Isn’t the whole point of PPF that it is a sacrificial layer so instead of the bug stains permanently damaging your paint it damages the PPF? So essentially you don’t have to repaint your car and as result reducing the resale value of your car, you just take off the PPF and now have a more desirable car to sell or trade in and with perfect (original) paint, which ultimately means higher price for the seller.
That's what he explained in this video. It's when you see people getting PPF on a vehicle that will never recoup the costs of even getting that done is what boggles my mind! To each his own I guess...
I've had PPF/Wrap at a shop here in San Diego. After 7 years I removed them and notice lines of scratches everywhere that is caused by the razor the shop used. The value definitely went down and to say you get good value when selling or trading is not true.
@@hotdognobun exactly, PPF and vinyl wrapping is always risky when the installer hand cuts. All those video saying they are so good that they only cut the vinyl and not underneath are all BS. Those videos you see they cut vinyl over their hands; the truth is your skin is stretchable, the low amount of pressure applied over the skin with some of the blades will not cut you, but if you take that same amount of pressure apply it to paint that doesn't stretch it will leave a mark. Why does the vinyl cut then? because vinyl is a type of material that once it starts to rip the edge of the knife will slice through.
"I am a professional specialized in paint correction and ceramic coatings. PPF is not worth the cost and inconvenience, I recommend paint correction and ceramic coating. Trust me, bro!" 🤣
As someone who is in the PPF/Ceramic industry I can appreciate this video. In my opinion, the only way to sell PPF is as a sacrificial layer of protection (like you mentioned) to protect your paint. PPF is a tangible product that will always be there and protect the paint from the majority of scratches, chips and dings regardless of how someone takes care of their vehicle. There is a big education curve that needs to take place between the installer and the consumer and lots of that education you touched on well in this video.
Exactly. When I ordered my Charger Hellcat, I immediately looked to set up PPF installation. The whole point is to protect the original paint and replace the PPF panels as needed. I have replaced the PPF on the wide body just in front of the passenger doors and it was relatively cheap. Paint underneath what still perfect though the PPF was pretty beat up.
Ceramic Coating is a tangible product as well, don't make it sound like it's perfect. It lasts about as long as PPF, 2-3 years before you have to dish out another 2-3k to coat your car.
There's also a big come-back-down-to-earth curve that PPF installers needs to go through and stop charging 2-3 times more for a PPF wrap than paint shops charge for repainting the whole car.
I drive quite a bit up to 28k miles a year. My commute to work is almost all expressway and with my last car I just couldn’t keep up with massive amounts of rock chips I was getting. When I bought my Type R the first thing I did was take it in for professionally installed PPF and ceramic coating. PPF may not be for everyone, but I am quite happy with how it has protected the leading edges of my car up to this point.
@@alichaudhry12 Welcome to the club. I'm loving the car. It is by far the most fun car I have owned. Of course most of all my other cars were family sedans. My CTR is Championship White and I just had the roof PFF wrapped in gloss black and it really helps to tie in with the rear wing. It looks great.
I believe PPF is good for people who don’t like scratches, point blank. It’s not about making things perfect. When parking in parking lots or driving long periods. It’s helpful to know you have that extra layer of protection instead of getting your car re painted.
I paid $5200 for a full X3M in XPEL. A lot of shops upcharge like crazy. That is cheaper than respirating. Most Luxury cars have expensive paint therefore it cost. Especially labor. I live in the northeast and labor here is not cheap. I rather pay $5200 once to protect my depreciation asset that I love to drive. It doesn’t protect against everything but 90% of things on the road it can.
BINGO! And that is exactly why I have it on my hood. Only partial though, and it has paid for itself. ZERO rock chips after 7 years and that's on 2 cars. ALL our cars previously, were covered in multiple rock chips when we had to sell them. Not ideal! So there 100% IS a place for PPF.
@@zacklewis342 go repaint the front of ur car and see the car value drop like a rock from it. You seem like the type of person who says why get insurance? You man never need it.
@@richscott2483 Complete bs, I've had my car PPF'd for over two years w ceramic coat on top and have zero issues. You do not need to replace it every 6-12 months. My previous M3 had PPF/cermaic coat for four years. It had minor chips on the PPF but otherwise perfect and without the PPF it would have been the paint.
@@j.taveras8447 I feel like he is a typical tradesman who complains about another trade person's work. they always speak of perfection but their work has issues as well.
Completely agree, all the time he’s pointing to so called ‘issues’ which you can’t see. This is what happens when you present a video on a product you don’t like - it’s biased. The whole idea of PPF is to protect paint. For many it’s to avoid re-sprays because no doubt they drive like a fool or to ensure the owner gets full value or resell.
@@richscott2483 WTF would you replace it every 6 months, mate?! I'd retain it until I was about to sell it or trade it in, IF there were enough paint chips by this stage to warrant its removal, that is...otherwise, the new buyer may be happy to buy it with the paint still so well-protected & with so few blemishes upon the ACTUAL paintwork, because it has an additional protective layer upon it...I don't have PPF applied to my beloved, very well-maintained & tastefully modified car (a Honda that turns 30 y/o next year, plus a Repsol CBR1000RR 'bike that turns 20 y/o next year) & nor do I intend to apply it in the future but for me, this car still looks pretty fantastic & after now having watched 2 of this guy's videos today, I think that this content creator is a massive click-baiter who simply makes b/s videos about nothing of major importance, simply for the views, comments & thus the $...so we're all falling into his trap, dammit...but as an OCD kinda guy who completed a panel-beating & service technician combined apprenticeship at a Honda dealership during the '90s (in Melbourne, AU), I like to think that I'm a pretty astute judge of a car's condition & the best means of protecting them & for me, this thing looked pretty damn good & thus I'd be quite happy with the investment, if it was mine...cheers to you & I wish you both a happy Xmas & a quality start to 2025, rather imminently...Matt.
Define better. Better in price? Better in look? Most chips are in the bumper and hood. If you really want paint protection, the smartest move is to get PPF in the bumper and hood only. Possibly lower side of vehicle as well.@@ZackScriven
My experience. I have an 11 year old jag xf with 125k miles on it. No PPF. At some point lately the front bumper was pretty thrashed with rock chips so I had the front bumper repainted by a shop with great reviews and it looks as good as new. It cost $900. Seems better to just save the money and repaint after a few years than PPF. As this guy said, if I had a super car that would be different, but a typical car, dont think so.
@@jonesjones7057 I have exactly the same experience. To be honest even if I have to repaint my front even 2-3 years it would still be cheaper that PPF. Also I would never be convince that PPF will look as new after years, you can never prevent peel offs and dust collection at the edges.
Think about this, if a rock chip would've damaged the PPF as described in this video, can you imagine how badly it would've damaged the clearcoat AND paint!?
WOW, Coleton, what an honest and insightful video. It made me a subscriber immediately. I just purchased a new car, and this video answered questions and even nonsense thoughts I had in my mind. Again, thank you. 🙏🙏
I have had 3M PPF installed and my commute is mainly HWY and over the years I have not in counter the issues that you mentioned, maybe is the quality of ppf that a dealer uses because the 3M film has done a great job on my car and if there are a few dings from rocks they have never penetrated the film and I have not had any issues with bug stain they always come off without leaving a mark, Its absolutely worth it to me.
This car still looked pretty damn good to me & as I've already mentioned in several previous posts within this thread, I'm a fully qualified panel-beater (at a Melbourne, AU Honda dealership during the '90s, prior to the world of PPF but little else has changed about paintwork over the past 25-30 years, really) & I'm fussy as fuck by nature with my cars & motorcycles...this uploader is simply trying to create something out of nothing...cheers & best wishes from 'Down Under', bud...happy Xmas & 2025...Matt.
I get what your saying but for me the PPF has 100% done its job. its taken the damage and protected his paint. when he wants to sell it just pull off the PPF and his paint will 100% be in better condition than if he didn't have the PPF
Great video. Answered so many of my questions. Great content!! So happy I can make an informed decision now and not regret it down the road by not having had someone explain everything to me as you have.
Thanks for the video. As a person who had a bad PPf experience, I thought Id comment. If you are going to get PPF, make sure you get it installed by a professional and insist on seeing some of thier work in person before giving them any of your money. My first experience was through a shop with 5 star ratings, but i never had a chance to see any of thier PPF work. The end result was an install with all the flaws Coleton shows, along with knife cuts into the paint! PPF was removed by another shop and most, but not all of the knife cuts could be polished out. Not a good start for a brand new vehicle. In the future, only paint correction and ceramic coatings for me.
What are your thoughts on ceramic on top of PPF? My Detailer did that for my install and my PPF still looks like it’s brand new from a year ago. Granted we don’t have as many bugs and I hand wash every weekend.
I did the same on my Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Summit Reserve. It looks amazing and so easy to maintain. They key to PPF really comes down to the installer. I only did partial PPF and the installer spent about 12 hours custom printing and cutting in a mobile lab at my house. He is a high experienced installer. I spent a week or so preparing the surfaces and this was before the car was driven after purchase. Make sure you find a very, very good experienced installer otherwise walk away...
I’am the owner of PPF studio in Australia and wanted to thank you for the video. I have to agree that PPF is not for everyone, I always mention to my customers this wont solve all your problems. In my opinion PPF is worth the money as long as you use best brands like Suntek or XPEL. Installation process is a key - edge wrapped, do not overstretch and use patterns. A lot of people don’t understand PPF installation is basically a handcraft and many of detailers expend their services without thinking how difficult it is to make it right and that’s what destroying our industry. I found educating people about the whole idea make them coming back with other vehicles. In addition detailers sell ceramic coating as a paint protection which everyone knows it does not, expect UV.
What happens if you put 3+ layers of ppf on ? Just wondering if 1 layer is kinda good. What would 10 layers do. Then when the top layer is damaged you peel it off and its like new underneath. 😅
@@dnegel9546 You would never, ever need 10 layers of ppl. Most pff films are at minimum 8 mils thick. More than thick enough for rock chips to never go through. The film doesn't get shredded over the years. So to answer your question, nothing would happen other than them unnecessary being on the car. 1 layer of ppl is good.
ceramic coating doesn't help with UV? Dang. I'm just learning about PPF and ceramic coating the last day or two and was really hoping some combination of the two would help with UV. If it doesn't... it's just making my car extra shiny?
As a fellow Aussie, in which city/state are you located, may I please enquire? I completed a combined panel-beating & service technician apprenticeship at a Melbourne Honda dealership during the '90s & have previously considered PPF'ing the carbon fibre hood (painted to match the car's paint code) & front skirt & guards upon my car, that's all...cheers & best wishes from the Mornington Peninsula, mate...& have a great Xmas next week & a quality beginning to 2025 the following week...Matt.
My xpel ppf self heals with bug stains. Just wipe them off, let it sit in the sun, and it’s good as new. I’d recommend using xpel (template based, and self healing) and having a quality xpel certified shop install.
