Fresh Start Detail
Former Vendor
I've seen some people recommend a full-car Clear Bra ("full wrap") but the costs I'm being quotes are about $5k for this. Perhaps this is a dumb question, but couldn't I just get the whole car re-painted 5 years from now for $5k and possibly end up with better quality than I have now?
I'm leaning towards a $2k option which is a full frontal clear bra and Opti-Coat on the rest. The big thing I know will happen that this will not provide much protection against will be door dings from other drivers, but I figure I could just plan on a whole car repaint in about 10 years if I find it necessary.
I'm not a huge fan of most PPF. It has its place depending on each car's individual design but to me it's like putting plastic wrap on that nice couch or lamp shade you bought.
You're not going to get a quality paint job on your entire car for $5,000 that's for sure, but at worst you would probably only need the nose and hood. People always forget about the extra costs and issues with PPF like how much is it going to be to remove or replace the PPF down the road? If you need to get a section replaced will it match perfectly with the older sections? With PPF being softer than the original clear coat it will be damaged from abrasion (scuffing from parking lot poles, garage opening edges, etc) easier than your factory paint which can be paint-corrected if the scuff isn't too deep. I'm not saying is never a good option, I just like people to know all the facts before they make such a big purchase.
Ceramic coatings do a good job of preventing environmental damage like tree sap and bird droppings so they can be a worthwhile investment if you're going to keep the car for several years. A rock chip in your hood can be touched up reasonably well for little cost, but a stain from sap or bird poo will look far worse and be more noticeable.
Just one guy's professional opinion.
If you do decide on PPF go with a high quality product like Expel or it will look like this in a couple years.