their own. I think very few people actually get this done, another thing to look deeper into with an experienced installer before you pull the trigger...

Yes this is the demo car in the showroom loaded with $10k worth of accessories. Looked wonderful in person, yet upon closer inspection I noticed a few fender to bumper fitment issues and gaps. I also didn’t understand why they only applied partial PPF which made the white color complexion very apparent across the different panels and bumpers.

Just something to consider for those getting a brighter colored ITS and plan to do partial PPF

The pictures you're showing is not what I'd consider typical for PPF. You're right that it does at least appear in the photos that it is visually different... but you're also getting up to within inches of the car. No one does this. You WILL find flaws in almost any car if you do this, and it will drive you insane.

Especially on light colored cars, white being of course the worst offender.

The whole idea of PPF is that it is invisible at around 5 feet. A quality PPF job will be just that. I'm not sure what the dealer did to that car in the photos, but if you go to a reputable installer that uses quality film you won't be able to see it unless you get right up on it, and it will last a long time. But it is also a huge amount of money to spend on clear sticky plastic, and as things sit right now I'll probably skip it on the ITS... but all that gloss black does concern me so I guess it'll be a game time decision.

 

[ChromaPop]

Thanks for the good words folks. Can't wait to get some proper pics in good light. I was bummed that I couldn't get the Orchid interior with the pre-order, but the color more than makes up for it.

I definitely don't hate this view.

Surprised that the motorcycle is a Suzuki and not a Honda!

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