Is PPF worth having?
Discussion
TonyF said:
_Leg_ said:
You and me both. My cars are driven plenty, a lot round Europe, but cared for meticulously.
All my moderns, except the M3 which I got before I came across PPF, have full coverage. I've just had all my classics detailed at 2.5 days each car including ceramic coating. They don't do the miles to need PPF. Bought a pet drier so when I wash them I can just blow dry them, works a treat but with the PPF'd cars I just dry them with microfibre towels.
One of my Porsches has had xPel on for 6 years now. Still looks great after nigh on 40,000 miles (and that one is my winter DD). The rest have Suntek. Superb stuff.
Snap, all mine are done in xpel and suntek, best on the market right now and the cars always look pristine.All my moderns, except the M3 which I got before I came across PPF, have full coverage. I've just had all my classics detailed at 2.5 days each car including ceramic coating. They don't do the miles to need PPF. Bought a pet drier so when I wash them I can just blow dry them, works a treat but with the PPF'd cars I just dry them with microfibre towels.
One of my Porsches has had xPel on for 6 years now. Still looks great after nigh on 40,000 miles (and that one is my winter DD). The rest have Suntek. Superb stuff.
Wouldn’t go that far, but it does smack of Snake Oil.
The money that’s wasted on this is biblical IMV. Circa £5k to wrap a trinket that will never see a track. Staggering.
If a few stone chips, that can be blown over for a fraction of the price if you have nothing more important to do or worry about, satisfies some OCD fetish that no one else cares about one jot, then each to their own.
The money that’s wasted on this is biblical IMV. Circa £5k to wrap a trinket that will never see a track. Staggering.
If a few stone chips, that can be blown over for a fraction of the price if you have nothing more important to do or worry about, satisfies some OCD fetish that no one else cares about one jot, then each to their own.
I have only PPF'd one car ever, my 991.2GT3..Do i think its worth it.? It depends on usage and type of car IMO..I'm currently debating having my Ferrari 458 PPF'd just on the front bumper and sills which pick up road rash from the wide rubber..Even so i'm still 50/50 on the idea but if i did proceed it would only be those areas at about £1200 at the most.
I washed my Carrera white Spyder on Sunday which has no PPF and i couldn't see a single chip..I do very little motorway miles and when i do i never tailgate like some idiots seem to.All this helps i suppose.
I washed my Carrera white Spyder on Sunday which has no PPF and i couldn't see a single chip..I do very little motorway miles and when i do i never tailgate like some idiots seem to.All this helps i suppose.
In my eyes, there's nothing worse looking than a car covered in swirl marks on a sunny day. If ppf helps keep that pristine look then so be it. People don't think of spending a few k on extras like carbon fibre parts purely for aesthetics, but then neglect the largest visible part, which is the paint that covers pretty much the whole car. If for a few k, I can have and keep that finish, aswell as protect from stone chips and scuffs at the same time, and vastly reduce the time it takes to wash the car, then for me its a no brainer. Of course, if your just planning on keeping it garaged and flipping it, then it makes no financial sense.
I find when I did one bumper, the sort of stones which chip paint also chip PPF, and a PPF hole which gathers dirt looks worse than a touched up stone chip on a light coloured car.
So the 3 chips I had I had to live with and all that did was protect the car for the next person :-( while I owned it it looked s
t and I had 3 big black marks on the PPF full of dirt ! I would have touched that up normally and from 1 foot it would have not been noticeable !
I don't think it offered the protection people think it does, not in my case anyway. That was xpel ultimate.
and when it don't break the film you still end up with a dent and ugly mark.
If you don't have these marks, then you would not haved chipped paint any way. (people say they have stone chip free paint, but they might have done with a naked car like many have stated.
I don't care what people say ,it always go yellow and peals, and it always changes the colour of the paint or the sun does not fade the paint like the rest of the car :-( so when you take it off you don't have a paint match !!!
As for cleaning it faster, imo a PPF car takes longer as the dirt clings to every PPF edge !! don't even try and wax a car with PPF !
I just think the many downsides do NOT off set the up side of maybe getting the odd stone chip.
And if some one is OCD how do they live with al the PPF edges !!! it always looks st :-( vs real paint and wax finish.
if you don't have these they you would not have chipped paint anyway !
So the 3 chips I had I had to live with and all that did was protect the car for the next person :-( while I owned it it looked s
t and I had 3 big black marks on the PPF full of dirt ! I would have touched that up normally and from 1 foot it would have not been noticeable !I don't think it offered the protection people think it does, not in my case anyway. That was xpel ultimate.
and when it don't break the film you still end up with a dent and ugly mark.
If you don't have these marks, then you would not haved chipped paint any way. (people say they have stone chip free paint, but they might have done with a naked car like many have stated.
I don't care what people say ,it always go yellow and peals, and it always changes the colour of the paint or the sun does not fade the paint like the rest of the car :-( so when you take it off you don't have a paint match !!!
As for cleaning it faster, imo a PPF car takes longer as the dirt clings to every PPF edge !! don't even try and wax a car with PPF !