PPF should NEVER be sold as an "enhancement" to your vehicle! It's a barrier to protect your factory paint so that you can resell and hopefully recoup the cost of the PPF. For me, I don't drive on the highway much and don't follow close to cars ahead of me. I see people getting PPF on a Nissan Sentra, and for me that's just throwing your money away! If you have a very expensive car, get some PPF to protect your car from losing its value even more than it already will.
Not to mention the optical distortion, yellowing, still doesn’t stop dents or deeper chips, and you still have to ceramic coat it for hydrophobic properties.
I traded in a red BMW that was not PPF and I lost a lot of money cause of the rock chips expose the white primer underneath . Since then -I had my last three cars PPF and no rock chips or bug marks.
Yeah, I don’t think so. Very strange viewpoint in my humble opinion. I own about 40 cars and almost all of them have some PPF and I probably have about 10 cars that I have full PF on them. The proper way to protect a new car is Pain correction, then, PPF, then ceramic coating over the PPF. In the last seven or so years, I’ve used three different shops. One of them does amazing work every time, the other two, it depends on who did the job as far as the technician himself. That new EXPEL thicker film is awesome. Also, the matte film is terrific in my opinion. My matte paint cars I don’t even drive at all until they are PPFed. As far as staining, yes, I have had one year old PPF redone twice. Both times it had to do with the fact that the car sat in the sun with sapp stains on the PPF. And, regardless of what it is, older, film, seven years plus old, will need to be replaced if you drive the car at all. I am a big fan of ceramic coating, but only if it goes on top of the PPF. Lastly, the worstPPF that I have seen both from the application technique perspective as well as the quality of the film itself, is Factory PPF on the newer Porsches.
So, pay multiple thousands of dollars and waste loads of your valuable time instead of just maintaining your paint with regular washes and garaging? Even if you have a paint issue, it will probably be minor and cost way less than all of this nonsense.
I had PPF put on my CX5 gloss black plastic door pillars. The plastic is ridiculously soft so it needed some way of helping stop scratching. The PPF does help prevent lots of micro scratches but PPF is itself prone to scratching that won’t self heal. It’s only the micro scratches that self heal.
Agreed. It does help to prevent scratches from my neighbours 5:11 cats which like to lying on my car. Prevent many stone chips whenever following truck with load of stones or sand…..
Thank You, for someone in the industry finally stating the whole truth about PPF. I've seen some pretty bad work out there where you can tell by just seeing the edges. On some it would have been better too just have an new paint job. Also, PPF doesn't last forever.
I think you failed to comprehend people who don’t care if their car is perfect looking but want to keep their cars for a long time and not have rock chips damage. Not just for pure looks like a perfectionist about shine like you cares about
I have a 2021 Mazda cx-9. I have PPF on my car since new from rock guard films on the east coast in Pennsylvania and have no problem or issues like this. Looks great since day one. It goes to my detailer about every 6-8 month for maintenance washes. I also have a ceramic coating and they say the car and ppf is great.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this, Coleton. I’ve had mixed feelings about not getting PPF for my car, but this makes me relieved I didn’t get it! I had no idea there were so many downsides. Hope to see you again soon!
Here is a quick video summary for those who don't have time to view the entire thing. Classic or High End Car = Get PPF Any Tesla (even plaid) = Get PPF if you like wasting more money, even though you think you are saving on not purchasing gas. Like and Subscribe.
@@DogDongDotCom Just get coloured PPF as a cool wrap ;) Now you have a fancy color AND it's PPF'd. Just wash it regularly and it won't get damaged by regular wear and tear.
I bought a black c5z06 several years ago and the first thing I did was PPF the front, hood and side mirror housings. For a black car you care about, I think PPF is very beneficial because black shows EVERYTHING
Except that with a black car all the scratches and abrasions in th PPF now look like white blemishes... I know I have one with PPF... never again@@rickhunter6513
If you care for PPF the same as you would care for bare paint (keep it clean and protected), it will look fantastic for as long as you are willing to care for it. I've had great looking PPF on a half dozen vehicles and I'll never be without it. The key to being satisfied is starting with a qualified installer and then take care of it. I think you just weren't good at installing PPF (most installers aren't) and now you're trying to talk everyone out of it just because you don't want to offer it as a service. That's fine, but it's ridiculous to try to suggest that PPF isn't a great choice for many vehicle owners. Your entire rant is truly absurd.
A year ago I bought a 4 year old Mercedes SL450 with full PPF over the entire car. The car was just off lease and had spent it's life in Florida, bug capital of the US. The paint was flawless. Not a swirl, not a stain, no blems except for a couple of chips on a mirror. What creates flaws in the paint is driving 70 mph on the highway or perhaps a windy day around town. Dust, fine particles of dirt and the like create micro abrasions in the paint. This is where you benefit from ppf. The ppf protects from these types of abrasions and they don't seem to damage the ppf at all. After my owning the car for another year, the paint looks like it just came out of the factory. Yes, it's expensive, but unless you drag out the buffing wheel once a year, and I don't, the ppf will, in most cases, keep your paint looking factory fresh.
And buffing once a year will just make the paint fail faster (beceause you're removing clear coat and the UV, chemical, and oxidation protection it provides). Good PPF brands no doubt look better than paint if you keep your cars for long.
I've had PPF (and ceramic) on my Audi S5 SB for years. It still looks beautiful and turns heads. If the PPF layer is an example of what the permanent damage could have been to the paint, it's money well spent. In my opinion, this is a nit picking video. The average person that gets PPF could care less about about a few things. Gas prices. Bug smudges that they have to literally dig into just to find and complain about. And the price of getting a good detail. The PPF prevented 99.9% of potential permanent damage. And you're complaining about the 0.1%? Nit picking PPF bug smudges and critiquing someone else's work? Not educational in my opinion.
The PBF is thin plastic and not nearly as hard or durable as the clearcoat paint but it’s trying to protect. So most things that will damage the PPF wouldn’t damage the clearcoat. If it did, it’s a lot less than $2500 to have it repaired. I think that’s the point.
I have had real 3M PPF on my ram hood edge and various other locations. 7 years. 220,000kms. Professionally installed. Still looks great. No fade. No peel. No stains. Some scratches and dings but that’s the whole point.
Sounds awesome, Jake...but don't let this PITA click-baiting 'content creator' near it...he'll still undoubtedly find something to bitch about & then create a video from it!
You made me want PPF after watching this video. If it gets damaged and saves the paint, then fine. You failed to provide a better alternative, and something is better than nothing. It sounds to me that if your story is true, then the owner of that car didn't clean it often enough and let the bugs damage the PPF. You t h en criticized people who care about protecting their car. Nice.
And self healing PPF makes cleaning those bugs off way easier since you don't have to worry about swirls/fine scratches, you can literally clean off every bug you see with a napkin. Whereas with paint, you'd have to carry waterless wash and a microfiber, which very few people do.
I have xpel ppf and it makes me happy knowing my paint is protected, and when i wash my car i know uts going to look like new and shiny. Because i have OCD and any imperfection just gets in my nerves, so ppf is easily worth it for me. If you dont care about rock chip and are mainly focused on value then dont use ppf. You wont get your money back when you sell your car, but while you own the car, you will be happy ppf helped keep it looking beautiful 😍
The tradeoff of having protection from scratches, parking lot idiots and stone chips makes the film still worth it. I wouldn't replace the PPF because of a few bug stains and rock chips.
i live in indonesia. just purchased all new GLC300 4matic. i am considering either nano ceramic coating or ppf. UPPF costs about $2150 while coating about $500. i have full insurance which allow me to claim on any accidents. shall i just leave it without any coating or ppf?
I live in a big city where scratches from literally anything can happen at any given moment. Specially inside cramped parking lots. My car was once scratched really bad in the front bumper at my gym’s parking lot by someone who probably doesn’t even know how to reverse. To top it off, the parking said they couldn’t check the cameras and that they couldn’t do anything…*bureaucracy at its finest*. Another time, on a different parking lot, it seemed like someone was taking beers nearby and thought it was a very good idea to rest on the side of my car, leaving a scratch and a ding on the bodywork. Got both of them fixed, but honestly, the paint doesn’t look as good afterwards. Despite all the care and measures you take, someone or something will happen (murphy’s law, I guess). I recently got PPF installed on my next car, and honestly, it just gives me peace of mind. The integrated ceramic coat works great with its hydrophobic properties, and It definitely enhances the look of the paint when it is clean. IMO, if it doesn’t represent a huge percentage of the cost of the car, it makes a lot of sense, or Depending on your necessities. A friend of mine constantly takes highways and spends most of his time driving in them. He said he did spent hundreds in his last car repainting the front bumper due to rock chips, a full front installation would make a lot of sense for him…
So your rationale for not getting PPF is because it leaves a mark on the PPF when there is a rock chip? Do you not understand what happens when a rock hits your car? It chips the paint. On my previous car that did not have PPF I had so many rock chips. I would go over it with touch up paint, which would cost money, but it was never that good of a job. PPF would have protected my paint. It is not perfect, but PPF is better than nothing. And the dealership that I got it installed at gave me a 10 year warranty on the PPF. Even if I trade in the car, it will be worth more with having PPF installed. Hard to say that is not worth it.
Most dealers hardly look at a car when they give it a value for trade in. They look it over once, maybe drive it, and give a value. Your 2-3k in film isn’t going to make them give you more. I traded in a car with 100s of rock chips up front and got more a little more than trade in value was, and I didn’t spend 3 grand on film
I had 3 vehicles done with ppf. Never again. This guy is spot on in his video. I'd rather fix some paint chips. I don't have any on my 3 MBs and together I have over 600k on them. They still look far better than any car I had with ppf after 2 years. Just my opinion
@@19hundoc47 If you don't take of your cars then that's on you. So I will definitely not be buying any car you have ever driven. No clue why this concept is so hard for you to understand in that it took you a month you reply to my comment. But you do you, buddy.
Amen Brother. As far as rock chips I’ve driven over 1000 miles driving on vacation to Tennessee the last 5 years and do you know how many rock chips I have on my Tesla ? 0 Because I don’t tailgate, I try to stay ahead in traffic in the left lane and third I stay back when people are changing lanes because that is when the rocks start flying. Safe travels.
Good luck doing that in an urban area, impossible up in the northeast PPF isn’t perfect but when you’re driving through the equivalent of a sandblaster in the winter it’s better than nothing
Bugs come from the front, once in couple of years (and it is not expansive) if someone is annoyed with the stains - they can replace the PPF. What would you do with the acid-eaten paint? Polish it? Repaint? PPF is going off and a new one is put. I have replaced my front bumper couple of times, it is split with two halves - so if one half is enough - just one half is replaced (left or right). All the other car body (hatchback, full PPF) is original for 8 years, not even a swirl on it.
