Paint Protection Film - Worth It?

[dst87]

I’ve seen a few comments about PPF in various different places, so figured I’d start a PPF megathread!

PPF is something I’m considering, but have never considered on a car before. I’d love to know your thoughts and experiences and, of course, whether you plan to get PPF on your new Tesla!

 

[davidmc]

If the price is right (not looked yet but see quotes floating around) and a team of solicitors are installing it to make it cheaper! Some prices seem like there out to bleed you dry.

I heard it takes a couple of days to get installed? Is that right?

I'm looking at DIY ceramic but I know it's not like PPF

 

[dst87]

@davidmc I’ve had a few different quotes, and for full coverage it seems to be around £3.5k to £4.5k inc. VAT. Partial coverage significantly less, of course.

They seem to suggest that a full coverage takes about a week, and partial coverage a few days. Then you need to be a little careful with it for the first wee while until it fully dries.

 

[james_power]

I don't think anyone could argue on a purely financial basis that a paint protection film is worth it, It will cost you over 4k for full coverage and for what, a few paint chips and light scratches? It certainly wouldn't cost that much to repair them.

For me its more about the convenience of not having to do the repairs in the first place and also being able to wash my car without worrying about creating swirls marks. The self healing properties of PPF in particular are quite appealing. I've used the two bucket wash system on previous cars I've owned and whilst it definitely helps, it can never completely eliminate light scratches and swirl marks.

 

[Roy W.]

Perhaps you should add an “Undecided” option to your poll, as that’s me at the moment!

 

[meavydev]

Yes, but not at £4200 for full coverage with the quote I have so far and it depends if Direct Line put up the insurance for PPF (wrapping is different, as it's changing the colour).

 

[james_power]

Be careful with your quotes for full coverage. When I queried about the process I was told full coverage does not wrap around edges they wanted £400 extra for that.

See

With standard full coverage they normally stop 5cm from the edge of a particular surface, which makes the edge visible up close and makes it more likely that dirt could get underneath.

 

[dst87]

Perhaps you should add an “Undecided” option to your poll, as that’s me at the moment!

Your wish is my command!

 

[Rooster6655]

At £4k not a chance when it usually has a guarantee of about 2 years!

 

[dst87]

At £4k not a chance when it usually has a guarantee of about 2 years!

Xpel PPF has a 10 year guarantee covering parts and labour. I’ve no idea how good the warranty is in practice, but that’s what they say anyway.

 

[pgkevet]

You could just follow my wife's system. She had her last one 8yrs and never washed it at all apart from front/back windows and headlights. I live in wet Wales so it had moss in the panel gaps, lichen on the side windows and mud everywhere else. Annoyingly I jetwashed and scrubbed it for her before trade-in and the darned thing came up so nice I didn't bother polishing. It did look like a bag of poo for the years she drove it - but everyone gave her a wide berth....

 

[Roy W.]

I’ve never had PPF or a ceramic coating. In my 40-odd years of motoring I’ve gone from a chamois with a bucket of water and some Fairy Liquid, to having a shed seemingly full of Autoglym bottles! My last few cars I’ve treated with an Autoglym Lifeshine pack, and I’ve been very pleased with the results. I’ve also polished 3 or 4 times a year, and always finish the two-bucket wash with Autoglym Aquawax. That’s kept my previous cars looking quite respectable, but as the M3 is by far the most expensive car I’ve bought, I feel perhaps I ought to do a little more to look after it.

For me, the choice is between PPF or a good quality DIY ceramic coating.

I believe that Expel PPF is supposed to be the D’s Bs when it comes to this sort of thing.

I’ve got quotes from my two local Expel agents, and for the full car they wanted £4200 and £5000 inc VAT. @BubblegumPete got a good quote from his local detailer in Bromley - £3060 inc VAT:

Model 3 UK Radio

My main concern (apart from the high cost) is the effect it might have on getting insurance. I’ve no personal experience of this, but some people have said that various companies won’t insure cars with PPF, as it increases their liability in the case of body damage.

The other alternative is a ceramic coating. I’ve already bought one for my white seats, and I’m thinking this, while not as effective as PPF, is a darn sight cheaper. This is the ceramic coating I’m considering:

Gyeon Q² Syncro

Any thoughts and advice will be much appreciated.

