Paint protection, is it worth it and ppf vs ceramic?

[Outlaw]

So in-between accidents alot of my mustang is being painted, everything except for the back end and roof of the car and passenger quarter, everything else looks great. Came out to find a chip on my fresh hood and was disappointed. I'm pretty much broke but I don't plan to sell this car, 2017 gt pp tastefully modded nothing crazy, just crossed over 64k miles. How do I protect the paint? Do I go for a full car ppf? Very pricey ouch, just a front 1/4 maybe a full front end? Or do I go for one of those online/Facebook, $995 ceramic coating specials? Or do I do a cheap 1/4 way up the hood ppf + the ceramic? Concerned a partial wrap in the hood will yellow or look obvious/the edge will get dirty and be visible. It's a black car so it shows everything.

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[Thomas]

Ceramic coating will do nothing against rock chips - its sort of like adding more clear coat, except that it wears off after a few years but does make things easier to clean, and helps prevent scratches of the actual paint surface due to its hardness. I would not invest 1000 bucks into ceramic if you care about chips. I'm guessing to PPF the whole front (fenders + hood) , all the way up the hood is around 2-2.5k. Invest the 1000 from the ceramic into that instead. You will get real rock chip protection and scratch protection, and it will last way way longer than ceramic does in the real world and requires no maintenance to achieve it (which ceramic usually does). You will want to paint correct, if you can, beforehand unless its in that good of shape. I'd suggest the mirrors, and headlights as well.

You should be able to get a solution with no visible lines for that much (except maybe around the fender logo if its a template install). Verify that is how the installer will do it. Thankfully, a black car will not show trapped dirt nearly as much as lighter car. In fact you may never notice unless you rub something white over it (which will likely drive you nuts).

 

[DrZed]

Good points above... I was debating just the hood and bumper, but looking at the car from the front there is a large roof area that is exposed to rocks. Similarly the rear wheel body line also sticks way out. I realized there is a lot of the car that is exposed to rocks coming from the front. Consider also slightly wider tires kicks up small rocks to the area just behind the doors, and I realized by the time I was done it was much better to PPF the whole car. The car is much easier to wash dirt off, easier to make look great with one spray of detail product and the new Xpel PPF has a ceramic coating built in. For me, it was the best peace of mind I've ever spent on protecting the paint.

 

[Thomas]

Good points above... I was debating just the hood and bumper, but looking at the car from the front there is a large roof area that is exposed to rocks. Similarly the rear wheel body line also sticks way out. I realized there is a lot of the car that is exposed to rocks coming from the front. Consider also slightly wider tires kicks up small rocks to the area just behind the doors, and I realized by the time I was done it was much better to PPF the whole car. The car is much easier to wash dirt off, easier to make look great with one spray of detail product and the new Xpel PPF has a ceramic coating built in. For me, it was the best peace of mind I've ever spent on protecting the paint.

I also did my whole car for the same reasons. The quarter panels and roof line are targets for rocks over time though much less than the front, but that's at least a 5-7k job.

 

[TonyNJ]

Watch a few YouTube videos and PPF it yourself. Make your own patterns. Practice on the headlights and the A pillars. They're the easiest and most forgiving.

Then move on to the front of the rear quarters, then the leading edge of the roof line, then 1/4 hood, 1/4 fenders, and lastly the bumper.

You can buy all that PPF on Amazon for well under $500. VVIVID and 3M are both fine.

 

[m3incorp]

I did PPF on the entire front, full hood, front fenders, front of rear wheels, and 4 inches of the leading edge of the top above the windshield. I ceramic-coated everything for the ease of cleaning.

 

[Outlaw]

Watch a few YouTube videos and PPF it yourself. Make your own patterns. Practice on the headlights and the A pillars. They're the easiest and most forgiving.

Then move on to the front of the rear quarters, then the leading edge of the roof line, then 1/4 hood, 1/4 fenders, and lastly the bumper.

You can buy all that PPF on Amazon for well under $500. VVIVID and 3M are both fine.