Model Y user with full PPF on the entire car. The PPF is by far the best investment I’ve made on my Tesla. This far it has saved me from getting damaged doors from other people hitting it when parking way too close to my car. Also it has saved my front from getting damage from all the stone chips from the road when behind a semi. But foremost the car is so much easier to clean, it’s like your car has a constant coat of wax on it where it just washes off so much easier. Also one of the biggest advantages is that when I wash my car I really don’t think about if my sponge is clean from dirt and whatnot so that I wont scratch the paint, I just wash and use pretty much anything I find. No harm done ever. That said, is it perfect? No, not every corner is perfectly made and not every edge is clean. But I have a white car so every little thing shows up. It’s all about who installed it at the end of the day.
I have two cars that I'm going to get aftermarket painted. I intend to then get PPF because in my experience aftermarket paint isn't as strong (they don't have the $500M ovens Lexus has) and chips much easier. I'd much prefer the defects you've shown to the number of chips I've gotten on aftermarket paint. My real concern is will removing and replacing it someday take the paint off with it. Thoughts anyone?
The first thing I do after buying a new car is have PPF applied to the front, hood, A pillars, roof and rockers. Done that on at least ten cars. Yes, it does get imperfections from rock chips and bugs but the paint stays as new. I wipe off the bug stains within a few hours so the PPF stays clear. After six years the PPF started to fade a bit on one car simply had it removed (and contrary to rumor it does not peel the paint off when removed) and replaced. The car looks brand new again.
I was very disappointed to see the poor installation of that PPF on the Mercedes. Almost criminal. I've had PPF on my Lexus for 13 years and gave it to my son. It's still perfect. No lifting edges or bubbles. I had my new Lexus done in PPF (hood, fenders, mirrors and ft. bumper) just like my old one and I'm hoping it's as good as the last one. I really enjoyed the video great job. Cheers
My car is fully ppf'ed. Aside the roof which doesn't count because it is a tesla and it is just glass. I was involved in an accident that was not fatal, Another car just scrapped through my right rear door down to the wheel arch and bumber. The whole area was heavily scuffed and a dent was created at the wheel arch area. The ppf saved my car paint and clearcoat. It protected it. My installer removed it and it was again like new. I had pdr done on the dented area and new ppf was installed instead of the one that was ruined on the door and back right side again. This car is white pearl. If i had to repaint and keep it look like new, it would end up repainting the whole right side of the car or otherwise it wouldn't be perfect color blending. So ppf was worth it to me. Car also looks much glossier than without it so it shines alot more. The ppf is self healing so any minor scratches just dissappear under the warm sun and the shine level remains high.
What would be your take on side panels, I’m think as a protective/sacrificial layer side panels for pickup trucks , branches scratches, etc? Is it worth it or a quality ceramic coat is better in the end?
I’ve had ppf for 4 years 50k miles. No scrapes or stone chips in the paint. I’m going to replace the hood and front spoiler area because it has done its job. The rest is still near perfect. Doesn’t look quite as good as a corrected car but I don’t have to stress about it, either.
Same with XPEL on one car and Suntek on another for +4 years (both have a 10 year warranty). Zero issues with either PPF living in the triple digit heat in the southwest, UV protection, road debris, road rash from sand, and a ton of bugs, and with posted speed limits of 65-80 mph. I hand wash/dry by hand with microfiber at home. I sometimes pack a bucket/ceramic soap/microfiber when I travel to clean as needed at the U-wash-it places on the road in summer. My PPF installer tucks the PPF into the seams to make it look invisible.
This is one picky ass dude 😂😂. It’s called paint protection film. It’s to protect the paint underneath. If the bugs etched itself through the plastic, but not the paint, then it has done its job. Without the camera being literally a quarter length away from the spots he’s attempting to show us, I am sure this car would look perfect.
That's precisely what I wrote previously, Nick...albeit far less succinctly than what you wrote! As I completed a panel-beating (& service technician) apprenticeship at a Honda dealership in Melbourne, AU during the '90s - combined with my being a ridiculously OCD kinda person with my (Honda, of course!) cars & motorcycles - I'm FAR more fussy than most with vehicles & for me, this car not only looked fantastic to my eyes but methinks that this guy was simply hard-pressed for a new topic for a video & he reeled us all in with this ridiculously fussy, clickbait video in order to keep on making $ from his videos...his previous video that I watched (the only one that I had ever watched) was about not rinsing cars before washing them but it too was absolute hyperbolic shit that was trying to sell a car wash product & I'll certainly NEVER be watching another one of his shitty videos again. Anyway, cheers & best wishes to you from sunny 'Down Under' & once again I've written FAR more than I had initially intended, dammit!! Have a happy Xmas & an awesome start to 2025, bud...take good care up there...Matt.
I had Xpel ultimate on my c7 corvette for 9 years before I sold it. I had no real issues with bugs etching the material like what you've shown. I'd like to know what brand of material is on the Audi and that Merc.
I've had the same ppf on my m3 for 6 years and EVERYTHING comes off. I don't get it. Maybe the brand of ppf? I've done 7 cars with 3m, Scotchguard and even some 3mil ebay stuff. Never had this happen.
I have full PPF on my car, and it was damaged badly on the highway when a cement truck dropped rocks on the road, and I hit them at 75 mph. The PPF was damaged and had to be replaced. It ruined the front bumper and damaged the hood a little. When we removed it, the paint underneath was untouched, so I had to replace the PPF on the front bumper and hood. PPF prevents small rock chips and scratches. It won't protect against larger rocks or objects hitting it at high speed, but it does a great job for its intended purpose. Get quotes on a full-quality car paint job, and you will see why PPF costs far less than repainting the car. It's self-healing with heat, so your car looks great for far longer than it would without PPF. Without PPF, the paint would slowly get worse. It's expensive, so you should consider your budget and what car you are protecting. It makes no sense to spend $5K on PPF for a $12K car. My car cost about $75K, so it was worth protecting and was not an issue with my budget. It would help if you had a quality installer to ensure that there are no seams and that the installation is done properly.
I've worked in the collision repair industry for over 40 yrs and finished my career last yr as lead at Mercedes . PPF will save alot of wear on paint . If you live in an area like Northern Canada where 6 months of the year you're deep in snow and its so cold the cities actually lay down tiny rocks or substrate to allow you to get traction , salt doesn't work below -10 and here it gets -40 . This stuff is a nightmare and will do extensive damage to most vehicles paint finishes leading to rust down the road . Its so bad here that Insurance companies will not include glass coverage and if they do its considered the same as a collision and claiming a broken w/s will dramatically increase your insurance . After 1 winter here your paint will look like it was sand blasted . PPF is a saviour from these harsh conditions and the PPF business in these parts is a major industry . If you live in a warm climate and not much road construction then Id say you do not need it but if you live in a cold climate with harsh winter conditions than PPF is worth the investment . Painting a luxury vehicle is extremely expensive and most people could not afford to paint even just their front end on say a Mercedes as it will set you back $$$ . Paint a medium size mercedes properly will set you back pushing $20,000 so PPF is a small investment
Well yes, anyone who has any thought would know that PPF is meant to be another layer of protection. Nothing protects 100%. So people are coming in and complaining that 6 month of heavy road use and there's wear on the PPF??? Well yeah, that's going to happen. However, if it was installed properly (which in this case wasn't), its still going to look better than not having it there at all. Imagine all the hard chips the paint would've suffered on the car already.. I can see why some installers would stop offering it because the last thing you want is someone coming back and complaining the stuff doesn't work. Or wants to replace everything without paying for it (which of course is the situation 99% of the time is going to happen). I still think installing PPF is a good way to go if you're worried about resale value or want to protect your "forever car". Would I put it on a daily driver or a leased vehicle? If the daily driver is a desirable brand or costs upwards of 70G's+, then yeah, I'd probably want too. On a leased vehicle?? No. I find it especially helpful to avoid all those swirl marks and blemishes that accumulate over time. I personally never put the car thru any car washes, but for those who want to quickly make it look "shiny", PPF goes a long way. Especially with its self healing properties.
Thank you for this. I just bought a new 4Runner. First new car in our garage in 15 years and I want to protect it and take good care of it. Was going to use PPF on some of the front edges, but I will not. Probably will go with a ceramic coating or something similar if you advise it. I do plan to wash it at home using best practices and proper equipment. It should be fun!
This guy is WRONG! More likely he can’t install PPF correctly. So He found a way to upsell his own products and services. PPF is an amazing benefit, especially for bumpers. Unless you like filler paint or paying twice as much to repaint a bumper or hood. PPF is a Protective Layer designed to be removed and replaced saving your vehicles paint.
Got Xpel PPF on our 2022 Model Y. I finally got around to hand-washing it this week (no-touch washes leave a greyish dirt film). Car looks like new. Better yet, the PPF makes the paint look like it has 20 layers of clear coat on it. PS Bug spots are harder to get off (ceramic coating helped). I'll have a closer look for PPF damage and for big rock chips too. Thanks Coleton! Lotsa love to all ❤❤❤
Ive Been installing PPF for over a decade ...... It's not perfect , it never will be , it should be sold as a degradable protection and pros and cons clearly explained. The edges lift over time, it gets beat up as it does it's job , but its a great sacrificial layer . Is it for everyone ? No way..... I've done some installs where's theirs no patterns on old cars and In all honesty they aren't perfect , neat but certainly not perfect, average cut lines and bits you have outlined in this video , I've always explained to the customer what to expect and they can make their choice to go ahead / or not , most and are just happy the car has that hard wearing layer. The newer patterns ( 2015 onwards) are much much better but in reality I've never seen or done a perfect PPF install. It's just not possible. I try my absolute best and have won awards for my installs and still some of them as mentioned particularly on the older cars (early 2000s) with no patterns are 6/10 at best as it's a hand created product, I can't hide from that , my z4m 2006 is a definite average install , Again little to no patterns and what was available was pretty damn poor, but my pride and joy is mostly protected from top to bottom and that lets me enjoy it and I will improve it everytime a section needs swapping out. For me, I see the benefits and the pros out weight the cons. The key as an installer is to be honest and very upfront. I love the PPF product , and even the challenge to install. Very proudly a Suntek official install shop here in the UK. Good video 👍🏾
@@mastrasport anyone marketing PPF as perfect is bare faced lying. It's very much imperfect. I adore the PPF sector but I'm vbrutally honest with my clients. As mentioned my old 2006 car with the early patterns is far from perfect. Wiggly lines in places where I've made hand cuts, hexagon around circles where I've had to adjust myself , but overall neat. Neat is as far as Id go. The newer car patterns are much much better but still it's definitely not perfect.
What’s your suggestion for protecting the car from rocks PPF isn’t perfect but it’s still better than repainting the front of the. Shouldn’t ceramic coating, protect against bugs.? I have had it on my cars for years. It’s not perfect but it’s better than a bunch of rock chips in the paint.
Not all ceramic coatings are compatible with certain ppfs! The ceramic coating can hurt the ppf and prevent it from performing as designed. Check the warranties on the ppf, you can’t just use any coating, it either needs to be tested or approved by the ppf manufacturer.
