A word of warning for those with PPF?

[Lorne34]

Saw this the other day.. Thoughts?
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[Gen 6 Mach1]

I am thinking of the whole front end , but maybe now just the front bumper.

 

[lo-fi]

A lot of variables with PPF. Storage, temperature, local weather conditions, car paint history, length of time on the car, quality of the PPF itself, proper removal, etc.

I'm not a believer in full PPF and I don't see a need on any mass production car.

 

[TonyNJ]

I think PPF is great, especially if you can install yourself or get a sweet deal. It preserves your paint really well. I don't obsess over every little PPF flaw on installation, knowing that it's perfect underneath.

The Obsessed Garage guy is so into perfection he caused problems. I know he's a content provider, but this was totally unnecessary.

 

[MAGS1]

I think PPF is great, especially if you can install yourself or get a sweet deal. It preserves your paint really well. I don't obsess over every little PPF flaw on installation, knowing that it's perfect underneath.

The Obsessed Garage guy is so into perfection he caused problems. I know he's a content provider, but this was totally unnecessary.

I posted this in another thread about this same video, but I think when he did the 2 step polish on the PPF, he compromised the paint and clear. That’s too much heat, probably softened the clear coat just enough that the PPF adhesive grabbed it. Then he appeared to go pretty heavy with the steam in some areas, again too much heat that probably compromised the clear coat.

I’ve seen some detailers/vinyl guys remove 10 year old PPF without taking any clear or paint with it. This situation with the Porsche seems to be an exception not the norm. That’s why I would never polish PPF even though some say you can. Going to be a pretty penny to get that resprayed.

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

Holy hell, never seen paint peel off like that from PPF removal. On my wife's CX5 whose PPF looked like cloudy shit after 3 years, i removed it with boiling water with no issue. Methinks that car has had some secret body/paint work done in its past life.

I've had my car PPFd on only the front bumper since new, since thats where 90% of the damage happens. The front is flawless except for 1 mark that went thru the PPF. That's the problem with it imo, are you gonna re-ppf every time that happens? probably not.

on the other hand maybe by now my front end would look like the surface of the moon, like my last car did after 5 years/60k miles.

I am thinking of the whole front end , but maybe now just the front bumper.

definitely do the headlights at least. those suckers are pricey and they get cloudy from UV pretty fast.

 

[DFB5.0]

I think PPF is great, especially if you can install yourself or get a sweet deal. It preserves your paint really well. I don't obsess over every little PPF flaw on installation, knowing that it's perfect underneath.

The Obsessed Garage guy is so into perfection he caused problems. I know he's a content provider, but this was totally unnecessary.

That's the thing, it wasn't perfect underneath. Whoever owned it before him cheaped out and didn't do it properly.

Whoever installed that PPF didn't polish the paint before the install, which is just crazy for a customer to not pay for that service on such an expensive vehicle with a paint to sample colour. And the install appeared to be very well done and properly edge tucked. He polished the PPF about a year ago attempting to clean up some swirls, but they remained. With the PPF removed, the swirls were indeed in the paint. So he had to remove the PPF to fix that, paint came off, and he has effectively just signed a sizeable cheque for that to be fixed.

 

[Skye]

I did not watch the video. When I see someone on YouTube in a situation involving a six-figure car and drama, I dismiss it as clickbait. YMMV.

From the comments read, the influencer polished their PPF. The film is comprised of multiple layers of material, which use heat and UV rays to self-heal and remove scratches. While the material appreciates that heat, it's not a "more is better" situation. Once a limit is passed, the film is then compromised.

As others have pointed out, the vehicle needs to be clean before. A mild paint polish before application can aid in installation and final appearance. Later, sitting the vehicle in the Sun will dry the PPF (removing any water from underneath it), clear any bubbles and cure it. After a few days and with the material dry, a final review and removal of any remaining bubbles is common.

PPF needs to be installed by someone with experience, a tech that understands how to work with it and apply it correctly. While I've read of individuals removing it themselves, I defer to someone who works with these products on a regular basis.

PPF fails and damage does occur. What I've seen:

- Owners who left the PPF on for way to long. The current generation of material has a service life of about ten years. Afterwards, it is expected it will then be removed, with the Owner deciding to go without or re-apply

- Paint damage and film blemishes, from installers free-handing with a razor or blade. Some are capable of using said tools. I prefer using an installer with plotters and databases that offer an exact panel match

- Going fast and cheap. This often involves national chains, unbranded materials or other compromises. The end result is film with lots of bubbles, scratches and doesn't adhere to the surface well

- Not caring for the material. See bullet one. Driving through an automated car wash on a hot day: that isn't doing anyone any good, film or not. I clean my PPF three to four times a year. This involves using a specialized soap. The soap is easy to find and easy to use; it's like any other wash soap, but it decons the film. The material can be sealed with a PPF sealant; the one I use is very easy to apply and buff by hand

While attending local car shows, seeing the use of PPF to varying degrees is common. The material is well-received and appreciated. Anyone considering the film, seek out people that have it. Ask them for feedback on their experience and possibly discuss referrals.

https://gyeonusa.com/collections/best-sellers/products/q2m-bathe

https://gyeonusa.com/collections/ppf-wash-maintain/products/q2m-ppf-wash

https://gyeonusa.com/collections/ppf-wash-maintain/products/q2m-ppf-maintain-redefined

Edit,

I look at this topic and think to myself, "There are millions of vehicles with PPF installed. How many have I witnessed or read a thread of involving paint being removed as the film is pulled off, and under what conditions?"

