New Car - PPF

[nate704]

Maybe very micro scratches - If it hides them - then it's not high quality transparency clear film. PPF does not add depth to your paint or make it super slick.

My front fender had 16 inch long scratch that I couldn't remove after 2 stage paint correction, but it disappeared after the PPF applied.
XPEL Ultimate Plus - top tier PPF.
It looks like you have very limited knowledge about the PPF, but that's okay. most people don't know unless you do this for a living or installed whole car PPF on several cars (like myself).

 

[Evpowerdan]

hhmmmm, costs of living are rather different in "the ChucK" than in the USA.
Service providers need to make a living; don't begrudge them that.

If you're so frugal, why didn't you just do the PPF install yourself?

Frugal or money smart - I'll go with the latter. It's a vehicle for daily use - not a rare exotic super high dollar weekend one. Why not do a 2-3 year lease, skip the professional PPF & ceramic coating - apply that towards the next new Tesla! You won't worry about battery degradation or have to replace expensive tires. Win-win!!!!

 

[Evpowerdan]

My front fender had 16 inch long scratch that I couldn't remove after 2 stage paint correction, but it disappeared after the PPF applied.
XPEL Ultimate Plus - top tier PPF.
It looks like you have very limited knowledge about the PPF, but that's okay. most people don't know unless you do this for a living or installed whole car PPF on several cars (like myself).

Sorry to inform you - I have decades knowledge and hands experience as a OCD detailer and doing installs for window tint and PPF.

If your PPF covers up a deep scratch a 2 stage paint correction can not remove - then it really needed to be repainted. That PPF is just a bandaid over the damage.

Guess you'll divulge that long scratch hidden by your PPF when you sell it?

 

[greatauror28]

hhmmmm, costs of living are rather different in "the ChucK" than in the USA.
Service providers need to make a living; don't begrudge them that.

If you're so frugal, why didn't you just do the PPF install yourself?

Because I’m not a PPF installer and the time & effort learning to be one isn’t rewarding if i’m just doing it on my car and not making it a side hustle.
So COL is 3x as much in your state compared to mine? Hmmm, let’s see the numbers…

Looking at these facts, seems like what you’re saying is untrue.

 

[tangible1]

Because I’m not a PPF installer and the time & effort learning to be one isn’t rewarding if i’m just doing it on my car and not making it a side hustle.
So COL is 3x as much in your state compared to mine? Hmmm, let’s see the numbers…

Looking at these facts, seems like what you’re saying is untrue.

like you proved my point, not yours.
it's a service business, not a commodity purchase.

 

[greatauror28]

like you proved my point, not yours.
it's a service business, not a commodity purchase.

which of these say it’s 300% or x3 more than Edmonton?

 

[zoomer0056]

Is this Cost Of Living thing a tangent or not not even close to the thread subject?

 

[tangible1]

which of these say it’s 300% or x3 more than Edmonton?

add it ALL up, not just look at individual components.
Cost of living is a sum.
Service business fees reflect that reality.

But again, if you think it's a ripoff in SoCAL, are you instead just giving us a humble brag?

 

[nate704]

Sorry to inform you - I have decades knowledge and hands experience as a OCD detailer and doing installs for window tint and PPF.

If your PPF covers up a deep scratch a 2 stage paint correction can not remove - then it really needed to be repainted. That PPF is just a bandaid over the damage.

Guess you'll divulge that long scratch hidden by your PPF when you sell it?

I'm surprise that you make living for doing this, yet don't really know the basic characteristics of the PPF that novice person like me can find out very quickly.
PPF film hides most (if not all) scratches to the clear coat. not the ones to the bare metal or primer layer. As I mentioned in my post above, it was the clear coat damage that I couldn't get it out, I could've gone further, but I didn't want to remove all the clear coat, so I just applied the film, and now I can't even find it at all.
I find your last statement/question irrelevant and none of your business, but I will answer it since I am a nice guy. If you don't see and/or can't find the scratch, how am I supposed to tell the buyer? "Oh this car has deep scratches all over the car, but I can't find them"

 

[greatauror28]

add it ALL up, not just look at individual components.
Cost of living is a sum.
Service business fees reflect that reality.

But again, if you think it's a ripoff in SoCAL, are you instead just giving us a humble brag?

We talked number so i’m just giving you numbers.
That’s okay, I feel like a doofus as well when I overpay for stuff.