I just think the many downsides do NOT off set the up side of maybe getting the odd stone chip.
And if some one is OCD how do they live with al the PPF edges !!! it always looks s
t :-( vs real paint and wax finish.if you don't have these they you would not have chipped paint anyway !
Edited by Porsche911R on Wednesday 20th February 08:06
Cheib said:
Digga said:
A lot of detailers will ceramic coat over the PPF, so this helps to make it easier to clean. I had mine done by Staffordshire Car Care.
I didn't think this was possible ?I've got PPF on the rear bumper of my Macan PP as the scuffs from dogs/bags going in and out of the boot on our Cayenne were pretty bad (I'm careful not everyone else is that uses the car!). Someone reversed into the Macan in a car park at low speed, the PPF did it's job and was damaged itself but paintwork underneath was blemish free. PPF doing it's job well in this case.
Going back to the general topic, I've only done the front end and only for road rash (which on the last car, without PPF, was a bit of an issue IME) although I do sometimes wonder whether PPF might help on the flanks in car parks?...
Porsche911R said:
I
As for cleaning it faster, imo a PPF car takes longer as the dirt clings to every PPF edge !! don't even try and wax a car with PPF !
the speed of cleaning comes more from the you really don't need to be overly careful in trying to avoid swirls with a draconian foam and 2 bucket method. On a lightly soiled car with ppf, i'd happily take some detailing spray and wipe down the dirt - something I'd never do on an unprotected car. As for cleaning it faster, imo a PPF car takes longer as the dirt clings to every PPF edge !! don't even try and wax a car with PPF !
Edited by Porsche911R on Wednesday 20th February 08:06
Yes you are also protecting it for the next owner to an extent, but an unblemished car is an easier sale. Guess it depends how many miles you are doing I guess - if only doing 500-1k miles a year, which a lot seem to be, your unlikely to pick up a significant number of stone chips / gravel rash, and then it may be an unnecessary expense.
For me, my number 1 issue was avoiding gravel rash and stone chips at the front end, and secondly not have to have the wash care too carefully, which will save me a significant amount of time
imycool said:
the speed of cleaning comes more from the you really don't need to be overly careful in trying to avoid swirls with a draconian foam and 2 bucket method. On a lightly soiled car with ppf, i'd happily take some detailing spray and wipe down the dirt - something I'd never do on an unprotected car.
Yes you are also protecting it for the next owner to an extent, but an unblemished car is an easier sale. Guess it depends how many miles you are doing I guess - if only doing 500-1k miles a year, which a lot seem to be, your unlikely to pick up a significant number of stone chips / gravel rash, and then it may be an unnecessary expense.
For me, my number 1 issue was avoiding gravel rash and stone chips at the front end, and secondly not have to have the wash care too carefully, which will save me a significant amount of time
I still say you can wash a waxed car quicker than ppf one, as other have said in the sun PPF is a bit sticky and not fly friendly, never used 2 buckets in my life or snow foam, my cars not swirled.Yes you are also protecting it for the next owner to an extent, but an unblemished car is an easier sale. Guess it depends how many miles you are doing I guess - if only doing 500-1k miles a year, which a lot seem to be, your unlikely to pick up a significant number of stone chips / gravel rash, and then it may be an unnecessary expense.
For me, my number 1 issue was avoiding gravel rash and stone chips at the front end, and secondly not have to have the wash care too carefully, which will save me a significant amount of time
I am OCD over paint hence I hate PPF lines/edges, I am less OCD on road rash as it's only on the plastic bits most of the time.
free choice PPF and ceramic coats, I just rather have the £5k in my pocket per car. I just think it's over rated and does not protect stone hits or bird s
t as much as people think it does.Porsche911R said:
I find when I did one bumper, the sort of stones which chip paint also chip PPF, and a PPF hole which gathers dirt looks worse than a touched up stone chip on a light coloured car.
So the 3 chips I had I had to live with and all that did was protect the car for the next person :-( while I owned it it looked st and I had 3 big black marks on the PPF full of dirt ! I would have touched that up normally and from 1 foot it would have not been noticeable !
I don't think it offered the protection people think it does, not in my case anyway. That was xpel ultimate.
and when it don't break the film you still end up with a dent and ugly mark.
If you don't have these marks, then you would not haved chipped paint any way. (people say they have stone chip free paint, but they might have done with a naked car like many have stated.
I don't care what people say ,it always go yellow and peals, and it always changes the colour of the paint or the sun does not fade the paint like the rest of the car :-( so when you take it off you don't have a paint match !!!
As for cleaning it faster, imo a PPF car takes longer as the dirt clings to every PPF edge !! don't even try and wax a car with PPF !
I just think the many downsides do NOT off set the up side of maybe getting the odd stone chip.
And if some one is OCD how do they live with al the PPF edges !!! it always looks st :-( vs real paint and wax finish.
if you don't have these they you would not have chipped paint anyway !
