Opinion on PPF/Wraps

[dron_jones]

I can't believe i am about to post a thread like this as i always despise the "what should i do to my car threads" but here we are... I will try to keep it painless as possible

I have been shopping around for a PPF installer for my car. I finally found one that will do paint correction, PPF on the full front/rockers/mirrors, and then do the cquartz finest coating on the car and wheels. The price isn't cheap so i wanted to talk to a couple more shops.

Today i went into another shop and they do vinyl wraps and PPF. Now for a few bucks more, i could get the entire car wrapped in vinyl (color change), and the same PPF coverage as above, just no cquartz, or paint correction.

Now one of the reasons for even considering the vinyl is because although i love my AG, one of my irrational disappointments of the GT350 was how limited the colors and options were, taking away from the uniqueness and individuality. The vinyl wrap would offer those benefits.

So without getting into specifics on $ or colors for the wrap i was just looking for feedback before i make my decision.

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[TRAC WPN]

I can only add, that if I wash shopping for a car, I would never buy it if I wasn't able to inspect the original paint. Clear PPF would be a bonus.

 

[Muligan]

I'm not usually one for PPF - just another way to spend money to protect the car for the next owner.

But, given that my car is black and it'll probably see more miles on the track than the street, I decided to keep the wear-and-tear on the paint down somewhat by applying some PPF to strategic impact areas.

Xpel ultimate on the nose, leading portion of hood and fenders, mirror caps, fender lip behind front wheels, rear quarter impact area, door jambs, rockers, and door edges came in at $795.

 

[Helmet]

It might be cheaper just to go all Cquartz or Ceramic pro and they are probably better paint protection.

 

[Darth Cobra]

It might be cheaper just to go all Cquartz or Ceramic pro and they are probably better paint protection.

Ceramic provides protectection but rocks can chip where the PPF would protect.

I'm hoping to pick up my car today or tomorrow from Getting Ceramic Pro. Issues with my new spoiler might delay delivery. I decided to not go PPF due to cost and I hate seeing any seams. They could do the whole front end with no seams.

Also, the life of PPF the is debatable. Was told usually good for 3-5 years, could last longer with the Ceramic on top. If you had to replace PPF, you'd be doing both and paying for both. I opted on lifetime Ceramic Pro 9H.

I have seen several wrapped 350s and they were awesome. I'm all for personalization. If you plan to keep the car, I would do the wrap. Make it really yours. Resell could be difficult. Just do your research on the shop. Lots of horror stories of shop's cutting on the car into the paint. They figure you will probably never remove the wrap so you will never know.

There was a car on here that had a PPF nightmare. Poorly installed and trashed the paint. I had my roof wrapped gloss black by a shop I trusted. First time they put 6 tiny dings in the rear corners of the roof. Elbows from reaching the center and trying to wrap the antennae while on the car. Very subtle but I could see it in the gloss black reflection. Have an awesome ding guy who thankfully got them out.

Had to remove the wrap before the ding repair. Could barely see the dings with the wrap off and the yellow paint. The owner of the wrap shop felt bad and tried to go the extra mile with the re-wrap. He romoved the antennae and wrapped it perfectly. It looked like crap the first time. He said the could slightly pull down the head liner to remove it. He did not tell me they were doing this.

Also the first time they trimmed around the brake light and mis cut the film crooked. There was still a good amount of yellow showing around the light. So this time his plan was to remove the light and get the wrap full to the rear windshield. Looks 100X better...but the light was taped. They had it 75% off and the lens cracked. So they had to replace the light...no big deal. The roof was way better this time around.

Until I went in the car to clean the inside of the rear windshield from their smudges. I noticed that they creased the headliner from when they pulled it down. The back pulls down some, held by magnets supposedly...well they pulled too hard and bent it... I steamed most of the wrinkles, but there is still a line where the cardboard itself is creased. I still need to try to steam it again, but I had to get the car to the Ceramic shop.

I told the wrap owner immediately. Haven't addressed it yet. You can't see it while driving, only if you are looking back there. But I know it's there...haven't decided how I'm going to handle. I risk more damag having it replaced. Headliners are like $600...May leverage a good deal on wrapping my wife's high mileage Infiniti M35.

Good luck whatever you decide...

 

[B/Stock]

I just had the Xpel installed on my AG and finished with a coat of Cquartz. My concern was how the Xpel would look with the stripes, but you really can't see it. I did all the major impact area being that I will be going to the track.
The installer told me that AG was a great color, much better than black (as far as seeing the lines of the film were the film ends).
As a note, there was a black GT350 getting Xpel that had already been to the track once. You could really see all the little chips in the paint, especially in front of the rear wheels.
The Cquartz is fairly easy to apply, did it myself.

 

[Darth Cobra]

PS...if you go the wrap route, I'd still do Ceramic immediately. When the vinyl scratches, not much you can do and it will scratch.

 

[jvandy50]

i could never cover up AG, its my favorite color, but man this is your car so go with your gut.

I'm doing research on all these protective treatments as they're new to me. fact is, my jeep was pummeled so hard by rocks coming out of a dump truck today that a bullet proof vest might be more appropriate for mine.

my sales guy is a freak about keeping paint in good shape and we are gonna do some 3M kit on the biggest danger areas and hope for the best right now

 

[Blk2015GT]

Some REALLY big misconceptions going on with the coating hype.