If PPF was an inherently bad material, I feel something would have trended out.

 

[WItoTX]

I did not watch the video. When I see someone on YouTube in a situation involving a six-figure car and drama, I dismiss it as clickbait. YMMV.

Exactly my thought. "My hits will get me the money I need to fix my fuck up". I'm no ppf expert, BUT, I'd bet one can look at PPF and figure out if it's going to be a real problem removing. I suspect there's a lot more to this story then "Did I ruin my dream car".

Just my opinion.

 

[TonyNJ]

That's the thing, it wasn't perfect underneath. Whoever owned it before him cheaped out and didn't do it properly.

Whoever installed that PPF didn't polish the paint before the install, which is just crazy for a customer to not pay for that service on such an expensive vehicle with a paint to sample colour. And the install appeared to be very well done and properly edge tucked. He polished the PPF about a year ago attempting to clean up some swirls, but they remained. With the PPF removed, the swirls were indeed in the paint. So he had to remove the PPF to fix that, paint came off, and he has effectively just signed a sizeable cheque for that to be fixed.

Well, it wasn't damaged and in need of a repaint. I probably shouldn't have used the word "perfect" so loosely. He's too worried about a little swirl, instead of enjoying driving his car. To each their own.

Being "Obsessed" isn't a good way to go about things.

 

[MAGS1]

I did not watch the video. When I see someone on YouTube in a situation involving a six-figure car and drama, I dismiss it as clickbait. YMMV.

Considering there are YouTubers out there that wreck high end exotics for views, it wouldn’t surprise me if this situation falls into that category. I don’t watch many of this guy’s videos so I have no idea if this is his style or not.

But, as a detailer, he should know the possibilities of introducing that much heat by polishing PPF. Yeah, pulling the PPF before trying to polish it would’ve been pricey if he wanted to PPF back on. But, he’s got an even bigger check to write now.

We can all say the right thing would’ve been for the original installer to do at least a one step polish before applying the PPF. While this is true, shouldn’t we also be saying the right thing for this guy to do would be to test a small area first with a light polish, then when it didn’t clear up, to just pull the PPF and polish the paint? That’s what a lot of these guys preach to us, seems they don’t always practice what they preach themselves…

 

[TonyNJ]

Definitely don't take a polishing wheel or DA polisher to PPF. Hand clean and polish only.

 

[cerbomark]

Should have just left it alone. His name says it all. More time and money than brains IMO.

 

[Lorne34]

I think Matt is a "legit" you tuber who doesn't play games with creating drama. At this point with his retail outlet he doesn't really need the you tube money exclusively. If you watch any of his early videos when he was younger ... man the guy had no tact or filter.. just said what he wanted to say and turned a lot of people off.
I have purchased some of his pressure washing and detailing stuff and it's all been high quality and solved my problem. He offers a high end, medium and low solution for most of what he markets which I really appreciate.
I am not a fan boy, but I think he is sincere.
The problem with this situation is that he inherited a car with the ppf already applied over a very shitty paint prep job (or none at all). He would not have created that problem in the first place given his level of OCD and quality standards
I am not in the camp of PPF is evil and here is why.. just an interesting situation that can be learned from.
I still have a problem with the idea of PPF'ing an entire vehicle. I think doing the high impact areas makes sense. Looking back on it I probably should have done the front bumper on my Shelby, but I am 61 and drive the thing with the attitude that I am not saving it for my kids or a Barrett Jackson auction.
Thanks for all of the input so far as it has been educational.

 

[fiveoboy01]

That's the thing, it wasn't perfect underneath. Whoever owned it before him cheaped out and didn't do it properly.

Whoever installed that PPF didn't polish the paint before the install, which is just crazy for a customer to not pay for that service on such an expensive vehicle with a paint to sample colour. And the install appeared to be very well done and properly edge tucked. He polished the PPF about a year ago attempting to clean up some swirls, but they remained. With the PPF removed, the swirls were indeed in the paint. So he had to remove the PPF to fix that, paint came off, and he has effectively just signed a sizeable cheque for that to be fixed.

It is not "improper" to not polish under PPF other than a light polish as a matter of prep work.

In fact, I'd say it's pointless to correct paint to "perfect" or anywhere near it when the PPF hides the defects underneath. There is no reason to correct and remove clear from the vehicle when it's being covered up.

Swirls and other defects do not show through PPF unless they are extremely deep, to the point where they can't be removed by anything but sanding(and maybe not even then).

That said, every car I've done an install on has been new, so there's mimimal correction work if any. But I stand by the point.

I didn't watch the video. Moreman is an arrogant tool. I don't care one bit what he's got to say, about anything.

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