I was interested in what you thought. I have a 2020 Lexus RC350 F-Sport with factory PPF on the front of the car and 25% of the hood. After 47,000 miles of about 75% freeway driving, and after careful inspection, I have 2 small slightly noticeable defects in the PPF, the edges have not lifted and the car is left outside 100%. My prior vehicle was full of paint chips throughout the front bumper and hood without PPF, and thus I am very pleased with the PPF purchase which was about $600 from the factory. Obviously who installs the PPF and the manufacture of the PPF may play a role in the final visual aspects of the film after years of higher speed driving.
I put a stealth ppf over the front of my Model Y to prevent damage to the wrap. My model X got so beat up on the front so I didn’t want to deal with that again 😅. If it was just over paint I wouldn’t have done it.
PPF is a great idea! It's great protection. The problem is the cost... And that is what I take from this video. The product is fantastic and it does exactly what you can physically and mechanically expect from such product. But then there's the cost... and the maintenance. In a perfect world (for me of course), protecting a mid sized vehicle should be well under 1000 USD... But PPF competes in price with what a respray from a very good shop would ask for. And this is what I really don't get... If you have a classic or a very expensive exotic where people will take the "original" everything to an almost irrational degree, then, yes, it makes sense. Or very specific applications. All rest "normal" cars, for as much as I like the concept and the idea, factoring the cost and the maintenance involved... Then it's hard for me justify this.
I agree with you. I only have done PPF on my cars that are 100k+, there is no reason to do in a beater. And a good PPF starts at 5k, and needs to be replaced every few years to not look garbage. But it will protect from rock chips and bird poop, the PPF might fade but the painting underneath won’t. A good PPF shop will do paint correction before applying the PPF and then after to make sure it looks neat.
@japanwatchconnection it’s just s matter of finance. A paint that costs 1k to fix a panel of the car, in a car that will be beat up, there is no reason to spend 3k protecting it. I let it get beat up and repaint it. A car that costs 10k to 20k to repaint, it worths a PPF expense of 5k to keep the original painting as those cars usually have multi-layer painting that is quite expensive. It’s not about being elitist, just smart about how to spend the money. Of course if your car is special and you love how it looks with PPF and that gives you a good feeling and you can spend. Go ahead. Tho I have 10k cars either fade out painting that I couldn’t care less, as far as I can have fun with it driving around. And others that I want to preserver the painting and it will be more expensive to fix than protect.
I LOVE PPF for a partial hood. I have 2 cars that are 7 years old and their hoods are 100% free of rock chips. I don't love it for bugs, and that's why I only do a partial hood. It has never faded and looks as new as when I installed it 7 years ago.
PPF may protect the original paint against chips, but then you have to fix the PPF too. IMO you're better off touching up the paint every 18 months or so than having to constantly remove and reapply film.
My five year old Model 3 is happy it's had PPF on it. So much so that I'm getting my new Model Y protected. It looks great where the PPF was installed and I regret not having it installed in front of the rear wheels where the paint is ruined. It costs $20,000 or more to repaint a car. That's 10 applications of PPF
I just bought a brand new 4Runner and I’m trying to figure out what the best way to protect the paint from scratches would be. I had a 2016 4runner and never did anything to the exterior for protection and man did it get scratched to hell. I go hiking and camping a lot and many times the camp site or trailhead is down a dirt road that has tree branches hanging into the road. The first few times I drove down one of these roads I didn’t think anything of it, the branches were very small(I would even go as far as to call them twigs) but when I got out I couldn’t believe the scratches I saw up and down the sides of my vehicle. I had my new 4Runner professionally ceramic coated (I think it was Simoniz maybe?) it was $850 but it has a lifetime guarantee. Do you think it will be enough to protect the vehicle from scratches?
I'm with you. PPF has come a long way since my first install in 2004 on my R32 (still own) but in reality, you're paying to keep the paint looking good for the next person while it looks like crap over time while you own it. Who is spending $2k to replace it every few years? Also, try to pull PPF off after 10 years.... it sucks. I'd rather touch up paint chips or respray down the road.
What about vinyl wrap? Does that stand up to bug spray more? Or is there a store bought spray/wax you can protect the paint / wrap with better so long as you keep up with the application?
This is a silly video. Dude shows a bunch of damage on clear bra, that would have otherwise been damage on a hood. You are also giving a singular example. I have seen countless cars with ppf for years that looks like a typical worn paint job. Which is what it’s supposed to do. I’m not sure what your point is?! It’s supposed to get damaged…
We bought a brand new black car in 2012 and I spent 1500 bucks on front end Xpel. After a year and 12k miles it looked like ass, all the road damage. I could have had the front repainted for less than the PPF cost.
That's exactly why I don't have it. Upfront cost, then cost of removal and replace later, with additional cost of fixing the chips that were hard enough they damaged the paint anyway. "Nah" -Rosa Parks
So would you recommend Vinyl then? I have a cybertruck, looking to wrap but torn between the 2. I live in Chicago area so salts snows, etc. I don't feel like spending a lot tbh, I know vinyl is cheaper.
So back in 2013, I bought a brand new Lexus LS 460 in the long body. And I won’t go through the nightmare. It took me to get the long body in a burgundy color because Lexus doesn’t make a whole lot of big cars in Burgundy. They go with the safe colors of black, white, gray. So I had it delivered to Austin Texas from another state. When my dealership received it, and I went to pick it up, he told me that they could add a screen of protection on the front of the car for what I believe at the time was like $600. it didn’t make much sense to me, but I went ahead and said go ahead and do it. Once I started driving the car, everywhere I went, people were walking up to me, and saying, man your car looks so awesome, but then they would say, oh man somebody scratched your hood. And I would say, no, that’s paint protection screen. Eventually, I got tired of it looking like it was scratched and people saying it. So I took it off after like two or three weeks. I drove the car for four years and put almost 100,000 miles on it. And the front of the car was immaculate. I didn’t need that screen protection. And I want to thank you for this video and giving everybody this information.
Been using PPF over the past 20 years in all my cars. PPF is not for everyone. If you’re willing to take care of it then it has its place. Definitely payed off for me and it’s a must for those who’re willing to go the extra mile in taking care of their cars. To begin with the job must be done well, then it’s all about taking care of it, such as hand washing washing at home, there are special techniques washing ppfd cars, don’t cross over edges etc , seal the edges either waxes , etc
so what your saying is it make more sense to not put any film on and have the rock hit the paint.... not film and have the bugs etch the actual paint? Not there is wet sanding buffing involved. i would rather having a ppf with lifting edges than having to buff and possibly paint a car. im pretty sure you are good at your profession, but this video is not affective. if anything it more proved why you SHOULD get PPF.
"I am a professional specialized in paint correction and ceramic coating. PPF is not worth the cost and inconvenience, I recommend paint correction and ceramic coating. Trust me, bro!" 🤣
Paint correction is a process where they use a polishing machine to take off a thin layer of the car's clear coat leaving a smooth, swirl and scratch-free surface again. Deeper scratches that get down past the clear coat levels cannot be "corrected" in this manner. A lot of people think that a new car's paint will be perfect, but that's not always the case. A good shop that does paint correction and PPF installation will typically do a paint correction even on a new car before putting on the PPF. Remember, even if the paint was perfect the second it left the factory, it has to travel on the open road to the dealership, dealers will typically wash the car and they don't hire expert detailers to do their washes, if you know what I mean. So even a "brand new" car can come with scratches and swirls. It all depends on how much you care about your car's finish being "perfect." I was quoted, from Chicago Auto Pros (a well known/respected shop) $800 for a paint correction and another $800 for ceramic coating recently. Ceramic coating will NOT protect from stone chips at all.
Isn’t the whole point of PPF that it is a sacrificial layer so instead of the bug stains permanently damaging your paint it damages the PPF? So essentially you don’t have to repaint your car and as result reducing the resale value of your car, you just take off the PPF and now have a more desirable car to sell or trade in and with perfect (original) paint, which ultimately means higher price for the seller.
That's what he explained in this video. It's when you see people getting PPF on a vehicle that will never recoup the costs of even getting that done is what boggles my mind! To each his own I guess...
real talk... prior to ppf being a thing, i've never sold/traded in a car where the paint having minor defects affected it's value.
I've had PPF/Wrap at a shop here in San Diego. After 7 years I removed them and notice lines of scratches everywhere that is caused by the razor the shop used. The value definitely went down and to say you get good value when selling or trading is not true.
@@hotdognobun exactly, PPF and vinyl wrapping is always risky when the installer hand cuts. All those video saying they are so good that they only cut the vinyl and not underneath are all BS. Those videos you see they cut vinyl over their hands; the truth is your skin is stretchable, the low amount of pressure applied over the skin with some of the blades will not cut you, but if you take that same amount of pressure apply it to paint that doesn't stretch it will leave a mark. Why does the vinyl cut then? because vinyl is a type of material that once it starts to rip the edge of the knife will slice through.
"I am a professional specialized in paint correction and ceramic coatings. PPF is not worth the cost and inconvenience, I recommend paint correction and ceramic coating. Trust me, bro!" 🤣
As someone who is in the PPF/Ceramic industry I can appreciate this video. In my opinion, the only way to sell PPF is as a sacrificial layer of protection (like you mentioned) to protect your paint. PPF is a tangible product that will always be there and protect the paint from the majority of scratches, chips and dings regardless of how someone takes care of their vehicle.
There is a big education curve that needs to take place between the installer and the consumer and lots of that education you touched on well in this video.
Exactly. When I ordered my Charger Hellcat, I immediately looked to set up PPF installation. The whole point is to protect the original paint and replace the PPF panels as needed. I have replaced the PPF on the wide body just in front of the passenger doors and it was relatively cheap. Paint underneath what still perfect though the PPF was pretty beat up.
In my opinion, in the long run, PPF always looks worse, especially on light colored cars.
If people are more educated though, the price is gonna drive way down
Ceramic Coating is a tangible product as well, don't make it sound like it's perfect. It lasts about as long as PPF, 2-3 years before you have to dish out another 2-3k to coat your car.
There's also a big come-back-down-to-earth curve that PPF installers needs to go through and stop charging 2-3 times more for a PPF wrap than paint shops charge for repainting the whole car.
I drive quite a bit up to 28k miles a year. My commute to work is almost all expressway and with my last car I just couldn’t keep up with massive amounts of rock chips I was getting. When I bought my Type R the first thing I did was take it in for professionally installed PPF and ceramic coating. PPF may not be for everyone, but I am quite happy with how it has protected the leading edges of my car up to this point.
Congrats, I just got mine a couple of weeks ago and thinking of going with matte PPF.
How you looking the car so far?
@@alichaudhry12 Welcome to the club. I'm loving the car. It is by far the most fun car I have owned. Of course most of all my other cars were family sedans. My CTR is Championship White and I just had the roof PFF wrapped in gloss black and it really helps to tie in with the rear wing. It looks great.
