I have a question. I am getting my vehicle wrapped in Suntek film and the wheels powder coated. The guy at the shop is looking to sell me on applying the Ceramic coating. I get that the ceramic coating will work at keeping the wheels clean and easy to maintain. And I would assume the same applies for the body as well. However, I am not totally sold on the ceramic coating. The downside is that it voids the PPF manufacturers warranty. In this case, would it make sense to apply a sealant to the PPF which also tends to be cheaper? I would think that as part of the PPF application, the film sealant would be applied by default. What is your take on just using a film sealant for the body and ceramic coating on just the powder coated wheels?
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Yinn
Active Member
Ceramic coating does actually make a huge difference. There's a noticeable texture/smoothness, glossiness, and depth to the paint surface. I'm not sure it's easier to maintain, but I tend to get mine muddy and put the same amount of effort with or without wrap or ceramic. I do typically use ceramic coating and this was my first film experience (XPEL in my case) and decided not to add ceramic on top of it.
First picture is 3 Days after a wash with full detail and typically how my car looks. The second picture is what it typically looks like after a couple days of medium to heavy rain. If I do actually get it washed, it looks brand new.
Ceramic coating does actually make a huge difference. There's a noticeable texture/smoothness, glossiness, and depth to the paint surface. I'm not sure it's easier to maintain, but I tend to get mine muddy and put the same amount of effort with or without wrap or ceramic. I do typically use ceramic coating and this was my first film experience (XPEL in my case) and decided not to add ceramic on top of it.
First picture is 3 Days after a wash with full detail and typically how my car looks. The second picture is what it typically looks like after a couple days of medium to heavy rain. If I do actually get it washed, it looks brand new.
Thank you for sharing your perspective. Just to clarify, the photos above show the car with the xpel ppf? Also, when you say you "typically use ceramic coating," do you apply this regularly? Do you have this on your vehicle as shown in the photos? I feel like once applied it should last for more than a short amount of time.
Yinn
Active Member
Previously before getting my wrap I used a variety of different ceramic and non ceramic coatings. My routine was usually a full detail (ie with polish and coat) twice a year. Once before winter, and once in the spring. I would use the coating in both those polishes. But I have known others who leave the coat on for a year or two.
The car above has XPEL in both photos, intending to show how it holds up with being dirty. It does not have ceramic coating on top of the ppf. I saw some others with both and didn’t feel it added much on top of the film (it looks fantastic straight on paint) and was also concerned I might damage the film with the coating on top. The film by itself has held up great and I feel it’s just as effective against dirt/mud and more effective for minor scratches.
Thanks for that. So your recommendation is yes to PPF and no to ceramic. Just do a full detail twice a year and we should be good?
Yinn
Active Member
Depends on what you’re going for. If you want to protect against minor chips due to road debris or scratches, PPF is the way to go. And I think it’s fine to just do PPF and no ceramic. Just wash it as normal and call it a day. No fuss, no mess, no inconvenience or extra care.
If you’re looking for a phenomenal shine and depth, go with just ceramic coating. It would also protect against stuff like rain or salt, but not necessarily scratches. For that I’d recommend a twice a year application and detail and it will look stunning.
Premier Mobile
Former Vendor
Hi Sappy,
For our customers (in California),... if they had to choose between the two, they normally choose PPF over ceramic coating because it does more to protect the paint. And "yes", for those who do not have Ceramic Coatings applied, we instruct them to apply a quality film sealant over the film as part of maintenance. Having a Ceramic Coating on top of the film is a luxury if it falls within their budgets. The benefits of having a Ceramic Coating on top of the film can not be denied though. One thing that many consumers do not understand is that the "warranty" for PPF does not apply go general wear and tear. PPF is a wear and tear item and will age and take the brunt of the abuse /damages that would otherwise have been on the paint. For daily driven cars, this means that the film will eventually have to be replaced years down the line. Having a Ceramic Coating applied will provide more protection from harmful environmental elements...such as bug guts, hard water etchings, UV degradation, bird droppings, ect... not to mention ease of cleaning. If anything, Ceramic Coatings help slow the natural wear of the film and maintain its appearance. Film sealants will provide some of these benefits as well,...just not at the level that a Ceramic Coating will.
Thank you @Premier Mobile. What type of sealant do you recommend? What is your take on waxing the vehicle to prolong the life of the PPF? Is that worthwhile if you have a sealant or ceramic coating?
Premier Mobile
Former Vendor
Hi Sappy02,
If you are applying a sealant to the film or have ceramic coating, there is no need for waxing.
Premier Mobile
Former Vendor
For paint protection film, the most important is the installer. Here's a line up for today with a mixture of Teslas here for:
ClearGuard Nano paint protection film
Spectra PhotoSync Nano window film
CeraLuxe Nano Ceramic window film
Modesta Coating
Blackvue installs
*be sure to go look at any installer's work in person.
ClearGuard Nano paint protection film
Spectra PhotoSync Nano window film
CeraLuxe Nano Ceramic window film
Modesta Coating
Blackvue installs
*be sure to go look at any installer's work in person.
Premier Mobile
Former Vendor
Prestige Film Technologies just launched their next generation ClearGuard Nano in April and it's a winner. We had a customer with a Model S who had his car done a little over a week ago. He parked his car at work and went out of town. When he came back, he saw splatter of paint and liquid on his windshield and the hood. He later reviewed his Blackvue dashcam and found that it was paint and paint thinner that was knocked over above and spilled to his car.
When he came in we thought the film was destroyed. The car was sitting in 85 degree weather in direct sunlight for 4 days. So we decided to make the video just to document to see what happened.
When he came in we thought the film was destroyed. The car was sitting in 85 degree weather in direct sunlight for 4 days. So we decided to make the video just to document to see what happened.
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