Purchased my Model 3 a week ago and I was wondering whether it's necessary to do PPF to protect the front part of my car. I go on a highway 2-3 times a week and drive less than 100km a day. One of my colleague says he is getting his M3 done but I'm not sure what the best option would be to protect the front part of my car from dirts and stains. Also how do you guys protect the car from door dings?
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Anyone done PPF for Model 3?
- Thread starter ajs20555
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Congratulations on your new car. There is a comprehensive search engine built into this forum to help you find most of the common questions
To get you started
GTA PPF question
But seeing as you didn’t state where you where
Victoria / Vancouver Island XPEL PPF Group Buy
The best way to protect from door dings is to park a sensible distance away from the worst offenders. Anacortes should work. Failing that it’s the lowest level in the car park. Furthest from the door and no where near a dodge caravan.
To get you started
GTA PPF question
But seeing as you didn’t state where you where
Victoria / Vancouver Island XPEL PPF Group Buy
The best way to protect from door dings is to park a sensible distance away from the worst offenders. Anacortes should work. Failing that it’s the lowest level in the car park. Furthest from the door and no where near a dodge caravan.
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To a certain point your ppf will protect your door. Other than that park far far far away from everybody...
Also some cars have weaker paint than other, so in case it would be a good idea to protect the most exposed part like rocker panels etc...
If you’re going to do PPF, do it soon. My S got a rock chip on the eight mile drive to being wrapped.
Before I had a confirmed delivery of my Model 3 I had lined up to have RDI in Richmond do a full PPF.
The day I took delivery I inspected my car and drove straight to RDI. I didn’t see my car for a week as the PPF and ceramic were done. This was not inexpensive, but neither was my Model 3.
The internet is rife with stories and pictures of the damage done to vehicles by rocks, gravel, sand, salt, etc.
Expect people to park near your new Tesla. It is still an unusual vehicle.
I bought the first Prius Gen 2 in the Metro Vancouver area. The next morning, I drove to Landsdowne Mall in Richmond just before it opened and parked half-way between the stores and Number 3 Road. There were literally thousands of empty parking spaces.
When I came back 30 minutes later there were still thousands of empty parking spaces, but someone had parked right beside me and chipped the paint on my less-than-one-day-old car.
I’m confident that when someone does something similar with my Tesla that the PPF will provide significant protection.
The day I took delivery I inspected my car and drove straight to RDI. I didn’t see my car for a week as the PPF and ceramic were done. This was not inexpensive, but neither was my Model 3.
The internet is rife with stories and pictures of the damage done to vehicles by rocks, gravel, sand, salt, etc.
Expect people to park near your new Tesla. It is still an unusual vehicle.
I bought the first Prius Gen 2 in the Metro Vancouver area. The next morning, I drove to Landsdowne Mall in Richmond just before it opened and parked half-way between the stores and Number 3 Road. There were literally thousands of empty parking spaces.
When I came back 30 minutes later there were still thousands of empty parking spaces, but someone had parked right beside me and chipped the paint on my less-than-one-day-old car.
I’m confident that when someone does something similar with my Tesla that the PPF will provide significant protection.
Full front bumper and headlights/fog lights PPF at a minimum if it’s affordable for you. Most chips/sandblasting effect there. Full frontal including mirror backs if you want more protection. I really regret not having our ‘14 Ford Escape done. It’s mint except for about 30 bumper chips.
As far as door dings just minimize the risk.
5_+JqckQttqck
Active Member
5_+JqckQttqck
Active Member
3M, I did full hood and trunk and around the sides but left the top side window frame alone. May decide to vinyl that black for two tone at a later date. Of course, there are a few rock chips there now
The front bumper was the hardest as I tried to copy the no seam stretching seen online. Did not have that bonding gel as recommended by 3M. Maybe in a few years I'll redo it
This site sells bulk PPF and Vinyl
https://www.nochip.ca/cart
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Their prices are online at:
https://www.rdidetailing.ca/paint-protection-film
They have strong demand for their work and their prices are firm.
