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Is PPF or ceramic coating necessary?
- Thread starter vegetaban
- Start date
Doug_D
Member
howdy, I would say my personal opinion is that PPF is a necessity if you are doing a lot of highway driving. I have a 2018 black model 3 and got Xpel PPF on the front end ( hood, front, mirrors ) and after 3+ years the car looks great and the PPF has saved my bacon. If you can swing it i recommend all car PPF but its the very least get the front protected. I plan on getting a new 2022 model 3 and will get PPF installed on this one too. If you have a local shop that installs it stop down and ask for some info. Seeing the xpel scratch repair test is pretty cool too. Good luck and welcome to the club!
E90alex
Active Member
Depend what your goals are with the car. If you’re planning to keep the car for a very long time or if you’re going to be obsessing over every scratch and paint chip then PPF will help protect the finish from rock chips and keep it looking new for longer.
If you’re likely going to trade it in after a few years then PPF probably won’t be worth the investment because places won’t give you any extra money for PPF and typically won’t dock your value for normal rock chips.
If you’re likely going to trade it in after a few years then PPF probably won’t be worth the investment because places won’t give you any extra money for PPF and typically won’t dock your value for normal rock chips.
DeltaOne
Member
It was worth it to me. I keep a car for a long time.
When I was younger I used to wax my car pretty often. Older and retired now...I waxed my Model 3 when it was about three months old...I didn't enjoy the process at all. So PPF and ceramic will make things easier for me and keep the car looking better for longer.
These discussions (PPF, coatings etc) are popular on other car forums too. There is a very simple answer to this question though. Some people get all caught up in the hypetrain of doing all this stuff, but the simple answer is this.
Did you PPF / Ceramic coat all your other cars? If so, you should go ahead and do this on this car, too. If you didnt, what about this car is driving you to do want to do it on this car (aside from the hypetrain / hypebeast situation)?
Congratulations on picking up your Tesla in a few days. If you are planning on PPF or ceramic, I would recommend having the service set up the day you receive your vehicle. This ensures paint correction is kept to a minimum. Non of these options are truly necessary but it may offer value to your purchase. I would say any dark color vehicle can benefit from a ceramic coating. This helps from getting swirl marks. You still can get them if they are induced when cleaning or wiping. The best protection is with a PPF install. Couple of things. There are brands of PPF today that have their own ceramic coating already on it. Most all quality PPF will provide some form of self healing. If a scratch does occur, usually parking in sun or with applied heat, the scratch usually goes away. The last benefit with PPF will depend on your installer. Most blemishes down the road or any small chips are usually covered by the PPF company or the installer. What ever the direction, go with the best shop in town. Tucking on PPF is a must and the more they take off, the better it will look. They also offer a one stop shipping to include any tinting you may want to do. It's always a good time to consider an install of a radar detector, jammer or any aftermarket accessory. The best shops know how to wire things correctly.
There is another option. You can always do a wrap. Stealth or matte or change the color completely. The picture below is originally a dark dark green color but since it looks somewhat black, this color change works without changing color of door jams or even the louvers.
There is another option. You can always do a wrap. Stealth or matte or change the color completely. The picture below is originally a dark dark green color but since it looks somewhat black, this color change works without changing color of door jams or even the louvers.
I previously had a Nissan Altima and Maxima, so this is my first expensive car. The maxima was purchased after a tornado formed over the dealership, so had some minor damage before purchase (but saved me around $20K when I bought it). Thanks for your input.
UncertainTimes
Active Member
It’s a personal choice. Personally after doing it once I won’t do it again. I’ve stopped obsessing over paint perfection on a daily driver. It’s a fool's errand.
oreobbq
Member
IMHO scratch and swirl protection from a ceramic coating is so minimal that it's not even worth mentioning.
What company/installer covers blemishes and chips? This is normal wear and tear that I can't imagine any shop covering.
Lastly, most paint protection films offer the option of glossy/matte. PPF is much thicker and offers more protection than vinyl wraps.
I have chosen not to PPF or ceramic coat my 2021 M3SR+. I did have ceramic (glass) on my last 2015 Honda Crosstour and it looked as good when I sold it as when I first purchased the car. I got top price for the car but I don't know if the glass finish helped or not.
I have a membership in a automatic car wash that offers "Ceramic" X3 coating. I wash it at least once a week and the finish is perfect, even though the car wash has spinning brushes. I probably will trade the 3 in for a Y in a year or two so I'm not too worried about long the term.
I have a membership in a automatic car wash that offers "Ceramic" X3 coating. I wash it at least once a week and the finish is perfect, even though the car wash has spinning brushes. I probably will trade the 3 in for a Y in a year or two so I'm not too worried about long the term.
I actually just had my 2018 model 3 ceramic coated, by the company that comes to where I work and washes the work security vehicles. I know the guy (have known him for several years), and the price he gave me for both my wife and my car was less than other companies wanted for just my car.