I just don't have the time or desire to do it. It would also be done on the street which I don't want to it

 

[cmxPPL219]

As a PPF installer and ceramics coatings specialist at the shop we work at, I'll chime in.
You can obviously search a lot of the pros vs cons of each and comparing both, online and on this forum, but I'll add the following PPF nuances you may not have seen yet.

• PPF is not designed to be a forever product. It is also not an invincible product, either, despite what the flashy vids and marketing push (including the big "black and yellow brand"). It is, however, intended to be sacrificial layer ontop of your clear coat, to keep it as safe as possible
• The best ppf brands and films (there are cheap ones of inferior quality) have some self-healing ability as they are PU-based, but deeper scratches will be permanent. Larger stones and debris will also permanently damage ppf, including the best brands and films.
• Any chips that would damage your clear coat will be visible on the ppf. So if looking at chips bothers you, having ppf won't solve this issue. The ppf has done it's job by acting as a shield.
• This is a factor to consider, because the only way out of looking at damaged ppf is replacing it. But if you drive a lot and get chips all over, it's obviously not economical to keep replacing ppf.
• Also, you mention in the OP that you are largely a re-painted car. Connected to the previous point, the chances of pulling paint, when removing ppf from a re-painted panel, is very high. Even the best paint jobs are not the same as a factory-applied and baked finish.
• If you want to ppf any repainted panels, consider it virtually permanent, so if you get damage on the ppf that bothers you aesthetically, just prepare for high chance of repainting again, if you remove the ppf.

Hopefully that helps provide some more context.

 

[Outlaw]

As a PPF installer and ceramics coatings specialist at the shop we work at, I'll chime in.
You can obviously search a lot of the pros vs cons of each and comparing both, online and on this forum, but I'll add the following PPF nuances you may not have seen yet.

• PPF is not designed to be a forever product. It is also not an invincible product, either, despite what the flashy vids and marketing push (including the big "black and yellow brand"). It is, however, intended to be sacrificial layer ontop of your clear coat, to keep it as safe as possible
• The best ppf brands and films (there are cheap ones of inferior quality) have some self-healing ability as they are PU-based, but deeper scratches will be permanent. Larger stones and debris will also permanently damage ppf, including the best brands and films.
• Any chips that would damage your clear coat will be visible on the ppf. So if looking at chips bothers you, having ppf won't solve this issue. The ppf has done it's job by acting as a shield.
• This is a factor to consider, because the only way out of looking at damaged ppf is replacing it. But if you drive a lot and get chips all over, it's obviously not economical to keep replacing ppf.
• Also, you mention in the OP that you are largely a re-painted car. Connected to the previous point, the chances of pulling paint, when removing ppf from a re-painted panel, is very high. Even the best paint jobs are not the same as a factory-applied and baked finish.
• If you want to ppf any repainted panels, consider it virtually permanent, so if you get damage on the ppf that bothers you aesthetically, just prepare for high chance of repainting again, if you remove the ppf.

Hopefully that helps provide some more context.

Does this apply to vinyl wrap to? If so given the hood already has a chip and it will be a daily driver again I might aswell just leave it. At most of ceramic coat it for 1k or so just to make washing it easier but even then maybe not. Might still do pdr to remove some roof and trunk dents and get the paint corrected on the panels not painted, 1 panel has terrible repaint quality but not worth having redone (would be cheaper to wrap the entire car I think). But if the risk of peeling paint is there I think leaving it is best. The car has its share of issues I need to fix/have fixed but from 5-10 feet you wouldn't notice 99% of the issues unless you knew where to look and what to look for. Although almost all of those are pre repair you can't tell a difference from afar either way

 

[cmxPPL219]

Does this apply to vinyl wrap to? If so given the hood already has a chip and it will be a daily driver again I might aswell just leave it. At most of ceramic coat it for 1k or so just to make washing it easier but even then maybe not. Might still do pdr to remove some roof and trunk dents and get the paint corrected on the panels not painted, 1 panel has terrible repaint quality but not worth having redone (would be cheaper to wrap the entire car I think). But if the risk of peeling paint is there I think leaving it is best. The car has its share of issues I need to fix/have fixed but from 5-10 feet you wouldn't notice 99% of the issues unless you knew where to look and what to look for. Although almost all of those are pre repair you can't tell a difference from afar either way

I pretty much agree with what you said. Mine is black too, and for those of us (essentially everyone on the forum) who care about our cars, it's the best and worst color. Your car looks amazing actually, from the distance those pics were taken.

