PPF, Ceramic Coating - which did you go for?
Discussion
I’m lucky enough to be getting a new 911 GTS next month and have been looking at the various paint protection methods on offer. I was wondering what other owners had gone for - Ceramic coating, PPF, a combination of both? With PPF, should the who.e car be covered, just the front or the front bumper? Which film and coating is best? Can you Ceramic coat film?
What’s the best option?
What’s the best option?
Nick981 said:
I’m lucky enough to be getting a new 911 GTS next month and have been looking at the various paint protection methods on offer. I was wondering what other owners had gone for - Ceramic coating, PPF, a combination of both? With PPF, should the who.e car be covered, just the front or the front bumper? Which film and coating is best? Can you Ceramic coat film?
What’s the best option?
PPF is a thick film it protects the car from stone chips but looks iffy and you can see the edges you only want it where you think you are going to get big hits.What’s the best option?
Ceramic coating is just that, a coating it offers zero protection from stone hits, it smooths the paint with a coating helps protect the car from washing swirls and makes the easier to clean. If you need paint , garages don't like it that much.
Coating on top of PPF, well for me that's pointless money down the toilet but people do it.
full PPF again pointless money down the toilet it's about £5k and is rare to get big hits all over the car and you have 10 times the edges to see !
if you want the car to look the best then wax it for £40
if you want to protect the car from bigger stone hits then PPF it (I would only do front bumper, maybe bonnet and just behind the rear wheels, also depending on the car the sills) you want it in a little places as possible imo.
there is no best option as every one does what they thing is best for them.
I own 4 cars atm none have PPF or ceramic coatings they look great :-) waxed , some go for £5k PPF and then even coat that, some go for a full ceramic coat, some go for front end PPF the rest ceramic coat. (sounds the most sensible) if you want the car to be easy to clean and keep the front bumper stone hit free for the next owner.
a stone hit on PPF looks a mess you get a hit it breaks the film, dirt and s
t gets in and on a light coloured car you end up with a black dirt hole !so do you live with that or pay £600 for a re film on that area for every hit ?
on a painted car you buy a £8 touch up stick and dab some paint on it , that's what people have always done it looks better than the PPF hit black mark :-)
but come resale you can peal the PPF off and give the next owner a stone chip free car, lucky them :-)
Enjoy the GTS it's the pick of the bunch imo a great car.
PPF, Ceramic coats well that's a choice only you can make.
Edited by Porsche911R on Tuesday 13th February 09:53
I've got the Ceramic coating, it does mean that cleaning the car is a doddle. Dirt just sort of falls off when I wash it. I haven't actually scrubbed it with a sponge / cloth / mitt. Just soapy water and a jet wash.
Think of it as a way to help keep the car clean, its not going to stop stone chips.
The cost of a front end respray after a few years of stone chips is not that much different to the cost of PPF. I suppose it depends when and when you drive it. If your using it daily and stuck nose to tail in traffic at high speed, then your probably more likely to pick up stone chips. Whereas I use mine for pure driving pleasure on empty, sunny Sundays, so I'm much less likely to be stuck behind someone throwing up stones. I can then just get a front end respray every 4 or 5 years.
Think of it as a way to help keep the car clean, its not going to stop stone chips.
The cost of a front end respray after a few years of stone chips is not that much different to the cost of PPF. I suppose it depends when and when you drive it. If your using it daily and stuck nose to tail in traffic at high speed, then your probably more likely to pick up stone chips. Whereas I use mine for pure driving pleasure on empty, sunny Sundays, so I'm much less likely to be stuck behind someone throwing up stones. I can then just get a front end respray every 4 or 5 years.
I had PPF on the bonnet and front wings - I do fully intend to do the odd track day - and then had Gyeon ceramic coating. The consensus was to coat the lot, which is easy to do and then gives the same, overall easy-maintenance benefits.
There's really no hard or fast, right or wrong answers though.
There's really no hard or fast, right or wrong answers though.
My Macan GTS has front end PPF (bonnet and bumper) and GTechniq Crystal Serum Black ceramic coating to the rest of the car and the wheels with Hydrophobic EXO applied on top for beading.
My incoming GT3 Touring is having Front end PPF (bonnet, bumper, wings, A pillars and roof edge, wing mirrors) plus side sills into the rear arches (replacing the factory film on the rear quarters). The rest of the car is having GTechniq Crystal Serum Ultra including the wheels and callipers and EXO on top.
Benefits for me are a reduced risk of paint damage from stone chips and a much easier wash process for the car including the wheels
You pays your money and makes your choice, but for me it’s worth the cost for the protection it gives.
