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Is it worth it to get PPF and/or ceramic coating? What is a fair price?

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apoorva

New Member
Supporting Member
Jul 3, 2022
2
2
Dublin, CA
Hi,

I took delivery of my Model Y (black) this week. Is it worth it to get PPF and/or ceramic coating? What is a fair price to pay in the Bay area?

These are the two quotes I got so far

PPF - $5000, PPF + Ceramic Coating - $6000

PPF + Ceramic Coating - $8000

Thanks
Apoorva
 
Hi,

I took delivery of my Model Y (black) this week. Is it worth it to get PPF and/or ceramic coating? What is a fair price to pay in the Bay area?

These are the two quotes I got so far

PPF - $5000, PPF + Ceramic Coating - $6000

PPF + Ceramic Coating - $8000

Thanks
Apoorva
Congrats!

Those are OK prices, but shop and material are most important.

I used the Xpel line for both tint and PPF. GTechnique for ceramic. Total cost for me was $7k in Tampa FL.

Entire process took one week and I am immensely pleased. My decision has nothing to do with car value, but rather maintaing the vehicle. I'm 68 and I use ONR wash. Dirt and bugs slide off. With ONR, I wash down my car inside the garage. No suds.

My black Tesla MYLR ALWAYS looks sharp.
 
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My price in FL for PPF was about half your price. It's saved me from a number of dings from rocks and car doors. I'd do it again. My ceramic coating costs about the same. I probably wouldn't bother with it again. Read the warranty for the ceramic coating. Mine says that I need to have it touched up every 6 months or any warranty is void.
 
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Just make sure you at least get the front bumper asap. Only had the car 2 weeks and got my first chip. I was still getting quotes and sure enough this happens. C0DE39DD-826C-489B-924B-047C9B41667E.jpeg74F03DBD-A2EF-4FDB-8606-AD8AEE651A01.jpeg
 
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Hi,

I took delivery of my Model Y (black) this week. Is it worth it to get PPF and/or ceramic coating? What is a fair price to pay in the Bay area?

These are the two quotes I got so far

PPF - $5000, PPF + Ceramic Coating - $6000

PPF + Ceramic Coating - $8000

Thanks
Apoorva
No, it's not worth getting PPF and ceramic coating. It is like wrapping your furniture in plastic, then putting an expensive coating on that plastic hoping that it will hold its value.

When was the last time you saw a classic car with PPF installed? Ceramic coatings can make sense after paint correction mostly for ease of cleaning and if you just like your car looking as good as possible.

You will never get a return on investment from PPF or ceramic coatings; they do not add value to your car. Go to sell your Model Y to Carvana with rock chips and scratches or with fresh PPF, which you will need to replace every time the rock damage builds-up because the rock and debris strikes actually tear the PPF back (will not self heal from avulsions especially once they get dirty) Carvana will not care about your PPF. If your PPF is not fully wrapped around components like the facia, there will be a line of dirt around the edges constantly which etches the clearcoat of the paint.

Lets say you just do clear bra (PPF) at the facia and hood, your paint will wear unevenly due to different UV exposures and you will have those constantly dirty PPF edges. Add it to the A-Pillars and side mirrors; where do you stop?

My $0.02 is that your Model Y is a vehicle, not a museum piece or a priceless baseball card. You could pay a Tesla approved body shop to re-paint the entire front end for less than the cost of properly installed PPF + Ceramic Coating. Why spend probably 5 figures installing/replacing PPF and ceramic coating over the life of ownership when the paint you are trying to protect (solid black) is very soft and generally poorly finished from Tesla paint shop and pre-delivery? I would just enjoy the car. If you still have it in 5 years consider paint touch-up and wet sanding/detailing or re-paint damage.
 
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Did you do a PPF when you purchased your new cars before? If not, why are you considering it now? Most cars in the road don't have PPF it is not essential but more of a personal preference as well as driving conditions where you normally drive.
x 2

Many people think PPF is totally worthwhile and can justify the high expense to themselves, though I think for many it is often confirmation bias. Vehicles get rock chips and bug guts which burn through clearcoat and PPF does not solve those problems, it mitigates them at a very high expense. I do not remember the blemishes and rock chips on my favorite vehicles of the past and present. I remember the experiences and feelings from driving them.
 
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Let’s say it’s going to cost ~10% of the price of your car. That’s quite a bit to spend on something that will give you zero ROI during resale.