Back on topic, vinyl is worse than ppf from a protection POV, because it's only meant to be an appearance product, it has no protection capabilities. Only the most minor of road debris scratches and sand would not end up marring or damaging the clear coat.
The big yellow and black brand referenced earlier actually is one of the few now in the industry that is offering color ppf - which is, for now, some select, core OEM-like gloss color film, but with the same ppf protection/hydrophobics/light self-healing abilities of regular ppf.

 

[screaminrevs]

As a PPF installer and ceramics coatings specialist at the shop we work at, I'll chime in.
You can obviously search a lot of the pros vs cons of each and comparing both, online and on this forum, but I'll add the following PPF nuances you may not have seen yet.

• PPF is not designed to be a forever product. It is also not an invincible product, either, despite what the flashy vids and marketing push (including the big "black and yellow brand"). It is, however, intended to be sacrificial layer ontop of your clear coat, to keep it as safe as possible
• The best ppf brands and films (there are cheap ones of inferior quality) have some self-healing ability as they are PU-based, but deeper scratches will be permanent. Larger stones and debris will also permanently damage ppf, including the best brands and films.
• Any chips that would damage your clear coat will be visible on the ppf. So if looking at chips bothers you, having ppf won't solve this issue. The ppf has done it's job by acting as a shield.
• This is a factor to consider, because the only way out of looking at damaged ppf is replacing it. But if you drive a lot and get chips all over, it's obviously not economical to keep replacing ppf.
• Also, you mention in the OP that you are largely a re-painted car. Connected to the previous point, the chances of pulling paint, when removing ppf from a re-painted panel, is very high. Even the best paint jobs are not the same as a factory-applied and baked finish.
• If you want to ppf any repainted panels, consider it virtually permanent, so if you get damage on the ppf that bothers you aesthetically, just prepare for high chance of repainting again, if you remove the ppf.

Hopefully that helps provide some more context.

Hey Eric, thanks for the input. I hear that PPF should not be left on the car too long. My xpel still looks good after 10 years and 20K miles with garage parking. How do I tell when it is time to remove it and avoid a nightmare?

 

[cmxPPL219]

Hey Eric, thanks for the input. I hear that PPF should not be left on the car too long. My xpel still looks good after 10 years and 20K miles with garage parking. How do I tell when it is time to remove it and avoid a nightmare?

Hey Tim, not a problem. Depends on your goals or intentions; ppf doesn't automatically need to be removed or replaced by a set date. Though not designed as a permanent protection item, if the film is still looking and performing great, not lifting at the edges, doesn't show signs of yellowing or cracking, you can actually leave it and be better off.

Like the car itself, the more mileage is on it, the more it is exposed to weather, environmental conditions / road debris, the more wear it takes on, the shorter the lifespan, and the film will definitely show it.

After 5-8yrs, on daily-driven vehicle that puts on average or above-average mileage, is sometimes garaged, sometimes not, not washed all the time, but the owner is keeping the car for the long term, and still cares about the aesthetics - we would evaluate the vehicle and likely be into ppf replacement.

However, in a case like yours, where the vehicle is fortunate enough to be a great weather/seasonal vehicle, well-cared for and garaged full-time, 10yo, but has only 20k in that decade, and you plan on keeping it forever - without having seen and evaluated condition, we would say leave it and continue to enjoy. A key degradation factor to ppf is the sun and UV / IR. If we hypothetically took a new car, installed today's ppf and kept in a showroom or climate-controlled garage for life, the ppf would look amazing for decades.

 

[mikedahammer]

Take my 2 cents for what it’s worth:

I have had 6 cars with PPF that range from a truck, a daily driver, to a track car. I don't have a garage and all my stuff sits outside. The track car is completely covered in xpel since it takes a beating at the track and gets a bath 4 times a year. I also like the peace of mind that I don't have to worry about cleaning the car if I don't want to since the PPF is extremely durable.