My incoming GT3 Touring is having Front end PPF (bonnet, bumper, wings, A pillars and roof edge, wing mirrors) plus side sills into the rear arches (replacing the factory film on the rear quarters). The rest of the car is having GTechniq Crystal Serum Ultra including the wheels and callipers and EXO on top.
Benefits for me are a reduced risk of paint damage from stone chips and a much easier wash process for the car including the wheels
You pays your money and makes your choice, but for me it’s worth the cost for the protection it gives.
I've got Self-Healing PPF and Ceramic Coating applied on top by Max Protect.
My car had some damage to the old film so I upgraded to the self healing type - just leave it in the sun and small scratches disappear!
For what its worth, I'd get the whole car covered, the film goes around the panel and behind the lights so that there are no edges.
My car had some damage to the old film so I upgraded to the self healing type - just leave it in the sun and small scratches disappear!
For what its worth, I'd get the whole car covered, the film goes around the panel and behind the lights so that there are no edges.
Juno said:
I ceramic coated mine myself, took 3 days at a slow pace with prep but it defo looks good and any dirt just falls off. I spent about £60 on products inc the C Quartz Ceramic Kit! 
It also shines alot more even though its white!
Nice stickers!It also shines alot more even though its white!
Mine before the stickers went on:
https://www.facebook.com/Staffordshirecarcare/vide...
Nick981 said:
I’m lucky enough to be getting a new 911 GTS next month and have been looking at the various paint protection methods on offer. I was wondering what other owners had gone for - Ceramic coating, PPF, a combination of both? With PPF, should the who.e car be covered, just the front or the front bumper? Which film and coating is best? Can you Ceramic coat film?
What’s the best option?
Great choice on the 911, I'm guessing you mean the latest 991.2 GTS..? I sold mine recently, one of the best 911s I've ever owned...What’s the best option?
I've never spent any money on plastic films, seems to me to be a great way to waste £5k, just to protect the car for the next owner...unless I'm missing something, I'm truly baffled. Same goes for ceramic coatings.
Here's my suggestion. Get a quote for the PPF film, then spend that exact same amount on a European road trip, Stay at the Four Seasons in Paris then Milan - I guarantee that will be way more memorable than covering your nice new car in a plastic film...
I have it on three cars ( 2 RS and a Panamera Sport Turismo)..PPF on whole from clip (plus a strip just above the windshield), plus the RS arches. Ceramic on top.
Oldest car is 10 yrs old and is perfect though ceramic was a later addition. Maintenance is a doddle. Have had the odd bit replaced due to scuffs but base paint is untouched.
Oldest car is 10 yrs old and is perfect though ceramic was a later addition. Maintenance is a doddle. Have had the odd bit replaced due to scuffs but base paint is untouched.
Porsche911R said:
PPF is a thick film it protects the car from stone chips but looks iffy and you can see the edges you only want it where you think you are going to get big hits.
full PPF again pointless money down the toilet it's about £5k and is rare to get big hits all over the car and you have 10 times the edges to see !
Absolute rubbish. Your comments (above and the ones about PPF I didn't quote) are clearly based on years old rumours and not from personal experience or you would know better than to spout such cack.full PPF again pointless money down the toilet it's about £5k and is rare to get big hits all over the car and you have 10 times the edges to see !
I have full coverage on my 458 Speciale, 458 Spider, F12, GT3RS 997.2, Boxster S 981 and Lotus Exige 350 Sport you can't tell any of them have it on without feeling the edges of the panels with your finger and in most cases it's fitted (wrapped) round the edges.
Sonoco and XPEL2 films are superb. I've been all over Europe in the Boxster S once, once in the F12, round Europe 4 times in the 458 Spider (19000 miles from new) and round Europe and multiple track days in the Exige 350. I use the Boxster as my winter DD and have done for 6 winters now. All of the cars are like new.
Waxes etc can't come close (I know as I wax my vintage, classic and a couple of moderns I have that I got before I found out about PPF) and don't offer anything like the protection PPF does. I have zero stone chips, zero swirl marks on the cars I mention above. I wouldn't buy a new car without having it done.
I use Paintshield. They've never let me down OP. Contrary to what 911R here says everyone I know that gets PPF gets it not to preserve the car 'for the next owner' but to give them the peace of mind to use their car, drive it hard, as they want, without having to worry about damage.
If you want evidence of what happens to a well waxed RS6 doing the North Coast 500 compared to my 458 Spider when we went last August I'll post a pair of pictures tomorrow as I'm storing my mate's RS6 at the moment before it goes for a full front end respray. The Spider? Sat on a lift in my garage looking like it just left the showroom.
