I have a tiny rock chip just below my Tesla T in front. It might as well be 3 feet by 3 feet because I will never unsee it (even tho it is tiny). I got lucky for 9 months without any PPF but now I think this is the kick in the pants I needed to finally pony up. Will most places fix my chip(s), do the overall paint correction, and then install the PPF as one service? Or do I need to go to separate places? Has anyone gotten PPF late, after already taking a little bit of damage? If so, how did that work out for you?
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I got my first rock chip :'(
- Thread starter LionXng
- Start date
It’s always more expensive to do PPF later as they will have to correct the paint before installation. Probably, $500 more depending on how much PPF you want to do. I love the XPEL on my car and glad I drove straight from the delivery center to the PPF place. The best part about PPF is I can wipe the front of bugs and crap without having to worry about microscratches as it’s elf healing. I think you’ll be happy if you got it.
It's a car ... drive it, enjoy it. Sh!t happens... especially, if like mine, it becomes target practice for geese.
PPF and/or ceramic coating will not fully protect from chips, nicks, scratches... only reduce the count and severity of these as they strike the frontal area and anywhere else they see fit.
The right kind of rock travelling at the right velocity can and will chip the PPF and can even make it down and throught the paint below.
The right kind of rock travelling at the right velocity can and will chip the PPF and can even make it down and throught the paint below.
UncertainTimes
Active Member
The first of many. Just get over it and save your money for real repairs. I hit some road debris on the freeway in my 3 month old car and need a whole new bumper and headlights. PPF wouldn’t have done jack to protect against a flying piece of 2 inch thick wood.
I've had bad experiences (poor color match, bad prep, peeling edges, etc) with repainted bumpers which is why I would use Dr Colorchip or similar first before you attempt a more pricey repair. With chip repair kit, it will likely be invisible from a few feet away.
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Tiger
Active Member
Chips are like a fingerprint, unique, unforgeable.
Teslas without PPF might as well be called Moon given how fast the acceleration is and how low the car is to the ground. My previous black model 3 had so many chips I think it actually added a little flavor to the car, any new chips would just blend right in.
Blue Sharpie will get you by for now. 
It's not going to fix it but it will be far less noticeable.
It's not going to fix it but it will be far less noticeable.
toshman
Member
This!!! It’s a car. Chips happen. Enjoy the tech and everything else.
calidreamz808
Member
I know it sucks... but.... its just a car... not a limited edition widget that you wont be able to come across again in the future. Its nearly impossible to avoid minor things like this. At least you dont have black paint that can chip by just tapping it with your finger nail... kinda like mine. hahahahahaha
but on a serious serious note.. im sorry. lol
but on a serious serious note.. im sorry. lol
I agree... I clipped something on the freeway one dark morning it flipped up and dented the rocker panel in back of the right front tire.... and that was a year ago.
Black306
Active Member
Option H: Have fun with it!
Like others said, just have fun with the car. Chips will happen.
FYI, I ended up getting a Dr Color Chip kit for my car. IMO, the blue does not match well. Better than nothing, but it still shows.
The first or second chips will bother you alot, but it's bound to happen eventually. I just learned to move on and enjoy the car.
JetFalcon
Member
I felt this is why its better to buy a used car. Have all the previous dents / chips priced in already. No remorse if you get another chip / dent.
Nothing worse looking than a car with paint chips all over. Well maybe dents... PPF can help with some of those too.
What to do? I guess it depends what you want the car too look like in a few years. Some don’t care what their vehicle looks like. We didn’t before but given the price point, we opted to get PPF right from the delivery center on my husband’s and I couldn’t get an appointment for mine until about a month later. Neither of us regret doing it and it has saved us from door dings and rock chips. As mentioned doesn’t protect against everything like the commercial truck that scraped my husband’s car pulling out of a parking space; saved a good part of it from damage until he turned the metal step off the back of it into our Tesla and gouged the panel with the step’s corner edge.
PPF did save the paint when he got too close to a wooden post when parking at a hiking trail. Just scraped the film and left the paint undamaged. Without it the car would be looking pretty bad after 3+ years. My car isn’t driven as much as his so has been less prone to damage but we coated both cars with ceramic on top of the PPF and just love how easy they clean up and look shiny new. Nice driving around a car that still looks new after owning several years.
What to do? I guess it depends what you want the car too look like in a few years. Some don’t care what their vehicle looks like. We didn’t before but given the price point, we opted to get PPF right from the delivery center on my husband’s and I couldn’t get an appointment for mine until about a month later. Neither of us regret doing it and it has saved us from door dings and rock chips. As mentioned doesn’t protect against everything like the commercial truck that scraped my husband’s car pulling out of a parking space; saved a good part of it from damage until he turned the metal step off the back of it into our Tesla and gouged the panel with the step’s corner edge.
PPF did save the paint when he got too close to a wooden post when parking at a hiking trail. Just scraped the film and left the paint undamaged. Without it the car would be looking pretty bad after 3+ years. My car isn’t driven as much as his so has been less prone to damage but we coated both cars with ceramic on top of the PPF and just love how easy they clean up and look shiny new. Nice driving around a car that still looks new after owning several years.
I’m surprised you made it 9 months without a chip. The front end and slopped hoods make the Model 3 prone to rock chips. I too am anal about chips....PPF is a no brainer.
JCtx
Member
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