@@chrissimmons9969 that's what I have and am looking to do the exact same with the roof, can I get some pics please.
@@alichaudhry12 sure how can I get pics to you?
JAAAAAG 🙏
I believe PPF is good for people who don’t like scratches, point blank. It’s not about making things perfect. When parking in parking lots or driving long periods. It’s helpful to know you have that extra layer of protection instead of getting your car re painted.
How are you protected by paying thousands upfront to MAYBE save a few thousand on paint IF you ever happen to need it?
I paid $5200 for a full X3M in XPEL. A lot of shops upcharge like crazy. That is cheaper than respirating. Most Luxury cars have expensive paint therefore it cost. Especially labor. I live in the northeast and labor here is not cheap. I rather pay $5200 once to protect my depreciation asset that I love to drive. It doesn’t protect against everything but 90% of things on the road it can.
Than re spraying*** typo
BINGO! And that is exactly why I have it on my hood. Only partial though, and it has paid for itself. ZERO rock chips after 7 years and that's on 2 cars. ALL our cars previously, were covered in multiple rock chips when we had to sell them. Not ideal! So there 100% IS a place for PPF.
@@zacklewis342 go repaint the front of ur car and see the car value drop like a rock from it. You seem like the type of person who says why get insurance? You man never need it.
The whole half of the video of you talking around the car before zooming in, it looks perfectly fine to me. Seems like the ppf did it's job.
Once the damage is done, will you be happy to spend another $2,000 plus dollars every 6 months to 12 months?
@@richscott2483 Complete bs, I've had my car PPF'd for over two years w ceramic coat on top and have zero issues. You do not need to replace it every 6-12 months. My previous M3 had PPF/cermaic coat for four years. It had minor chips on the PPF but otherwise perfect and without the PPF it would have been the paint.
@@j.taveras8447 I feel like he is a typical tradesman who complains about another trade person's work. they always speak of perfection but their work has issues as well.
Completely agree, all the time he’s pointing to so called ‘issues’ which you can’t see. This is what happens when you present a video on a product you don’t like - it’s biased. The whole idea of PPF is to protect paint. For many it’s to avoid re-sprays because no doubt they drive like a fool or to ensure the owner gets full value or resell.
@@richscott2483 WTF would you replace it every 6 months, mate?! I'd retain it until I was about to sell it or trade it in, IF there were enough paint chips by this stage to warrant its removal, that is...otherwise, the new buyer may be happy to buy it with the paint still so well-protected & with so few blemishes upon the ACTUAL paintwork, because it has an additional protective layer upon it...I don't have PPF applied to my beloved, very well-maintained & tastefully modified car (a Honda that turns 30 y/o next year, plus a Repsol CBR1000RR 'bike that turns 20 y/o next year) & nor do I intend to apply it in the future but for me, this car still looks pretty fantastic & after now having watched 2 of this guy's videos today, I think that this content creator is a massive click-baiter who simply makes b/s videos about nothing of major importance, simply for the views, comments & thus the $...so we're all falling into his trap, dammit...but as an OCD kinda guy who completed a panel-beating & service technician combined apprenticeship at a Honda dealership during the '90s (in Melbourne, AU), I like to think that I'm a pretty astute judge of a car's condition & the best means of protecting them & for me, this thing looked pretty damn good & thus I'd be quite happy with the investment, if it was mine...cheers to you & I wish you both a happy Xmas & a quality start to 2025, rather imminently...Matt.
Do you think fixing rock chips after couple year period looks better and is cheaper than having ppf and replacing it after the same time period?
PPF will look better.
Define better. Better in price? Better in look? Most chips are in the bumper and hood. If you really want paint protection, the smartest move is to get PPF in the bumper and hood only. Possibly lower side of vehicle as well.@@ZackScriven
@@ak-iy4yb better in way it looks. That’s why I said it will look better. 🤔
My experience. I have an 11 year old jag xf with 125k miles on it. No PPF. At some point lately the front bumper was pretty thrashed with rock chips so I had the front bumper repainted by a shop with great reviews and it looks as good as new. It cost $900. Seems better to just save the money and repaint after a few years than PPF.
As this guy said, if I had a super car that would be different, but a typical car, dont think so.
@@jonesjones7057 I have exactly the same experience. To be honest even if I have to repaint my front even 2-3 years it would still be cheaper that PPF. Also I would never be convince that PPF will look as new after years, you can never prevent peel offs and dust collection at the edges.
Think about this, if a rock chip would've damaged the PPF as described in this video, can you imagine how badly it would've damaged the clearcoat AND paint!?
Rocks don't damage PPF. The video is silly.
@@jacobpetersen5662what about all the dents and divots in the film he showed?
Of course it does, not all rocks are made equal. @@jacobpetersen5662
He's saying bugs damaged the PPF
He just little bit too much
Probably guys don’t like PPF
WOW, Coleton, what an honest and insightful video. It made me a subscriber immediately. I just purchased a new car, and this video answered questions and even nonsense thoughts I had in my mind.
Again, thank you.
🙏🙏
I have had 3M PPF installed and my commute is mainly HWY and over the years I have not in counter the issues that you mentioned, maybe is the quality of ppf that a dealer uses because the 3M film has done a great job on my car and if there are a few dings from rocks they have never penetrated the film and I have not had any issues with bug stain they always come off without leaving a mark, Its absolutely worth it to me.
This car still looked pretty damn good to me & as I've already mentioned in several previous posts within this thread, I'm a fully qualified panel-beater (at a Melbourne, AU Honda dealership during the '90s, prior to the world of PPF but little else has changed about paintwork over the past 25-30 years, really) & I'm fussy as fuck by nature with my cars & motorcycles...this uploader is simply trying to create something out of nothing...cheers & best wishes from 'Down Under', bud...happy Xmas & 2025...Matt.
I get what your saying but for me the PPF has 100% done its job. its taken the damage and protected his paint. when he wants to sell it just pull off the PPF and his paint will 100% be in better condition than if he didn't have the PPF
Great video. Answered so many of my questions. Great content!! So happy I can make an informed decision now and not regret it down the road by not having had someone explain everything to me as you have.
Thanks for the video. As a person who had a bad PPf experience, I thought Id comment. If you are going to get PPF, make sure you get it installed by a professional and insist on seeing some of thier work in person before giving them any of your money. My first experience was through a shop with 5 star ratings, but i never had a chance to see any of thier PPF work. The end result was an install with all the flaws Coleton shows, along with knife cuts into the paint! PPF was removed by another shop and most, but not all of the knife cuts could be polished out. Not a good start for a brand new vehicle. In the future, only paint correction and ceramic coatings for me.
My exact same experience. And my exact same conclusion
What are your thoughts on ceramic on top of PPF? My Detailer did that for my install and my PPF still looks like it’s brand new from a year ago. Granted we don’t have as many bugs and I hand wash every weekend.
I did the same on my Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Summit Reserve. It looks amazing and so easy to maintain. They key to PPF really comes down to the installer. I only did partial PPF and the installer spent about 12 hours custom printing and cutting in a mobile lab at my house. He is a high experienced installer. I spent a week or so preparing the surfaces and this was before the car was driven after purchase. Make sure you find a very, very good experienced installer otherwise walk away...
lmao that u a sucker. Putting ceramic on a ppf. pick one, not both lol
I’am the owner of PPF studio in Australia and wanted to thank you for the video. I have to agree that PPF is not for everyone, I always mention to my customers this wont solve all your problems. In my opinion PPF is worth the money as long as you use best brands like Suntek or XPEL. Installation process is a key - edge wrapped, do not overstretch and use patterns. A lot of people don’t understand PPF installation is basically a handcraft and many of detailers expend their services without thinking how difficult it is to make it right and that’s what destroying our industry.
I found educating people about the whole idea make them coming back with other vehicles.
In addition detailers sell ceramic coating as a paint protection which everyone knows it does not, expect UV.
What happens if you put 3+ layers of ppf on ?
Just wondering if 1 layer is kinda good. What would 10 layers do. Then when the top layer is damaged you peel it off and its like new underneath. 😅
@@dnegel9546 You would never, ever need 10 layers of ppl. Most pff films are at minimum 8 mils thick. More than thick enough for rock chips to never go through. The film doesn't get shredded over the years. So to answer your question, nothing would happen other than them unnecessary being on the car. 1 layer of ppl is good.
ceramic coating doesn't help with UV? Dang. I'm just learning about PPF and ceramic coating the last day or two and was really hoping some combination of the two would help with UV. If it doesn't... it's just making my car extra shiny?
As a fellow Aussie, in which city/state are you located, may I please enquire? I completed a combined panel-beating & service technician apprenticeship at a Melbourne Honda dealership during the '90s & have previously considered PPF'ing the carbon fibre hood (painted to match the car's paint code) & front skirt & guards upon my car, that's all...cheers & best wishes from the Mornington Peninsula, mate...& have a great Xmas next week & a quality beginning to 2025 the following week...Matt.
My xpel ppf self heals with bug stains. Just wipe them off, let it sit in the sun, and it’s good as new. I’d recommend using xpel (template based, and self healing) and having a quality xpel certified shop install.
PPF should NEVER be sold as an "enhancement" to your vehicle! It's a barrier to protect your factory paint so that you can resell and hopefully recoup the cost of the PPF. For me, I don't drive on the highway much and don't follow close to cars ahead of me. I see people getting PPF on a Nissan Sentra, and for me that's just throwing your money away! If you have a very expensive car, get some PPF to protect your car from losing its value even more than it already will.
My rule of thumb for PPF is if the cost of the PPF is >10% of the cost of the car then it makes no sense whatsoever (with a few exceptions).
100%
Really
I hust DIY it and save thousands of $.
Not to mention the optical distortion, yellowing, still doesn’t stop dents or deeper chips, and you still have to ceramic coat it for hydrophobic properties.
I traded in a red BMW that was not PPF and I lost a lot of money cause of the rock chips expose the white primer underneath . Since then -I had my last three cars PPF and no rock chips or bug marks.
$25 touchup pen from dealership = problem solved
So what do you suggest people do to protect their paint? PPS? Nothing at all? Naked paint has its disadvantages too.
Yeah, I don’t think so. Very strange viewpoint in my humble opinion. I own about 40 cars and almost all of them have some PPF and I probably have about 10 cars that I have full PF on them. The proper way to protect a new car is Pain correction, then, PPF, then ceramic coating over the PPF. In the last seven or so years, I’ve used three different shops. One of them does amazing work every time, the other two, it depends on who did the job as far as the technician himself. That new EXPEL thicker film is awesome. Also, the matte film is terrific in my opinion. My matte paint cars I don’t even drive at all until they are PPFed. As far as staining, yes, I have had one year old PPF redone twice. Both times it had to do with the fact that the car sat in the sun with sapp stains on the PPF. And, regardless of what it is, older, film, seven years plus old, will need to be replaced if you drive the car at all. I am a big fan of ceramic coating, but only if it goes on top of the PPF. Lastly, the worstPPF that I have seen both from the application technique perspective as well as the quality of the film itself, is Factory PPF on the newer Porsches.