Oh, and what have I been doing all day today? Machine polishing swirls out of my Lotus Esprit V8. I've never had a single swirl on any of the cars that have full PPF. There's 12 hours I'll never get back and the bloody thing still needs waxing.
OP, dunno where you are but if you're anywhere near North Yorkshire drop me a PM, you're welcome to come and see for yourself.
Edited by _Leg_ on Wednesday 14th February 01:06
_Leg_ said:
Absolute rubbish. Your comments (above and the ones about PPF I didn't quote) are clearly based on years old rumours and not from personal experience or you would know better than to spout such cack.
I have full coverage on my 458 Speciale, 458 Spider, F12, GT3RS 997.2, Boxster S 981 and Lotus Exige 350 Sport you can't tell any of them have it on without feeling the edges of the panels with your finger and in most cases it's fitted (wrapped) round the edges.
Sonoco and XPEL2 films are superb. I've been all over Europe in the Boxster S once, once in the F12, round Europe 4 times in the 458 Spider (19000 miles from new) and round Europe and multiple track days in the Exige 350. I use the Boxster as my winter DD and have done for 6 winters now. All of the cars are like new.
Waxes etc can't come close (I know as I wax my vintage, classic and a couple of moderns I have that I got before I found out about PPF) and don't offer anything like the protection PPF does. I have zero stone chips, zero swirl marks on the cars I mention above. I wouldn't buy a new car without having it done.
I use Paintshield. They've never let me down OP. Contrary to what 911R here says everyone I know that gets PPF gets it not to preserve the car 'for the next owner' but to give them the peace of mind to use their car, drive it hard, as they want, without having to worry about damage.
If you want evidence of what happens to a well waxed RS6 doing the North Coast 500 compared to my 458 Spider when we went last August I'll post a pair of pictures tomorrow as I'm storing my mate's RS6 at the moment before it goes for a full front end respray. The Spider? Sat on a lift in my garage looking like it just left the showroom.
Oh, and what have I been doing all day today? Machine polishing swirls out of my Lotus Esprit V8. I've never had a single swirl on any of the cars that have full PPF. There's 12 hours I'll never get back and the bloody thing still needs waxing.
OP, dunno where you are but if you're anywhere near North Yorkshire drop me a PM, you're welcome to come and see for yourself.
Fantastic post and your car collection sounds amazing I have full coverage on my 458 Speciale, 458 Spider, F12, GT3RS 997.2, Boxster S 981 and Lotus Exige 350 Sport you can't tell any of them have it on without feeling the edges of the panels with your finger and in most cases it's fitted (wrapped) round the edges.
Sonoco and XPEL2 films are superb. I've been all over Europe in the Boxster S once, once in the F12, round Europe 4 times in the 458 Spider (19000 miles from new) and round Europe and multiple track days in the Exige 350. I use the Boxster as my winter DD and have done for 6 winters now. All of the cars are like new.
Waxes etc can't come close (I know as I wax my vintage, classic and a couple of moderns I have that I got before I found out about PPF) and don't offer anything like the protection PPF does. I have zero stone chips, zero swirl marks on the cars I mention above. I wouldn't buy a new car without having it done.
I use Paintshield. They've never let me down OP. Contrary to what 911R here says everyone I know that gets PPF gets it not to preserve the car 'for the next owner' but to give them the peace of mind to use their car, drive it hard, as they want, without having to worry about damage.
If you want evidence of what happens to a well waxed RS6 doing the North Coast 500 compared to my 458 Spider when we went last August I'll post a pair of pictures tomorrow as I'm storing my mate's RS6 at the moment before it goes for a full front end respray. The Spider? Sat on a lift in my garage looking like it just left the showroom.
Oh, and what have I been doing all day today? Machine polishing swirls out of my Lotus Esprit V8. I've never had a single swirl on any of the cars that have full PPF. There's 12 hours I'll never get back and the bloody thing still needs waxing.
OP, dunno where you are but if you're anywhere near North Yorkshire drop me a PM, you're welcome to come and see for yourself.
Edited by _Leg_ on Wednesday 14th February 01:06
I’d love to see your collection of cars if possible as I live on the Scottish Borders but I am travelling to Knaresborough to drop off my Sharkwerks at Reep Group so it can be fitted to my Touring when it gets the PPF done.
MartinRS2K said:
Fantastic post and your car collection sounds amazing
I’d love to see your collection of cars if possible as I live on the Scottish Borders but I am travelling to Knaresborough to drop off my Sharkwerks at Reep Group so it can be fitted to my Touring when it gets the PPF done.
