Bumper only PPF and ceramic

[Ritzcarlton123]

If I mostly drive in the city and maybe 1-2 times on a 30 minute highway drive per month do I need to PPF more than just the front bumper?
Already dropping $1800-$2000 for full ceramic coating and just the front bumper wrap. Anyone think the additional hood film is needed for my driving habits?

 

[untouchable360]

I only have a front PPF bumper on my Model Y. No need for ceramic coating. It's a waste of money. It won't protect you from inevitable chipping.

 

[chadol]

I drive mostly highway for daily commutes. While waiting for MYLR delivery, I gave myself a good thought about how much PPF'ing I do.
Initially i intended to do the full front only, that I thought a practical minimum.
But the accident finds its way to the least prepared: My wife's friend got a really bad (& big) paint chip on one of her MY doors. That made me re-think about the minimum.
I ended up doing full front + full sides (doors + quarter panel).
By doing self, comes more flexibility with the cost. But, it is all up to the cost versus a peace of mind when driving on a highway. I am not sure whether one needs an extensive PPF'ing for mostly local driving. Bumper + partial hood & fender might be a good entry point.

I guess the ceramic coating is not protecting paint but helps car cleaning easy. And, DIY coating might be easier than DIY PPF.

 

[boulder.dude]

I’d do the hood. Magnet for debris and highly visible. Plus it’s metal. I don’t have PPF and my hood looks waaay worse than my bumper.

 

[ChargePort]

I did Expel PPF on front bumper, hood, lights, folding mirrors. Also, for my Model Y, Tesla Y Paint protection film, link
Model Y Paint Protection Film, along with front mud flaps.
Car looks great after 8,000 miles.

 

[WyomingEV]

I only have a front PPF bumper on my Model Y. No need for ceramic coating. It's a waste of money. It won't protect you from inevitable chipping.

What did you pay for just the bumper PPF?

 

[stkgator]

A great analogy for ceramic vs PPF is cell-phone and screen-protectors. All cell phones now have some type of hydrophobic coating on the screen (very similar to ceramic coatings for automobiles) which resist fingerprints and smudges, but is fully ineffective to protect against scratches or, worse yet, cracks - PPF is very similar to applying a screen protector to your cellphone.

Many of the higher-end PPF manufactures claim the self-healing properties of their PPF, where minor scratches, which do not fully penetrate the film, will "repair" themself when heated by the sun or hot-water. But PPF protection is ineffective if your bumper is impacted with a sufficiently large object.

To get benefits from both, you can apply a ceramic coating AFTER you apply PPF, but not the other way around as the PPF will not adhere well to a ceramic treated surface.

 

[cgell]

Without PPF the large front bumper area will get stone chips. Some people mind and some don’t. If you get chips you can use the paint touch up kit that Tesla offers and it works great. It won’t be perfect though.

If you need it to look perfect up close, then get PPF for the front (bumper, hood, mirrors. I would also recommend front mud flaps and PPF on the back bottom corner of the rear doors (like what Tesla and others offer). The doors will get blasted without protection and will look bad faster than the front of the car will.

PPF offers protection from things like pebbles and small scratches. Ceramic makes PPF easier to clean, protects it from UV rays (UV can yellow PPF over time) and bird droppings, and enhances shine. Ceramic does not block physical damage like PPF, but it is not useless either. Ceramic is better compared to a wax rather than PPF. Not the same of course, but a similar idea.

 

[Ritzcarlton123]

Here in NYC the PPF/ceramic detailer/installer wants $150 per door to install the rear door rocker PPF...
I purchased my own - what is a fair price to have them install it before they do my ceramic coat?

Should I install the rear door rocker PPF myself before having them ceramic coat it?

 

[cgell]

Here in NYC the PPF/ceramic detailer/installer wants $150 per door to install the rear door rocker PPF...
I purchased my own - what is a fair price to have them install it before they do my ceramic coat?

Should I install the rear door rocker PPF myself before having them ceramic coat it?

It’s very easy to install, even if it’s your first time working with PPF. I would recommend trying it yourself. Ceramic coating has to go over it, not under. So definitely do it before getting ceramic.

 

[Ritzcarlton123]

It’s very easy to install, even if it’s your first time working with PPF. I would recommend trying it yourself. Ceramic coating has to go over it, not under. So definitely do it before getting ceramic.

Weather has me picking up the car when its raining and I have the ceramic coating appointment the next morning. I don't have my own garage or anything. Is there a recommended way to clean the area before putting on the PPF if I don't have access to my own garage/drive way?

 

[JonMT]

any recommendations for PPF for the front bumper on a MY? I am in the SF bay area. Thanks

 

[atl_OTP]

Yes, definitely do your research and find a reputable ppf installer, even if that installer is a little more expensive compared to the average. There is a very well known installer around my area, but I decided to go with another company based on price. I regretted the first day I got my car back. I got the mirrors, hood, and front bumper done. There were edges lifting at the curves of the mirrors. I took it back and when they “fixed” it, they had cut through the ppf, paint, and plastic of the mirrors. Take your time.

 

[JonMT]

I want to do the front bumper and hood and wanted to see how much that would cost. I am in the SF bay area and I wanted to see if you have a recommendation for a shop in the area to do this?

 

[atl_OTP]

I don’t live in the Bay Area, but I found these 2 threads:

PPF - XPEL or STEK? (Bay Area recommendations?)

Has anyone in the Bay Area (specifically east bay) done a full PPF wrap on their entire car? I'm wondering what the price range is and whether anyone has a recommendation for a good shop in the area. One shop told me they use STEK instead of XPEL because it "has more clarity," also wondering if...

teslamotorsclub.com

PPF + Ceramic Coat - Bay Area/North California

Hi folks, I'll be getting my new Model Y delivery in October and I am looking for suggestions of where to get PPF + Ceramic coat done in the bay area. I can drive a couple of hours north as well in case I can find a good price with quality work. Prices here in the bay area are on the very high...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[TomServo]

I opted to just have PF installed in the HIGH THREAT areas (bumper, fenders, hood, mirrors, lower doors, and edges) back in 2020 which cost me $1880 and included timing the front windows. So far that seems to be the BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK. The rest of the car is "protected" with my favorite polish and CERAMIC detailer spray.

in the 20+ months and 19K+ miles, I have seen no damage to the unprotected areas, the HIGH THREAT areas have taken many hits.