I agree with you 💯
So, pay multiple thousands of dollars and waste loads of your valuable time instead of just maintaining your paint with regular washes and garaging? Even if you have a paint issue, it will probably be minor and cost way less than all of this nonsense.
@@zacklewis342if he has 40 cars I think the last thing he’s worried about is money.
@@zacklewis342Garages would cost more than the PPF and also not protect against swirls, scratches, and rock chips.
Pain correction, that's a new one.
I had PPF put on my CX5 gloss black plastic door pillars. The plastic is ridiculously soft so it needed some way of helping stop scratching. The PPF does help prevent lots of micro scratches but PPF is itself prone to scratching that won’t self heal. It’s only the micro scratches that self heal.
Agreed. It does help to prevent scratches from my neighbours 5:11 cats which like to lying on my car. Prevent many stone chips whenever following truck with load of stones or sand…..
@@cheahkaimun1 May I please enquire re: what 5:11 cats are, mate?! Surely you didn't mean to write that they're 5'11" tall?!
Thank You, for someone in the industry finally stating the whole truth about PPF. I've seen some pretty bad work out there where you can tell by just seeing the edges. On some it would have been better too just have an new paint job. Also, PPF doesn't last forever.
PPF lasts way longer than most people keep their cars. So whats the problem?
I think you failed to comprehend people who don’t care if their car is perfect looking but want to keep their cars for a long time and not have rock chips damage. Not just for pure looks like a perfectionist about shine like you cares about
I have a 2021 Mazda cx-9. I have PPF on my car since new from rock guard films on the east coast in Pennsylvania and have no problem or issues like this. Looks great since day one. It goes to my detailer about every 6-8 month for maintenance washes. I also have a ceramic coating and they say the car and ppf is great.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this, Coleton. I’ve had mixed feelings about not getting PPF for my car, but this makes me relieved I didn’t get it! I had no idea there were so many downsides. Hope to see you again soon!
Here is a quick video summary for those who don't have time to view the entire thing.
Classic or High End Car = Get PPF
Any Tesla (even plaid) = Get PPF if you like wasting more money, even though you think you are saving on not purchasing gas.
Like and Subscribe.
@@DogDongDotCom Just get coloured PPF as a cool wrap ;) Now you have a fancy color AND it's PPF'd. Just wash it regularly and it won't get damaged by regular wear and tear.
I bought a black c5z06 several years ago and the first thing I did was PPF the front, hood and side mirror housings. For a black car you care about, I think PPF is very beneficial because black shows EVERYTHING
Except that with a black car all the scratches and abrasions in th PPF now look like white blemishes...
I know I have one with PPF... never again@@rickhunter6513
If you care for PPF the same as you would care for bare paint (keep it clean and protected), it will look fantastic for as long as you are willing to care for it. I've had great looking PPF on a half dozen vehicles and I'll never be without it. The key to being satisfied is starting with a qualified installer and then take care of it. I think you just weren't good at installing PPF (most installers aren't) and now you're trying to talk everyone out of it just because you don't want to offer it as a service. That's fine, but it's ridiculous to try to suggest that PPF isn't a great choice for many vehicle owners. Your entire rant is truly absurd.
Thanks so much for your video. It helped me so much to understand the PRO/CON of PPF.
Really appreciate the truth you shared here.
A year ago I bought a 4 year old Mercedes SL450 with full PPF over the entire car. The car was just off lease and had spent it's life in Florida, bug capital of the US.
The paint was flawless. Not a swirl, not a stain, no blems except for a couple of chips on a mirror.
What creates flaws in the paint is driving 70 mph on the highway or perhaps a windy day around town. Dust, fine particles of dirt and the like create micro abrasions in the paint. This is where you benefit from ppf. The ppf protects from these types of abrasions and they don't seem to damage the ppf at all.
After my owning the car for another year, the paint looks like it just came out of the factory.
Yes, it's expensive, but unless you drag out the buffing wheel once a year, and I don't, the ppf will, in most cases, keep your paint looking factory fresh.
This so good to hear I just moved too Florida
And buffing once a year will just make the paint fail faster (beceause you're removing clear coat and the UV, chemical, and oxidation protection it provides).
Good PPF brands no doubt look better than paint if you keep your cars for long.
I'd rather replace ppf than paint. And if you apply wax or synthetic wax it will protect the ppf from bug stains.
Make sure to get 3M pro series ppf.
Exactly
I've had PPF (and ceramic) on my Audi S5 SB for years. It still looks beautiful and turns heads. If the PPF layer is an example of what the permanent damage could have been to the paint, it's money well spent. In my opinion, this is a nit picking video. The average person that gets PPF could care less about about a few things. Gas prices. Bug smudges that they have to literally dig into just to find and complain about. And the price of getting a good detail. The PPF prevented 99.9% of potential permanent damage. And you're complaining about the 0.1%?
Nit picking PPF bug smudges and critiquing someone else's work? Not educational in my opinion.
i was thinking on putting ceramic and ppf to my car, do you recommend it?
The PBF is thin plastic and not nearly as hard or durable as the clearcoat paint but it’s trying to protect. So most things that will damage the PPF wouldn’t damage the clearcoat. If it did, it’s a lot less than $2500 to have it repaired. I think that’s the point.
I ran ppf on all of my cars and no regrets, it does what it supposed to do, renew when needed 😊
I have had real 3M PPF on my ram hood edge and various other locations. 7 years. 220,000kms. Professionally installed. Still looks great. No fade. No peel. No stains. Some scratches and dings but that’s the whole point.
Sounds awesome, Jake...but don't let this PITA click-baiting 'content creator' near it...he'll still undoubtedly find something to bitch about & then create a video from it!
You made me want PPF after watching this video. If it gets damaged and saves the paint, then fine. You failed to provide a better alternative, and something is better than nothing. It sounds to me that if your story is true, then the owner of that car didn't clean it often enough and let the bugs damage the PPF. You t h en criticized people who care about protecting their car. Nice.
simply touch up the paint! REALLY EASY!!!
my conclusion too
And self healing PPF makes cleaning those bugs off way easier since you don't have to worry about swirls/fine scratches, you can literally clean off every bug you see with a napkin. Whereas with paint, you'd have to carry waterless wash and a microfiber, which very few people do.
@themikeroberts no, actually, PPF is much more Subject to abrasive damage during a correction
I have xpel ppf and it makes me happy knowing my paint is protected, and when i wash my car i know uts going to look like new and shiny. Because i have OCD and any imperfection just gets in my nerves, so ppf is easily worth it for me.
If you dont care about rock chip and are mainly focused on value then dont use ppf.
You wont get your money back when you sell your car, but while you own the car, you will be happy ppf helped keep it looking beautiful 😍
What if we put ceramic coating on top of PPF? Would it solve the issues you pointed out aside from a poor application by the detailer?
The tradeoff of having protection from scratches, parking lot idiots and stone chips makes the film still worth it. I wouldn't replace the PPF because of a few bug stains and rock chips.
i live in indonesia. just purchased all new GLC300 4matic. i am considering either nano ceramic coating or ppf. UPPF costs about $2150 while coating about $500. i have full insurance which allow me to claim on any accidents. shall i just leave it without any coating or ppf?
I live in a big city where scratches from literally anything can happen at any given moment. Specially inside cramped parking lots. My car was once scratched really bad in the front bumper at my gym’s parking lot by someone who probably doesn’t even know how to reverse. To top it off, the parking said they couldn’t check the cameras and that they couldn’t do anything…*bureaucracy at its finest*. Another time, on a different parking lot, it seemed like someone was taking beers nearby and thought it was a very good idea to rest on the side of my car, leaving a scratch and a ding on the bodywork. Got both of them fixed, but honestly, the paint doesn’t look as good afterwards.
Despite all the care and measures you take, someone or something will happen (murphy’s law, I guess). I recently got PPF installed on my next car, and honestly, it just gives me peace of mind. The integrated ceramic coat works great with its hydrophobic properties, and It definitely enhances the look of the paint when it is clean.
IMO, if it doesn’t represent a huge percentage of the cost of the car, it makes a lot of sense, or Depending on your necessities. A friend of mine constantly takes highways and spends most of his time driving in them. He said he did spent hundreds in his last car repainting the front bumper due to rock chips, a full front installation would make a lot of sense for him…
might be different types of ppf, i have no bug stains on mine
So your rationale for not getting PPF is because it leaves a mark on the PPF when there is a rock chip? Do you not understand what happens when a rock hits your car? It chips the paint. On my previous car that did not have PPF I had so many rock chips. I would go over it with touch up paint, which would cost money, but it was never that good of a job. PPF would have protected my paint. It is not perfect, but PPF is better than nothing. And the dealership that I got it installed at gave me a 10 year warranty on the PPF. Even if I trade in the car, it will be worth more with having PPF installed. Hard to say that is not worth it.
Most dealers hardly look at a car when they give it a value for trade in. They look it over once, maybe drive it, and give a value. Your 2-3k in film isn’t going to make them give you more. I traded in a car with 100s of rock chips up front and got more a little more than trade in value was, and I didn’t spend 3 grand on film
@@19hundoc47 Remind me never to buy a car that you have driven then. Sounds like you don't take care of them at all.
I had 3 vehicles done with ppf. Never again. This guy is spot on in his video. I'd rather fix some paint chips. I don't have any on my 3 MBs and together I have over 600k on them. They still look far better than any car I had with ppf after 2 years. Just my opinion
@@19hundoc47 If you don't take of your cars then that's on you. So I will definitely not be buying any car you have ever driven. No clue why this concept is so hard for you to understand in that it took you a month you reply to my comment. But you do you, buddy.
@@VgAce135 whatever you say troll boy, stay mad
Amen Brother.
As far as rock chips I’ve driven over 1000 miles driving on vacation to Tennessee the last 5 years and do you know how many rock chips I have on my Tesla ? 0
Because I don’t tailgate, I try to stay ahead in traffic in the left lane and third I stay back when people are changing lanes because that is when the rocks start flying.
Safe travels.
Good luck doing that in an urban area, impossible up in the northeast
PPF isn’t perfect but when you’re driving through the equivalent of a sandblaster in the winter it’s better than nothing
That’s interesting and good to know
If you add ceramic coating to the PPF does it still have the same bug stains ?
I have had PPF for 2.5 years on my car and I have no bug stains at all. Not one. I keep the car pretty clean and with spray sealant though.
Bugs come from the front, once in couple of years (and it is not expansive) if someone is annoyed with the stains - they can replace the PPF. What would you do with the acid-eaten paint? Polish it? Repaint? PPF is going off and a new one is put. I have replaced my front bumper couple of times, it is split with two halves - so if one half is enough - just one half is replaced (left or right). All the other car body (hatchback, full PPF) is original for 8 years, not even a swirl on it.
