Sponsored

Paint Protection Recommendations

Mustang_Phil

New Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
3
Reaction score
2
Location
SoCal
First Name
Phi
Vehicle(s)
2020 GT350
I also decided to go with full PPF. I have the black stripes (Kona Blue paint) and after looking at what can happen to them (bird crap, ...) and how much trouble they can be if trying to remove imperfections (Obsessed Garage on youtube), I had the PPF put over the stripes - very happy I did it!
Sponsored

 
OP
OP
Jago768

Jago768

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2017
Threads
13
Messages
147
Reaction score
167
Location
Virginia
First Name
Ryan
Vehicle(s)
2020 Heritage Shelby GT350, 2021 Ford Bronco Wildtrak(on Res)
Thank you all for your responses. I think each response had it's on merit and value. I ended up going with Ceramic Pro Gold Pkg, (I think a four layer treatment) The treatment is listed on your CarFax (had to provide my VIN) and has a lifetime warranty. There is an additional warranty for the paint as well. This covers bird droppings and any regular paint issues. This does not cover rock chips or similar issues. I have to bring the vehicle in once a year for the warranty to be maintained. The charge was $1,400 and my appointment is 1/25/21. They have to let the vehicle cure in their garage for a week as well. After that it is suppose to sit for another week (at home). I really wanted to do PPF, but had concerns for the stripes. I am also having the stripes painted, as soon as I get to Vegas. Spending 3k to have the whole car wrapped only to remove it in six months, was a pill I could not swallow. I will have the entire car PPFed once stripes are painted. The car will be stored in underground parking at our highrise in Vegas. This makes waxing every week and proper detailing next to impossible. I am so jealous of some of the garages you guys keep your cars in. I'll post pics as soon as she is ready for her close ups.
 

pilotgore

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2020
Threads
47
Messages
1,552
Reaction score
2,288
Location
US
Vehicle(s)
A bunch
Thank you all for your responses. I think each response had it's on merit and value. I ended up going with Ceramic Pro Gold Pkg, (I think a four layer treatment) The treatment is listed on your CarFax (had to provide my VIN) and has a lifetime warranty. There is an additional warranty for the paint as well. This covers bird droppings and any regular paint issues. This does not cover rock chips or similar issues. I have to bring the vehicle in once a year for the warranty to be maintained. The charge was $1,400 and my appointment is 1/25/21. They have to let the vehicle cure in their garage for a week as well. After that it is suppose to sit for another week (at home). I really wanted to do PPF, but had concerns for the stripes. I am also having the stripes painted, as soon as I get to Vegas. Spending 3k to have the whole car wrapped only to remove it in six months, was a pill I could not swallow. I will have the entire car PPFed once stripes are painted. The car will be stored in underground parking at our highrise in Vegas. This makes waxing every week and proper detailing next to impossible. I am so jealous of some of the garages you guys keep your cars in. I'll post pics as soon as she is ready for her close ups.
Sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into it, which is great! Just wanted to make sure you’re aware that when they go to paint the stripes they’ll be stripping off the ceramic coating from any panel they’ll be laying down stripes. The ceramic coated panels on the sides of the car will likely be a different sheen than the newly painted panels.

Another alternative would be to PPF the entire car now. When you go to have the stripes painted, they’ll take off the PPF only from the panels to be painted, then you can have just those panels re-PPF’d for $1200’ish. This way you have max protection from day one. If you’re going to do complete PPF at some point anyhow, just know they’ll strip off the ceramic before application for max adhesion. When guys get PPF and ceramic, the ceramic always lays on top of the PPF, never underneath.

At the end of the day it’s your money, and it’s good you’re wanting to protect your investment. I just figured I’d propose another scenario that maybe you hadn’t considered yet.
 
OP
OP
Jago768

Jago768

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2017
Threads
13
Messages
147
Reaction score
167
Location
Virginia
First Name
Ryan
Vehicle(s)
2020 Heritage Shelby GT350, 2021 Ford Bronco Wildtrak(on Res)
I think my heads going to explode lol. I never thought about the painted stripes not matching the other areas. 😓
 

jpsomner

Active Member
Joined
May 28, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
43
Reaction score
43
Location
LA
Vehicle(s)
2016 GT350R base, chassis # G0089(GR015), Blk/wht
I bought my car with full Xpel PPF and higher quality vinyl replica stripes applied on top of the Xpel. The replica stripes, though, were not the original color that came with the car (black instead of white). I bought a full set of OEM replacement stripes to bring her back to original but found the quality to be lacking. Had local graphics shop replicate the OEM stripes but with higher quality vinyl and those sit on the car now (anyone want to buy a set of OEM white R stripes?).

