Vendor Ask us Anything about Paint Protection Film! + Our Latest Deep Blue Metallic Model 3

[Colberns]

Hey Everyone!

Nick with Colberns Detailing here. I want to open up a discussion for everyone to ask any questions they may have about paint protection film, it's pros and cons, as well as maybe debunk some myths that might be circulating around the car world. If you have ANY questions about PPF for your Tesla, now is the time to ask!! TMC has a great community of vendors on here as well, so if there are any other vendors that want to chime in and answer questions along with us, please do! This is all about building the industry up as a whole. We want everyone to benefit from paint protection film and keep their Tesla on the road looking amazing, for as long as possible!

Starting off with an example of the diverse approach we can take to PPF Protection, here is our latest Tesla Model 3 Project. We worked really hard with our Client to find the perfect protection plan for them, based on their driving style and budget. It was decided that a "Premium Front End" package of paint protection film (Hood, Front Fenders, Headlights, Bumper, & Rocker Panels) was perfect for them as it covers the highest risk areas that are susceptible to rock chips. We then did a full paint correction and used Feynlab Self Heal Lite ceramic coating on the rest of the car to create the easiest maintenance and washing routine possible. This car is fully protected, looks AMAZING, and we were able to do it within the client's budget!

So ask away! What questions does everyone have about Paint Protection Film, Ceramic Coating, or even some other vehicle detailing protection topics?

 

[3scompany]

appreciate you doing this for us!
what are your thoughts/experiences with XPEL PPF on white cars? specifically, the concern about yellowing over time.

 

[Colberns]

appreciate you doing this for us!
what are your thoughts/experiences with XPEL PPF on white cars? specifically, the concern about yellowing over time.

Great Question! Paint Protection Film has been around for a long time... so when we see cars from the 1990's and early 2000’s that have cracking and yellowing PPF on them... it creates some concern and we ask the question "Is that what my car will look like in 10-20 years?" Probably not, because the film technology has improved so much since then...(Xpel launched "Ultimate " in the late 2000's and phased into "Ultimate Plus" in 2011). Most cars we work on today will be safe from that issue. (And even if it did happen, you are covered - read below!)

Xpel backs all of their films with a 10 Year warranty when installed by a certified dealer... completely warrantied for yellowing, staining, cracking, blistering and delamination... They honor this warranty really well, and of course, not every batch of film that comes out of the factory is perfect... very FEW times in many years that we've had an issue on a client's car, Xpel stood by their word, and the client received a new wrap under warranty...

PPF is meant for protection... and it's not bulletproof... so if you are planning to take your Model 3 to Mars on a Falcon 9, the heightened UV radiation there will probably yellow the film; but here on earth... it's the best protection on the market, and your investment is protected for 10 Years minimum. It’s not going to yellow under normal conditions.

Check out this picture of an older car that had PPF film along the front half of the hood. On top of protecting it from rock chips, the film also completely saved the paint from UV damage and normal wear and tear:

You can see clearly that all of the UNPROTECTED areas that weren’t covered by PPF are extremely oxidized and the clear coat is just thrashed! Even if that old PPF had yellowed… the paint underneath was as good as the day that it was covered.

So if we have to choose between a yellowing film that gets replaced every 10 years, or having to repaint the whole car… (or just losing resale value and living with the bad paint)... most people opt for PPF.

We can do some simple math to see if there are any hard numbers to weigh into the decision…. If you know the film is backed for 10 Years, and the average full car Model 3 PPF Wrap costs between $5,000-$8,000…

You are looking at a cost of $41 to $66 a month to have your car extremely protected from rock chips, scratches and more for 10 years…. It’s certainly easier to fix body damage by replacing a piece of film on a fender. Many of our clients have had the PPF covered under their normal car insurance as well!

For some people, the cost is worth it… others, maybe not. All I can say is we have PPF on all of our vehicles (and they are white!) and it’s been the best decision we could have made to protect them.

Hopefully, that answer's your question and isn't overkill!

 

[3scompany]

thanks for the insight!