Roman recommended the SunTek for dark cars, including my red Model 3. I took his suggestion.
5_+JqckQttqck
Active Member
Yah, I saw the quotes for full wrap and said... I can do that and pay myself 4K in labor =P
I wish I had your time and skill. And a clean place to work.
I'm up at 6:00 am to get to work and get home from work between 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm.
I buggered up putting a simple piece of window tint on my Prius.
I don't have a garage. My parking area is gravel. I have debris showering me from the trees in the forest that is part of my lot bringing down the salt air of the nearby ocean.
I have learned that I fit the slogan that I once saw for a household repair business.
"We repair the things your husband fixed."
I wish I had your time and skill. And a clean place to work.
I'm up at 6:00 am to get to work and get home from work between 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm.
I buggered up putting a simple piece of window tint on my Prius.
I don't have a garage. My parking area is gravel. I have debris showering me from the trees in the forest that is part of my lot bringing down the salt air of the nearby ocean.
I have learned that I fit the slogan that I once saw for a household repair business.
"We repair the things your husband fixed."
I love it
! That is exactly how I feel about working around the house or on my car. If I touch something...heaven forbid...
I bought from them before. Did you use a pre- cut kit or bulk? I'm thinking of doing full front hood bumper and the 4 doors and quarter panel. I haven't decided if I'm going pre - cut or bulk. I just don't like the pre cut one inch edge.3M, I did full hood and trunk and around the sides but left the top side window frame alone. May decide to vinyl that black for two tone at a later date. Of course, there are a few rock chips there now
The front bumper was the hardest as I tried to copy the no seam stretching seen online. Did not have that bonding gel as recommended by 3M. Maybe in a few years I'll redo it
This site sells bulk PPF and Vinyl
https://www.nochip.ca/cart
I would really like to see my car in Xpel stealth... model 3 MSM... does anyone in vancouver have one wrapped in stealth I could check out? Or anyone seen one around in their neighbourhood I could just walk by and look at?? I could use another excuse to drive out to the suburbs too if I have to..
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It doesn't look like there is that much savings to be had. a couple grand for sure but $4k is a stretch. At $5500 CAD installed for full seamless wrap, with a bulk buy of 50 feet of 60" wide wrap material costing $2400 CAD you would "save" $3100. I can't assign my time a zero dollar value, I have too much to do. my free time is worth even more to me than the $/h I make at work, I would pay $75/h to have that free time back. Say it takes me 10 hours to do this work, that's $750 less. So I could save at MOST $2,350 by doing it myself, but risk screwing up the job.. If I screw it up and have to buy more material the savings have been erased! Don't get me wrong, I'm totally a DIY type of person, but personally I just dont trust myself to have the patience to do this DIY.
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That said I’m still not totally sold on the ppf for protection.. I love the idea of the stealth colour. But just for protection.. I watched the Tesla mobile tech remove and replace my whole front bumper in no time. How hard is it to remove the front bumper and frunk hood ten years from now and stick them in a paint booth? That’s most of the chips right?
I think you’re correct. It is about figuring out the balance between cost and enjoyment. I don’t want to look at chips for 10 years. Given the price of a PPF installation though, I can appreciate someone else saying they could get more or better enjoyment from that money by using it for something else.
5_+JqckQttqck
Active Member
A bulk roll of 48' x 60' came to 2k CAD after taxes, delivery was free. Add in the microfiber, tools, and all. I rough it to ~2400. There was a learning curve where I wasted a piece the size of the front driver door. After that, it was pretty easy once I had planned everything.
You're right, it's not professional looking; especially the front bumper area. However, I saw some of the wraps that were done by the pro shops on other peoples 3s and my work is on par if not better on some of my panels.
I just wanted the PPF because I drive a lot on the highways and didn't want my car to have freckles.
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