I recommend full PPF over your painted stripes or with replica stripes over the PPF. I paid just under $300 for mine installed. The OEM stripes cost $1200.
 

Sponsored

Dr. Norts

Banned
Banned
Banned
Joined
Nov 3, 2016
Threads
27
Messages
1,241
Reaction score
993
Location
Ontario, Canada
Vehicle(s)
2015 Race Red Mustang GT
Thank you all for your responses. I think each response had it's on merit and value. I ended up going with Ceramic Pro Gold Pkg, (I think a four layer treatment) The treatment is listed on your CarFax (had to provide my VIN) and has a lifetime warranty. There is an additional warranty for the paint as well. This covers bird droppings and any regular paint issues. This does not cover rock chips or similar issues. I have to bring the vehicle in once a year for the warranty to be maintained. The charge was $1,400 and my appointment is 1/25/21. They have to let the vehicle cure in their garage for a week as well. After that it is suppose to sit for another week (at home). I really wanted to do PPF, but had concerns for the stripes. I am also having the stripes painted, as soon as I get to Vegas. Spending 3k to have the whole car wrapped only to remove it in six months, was a pill I could not swallow. I will have the entire car PPFed once stripes are painted. The car will be stored in underground parking at our highrise in Vegas. This makes waxing every week and proper detailing next to impossible. I am so jealous of some of the garages you guys keep your cars in. I'll post pics as soon as she is ready for her close ups.
That's kind of odd. My installer has a IR light bay and cquartz cures in 10 mins under the UV light.

Just don't get the car rained on for 24 hours and it's business as usual after that.
 
OP
OP
Jago768

Jago768

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2017
Threads
13
Messages
147
Reaction score
167
Location
Virginia
First Name
Ryan
Vehicle(s)
2020 Heritage Shelby GT350, 2021 Ford Bronco Wildtrak(on Res)
I've heard of a few cars sitting for a day or two.... but never a week. Out of the whole situation, the week of sitting caught me off guard. He said we could pick it up and drive it after a week, but it would take another additional week to fully cure.
 

pilotgore

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2020
Threads
47
Messages
1,552
Reaction score
2,288
Location
US
Vehicle(s)
A bunch
I've heard of a few cars sitting for a day or two.... but never a week. Out of the whole situation, the week of sitting caught me off guard. He said we could pick it up and drive it after a week, but it would take another additional week to fully cure.
If I remember correctly from the times I’ve done CQuartz on clients cars... you’re either supposed to recoat in 60 min or after 12 hours. My guess is they’re planning on one coat per working day, then a few days for full cure. Just a guess, but they might be keeping the car longer because they aren’t familiar with techniques to speed up curing or they’re keeping the car longer to let it cure in their possession in case there’s ever a warranty claim. It’s easier to get a warranty claim approved if you can show the instructions for curing were followed correctly.
 

torque124

Torque
Joined
Aug 13, 2016
Threads
66
Messages
1,500
Reaction score
775
Location
MA
Vehicle(s)
Shelby GT350R
Vehicle Showcase
1
Congrats on the car!

Skip ceramic, it’s overpriced and a waste of money to have someone else do it for you. As others have said, ceramic is incredibly thin and will do absolutely nothing to protect the paint. It’s a hydrophobic SI02 coating, that’s it. If you want the water to bead nicely, alternate between wax (or synthetic sealant preferably) and a SI02 spray like reload.
I am sorry, but after using ceramic protection on all my cars for the past 15 years (maybe more, pretty much since it came out; I used carnauba wax before, the only thing available back then in Australia), ceramic is very useful. It is like a snapshot of your paint in time, if you maintain it well.

Like you said, it will NOT prevent rock chips and rocks hitting it, but it definitely help with swirls and marks left on the car on day to day use... I can wash my car with peace of mind that no swirls will happen once I have 2 layers of Cquartz UK 3.0 on it.

Small scratches and marks, come out much easier, as they are not so deep into the clear coat layer, but mostly on the ceramic layer.
I buffed out many scratches on many of my cars with a simple orbital sander and some paint correction once it was protected...

And let's not talk about the water repellency :

Sponsored

 
 




Top