Paint correction, PPF, Ceramic Coating, Window Tint

[Kairide]

PPF is thick relative to vinyl, but thin when it comes to actual protection. PPF will protect your paint from scratches, swirls and chemicals. But if a rock or stone is big enough to chip your paint or dent your hood, it will do so through the PPF. I understand people will argue until they're blue in the face that PPF is amazing, but it's not a miracle product. You'll still see rock chips and dents with or without PPF.

 

[Bull]

PPF is thick relative to vinyl, but thin when it comes to actual protection. PPF will protect your paint from scratches, swirls and chemicals. But if a rock or stone is big enough to chip your paint or dent your hood, it will do so through the PPF. I understand people will argue until they're blue in the face that PPF is amazing, but it's not a miracle product. You'll still see rock chips and dents with or without PPF.

One of the most important reasons to justify PPF is by far most of the stones that will impact your car will be a size that will chip bare paint but will not chip paint if protected by PPF.

 

[DBV1]

So, are most people saying to get PPF on front hood and maybe panels and then also get ceramic tint? I like the tint idea, just because my Model S is going to have white exterior and thinks it looks better.

I have never PPF any of my cars before and always have waxed yearly and my cars look great.

 

[MG535]

So, are most people saying to get PPF on front hood and maybe panels and then also get ceramic tint? I like the tint idea, just because my Model S is going to have white exterior and thinks it looks better.

I have never PPF any of my cars before and always have waxed yearly and my cars look great.

Don’t. PPF is a great idea… until you look at the exorbitant cost. It has basically 0 ROI.

 

[Kairide]

One of the most important reasons to justify PPF is by far most of the stones that will impact your car will be a size that will chip bare paint but will not chip paint if protected by PPF.

I understand the theory behind this, but in reality; how many rocks actually fall in to that category. PPF by design is stretchable and soft, so it won't absorb the impact of anything harder than bird crap and suicidal bugs. Which...is something PPF will protect your paint from.
Maybe if a rock were to take a glancing blow at just the right angle the PPF would provide enough protection to prevent a paint chip. Overall the protection is more mental and driven by the industry than actual data.
If someone were to develop a clear protection film that is only a few mils thick, but could harden after application, that would actually provide protection.

 

[2101Guy]

So, are most people saying to get PPF on front hood and maybe panels and then also get ceramic tint? I like the tint idea, just because my Model S is going to have white exterior and thinks it looks better.

I have never PPF any of my cars before and always have waxed yearly and my cars look great.

Then why deviate from a winning formula?

 

[2101Guy]

I have a Model S long-range on reservation (now shows Dec/Jan estimated delivery) and this is a car I want to keep for at least 5 years and I'm anal about keeping my cars in good shape. I got a quote from a local shop in Southern California for the following:
- Decontamination & paint correction - $500
- Full PPF (XPEL I believe) - $6,000
- Ceramic coating - $1,000
- Xpel window tint - $1,300

At close to $9,000, that represents 10% of the purchase price of the car. I didn't know what to expect in terms of pricing, but this seems like a very large additional investment. Curious what others have done / recommend in terms of these items. I view the window tint and ceramic as "nice to have" and not a must.

I sold my 5 year old, NON PPF'd s this summer via private sale for the highest end of "private party value". Or roughly $8k more than Tesla offered me.
No PPF at all.

 

[DBV1]

Then why deviate from a winning formula?

Because I keep reading how Tesla paint is different than BMW’s, Porsche, etc.. But, you are right.