Model Y user with full PPF on the entire car. The PPF is by far the best investment I’ve made on my Tesla. This far it has saved me from getting damaged doors from other people hitting it when parking way too close to my car. Also it has saved my front from getting damage from all the stone chips from the road when behind a semi.
But foremost the car is so much easier to clean, it’s like your car has a constant coat of wax on it where it just washes off so much easier.
Also one of the biggest advantages is that when I wash my car I really don’t think about if my sponge is clean from dirt and whatnot so that I wont scratch the paint, I just wash and use pretty much anything I find. No harm done ever.
That said, is it perfect? No, not every corner is perfectly made and not every edge is clean. But I have a white car so every little thing shows up.
It’s all about who installed it at the end of the day.
What would you say for people who do a lot of off-roading to prevent pin striping directly on the paint?
I have two cars that I'm going to get aftermarket painted. I intend to then get PPF because in my experience aftermarket paint isn't as strong (they don't have the $500M ovens Lexus has) and chips much easier. I'd much prefer the defects you've shown to the number of chips I've gotten on aftermarket paint. My real concern is will removing and replacing it someday take the paint off with it.
Thoughts anyone?
If the prep work done by the body shop was on point and heat ( such as steam ) is used during the removal process, you should be fine.
The first thing I do after buying a new car is have PPF applied to the front, hood, A pillars, roof and rockers. Done that on at least ten cars. Yes, it does get imperfections from rock chips and bugs but the paint stays as new. I wipe off the bug stains within a few hours so the PPF stays clear. After six years the PPF started to fade a bit on one car simply had it removed (and contrary to rumor it does not peel the paint off when removed) and replaced. The car looks brand new again.
Could the bugstains in the PPF be remived by polishing? 🤔
I was very disappointed to see the poor installation of that PPF on the Mercedes. Almost criminal. I've had PPF on my Lexus for 13 years and gave it to my son. It's still perfect. No lifting edges or bubbles. I had my new Lexus done in PPF (hood, fenders, mirrors and ft. bumper) just like my old one and I'm hoping it's as good as the last one. I really enjoyed the video great job. Cheers
After 4 times you announced to show how it would look, but never did, I just decided to find another video. Thanks
I've had ppf on my Bentley for 6 years.. It looks amazing to this day
Rock chips and bug splatter ruin PPF, but isn’t that what it’s for? So what’s the alternative wrap film for a color change on a daily driver ?
My car is fully ppf'ed. Aside the roof which doesn't count because it is a tesla and it is just glass. I was involved in an accident that was not fatal, Another car just scrapped through my right rear door down to the wheel arch and bumber. The whole area was heavily scuffed and a dent was created at the wheel arch area. The ppf saved my car paint and clearcoat. It protected it. My installer removed it and it was again like new. I had pdr done on the dented area and new ppf was installed instead of the one that was ruined on the door and back right side again. This car is white pearl. If i had to repaint and keep it look like new, it would end up repainting the whole right side of the car or otherwise it wouldn't be perfect color blending. So ppf was worth it to me. Car also looks much glossier than without it so it shines alot more. The ppf is self healing so any minor scratches just dissappear under the warm sun and the shine level remains high.
What would be your take on side panels, I’m think as a protective/sacrificial layer side panels for pickup trucks , branches scratches, etc? Is it worth it or a quality ceramic coat is better in the end?
I’ve had ppf for 4 years 50k miles. No scrapes or stone chips in the paint. I’m going to replace the hood and front spoiler area because it has done its job. The rest is still near perfect. Doesn’t look quite as good as a corrected car but I don’t have to stress about it, either.
Same with XPEL on one car and Suntek on another for +4 years (both have a 10 year warranty). Zero issues with either PPF living in the triple digit heat in the southwest, UV protection, road debris, road rash from sand, and a ton of bugs, and with posted speed limits of 65-80 mph. I hand wash/dry by hand with microfiber at home. I sometimes pack a bucket/ceramic soap/microfiber when I travel to clean as needed at the U-wash-it places on the road in summer. My PPF installer tucks the PPF into the seams to make it look invisible.
What happened to carnauba wax being the “sacrificial layer”?
Won't do a thing for stones
This is one picky ass dude 😂😂. It’s called paint protection film. It’s to protect the paint underneath. If the bugs etched itself through the plastic, but not the paint, then it has done its job. Without the camera being literally a quarter length away from the spots he’s attempting to show us, I am sure this car would look perfect.
That's precisely what I wrote previously, Nick...albeit far less succinctly than what you wrote! As I completed a panel-beating (& service technician) apprenticeship at a Honda dealership in Melbourne, AU during the '90s - combined with my being a ridiculously OCD kinda person with my (Honda, of course!) cars & motorcycles - I'm FAR more fussy than most with vehicles & for me, this car not only looked fantastic to my eyes but methinks that this guy was simply hard-pressed for a new topic for a video & he reeled us all in with this ridiculously fussy, clickbait video in order to keep on making $ from his videos...his previous video that I watched (the only one that I had ever watched) was about not rinsing cars before washing them but it too was absolute hyperbolic shit that was trying to sell a car wash product & I'll certainly NEVER be watching another one of his shitty videos again.
Anyway, cheers & best wishes to you from sunny 'Down Under' & once again I've written FAR more than I had initially intended, dammit!!
Have a happy Xmas & an awesome start to 2025, bud...take good care up there...Matt.
I had Xpel ultimate on my c7 corvette for 9 years before I sold it. I had no real issues with bugs etching the material like what you've shown. I'd like to know what brand of material is on the Audi and that Merc.
I've had the same ppf on my m3 for 6 years and EVERYTHING comes off. I don't get it. Maybe the brand of ppf? I've done 7 cars with 3m, Scotchguard and even some 3mil ebay stuff. Never had this happen.
That's greet plz connect me I also need one
I have full PPF on my car, and it was damaged badly on the highway when a cement truck dropped rocks on the road, and I hit them at 75 mph. The PPF was damaged and had to be replaced. It ruined the front bumper and damaged the hood a little. When we removed it, the paint underneath was untouched, so I had to replace the PPF on the front bumper and hood.
PPF prevents small rock chips and scratches. It won't protect against larger rocks or objects hitting it at high speed, but it does a great job for its intended purpose.
Get quotes on a full-quality car paint job, and you will see why PPF costs far less than repainting the car.
It's self-healing with heat, so your car looks great for far longer than it would without PPF. Without PPF, the paint would slowly get worse.
It's expensive, so you should consider your budget and what car you are protecting. It makes no sense to spend $5K on PPF for a $12K car. My car cost about $75K, so it was worth protecting and was not an issue with my budget.
It would help if you had a quality installer to ensure that there are no seams and that the installation is done properly.
That's a great quality, highly informative post from an obviously erudite & experienced car enthusiast, Proximian...cheers for that, mate! Matt.
How do the high end ceramic/extra hydrophobic films do with bug stains? Vs how quick are they stains removed?
I've worked in the collision repair industry for over 40 yrs and finished my career last yr as lead at Mercedes . PPF will save alot of wear on paint . If you live in an area like Northern Canada where 6 months of the year you're deep in snow and its so cold the cities actually lay down tiny rocks or substrate to allow you to get traction , salt doesn't work below -10 and here it gets -40 . This stuff is a nightmare and will do extensive damage to most vehicles paint finishes leading to rust down the road . Its so bad here that Insurance companies will not include glass coverage and if they do its considered the same as a collision and claiming a broken w/s will dramatically increase your insurance . After 1 winter here your paint will look like it was sand blasted . PPF is a saviour from these harsh conditions and the PPF business in these parts is a major industry . If you live in a warm climate and not much road construction then Id say you do not need it but if you live in a cold climate with harsh winter conditions than PPF is worth the investment . Painting a luxury vehicle is extremely expensive and most people could not afford to paint even just their front end on say a Mercedes as it will set you back $$$ . Paint a medium size mercedes properly will set you back pushing $20,000 so PPF is a small investment
Well yes, anyone who has any thought would know that PPF is meant to be another layer of protection. Nothing protects 100%. So people are coming in and complaining that 6 month of heavy road use and there's wear on the PPF??? Well yeah, that's going to happen. However, if it was installed properly (which in this case wasn't), its still going to look better than not having it there at all. Imagine all the hard chips the paint would've suffered on the car already.. I can see why some installers would stop offering it because the last thing you want is someone coming back and complaining the stuff doesn't work. Or wants to replace everything without paying for it (which of course is the situation 99% of the time is going to happen).
I still think installing PPF is a good way to go if you're worried about resale value or want to protect your "forever car". Would I put it on a daily driver or a leased vehicle? If the daily driver is a desirable brand or costs upwards of 70G's+, then yeah, I'd probably want too. On a leased vehicle?? No.
I find it especially helpful to avoid all those swirl marks and blemishes that accumulate over time. I personally never put the car thru any car washes, but for those who want to quickly make it look "shiny", PPF goes a long way. Especially with its self healing properties.
Perfectly put, Neo...cheers from 'Down Under', mate...Matt.
Thank you for this. I just bought a new 4Runner. First new car in our garage in 15 years and I want to protect it and take good care of it. Was going to use PPF on some of the front edges, but I will not. Probably will go with a ceramic coating or something similar if you advise it. I do plan to wash it at home using best practices and proper equipment. It should be fun!
This guy is WRONG! More likely he can’t install PPF correctly. So He found a way to upsell his own products and services. PPF is an amazing benefit, especially for bumpers. Unless you like filler paint or paying twice as much to repaint a bumper or hood. PPF is a Protective Layer designed to be removed and replaced saving your vehicles paint.
PPF is garbage. It’s over done. It’s ugly. It’s not worth it. It’s overpriced.
@@GrandHuevotes hey leave your mom out of this she’s a saint
@@GrandHuevotes If done right you would never know it is there.
Got Xpel PPF on our 2022 Model Y. I finally got around to hand-washing it this week (no-touch washes leave a greyish dirt film). Car looks like new. Better yet, the PPF makes the paint look like it has 20 layers of clear coat on it. PS Bug spots are harder to get off (ceramic coating helped). I'll have a closer look for PPF damage and for big rock chips too. Thanks Coleton! Lotsa love to all ❤❤❤
Ive Been installing PPF for over a decade ...... It's not perfect , it never will be , it should be sold as a degradable protection and pros and cons clearly explained. The edges lift over time, it gets beat up as it does it's job , but its a great sacrificial layer . Is it for everyone ? No way..... I've done some installs where's theirs no patterns on old cars and In all honesty they aren't perfect , neat but certainly not perfect, average cut lines and bits you have outlined in this video , I've always explained to the customer what to expect and they can make their choice to go ahead / or not , most and are just happy the car has that hard wearing layer.