It’s a car - Get it because you want to, and you know what it will do for you. Don’t get it just because lotsa folks are getting it :) if you don’t get it soon after delivery, it’ll be less likely that you’ll get it as your car gets more wear/tear.

But for comparison, I was getting quotes of $1500-1800 for full frontal, and $4-5k for the whole car. No ceramic, as many want annual applications to “maintain” your “warranty” (i.e. pay more). Bay Area, reputable shops that work on lots of Teslas.
 
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Just make sure you at least get the front bumper asap. Only had the car 2 weeks and got my first chip. I was still getting quotes and sure enough this happens. View attachment 824538View attachment 824539
If you had PPF. Would you pay another $500 to replace the PPF. This would probably damage the PPF needing replacement or an eye sore of damaged plastic
 
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If you had PPF. Would you pay another $500 to replace the PPF. This would probably damage the PPF needing replacement or an eye sore of damaged plastic
I would leave it as long as it still protected the paint/car. I’d then use something to mask the blemish. If it’s doing it’s job no need to replace. The likelihood of it being hit in the exact same spot is pretty low
 
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If it was a few hundred bucks to saran wrap your car, then "maybe" I could see people doing it. But $4000+ is asinine. DIY front bumper and in front of rear wheels where it gets all chipped up from road debris is the only thing remotely worth considering in my opinion.

I have had over 20 vehicles that never had this PPF fad. Take care of your car, touch up occasional tiny rock chips, if even necessary, don't park near the front in lots around all the inconsiderate idiots, and buff out minor door scuffs from a-holes you still inevitably get once or twice over the years. The car will still look new for at least 5-7 years. Get something new, start over again. Who knows what this plastic will look like after 7 years of baking in the sun, a yellowed dingy mess? Maybe, maybe not. If you are willing to spend $5,000 for a plastic car condom that won't stop a dent, go for it, but there is no logical justification for the cost.
 
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Congrats!

Those are OK prices, but shop and material are most important.

I used the Xpel line for both tint and PPF. GTechnique for ceramic. Total cost for me was $7k in Tampa FL.

Entire process took one week and I am immensely pleased. My decision has nothing to do with car value, but rather maintaing the vehicle. I'm 68 and I use ONR wash. Dirt and bugs slide off. With ONR, I wash down my car inside the garage. No suds.

My black Tesla MYLR ALWAYS looks sharp.
Who did you go to in Tampa? Moving down there in a few months and also planning to pick up a M3P and get PPF/tinting.
 
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I did a partial PPF to the high threat areas (full bumper, hood, fenders, mirrors, lower doors, and door edges) and tinted the front windows for $1880 back in Aug 2020. I don't see any areas that needed more than I did.

I'll be doing the same on my new PMY. Based on the nicks, dings, and scratches I can see in the PPF it's probably saved my paint more than I paid.
 
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No, it's not worth getting PPF and ceramic coating. It is like wrapping your furniture in plastic, then putting an expensive coating on that plastic hoping that it will hold its value.

When was the last time you saw a classic car with PPF installed? Ceramic coatings can make sense after paint correction mostly for ease of cleaning and if you just like your car looking as good as possible.

You will never get a return on investment from PPF or ceramic coatings; they do not add value to your car. Go to sell your Model Y to Carvana with rock chips and scratches or with fresh PPF, which you will need to replace every time the rock damage builds-up because the rock and debris strikes actually tear the PPF back (will not self heal from avulsions especially once they get dirty) Carvana will not care about your PPF. If your PPF is not fully wrapped around components like the facia, there will be a line of dirt around the edges constantly which etches the clearcoat of the paint.

Lets say you just do clear bra (PPF) at the facia and hood, your paint will wear unevenly due to different UV exposures and you will have those constantly dirty PPF edges. Add it to the A-Pillars and side mirrors; where do you stop?

My $0.02 is that your Model Y is a vehicle, not a museum piece or a priceless baseball card. You could pay a Tesla approved body shop to re-paint the entire front end for less than the cost of properly installed PPF + Ceramic Coating. Why spend probably 5 figures installing/replacing PPF and ceramic coating over the life of ownership when the paint you are trying to protect (solid black) is very soft and generally poorly finished from Tesla paint shop and pre-delivery? I would just enjoy the car. If you still have it in 5 years consider paint touch-up and wet sanding/detailing or re-paint damage.
Thanks @doc5339 for the detailed response.
 
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