PPF

[1hotboss]

Hi I recently purchased a Mach 1 premium in shadow black. I wanted to apply PPF on the car. The installer of the PPF stated that if PPF is applied over the hood decal it will give it a glossy appearance rather the matte appearance currently. He suggested to remove the decal and apply the PPF and then apply a new decal over the PPF. Any one have any thoughts or experience in said issue. Thanks

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[Skye]

I have PPF, but not over or under any of the decals. None of my decals are protected.

The business which did my PPF work is an Xpel franchisee; this affords them access to 3M's database of automotive templates.

Using a plotter, the tech simply printed out what was needed. Nothing was free-handed.

My overall objective is to protect the paint. While not as robust as PPF, the decal is what I consider to be a sacrificial layer. I simply left the decals as-is.

For best apperance, IF I'd wanted to cover the decals, my installer suggested matte, ghost PPF on the hood and gloss on the sides. PPF would first be installed, as expected, up to but not including the decals. PPF would then be free-handed, over the decals. This would prevent any unwanted transitions, which could risk separation.

Another option is to do as you describe, but this can be expensive, maybe as much or more than the matte option. PPF, plus new decals versus PPF, both matte (decal) and gloss (hood).

A third possibility would be to cover decals and panels all at once. This could work just fine, but you could end up with some separation, as it transitions across the decal.

Finally, probably the best bang-for-the-buck in protecting the decal areas: ceramic coat the decals. No PPF. While not as robust, your decals would receive some additional shielding, with the main objective being protection from the weather elements.

If you're talking to installers, ask to see some of their finished work.

Several options to ponder. Others will provide their experiences to help in making a decision.

P.S. The following photo is of the rocker area, to give you an idea what the edge looks like. Don't be put off by the edge; you have to get really close to notice it. On the hood and much of the car, I can't even tell PPF is there. The majority of the templates provide just a little bit more, so as to wrap around edges, at the transition points from one body panel to another.

 

[MiamiGT350]

I have Xpel as well, which was installed using the pre-cut sizes. Definitely try to go with an installer that can use pre-cut so that you don't have to worry about them cutting along the edges of the car with razor blades. Also, the self-healing of XPel and other premium brands is something you'll want.

The GT350 stripes are not as matte as the Mach's, so on my car it's PPF'd over the stripe. The raised edge of the PPF over the stripe isn't noticeable to where it will bother you, so I think it's just a matter of you deciding if you want your stripe to be less-matte.

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