Just PM me at the time mate.I’d love to see your collection of cars if possible as I live on the Scottish Borders but I am travelling to Knaresborough to drop off my Sharkwerks at Reep Group so it can be fitted to my Touring when it gets the PPF done.
_Leg_ said:
Absolute rubbish. Your comments (above and the ones about PPF I didn't quote) are clearly based on years old rumours and not from personal experience or you would know better than to spout such cack.
I have full coverage on my 458 Speciale, 458 Spider, F12, GT3RS 997.2, Boxster S 981 and Lotus Exige 350 Sport you can't tell any of them have it on without feeling the edges of the panels with your finger and in most cases it's fitted (wrapped) round the edges.
Sonoco and XPEL2 films are superb. I've been all over Europe in the Boxster S once, once in the F12, round Europe 4 times in the 458 Spider (19000 miles from new) and round Europe and multiple track days in the Exige 350. I use the Boxster as my winter DD and have done for 6 winters now. All of the cars are like new.
Waxes etc can't come close (I know as I wax my vintage, classic and a couple of moderns I have that I got before I found out about PPF) and don't offer anything like the protection PPF does. I have zero stone chips, zero swirl marks on the cars I mention above. I wouldn't buy a new car without having it done.
I use Paintshield. They've never let me down OP. Contrary to what 911R here says everyone I know that gets PPF gets it not to preserve the car 'for the next owner' but to give them the peace of mind to use their car, drive it hard, as they want, without having to worry about damage.
If you want evidence of what happens to a well waxed RS6 doing the North Coast 500 compared to my 458 Spider when we went last August I'll post a pair of pictures tomorrow as I'm storing my mate's RS6 at the moment before it goes for a full front end respray. The Spider? Sat on a lift in my garage looking like it just left the showroom.
Oh, and what have I been doing all day today? Machine polishing swirls out of my Lotus Esprit V8. I've never had a single swirl on any of the cars that have full PPF. There's 12 hours I'll never get back and the bloody thing still needs waxing.
OP, dunno where you are but if you're anywhere near North Yorkshire drop me a PM, you're welcome to come and see for yourself.
Well said.I have full coverage on my 458 Speciale, 458 Spider, F12, GT3RS 997.2, Boxster S 981 and Lotus Exige 350 Sport you can't tell any of them have it on without feeling the edges of the panels with your finger and in most cases it's fitted (wrapped) round the edges.
Sonoco and XPEL2 films are superb. I've been all over Europe in the Boxster S once, once in the F12, round Europe 4 times in the 458 Spider (19000 miles from new) and round Europe and multiple track days in the Exige 350. I use the Boxster as my winter DD and have done for 6 winters now. All of the cars are like new.
Waxes etc can't come close (I know as I wax my vintage, classic and a couple of moderns I have that I got before I found out about PPF) and don't offer anything like the protection PPF does. I have zero stone chips, zero swirl marks on the cars I mention above. I wouldn't buy a new car without having it done.
I use Paintshield. They've never let me down OP. Contrary to what 911R here says everyone I know that gets PPF gets it not to preserve the car 'for the next owner' but to give them the peace of mind to use their car, drive it hard, as they want, without having to worry about damage.
If you want evidence of what happens to a well waxed RS6 doing the North Coast 500 compared to my 458 Spider when we went last August I'll post a pair of pictures tomorrow as I'm storing my mate's RS6 at the moment before it goes for a full front end respray. The Spider? Sat on a lift in my garage looking like it just left the showroom.
Oh, and what have I been doing all day today? Machine polishing swirls out of my Lotus Esprit V8. I've never had a single swirl on any of the cars that have full PPF. There's 12 hours I'll never get back and the bloody thing still needs waxing.
OP, dunno where you are but if you're anywhere near North Yorkshire drop me a PM, you're welcome to come and see for yourself.
Edited by _Leg_ on Wednesday 14th February 01:06
FWIW I have self healing PPF on my 991.2 GTS. All that front end lower spoiler road rash disappears... wash down, leave in the sun or run a hair drier over the area and hey presto. Looks better than new....
nothing I have said is untrue though, you can see the edges esp on some colours and esp after a few years/
while you have a nice collection of cars which have gone up in value, it's cost £35k worth of PPF.
I ran the latest Xpel just on the front bumper and sills on the GT4, yep it stoped a few hits, but the hits it stopped looked like dirty black holes as the PPF after a stone hit looks rank. so if you want it to look nice every stone hit = new film section !
I have never said a wax protects a car from chips that would be daft, but a waxed car looks far better in real life over a car covered in cling film.
it's very personal choice, as above some won't fit it and use the money for holidays and fun things which provide memories and a lot of people don't mind road rash, it is what it is.