The newer patterns ( 2015 onwards) are much much better but in reality I've never seen or done a perfect PPF install. It's just not possible. I try my absolute best and have won awards for my installs and still some of them as mentioned particularly on the older cars (early 2000s) with no patterns are 6/10 at best as it's a hand created product, I can't hide from that , my z4m 2006 is a definite average install , Again little to no patterns and what was available was pretty damn poor, but my pride and joy is mostly protected from top to bottom and that lets me enjoy it and I will improve it everytime a section needs swapping out.
For me, I see the benefits and the pros out weight the cons. The key as an installer is to be honest and very upfront. I love the PPF product , and even the challenge to install. Very proudly a Suntek official install shop here in the UK.
Good video 👍🏾
Issue for me is that PPF is being sold/marketed as the perfect solution for everything and only downside being the price to afford it.
@@mastrasport anyone marketing PPF as perfect is bare faced lying. It's very much imperfect. I adore the PPF sector but I'm vbrutally honest with my clients. As mentioned my old 2006 car with the early patterns is far from perfect. Wiggly lines in places where I've made hand cuts, hexagon around circles where I've had to adjust myself , but overall neat. Neat is as far as Id go. The newer car patterns are much much better but still it's definitely not perfect.
95 town car signature 34.000 miles first owner put 20000 on it in 20 years.flawless-thinking of doing front end
@@topwrapzltdI like your honesty. That’s what I tell customers in time edges will lift up. Ive noticed it more on edges. Dirt gets in there some how
What’s your suggestion for protecting the car from rocks PPF isn’t perfect but it’s still better than repainting the front of the. Shouldn’t ceramic coating, protect against bugs.? I have had it on my cars for years. It’s not perfect but it’s better than a bunch of rock chips in the paint.
Not all ceramic coatings are compatible with certain ppfs! The ceramic coating can hurt the ppf and prevent it from performing as designed. Check the warranties on the ppf, you can’t just use any coating, it either needs to be tested or approved by the ppf manufacturer.
Is he pushing ceramic? If the PPF was not on think of what would happen to the paint.
I was interested in what you thought. I have a 2020 Lexus RC350 F-Sport with factory PPF on the front of the car and 25% of the hood. After 47,000 miles of about 75% freeway driving, and after careful inspection, I have 2 small slightly noticeable defects in the PPF, the edges have not lifted and the car is left outside 100%. My prior vehicle was full of paint chips throughout the front bumper and hood without PPF, and thus I am very pleased with the PPF purchase which was about $600 from the factory. Obviously who installs the PPF and the manufacture of the PPF may play a role in the final visual aspects of the film after years of higher speed driving.
I put a stealth ppf over the front of my Model Y to prevent damage to the wrap. My model X got so beat up on the front so I didn’t want to deal with that again 😅. If it was just over paint I wouldn’t have done it.
PPF is a great idea! It's great protection. The problem is the cost... And that is what I take from this video. The product is fantastic and it does exactly what you can physically and mechanically expect from such product.
But then there's the cost... and the maintenance. In a perfect world (for me of course), protecting a mid sized vehicle should be well under 1000 USD... But PPF competes in price with what a respray from a very good shop would ask for. And this is what I really don't get...
If you have a classic or a very expensive exotic where people will take the "original" everything to an almost irrational degree, then, yes, it makes sense. Or very specific applications. All rest "normal" cars, for as much as I like the concept and the idea, factoring the cost and the maintenance involved... Then it's hard for me justify this.
Does ppf prevent dents in major crashes?
Should I install ppf in my 1998 toyota corolla?
I agree with you. I only have done PPF on my cars that are 100k+, there is no reason to do in a beater. And a good PPF starts at 5k, and needs to be replaced every few years to not look garbage. But it will protect from rock chips and bird poop, the PPF might fade but the painting underneath won’t. A good PPF shop will do paint correction before applying the PPF and then after to make sure it looks neat.
@japanwatchconnection it’s just s matter of finance. A paint that costs 1k to fix a panel of the car, in a car that will be beat up, there is no reason to spend 3k protecting it. I let it get beat up and repaint it.
A car that costs 10k to 20k to repaint, it worths a PPF expense of 5k to keep the original painting as those cars usually have multi-layer painting that is quite expensive.
It’s not about being elitist, just smart about how to spend the money. Of course if your car is special and you love how it looks with PPF and that gives you a good feeling and you can spend. Go ahead.
Tho I have 10k cars either fade out painting that I couldn’t care less, as far as I can have fun with it driving around. And others that I want to preserver the painting and it will be more expensive to fix than protect.
Thoughts on Stealth Satin PPFs where installers can see edges better during install and it changes the look of the vehicle?
I’d rather have bug stains that can only be seen when 6 inches away from it than rock chip I can see from 6 feet away. PPF for the win and for me.
I LOVE PPF for a partial hood. I have 2 cars that are 7 years old and their hoods are 100% free of rock chips. I don't love it for bugs, and that's why I only do a partial hood. It has never faded and looks as new as when I installed it 7 years ago.
PPF may protect the original paint against chips, but then you have to fix the PPF too. IMO you're better off touching up the paint every 18 months or so than having to constantly remove and reapply film.
My five year old Model 3 is happy it's had PPF on it. So much so that I'm getting my new Model Y protected. It looks great where the PPF was installed and I regret not having it installed in front of the rear wheels where the paint is ruined. It costs $20,000 or more to repaint a car. That's 10 applications of PPF
Imagine all the damage those bug stains and rocks would have done to that beautiful paint without the PPF
I just bought a brand new 4Runner and I’m trying to figure out what the best way to protect the paint from scratches would be. I had a 2016 4runner and never did anything to the exterior for protection and man did it get scratched to hell. I go hiking and camping a lot and many times the camp site or trailhead is down a dirt road that has tree branches hanging into the road. The first few times I drove down one of these roads I didn’t think anything of it, the branches were very small(I would even go as far as to call them twigs) but when I got out I couldn’t believe the scratches I saw up and down the sides of my vehicle. I had my new 4Runner professionally ceramic coated (I think it was Simoniz maybe?) it was $850 but it has a lifetime guarantee. Do you think it will be enough to protect the vehicle from scratches?
I'm with you. PPF has come a long way since my first install in 2004 on my R32 (still own) but in reality, you're paying to keep the paint looking good for the next person while it looks like crap over time while you own it. Who is spending $2k to replace it every few years? Also, try to pull PPF off after 10 years.... it sucks. I'd rather touch up paint chips or respray down the road.
What about vinyl wrap? Does that stand up to bug spray more? Or is there a store bought spray/wax you can protect the paint / wrap with better so long as you keep up with the application?
This is a silly video. Dude shows a bunch of damage on clear bra, that would have otherwise been damage on a hood. You are also giving a singular example. I have seen countless cars with ppf for years that looks like a typical worn paint job. Which is what it’s supposed to do. I’m not sure what your point is?! It’s supposed to get damaged…
I agree
What about PPF with ceramic coating on top, wouldn't it address the bugs issues and provide best of both benefits?
As the story I talked about, the Audi SUV had a coating and stained in 2 weeks
It didn’t cure
We bought a brand new black car in 2012 and I spent 1500 bucks on front end Xpel. After a year and 12k miles it looked like ass, all the road damage. I could have had the front repainted for less than the PPF cost.
That's exactly why I don't have it. Upfront cost, then cost of removal and replace later, with additional cost of fixing the chips that were hard enough they damaged the paint anyway.
"Nah"
-Rosa Parks
So would you recommend Vinyl then? I have a cybertruck, looking to wrap but torn between the 2. I live in Chicago area so salts snows, etc. I don't feel like spending a lot tbh, I know vinyl is cheaper.
So back in 2013, I bought a brand new Lexus LS 460 in the long body. And I won’t go through the nightmare. It took me to get the long body in a burgundy color because Lexus doesn’t make a whole lot of big cars in Burgundy. They go with the safe colors of black, white, gray. So I had it delivered to Austin Texas from another state. When my dealership received it, and I went to pick it up, he told me that they could add a screen of protection on the front of the car for what I believe at the time was like $600. it didn’t make much sense to me, but I went ahead and said go ahead and do it. Once I started driving the car, everywhere I went, people were walking up to me, and saying, man your car looks so awesome, but then they would say, oh man somebody scratched your hood. And I would say, no, that’s paint protection screen. Eventually, I got tired of it looking like it was scratched and people saying it. So I took it off after like two or three weeks. I drove the car for four years and put almost 100,000 miles on it. And the front of the car was immaculate. I didn’t need that screen protection. And I want to thank you for this video and giving everybody this information.
You are one of the biggest yappers and you proved that PPF is useful
Thank you, Coleton. Very helpful.
had mine on 3yrs and counting, and i live in a tropical country. no problems. no peeling. ppf looks good still.
Ceramic it is! Thanks for this very insightful and useful advice.
Ceramic does nothing against rock chips
@@nikeboy009agreed however it’s still an extra layer of protection
Been using PPF over the past 20 years in all my cars. PPF is not for everyone. If you’re willing to take care of it then it has its place. Definitely payed off for me and it’s a must for those who’re willing to go the extra mile in taking care of their cars. To begin with the job must be done well, then it’s all about taking care of it, such as hand washing washing at home, there are special techniques washing ppfd cars, don’t cross over edges etc , seal the edges either waxes , etc
so what your saying is it make more sense to not put any film on and have the rock hit the paint.... not film and have the bugs etch the actual paint? Not there is wet sanding buffing involved. i would rather having a ppf with lifting edges than having to buff and possibly paint a car. im pretty sure you are good at your profession, but this video is not affective. if anything it more proved why you SHOULD get PPF.
100%, right.
What if the PPF had ceramic or graphene coated? they usually protect from etching.
"I am a professional specialized in paint correction and ceramic coating. PPF is not worth the cost and inconvenience, I recommend paint correction and ceramic coating. Trust me, bro!"
🤣
What about Stek color change PPF? They say it auto corrects?
I literally just spent 1400$ today on ppf😢
Well, be glad it's not $2k. Just take a close look at their work when you get the car back.
I use halo v2 for my wrap, decals ppf ect. It's a flexable ceramic coating for your ppf ect. It's great honestly!
what does paint correction mean at the end of the video? i have a new 24 truck what should I do? ceramic coat it?
Paint correction is a process where they use a polishing machine to take off a thin layer of the car's clear coat leaving a smooth, swirl and scratch-free surface again. Deeper scratches that get down past the clear coat levels cannot be "corrected" in this manner. A lot of people think that a new car's paint will be perfect, but that's not always the case. A good shop that does paint correction and PPF installation will typically do a paint correction even on a new car before putting on the PPF. Remember, even if the paint was perfect the second it left the factory, it has to travel on the open road to the dealership, dealers will typically wash the car and they don't hire expert detailers to do their washes, if you know what I mean. So even a "brand new" car can come with scratches and swirls. It all depends on how much you care about your car's finish being "perfect." I was quoted, from Chicago Auto Pros (a well known/respected shop) $800 for a paint correction and another $800 for ceramic coating recently. Ceramic coating will NOT protect from stone chips at all.