Payment Protection Film - good idea?
Discussion
PPF is a good idea for sure if you have elite / pearlescent paint. If the car is standard white, it's more a toss up.
£1700+VAT is a lot - I got mine done for £700 (cash, no VAT) which was front bumper, front wings half way up and half way up the bonnet.
It's not a service I would buy from the dealer selling the car, I'd shop around a bit. Same goes for detailing / ceramic protection.
£1700+VAT is a lot - I got mine done for £700 (cash, no VAT) which was front bumper, front wings half way up and half way up the bonnet.
It's not a service I would buy from the dealer selling the car, I'd shop around a bit. Same goes for detailing / ceramic protection.
barchetta_boy said:
It's not a service I would buy from the dealer selling the car, I'd shop around a bit. Same goes for detailing / ceramic protection.
This 100%Do NOT get the dealer to do it. Get PPF done but go to an independent who will prepare it PROPERLY and arrange with you to have it detailed if necessary. Nothing like ceramic coating or PPF over the top of delivery dirt, polish, wax, finger prints etc! Whoever they use normally travels to the dealership and does it on-site (never the best result and can be rushed) or they do it themselves with a member of staff who's been on a 1-day training course! I had SunTec put on the bumper, bonnet, wings, lights and mirror caps at £1500 inclusive. Done by Paintshield in Peterborough. Great job, great product. Topaz also have a good reputation.
Don't go for half panels (most companies don't offer it anymore anyway) but it's false economy; get chips on the higher unprotected area's and when you eventually want to repaint it the film has to come off anyway.
In most instances the installation time isn't much different either - it's just as easy to fit complete panels as neatly align 3 half panels across the cars front end - so it's more just the additional material cost.
Lot's of companies out there as mentioned so worth checking a few out.
In most instances the installation time isn't much different either - it's just as easy to fit complete panels as neatly align 3 half panels across the cars front end - so it's more just the additional material cost.
Lot's of companies out there as mentioned so worth checking a few out.
As others have said, go to a pro detailer who specialises in the process and does a lot of PPFs and ceramic coatings for their full-time job. PPFs can tug paintwork and crinkle / unravel at the edges if not done properly. Post the request on Detailingworld.co.uk, the world's biggest detailing website, and the crowdsource will give a good answer.
One example (no connections to them):
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...
One example (no connections to them):
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...
If the paint comes off in lumps like it does on the alloy skinned bonnet on my Aston then it's needed, if you see loads of tiny chips like I did on my old Tuscan after 50k miles then it's marginal, if the paint is as good as it is on the nose of my Volvo after 110k miles then PPF is an utter waste of money IMHO.
I'd be interested in some first-hand opinions given the cost of the film is similar to the cost of a couple of front-end resprays, or a dozen SMART repairs.
I'd be interested in some first-hand opinions given the cost of the film is similar to the cost of a couple of front-end resprays, or a dozen SMART repairs.
I can highly recommend Auto Curators. They're proper detailers and also do PPF.
Proper professional outfit, they'd be my first port of call.
https://autocurators.com/
Proper professional outfit, they'd be my first port of call.
https://autocurators.com/
Targarama said:
How long does PPF last? The quoted cost of over £2k pays for a good front respray on most cars.
I've owned low cars for years and never had it, and I am really not a fan of it, especially if it starts to show on the odd corner.
I'd rather have factory paint than some half arsed-overspray-bodge job-gotta-get-home-it's-Friday respray like 99% of I see. I think it makes the £2k in protection worth it.I've owned low cars for years and never had it, and I am really not a fan of it, especially if it starts to show on the odd corner.
theRossatron said:
Targarama said:
How long does PPF last? The quoted cost of over £2k pays for a good front respray on most cars.
I've owned low cars for years and never had it, and I am really not a fan of it, especially if it starts to show on the odd corner.
I'd rather have factory paint than some half arsed-overspray-bodge job-gotta-get-home-it's-Friday respray like 99% of I see. I think it makes the £2k in protection worth it.I've owned low cars for years and never had it, and I am really not a fan of it, especially if it starts to show on the odd corner.
Definitely. 3 weeks after getting my car an "enthusiast" rubbed against the wing with a heavy zip and scoured the PPF. It protected the paint. Cost to replace the PPF on the damaged panel was c £150. Has the car not had PPF, the cost of matching the volcano paint was quoted as being "substantial". Given the excess on my insurance, this would have been a real cost to me.
v12v8 said:
Definitely. 3 weeks after getting my car an "enthusiast" rubbed against the wing with a heavy zip and scoured the PPF. It protected the paint. Cost to replace the PPF on the damaged panel was c £150. Has the car not had PPF, the cost of matching the volcano paint was quoted as being "substantial". Given the excess on my insurance, this would have been a real cost to me.
Hi Nick, Hope you're enjoying your car, it looks awesome; Congrats! By pure coincidence I was stood in the reception at Topaz collecting a car when you called them regarding the damaged PPF. Any damage is unfortunate but thought to myself glad you did it and have seen benefit already!
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