My car had not even been washed (at all) for about a year ish, so its not like I obsess about it. I just thought "I am paying him to do a full detail and the price to include the ceramic coating he is charging me isnt that much more, so lets go for it.
It came out great, but neither he nor I have any illusion about how long its going to last. We both think about 2 years, even though the product used is one of those supposedly super long time ones.
I went almost 4 years into ownership without doing it (ceramic coat) and have no intentions on doing PPF myself. I will color change wrap it before I do PPF, lol.
I don't have PPF on my white Model 3. The only places where it has visible rock chips is the front bumper (not the hood) and the 2 side mirrors after 4 years on CA freeways. So if you do get PPF, front bumper and side mirrors for rock chips and side of the door for car ding. I do have a ding on the side of the car and I don't even know when I got it. I just noticed it one day. I really don't mind car dings and rock chips as I think they add characters to my car LOL.
mspohr
Well-Known Member
If you're concerned about rock chips, Plastidip is much better than PPF. It's also cheaper and gives you a wide variety of colors and finishes. Easy to patch up if it gets damaged and easy to remove completely.
Ceramic coating doesn't do anything for rock chips but does give you a nice shiny finish to the paint that is fairly durable.
Ceramic coating doesn't do anything for rock chips but does give you a nice shiny finish to the paint that is fairly durable.
joebruin77
Active Member
These are two informative videos on PPF and ceramic coatings that can help you decide if you want them or not (see below).
I took delivery of my P3D in Dec 2018 and I had a whole-car Xpel PPF installed the day after delivery. The car is parked outside 24/7. Thanks in part to the PPF, the paint looks nearly brand new. Recently, a couple people walking their dogs by my house while I was washing my car congratulated me on my "new" Tesla. They were shocked when I told them it was 3 1/2 years old.
That said, PPF is definitely a "want", not a "need". PPF will protect your paint from rock chips and the self healing properties are amazing. But only you can decide if it is worth the expense.
If you want to save some money, you could have just a partial PPF done on the most vulnerable parts of the car (front bumper, hood, rocker panels, etc). To save money on the ceramic coating, you can do a ceramic coating yourself or skip the coating and just apply a sealant or wax every 3-4 months. If you decide to go for a partial PPF and use a wax or sealant, just make sure your wax or sealant is PPF-safe (no naphtha or petroleum distillates).
My wife and I are taking delivery of a 2022 Ford Mustang MachE GT next month for her. I think we are going to skip PPF. Instead, I am going to apply Gyeon Cancoat Evo, which is a super easy to apply ceramic coating that should last at least 12 months. If we get rock chips, I'll use some touch up paint.
I took delivery of my P3D in Dec 2018 and I had a whole-car Xpel PPF installed the day after delivery. The car is parked outside 24/7. Thanks in part to the PPF, the paint looks nearly brand new. Recently, a couple people walking their dogs by my house while I was washing my car congratulated me on my "new" Tesla. They were shocked when I told them it was 3 1/2 years old.
That said, PPF is definitely a "want", not a "need". PPF will protect your paint from rock chips and the self healing properties are amazing. But only you can decide if it is worth the expense.
If you want to save some money, you could have just a partial PPF done on the most vulnerable parts of the car (front bumper, hood, rocker panels, etc). To save money on the ceramic coating, you can do a ceramic coating yourself or skip the coating and just apply a sealant or wax every 3-4 months. If you decide to go for a partial PPF and use a wax or sealant, just make sure your wax or sealant is PPF-safe (no naphtha or petroleum distillates).
My wife and I are taking delivery of a 2022 Ford Mustang MachE GT next month for her. I think we are going to skip PPF. Instead, I am going to apply Gyeon Cancoat Evo, which is a super easy to apply ceramic coating that should last at least 12 months. If we get rock chips, I'll use some touch up paint.
TigerNinety
Member
Does any of the thinkin on whether to get PPF vary by paint color? I would think that you’d get the most benefit for a white or maybe red car and the least benefit for a black car?
joebruin77
Active Member
I could be wrong, but I would think the opposite. I would think the darker the color, the more noticeable paint chips, swirls, and scratches are. For example, black paint is notorious for being difficult to keep scratch and swirl free. If I had a black car, I would strongly consider getting a whole-car PPF.
TigerNinety
Member
Thanks for the reply. I can see the point on swirls, and maybe on scratches; I’m just not going to worry about those. As for whole car PPF, at the prices I’m seeing, it’s not practical for me and I don’t think I’ll worry that much. Thanks!
joebruin77
Active Member
Yep, I totally get it. Although I have loved my PPF and the self-healing properties are amazing, a $59 bottle of Gyone Cancoat Evo or even a $9 bottle of Turtle Wax Seal and Shine are much more economical options.
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