And you know what on a sunny day applying a wax by hand to you car is very calming, and a good one will last 6 months.
PPF has it's place and I stated on the front PU and sills and the rear bit behind the wheels can be worth it.
as I was typing this just had a 2 full blown AH-64 Apache gun ships fly over the house !!! wow !!!
while you have a nice collection of cars which have gone up in value, it's cost £35k worth of PPF.
I ran the latest Xpel just on the front bumper and sills on the GT4, yep it stoped a few hits, but the hits it stopped looked like dirty black holes as the PPF after a stone hit looks rank. so if you want it to look nice every stone hit = new film section !
I have never said a wax protects a car from chips that would be daft, but a waxed car looks far better in real life over a car covered in cling film.
it's very personal choice, as above some won't fit it and use the money for holidays and fun things which provide memories and a lot of people don't mind road rash, it is what it is.
And you know what on a sunny day applying a wax by hand to you car is very calming, and a good one will last 6 months.
PPF has it's place and I stated on the front PU and sills and the rear bit behind the wheels can be worth it.
as I was typing this just had a 2 full blown AH-64 Apache gun ships fly over the house !!! wow !!!
Porsche911R said:
nothing I have said is untrue though, you can see the edges esp on some colours and esp after a few years/
while you have a nice collection of cars which have gone up in value, it's cost £35k worth of PPF.
I ran the latest Xpel just on the front bumper and sills on the GT4, yep it stoped a few hits, but the hits it stopped looked like dirty black holes as the PPF after a stone hit looks rank. so if you want it to look nice every stone hit = new film section !
I have never said a wax protects a car from chips that would be daft, but a waxed car looks far better in real life over a car covered in cling film.
it's very personal choice, as above some won't fit it and use the money for holidays and fun things which provide memories and a lot of people don't mind road rash, it is what it is.
And you know what on a sunny day applying a wax by hand to you car is very calming, and a good one will last 6 months.
PPF has it's place and I stated on the front PU and sills and the rear bit behind the wheels can be worth it.
as I was typing this just had a 2 full blown AH-64 Apache gun ships fly over the house !!! wow !!!
You are, of course, entitled to your own opinion.while you have a nice collection of cars which have gone up in value, it's cost £35k worth of PPF.
I ran the latest Xpel just on the front bumper and sills on the GT4, yep it stoped a few hits, but the hits it stopped looked like dirty black holes as the PPF after a stone hit looks rank. so if you want it to look nice every stone hit = new film section !
I have never said a wax protects a car from chips that would be daft, but a waxed car looks far better in real life over a car covered in cling film.
it's very personal choice, as above some won't fit it and use the money for holidays and fun things which provide memories and a lot of people don't mind road rash, it is what it is.
And you know what on a sunny day applying a wax by hand to you car is very calming, and a good one will last 6 months.
PPF has it's place and I stated on the front PU and sills and the rear bit behind the wheels can be worth it.
as I was typing this just had a 2 full blown AH-64 Apache gun ships fly over the house !!! wow !!!
So am I. What matters is our evidence base and not opinion or rumour.
I've run 5 cars with full PPF over periods ranging from 5+ years and 1 year, over a total of 60,000 miles across the cars, in winter, on track, across the NC500, Alps, Dolomites and Pyrenees and on the Autobahn at speeds up to 192mph. I drive my cars as nature intended. I do however, look after them to a high standard.
My evidence says just about everything you've said is wrong. Argue with that if you wish but the evidence to disprove your comments is sat in my garage not in one car, not in cars used for one thing, not in cars cared for differently or covered in different film but in 5 cars as described.
Also, I have some evidence of not applying PPF as I own a 10 year old E92 M3 that I've had from new. It's done 56000 miles. Never been on track nor into Europe. I didn't know about PPF when I got it. It's peppered with stone chips (although I can't see swirls on it as it's Alpine White).
The OP can decide which point of view they wish to believe. When I get a minute I'll do a video up close of the cars and post it here for all to see.
Ps. £30000 (6 x 5000 - although some weren't 5000 but let's round it up) sounds a lot but proportionally to the cars values it's like spending £275 on a £10000 car. I.e. Nothing.
In 30 years I’ve never ppf’d Or ceramic coated any car.I have never had to respray a car,I prefer to just drive the things rather than worry about stuff like that.
I wouldn’t wrap a supermodel in cling film ,I’d just get on with enjoying her !!!
But if it provides comfort and less worry to people then go for it,do whatever helps you enjoy it.
I wouldn’t wrap a supermodel in cling film ,I’d just get on with enjoying her !!!
But if it provides comfort and less worry to people then go for it,do whatever helps you enjoy it.
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