 

[BubblegumPete]

Yes mine cost £3060 using Xpel PPF full body. A company called Creative FX in Bromley south London installed it. I'm very pleased with it. They wrap into certain areas like the door seals but other areas do have a very small border, for example around headlights and badges. You can see the edges but only if you look really closely. One of the main seams is between the back light and spoiler, it needs a split edge because of the way the boot bends and the spoiler starts. It's still not that noticeable though.

I do a lot of motorway driving so having the film definitely makes me worry a lot less when I hear a clink from a stone come up.
I was driving to Reading the other day (before wrap) and had one stone hit the windscreen and chip it very slightly, I was annoyed but thought
'well at least I won't get another one of those for a while'.
Literally ten seconds later I heard another clink against the glass, luckily no chip. I did think, if the glass got hit twice than I'm bound to have at least one chip on the front, especially considering how thin the paint on Tesla's is meant to be. Luckily after they thoroughly washed the car they couldn't find any other chips apart from one on the lower passenger door which I already knew about,

I filmed at their facilities and had a really nice guy called Tom talk through the procedure and the benefits which I found very helpful to know.I will try to get the video up on Youtube sometime this weekend.

 

[Rob R]

Thought about it, but going for ceramic coating instead. I do think Model 3 should have something though. Paint does not have a great reputation for places with snow, slush, road salt etc. (which is the whole UK really, but certainly Scotland).
The pain will be handing over my brand new car for 3 to 4 days for the multi-coat treatment I am getting, after a 2 year wait for it.

 

[BubblegumPete]

Thought about it, but going for ceramic coating instead. I do think Model 3 should have something though. Paint does not have a great reputation for places with snow, slush, road salt etc. (which is the whole UK really, but certainly Scotland).
The pain will be handing over my brand new car for 3 to 4 days for the multi-coat treatment I am getting, after a 2 year wait for it.

I know what you mean. I've had my car since the 29th of June but for half of that time it was in the service centre. Finally got it back to then have to hand it over for another three days for the wrap. Hopefully it's all mine now

 

[interbear]

I voted undecided initially then read the rest of the thread and on realising that full PPF costs £4-5k changed my vote to no. A definite no. I’ll pay to get stone chips repaired and no way will a few of those reach that sort of cost.

I will however get a ceramic coast applied by a pro detailer. That’s £500-700 and makes a real difference in terms of maintaining the paintwork in good condition. An investment that’s worth it in my opinion, whereas I just can’t see the value in spending £4-5k on PPF.

In fact it’s daylight robbery. Maybe in 10 years time there’ll be a booming industry in PPF misselling refund claims

 

[BubblegumPete]

I voted undecided initially then read the rest of the thread and on realising that full PPF costs £4-5k changed my vote to no. A definite no. I’ll pay to get stone chips repaired and no way will a few of those reach that sort of cost.

I will however get a ceramic coast applied by a pro detailer. That’s £500-700 and makes a real difference in terms of maintaining the paintwork in good condition. An investment that’s worth it in my opinion, whereas I just can’t see the value in spending £4-5k on PPF.

In fact it’s daylight robbery. Maybe in 10 years time there’ll be a booming industry in PPF misselling refund claims

Mine was £3060 for full body. If you want you can always just get the front and wing mirrors done for just over £1000.

 

[dst87]

I Tweeted Direct Line (our current insurer) to ask if PPF was a problem. They said that they will not insure that ‘modification’ right now.

I don’t know why PPF is considered a modification, or why they can’t just exclude the cost of PPF from any claims. It’s not like it changes the risk, surely?

It definitely shits my decision a little in favour of ‘don’t bother’.

Direct Line on Twitter

 

[interbear]

I Tweeted Direct Line (our current insurer) to ask if PPF was a problem. They said that they will not insure that ‘modification’ right now.

I don’t know why PPF is considered a modification, or why they can’t just exclude the cost of PPF from any claims. It’s not like it changes the risk, surely?

It definitely shits my decision a little in favour of ‘don’t bother’.

Direct Line on Twitter

I can only assume it’s because there is more work - and therefore expense - involved in repairing a panel with PPF than one without?

In which case they should just have it available as an optional extra for £x.

 

[meavydev]

OK, that's me on No then, as I thought DL might charge more, not say no.
Ceramic coating is my next consideration then.