I pick and choose which cars get PPF and where it is applied based on that car's usage and the paint color. To me white is the worst to have wrapped if you don't stay up on cleaning or are OCD. Any seams in the PPF will be visible over time as dirt accumulates and accentuates the seam. The guy that does my PPF (shameless plug for Max at Detail Driven in Harrisonburg-you can also check out his youtube/instagram) wraps all the corners where possible but sometimes seams are necessary. Max is the best and his pricing has been much more reasonable than any other shop in my area and he customizes/extends the templates. Make sure you do your homework on the installer as not all PPF is the same. Black is the most forgiving color because it hides most imperfections in the PPF but shows the most damage due to paint chips.

On a daily driver that sees lots of tractor trailers, highway speeds, and salt in the winter/road debris -- it is a no brainer to do PPF in the front especially if it is a dark color. I have never been sorry I had PPF applied but not every car I own gets it. I also like the peace of mind that adding PPF is my way of saying I did everything possible to get the front paint protected and after that what happens happens. Also I have not had good luck with repainting and I am also of the opinion that the factory paint tends to be the best you typically get unless you spend a ton of money.

Last thing I will mention is that PPF cannot really be repaired and you will have to be comfortable with any imperfection or tear or have the entire panel removed and redone -- which then becomes more expensive than repainting which defeats the purpose.

 

[PSI]

My advice? Get a doctor colorchip kit and slather that shit on when the car gets too many chips to handle.

 

[Outlaw]

Take my 2 cents for what it’s worth:

I have had 6 cars with PPF that range from a truck, a daily driver, to a track car. I don't have a garage and all my stuff sits outside. The track car is completely covered in xpel since it takes a beating at the track and gets a bath 4 times a year. I also like the peace of mind that I don't have to worry about cleaning the car if I don't want to since the PPF is extremely durable.

I pick and choose which cars get PPF and where it is applied based on that car's usage and the paint color. To me white is the worst to have wrapped if you don't stay up on cleaning or are OCD. Any seams in the PPF will be visible over time as dirt accumulates and accentuates the seam. The guy that does my PPF (shameless plug for Max at Detail Driven in Harrisonburg-you can also check out his youtube/instagram) wraps all the corners where possible but sometimes seams are necessary. Max is the best and his pricing has been much more reasonable than any other shop in my area and he customizes/extends the templates. Make sure you do your homework on the installer as not all PPF is the same. Black is the most forgiving color because it hides most imperfections in the PPF but shows the most damage due to paint chips.

On a daily driver that sees lots of tractor trailers, highway speeds, and salt in the winter/road debris -- it is a no brainer to do PPF in the front especially if it is a dark color. I have never been sorry I had PPF applied but not every car I own gets it. I also like the peace of mind that adding PPF is my way of saying I did everything possible to get the front paint protected and after that what happens happens. Also I have not had good luck with repainting and I am also of the opinion that the factory paint tends to be the best you typically get unless you spend a ton of money.

Last thing I will mention is that PPF cannot really be repaired and you will have to be comfortable with any imperfection or tear or have the entire panel removed and redone -- which then becomes more expensive than repainting which defeats the purpose.

So if damage is still there/would require it to be redone it's effectively the same as the paint being damaged since it would also need redone. This is all very good info to have and given what it is (a daily driver that I drive HARD and in all weather and road conditions) I think I just have to accept the fact that it will get beat up and there's nothing I can do about it. The car is a money pit so the cost of ppf would be better spent on ceramic coating (for easy cleaning and the small if any protection offered but mainly for the paint correction to fix the trunk and back panels). And just drive the car and enjoy it. It gets covered in dirt and metal dust in my works parking lot which is basically a big wind tunnel of dirt from the roof, dirt from a turnpike 40 feet away and shop stuff. When it snowed it took a couple days before the snow was black from everything. So the car won't stay clean long. And I don't think ppf will do what I want. Time to put the money aside for repairs then boost

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