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Is PPF worth it for a daily driver?

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I commute about 30K miles per year, most of it on a 75mph interstate...my car is going to get chips, dings, dents, etc. Local shop is quoting $1700 for Xcel PPF...is it worth it for a car that is going to get beat up anyway? Thanks

If you're concerned about the paint and keeping the car look as new as possible throughout your many years of ownership, (assuming you're not leasing) then I highly recommend ppf, especially on a daily driver. I would look for at least a full front end protection (full hood, full front fenders, full front bumper, side mirrors) if you're going to do it. You can save some money doing partials or only the front bumper, but your hood, fenders, and side mirrors will get destroyed from rock chips alone especially 30K miles/year. Pros and cons.

Some people mention that ppf won't help with dents, which is true, since it's only a film, but it can save you from spending money fixing the dent AND the paint damage, versus just the dent. Keep in mind, a small paint damage doesn't necessarily mean the repair to fix it will also be small. Depending on location of the damage, size, and color of the car, you could end up paying to repaint the whole panel and maybe adjacent panels for it to look like "nothing" ever happened.
 
I'm doing a partial front myself. I think it's very valuable on a daily driver. Previous cars, even those that I maintained perfectly always wound up with pretty rough front bumpers due to bug and rock strikes on the highway. You can tweak the size of the wrap to save some cash.
 
I'm doing a partial front myself. I think it's very valuable on a daily driver. Previous cars, even those that I maintained perfectly always wound up with pretty rough front bumpers due to bug and rock strikes on the highway. You can tweak the size of the wrap to save some cash.

Agree. While you may not necessarily get your money back, it is nice to know you may have perfect "original" paint years down the road. Small dents and dings with no paint repair can be corrected with PPF. Most damage I've ever done to my cars has been on the front bumpers and mirrors. Beyond that, the rear bumpers are the most common, but those are due to accidents of some sort.

As far as PPF and Ceramic, you can read any car forum about people who don't clean up bird poop right away and notice it damage the paint. those products protect you from that. Now, do they protect you up to the amount you pay for it? Probably not. But it also saves you a lot of time taking care of your car and keeping it look new with minimal effort.

If you have the skills to do it yourself, or know someone who can do it for a discounted price, then it really becomes "worth it" since the materials alone are pretty inexpensive. There is skill in a good PPF installer though, so don't write off out quality work either. Some people are just fortunate to "know a guy".
 
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+1 for PPF for any driver in general that has a Model 3

Even if you don't drive much or do roadtrips, your daily commute on side streets/freeway will have a chance of rock chips getting kicked up from other cars (especially near construction zones or unpaved roads) or following behind a truck/big rig (don't do this drive around them)

• Peace of mind that your invest and full front bumper + hood are protected
• Ease of clean without scratching/swirls on the paint
• Better resale value since the paint will be "like new" when you remove the film

I have my entire front bumper and full hood with 3M Scotchguard film for $2,100 with ceramic coating on entire car.
 
I'm new to Tesla, but I've had PPF on several cars. Like most insurance policies, it's a subjective decision on whether to do it all, do only the bumpers, the entire front, or the entire car.

My .02c is that if you're considering paint protection, you should probably do it, as you're already anxious about "what might happen." Some people have a screw it attitude about physical possessions. "Damage is going to happen. Nothing you can do." I actually agree with that outlook, and I'd never try to talk people like that into PPF. But those people aren't likely to be on these forums discussing "insuring" the quality of their automobile paint, are they?

As far as how far you should take the PPF, that's another big subjective. For ME PERSONALLY, I'll get the full front, but that's all. Why? Because, for whatever reason, dings and chips on the bumper and hood bother me more than damage to the doors and side panels. That's just how my brain works. I've also had PPF on my doors of past cars, and guess what? Door dings still occur. What's worse is repairing them is sometimes harder if they have PPF, as the PPF will bubble when you pry the ding out. If there were a product available that would protect against door dings, I'd be very interested, but no amount of PPF, Ceramic coating, or paint protection will protect you from the assholes who swing their doors open without consideration.

Sorry. This was a very long post for information that's probably not very helpful. I should also mention that, for me, spending more than $1,500 for PPF "feels wrong." I protect the hood and bumper because when people (especially me) walk around the car on beautiful sunny days, that's what draws their eyes.
 
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I can't imagine paying more than a few hundred dollars for anything like PPF or Ceramic coat. I'm way too cheap for that. I have a good wax that makes washing a breeze and I clean my cars weekly. Basically just power wash the dirt off in the winter and wipe dry; use spray detailer in the summer. Rock chips are annoying but it's just part of a car getting used.

A color change wrap, on the other hand is very tempting. Really want a car with that Audi Sonoma Green.
 
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If you're concerned about the paint and keeping the car look as new as possible throughout your many years of ownership, (assuming you're not leasing) then I highly recommend ppf, especially on a daily driver. I would look for at least a full front end protection (full hood, full front fenders, full front bumper, side mirrors) if you're going to do it. You can save some money doing partials or only the front bumper, but your hood, fenders, and side mirrors will get destroyed from rock chips alone especially 30K miles/year. Pros and cons.

Some people mention that ppf won't help with dents, which is true, since it's only a film, but it can save you from spending money fixing the dent AND the paint damage, versus just the dent. Keep in mind, a small paint damage doesn't necessarily mean the repair to fix it will also be small. Depending on location of the damage, size, and color of the car, you could end up paying to repaint the whole panel and maybe adjacent panels for it to look like "nothing" ever happened.

Not sure how leasing is done where you are, but in the UK they meticulously scrutinise the entire car and if there are more than set number of chips, or chips over a certain diameter, or scratches over a set length, then you get charged per each one come hand-back time.

PPF is horrifyingly expensive, but if it saves you from being charged for a full front respray, then it has to be worth it.
 
Not sure how leasing is done where you are, but in the UK they meticulously scrutinise the entire car and if there are more than set number of chips, or chips over a certain diameter, or scratches over a set length, then you get charged per each one come hand-back time.

PPF is horrifyingly expensive, but if it saves you from being charged for a full front respray, then it has to be worth it.
A full front respay would be less than the PPF though. So I’d rather take the chance of having to pay less than knowing for sure I will have to pay more.

Got full PPF on my current Model 3 and the new one I ordered won’t get it again. Maybe small pieces on lower areas around the wheels to help with rock chips there. Then again I switch cars after less than 2 years most of the time.
 
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tentimesodds

tentimesodds

tentimesodds

tentimesodds If that price is for the whole car, then it isn't bad, assuming they do quality work.​

I commute about 30K miles per year, most of it on a 75mph interstate...my car is going to get chips, dings, dents, etc. Local shop is quoting $1700 for Xcel PPF...is it worth it for a car that is going to get beat up anyway? Thanks
IMHO, if the car is mainly for commuting and you expect to get chips, dings, etc. and you don't mind, then you don't need it. But if you care about the cosmetic, then $1700 PPF, for the whole car? isn't a bad deal, assuming they do quality work.

Typically, we charge 3-5k for car like like this.

IMG_5734.JPG
 
A full front respay would be less than the PPF though. So I’d rather take the chance of having to pay less than knowing for sure I will have to pay more.

Got full PPF on my current Model 3 and the new one I ordered won’t get it again. Maybe small pieces on lower areas around the wheels to help with rock chips there. Then again I switch cars after less than 2 years most of the time.

Bingo. I have front POF and a ceramic coat on our Model X, and my 3 is bare naked.

Without a magnifying glass, the difference is … well, almost impossible to tell.

I consider the x’s treatments money wasted at this point. Would’ve been cheaper to replace the bumper cover in 5 years.
 
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