 

[Evpowerdan]

I'm surprise that you make living for doing this, yet don't really know the basic characteristics of the PPF that novice person like me can find out very quickly.
PPF film hides most (if not all) scratches to the clear coat. not the ones to the bare metal or primer layer. As I mentioned in my post above, it was the clear coat damage that I couldn't get it out, I could've gone further, but I didn't want to remove all the clear coat, so I just applied the film, and now I can't even find it at all.
I find your last statement/question irrelevant and none of your business, but I will answer it since I am a nice guy. If you don't see and/or can't find the scratch, how am I supposed to tell the buyer? "Oh this car has deep scratches all over the car, but I can't find them"

There is a difference on being honest and educating people on all the stuff people are pushing to put on your Tesla these days (PPF and ceramic coating for multi-thousand dollars).

Go look up any unbiased Youtube video of a professional detailer removing PPF ("Out of Spec Detailing" Coleton removed from gray Porsche 918). It will educate you on what it looks like when done, how removal may pull paint, how some installers cause more damage installing it and how much deeper the paint looks afterwards.

Like I noted before - it's YOUR $$$$ & your car - do what you feel is necessary. One good reason I would never buy a vehicle with PPF or a wrap on it - as the true condition of the paint underneath is unknown. Sooner or later - both PPF and vinyl wraps need to be removed and done over.

 

[woolymammoth17]

I got full XPEL Stealth on my 23 White on White MY. I love it. Definitely worth it. Stands out way more than the many many other "regular" White MYs on the road.

 

[SpicyPaneer]

Actually, PPF film will hide all the clear coat scratches.

Your detailer is supposed to the paint correction prior to ppf install. With e clear ppf, you can see everything. If you have swirls in the paint , then I recommend you get the matte ppf or colored ppf.

 

[SpicyPaneer]

I got full XPEL Stealth on my 23 White on White MY. I love it. Definitely worth it. Stands out way more than the many many other "regular" White MYs on the road.

My wife’s white MYLR is being picked up tomorrow and being dropped off to get the full body colored ppf next Saturday. Dyno Puple by STEK is getting applied on her car.

 

[zoomer0056]

My wife’s white MYLR is being picked up tomorrow and being dropped off to get the full body colored ppf next Saturday. Dyno Puple by STEK is getting applied on her car.

I read of another on TMC that did the same. They also wrapped the center console to bring the color inside. Excellent look.

 

[nate704]

Your detailer is supposed to the paint correction prior to ppf install. With e clear ppf, you can see everything. If you have swirls in the paint , then I recommend you get the matte ppf or colored ppf.

Not true at all. it is the opposite. all those clear coat scratches and swirls will disappear once the PPF film is applied over it.

 

[Evpowerdan]

Not true at all. it is the opposite. all those clear coat scratches and swirls will disappear once the PPF film is applied over it.

A honest answer here is what PPF can and can't do: Sometimes - PPF in itself will not fix scratches or chips. Some smaller swirls and scratches may be masked by the glue in the film. if the film is high quality and transparent, it will show imperfections, scratches and swirls in the paint. If its not high quality, then its less transparent and will mask defects in the paint. Hence, why it is critical to do a paint correction before PPF or ceramic coating - as you're locking in any defects or imperfections.

All clear PPF will "yellow" after time - that a fact most shops/installers won't tell you - as they are selling you on getting as many panels done as possible. If you do partial panels or a portion of the vehicle, over time you will notice the difference in colors between the PPF and non-PPF panels.

Installation by a tenured professional is key - as they have to cut the film on your vehicle (even if they have a plotter to pre-cut the panels shapes) - so knife skills are essential to not cutting or damaging the paint at the seams. This includes vinyl wraps too.

 

[nate704]

 

[Evpowerdan]

That's a 2020 video by a YouTuber who had a link to the PPF they used on Amazon (no longer available). Basically, if PPF can hide sanding scratches like that, then you're basically using the PPF as your paint filler and obviously is not clear and transparent film - otherwise you would see all the defects in the surface below).

On a $50k-$100k+ EV or any daily street vehicle, that's just nuts IMO - I want the paint to stand on its own - as that's what most people paid for when they choose there vehicle color. Paint depth and mirror like properties comes solely from paint - not PPF film. Once that PPF life expectancy is over in a few years (or yellows, edges get dirt under it, lots of rock chips & bird droppings that damage the film and etc), you remove it and have the original paint issues to deal with.

Why not just spend the $$$ to get the paint fix, put a good sealer/coating on it to drive it and enjoy it? Even better, skip all the $$$ PPF and ceramic coating, save the $$$ towards your next EV in a couple of years - allows worry free driving without without any notion of battery degradation or replacing super expensive tires.

 

[Y_tho]

I read of another on TMC that did the same. They also wrapped the center console to bring the color inside. Excellent look.

No center console wrap, so probably not me, but... I posted a pic of our MYP with DynoPurple (and matching painted calipers, a few posts further down) - PPF Installers in MD/DC/VA | Tesla Motors Club