1) Ceramic coating is NOWHERE near as good as vinyl/PPF. Coating the paint in a few microns of liquid is not a forcefield nor will stop even the smallest of rocks from chipping the paint. At best it may perhaps stop towel drying marks (those super fine scatches). The bad part of that is once you do get then you have to polish off the coating to fix it and somehow redo the coating.

2) Ceramic coating PPF/vinyl is a WASTE of money. Your detailer is taking you for an expensive ride. If the vinyl/PPF is going to scratch then its going to scratch. Again, a few microns of liquid is not going to do anything; not enough to stop anything more than towel marks from drying at best. Most modern PPF is self healing anyway for microscratches (and you eliminate this ability by coating it).

 

[dron_jones]

Some REALLY big misconceptions going on with the coating hype.

1) Ceramic coating is NOWHERE near as good as vinyl/PPF. Coating the paint in a few microns of liquid is not a forcefield nor will stop even the smallest of rocks from chipping the paint. At best it may perhaps stop towel drying marks (those super fine scatches). The bad part of that is once you do get then you have to polish off the coating to fix it and somehow redo the coating.

2) Ceramic coating PPF/vinyl is a WASTE of money. Your detailer is taking you for an expensive ride. If the vinyl/PPF is going to scratch then its going to scratch. Again, a few microns of liquid is not going to do anything; not enough to stop anything more than towel marks from drying at best. Most modern PPF is self healing anyway for microscratches (and you eliminate this ability by coating it).

No one (detailers) has told me that ceramic coating PPF or vinyl is going to prevent scratching or chipping. The only thing anyone has told me about either is that they will adhere to the clearcoat, vinyl, ppf and they create a slick layer which essentially work like a long lasting wax, increase gloss, create a hydrophobic layer, make it easier to clean things like sap/bird poop, dead bugs etc making general upkeep of the finish easier. If i chose to do it, it would only be for these benefits.

 

[derand]

Some REALLY big misconceptions going on with the coating hype.

1) Ceramic coating is NOWHERE near as good as vinyl/PPF. Coating the paint in a few microns of liquid is not a forcefield nor will stop even the smallest of rocks from chipping the paint. At best it may perhaps stop towel drying marks (those super fine scatches). The bad part of that is once you do get then you have to polish off the coating to fix it and somehow redo the coating.

2) Ceramic coating PPF/vinyl is a WASTE of money. Your detailer is taking you for an expensive ride. If the vinyl/PPF is going to scratch then its going to scratch. Again, a few microns of liquid is not going to do anything; not enough to stop anything more than towel marks from drying at best. Most modern PPF is self healing anyway for microscratches (and you eliminate this ability by coating it).[/QUO

Well said.

 

[Blk2015GT]

No one (detailers) has told me that ceramic coating PPF or vinyl is going to prevent scratching or chipping. The only thing anyone has told me about either is that they will adhere to the clearcoat, vinyl, ppf and they create a slick layer which essentially work like a long lasting wax, increase gloss, create a hydrophobic layer, make it easier to clean things like sap/bird poop, dead bugs etc making general upkeep of the finish easier. If i chose to do it, it would only be for these benefits.

Nah not you just some of the odd comments being made. Ceramic coating will do nothing for scratches or rocks/paint chips. PPF or vinyl wrap is the way to go.

Ceramic coating is typically about 2 microns thick (a human hair is 40 to 50 microns). Factory clearcoat is 35 to 50 microns thick. PPF is typically 8 mils thick; or 203.2 microns. HUGE difference in protections. 2 microns, 5% of the diameter of a human hair, is going to do little to nothing for your in terms of ANY type of damage; again MAYBE towel marks from drying at best.

I dont know why people believe it's some Star Trek forcefield; because their detailers (making $$$$$ off of them) told them so and they're gullible? Idk... Common sense is all it takes.


There are MANY hydrophobic products like off the shelf sealants (Menzerna Power Lock, Jetseal, Blackfire sealant) that will do the same thing. There is no such thing as "set it and forget it" protection. A sealant you shouldn't have to reapply more than every 3 or 4 months and it is literally wipe on wipe off, no effort, the whole car in about 30 total minutes. Or you can pay some clown $500-750 to coat your car in 2 microns of stuff and take your money versus a $30 bottle of sealant that will last you 2 or 3 years. Either way is ok with me honestly.

But paying for arguably snake oil (in terms of hoe much "better" it is than a sealant at a fraction of the cost) is crazy and then the car getting tons of rock chips making it look horrible anyway....makes no sense really.

Money is MUCH better invested in a quality bottle of sealant and PPF film on the nose and keep the chips away (maybe $1,000?). Or a vinyl wrap which will give nearly equal protection and color change options (in the $2 or 3k range)

I had my roof wrapped gloss black by a shop I trusted. First time they put 6 tiny dings in the rear corners of the roof. Elbows from reaching the center and trying to wrap the antennae while on the car. Very subtle but I could see it in the gloss black reflection. Have an awesome ding guy who thankfully got them out.

Anyone who wraps a car with the shark fin on is less than an amateur hack and stay away from.

 

[xXANCHORMONXx]

I think this has been mentioned.

But I almost had my car wrapped in satin White until my installer showed me the differences. The biggest one is that vinyl offers almost no protection against debris since it's so thin.

I'd stick with ppf

 

[Blk2015GT]

I think this has been mentioned.

But I almost had my car wrapped in satin White until my installer showed me the differences. The biggest one is that vinyl offers almost no protection against debris since it's so thin.

I'd stick with ppf

True. Vinyl is 2.5 or 3 mil and PPF is around 6. Rough numbers every brand is different.

Vinyl is still better than nothing by far though.

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