It’s like anything though, it’s only as good as the installer, other than the summer flies causing me a little stress, the benefits it brings for me are much greater. Mine is a daily driver, I do 8-10k miles a year, mostly fast A roads, dual carriageways or motorways, so ive had big issues with previous cars. This car is a year old and not a single mark. Now either I’ve had the luckiest year I’ve ever had with stone chips and not got one, or the ppf is doing it’s job. So the 3 chips I had I had to live with and all that did was protect the car for the next person :-( while I owned it it looked s
t and I had 3 big black marks on the PPF full of dirt ! I would have touched that up normally and from 1 foot it would have not been noticeable !I don't think it offered the protection people think it does, not in my case anyway. That was xpel ultimate.
and when it don't break the film you still end up with a dent and ugly mark.
If you don't have these marks, then you would not haved chipped paint any way. (people say they have stone chip free paint, but they might have done with a naked car like many have stated.
I don't care what people say ,it always go yellow and peals, and it always changes the colour of the paint or the sun does not fade the paint like the rest of the car :-( so when you take it off you don't have a paint match !!!
As for cleaning it faster, imo a PPF car takes longer as the dirt clings to every PPF edge !! don't even try and wax a car with PPF !
I just think the many downsides do NOT off set the up side of maybe getting the odd stone chip.
And if some one is OCD how do they live with al the PPF edges !!! it always looks s
t :-( vs real paint and wax finish.if you don't have these they you would not have chipped paint anyway !
Edited by Porsche911R on Wednesday 20th February 08:06
I disagree that it takes longer to wash too, mine is a breeze, no different to one without ppf but as has been said, I can take less care as it’s much more resilient than paint.
I’ve also experienced the healing properties of it in sunlight too, amazing to see marks disappear magically.
I also feel less stressed about carpark door dings as it’s unlikly to damage the paint, bird poo definitely comes off easier without leaving a mark.
I have full coverage, so there’s very few join marks visible they even did the number plates, headlight, inside door scuff plates to keep the carbon pristine etc), I won’t have issues with the non protected paint being different after 3 years, if I need a new panel ppf’d at least I don’t have to worry about the paint matching from a respray, or having the car left for days, ppf can be reapplied in a matter of hours while you wait.
Mine was done at topaz, you pay your money, you get your quality I guess, most of my edges are hidden, they only offer perfection, the one panel I had an issue with they replaced immediately without question.
It’s best on coloured cars though, white or black will not be as good as a bright coloured car (mine is viper green).
It’s a personal choice ,I have never used it because the cost of it vs the cost of repairing damage doesn’t give it any value,and friends who have used have still had issues with stone chips etc .
However if you worry about things like stone chips then go for it if it gives peace of mind.
However if you worry about things like stone chips then go for it if it gives peace of mind.
imycool said:
Now ceramic coatings i do consider a con, give they are advertised as providing protection from stone chips amongst other things.
If you saw the difference a paint correction and ceramic coat made to my old 996 turbo, let alone how easy it was to wash afterward, you'd have a different opinion. It really, seriously lifted the paintwork, to the point it looked (given the car's age) like it may have had a high quality respray. It was silver, and I think that colour works well with ceramic, but I've also had two of my wife's new cars done since and it definitely makes a difference.Stone chips though, that's nonsense; no way any wax or coating should ever be sold as protecting from them.
Like PPF, there's 'coatings' and then there's real coatings.
_Leg_ said:
One of my Porsches has had xPel on for 6 years now. Still looks great after nigh on 40,000 miles (and that one is my winter DD). The rest have Suntek. Superb stuff.
I seem to remember a post about your F12 (amazing car) saying you are based in Yorkshire - is there a company in the area you would recommend for fitting PPF?Digga said:
f you saw the difference a paint correction and ceramic coat made to my old 996 turbo, let alone how easy it was to wash afterward, you'd have a different opinion. It really, seriously lifted the paintwork, to the point it looked (given the car's age) like it may have had a high quality respray. It was silver, and I think that colour works well with ceramic, but I've also had two of my wife's new cars done since and it definitely makes a difference.
Stone chips though, that's nonsense; no way any wax or coating should ever be sold as protecting from them.
Like PPF, there's 'coatings' and then there's real coatings.
but you can have a nice finish at home for £40 !!Stone chips though, that's nonsense; no way any wax or coating should ever be sold as protecting from them.
Like PPF, there's 'coatings' and then there's real coatings.
my cars shine amazing. even after 10 years, bar you can see the org ppf lines !!!!
you cannot get a shine like that on PPF :-( the TTRS was mirror finish ;-) I just think people are lazy and happy to pay £1k over a few hours work at home.
Porsche911R said:
but you can have a nice finish at home for £40 !!
my cars shine amazing. even after 10 years, bar you can see the org ppf lines !!!!
you cannot get a shine like that on PPF :-( the TTRS was mirror finish ;-) I just think people are lazy and happy to pay £1k over a few hours work at home.
Like I said, black and white cars are not the ideal colours for ppf, which you seem to be attracted to..... so not surprised you weren’t amazed. my cars shine amazing. even after 10 years, bar you can see the org ppf lines !!!!
you cannot get a shine like that on PPF :-( the TTRS was mirror finish ;-) I just think people are lazy and happy to pay £1k over a few hours work at home.
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