Paint protection options ?

[drewg123]

After months of dithering and years of wanting one, I finally ordered an inventory white X100D that should arrive in a few weeks!

I've spent 2+ decades since my 20s with practical cars (lately Priuses) , and this will be the first car I've actually cared about in a long time. However, I'm not 22 anymore either, and I don't have the time / energy to wash the car every weekend and wax it regularly, but I still want it to look good.

I want the car to have that glossy "just waxed" look without me having to do much work for it, and I want something that will protect me from "dentless" contact paint damage (rock chips, idiots with shopping carts, etc). From what I've seen the PPFs do a good job protecting from paint damage. However, I have heard that most PPFs do not yield a finish that's hydrophobic, and which I can easily wash off, without having to wax every few months.

My understanding is that Suntek has the most glossy finish, but it may show the most yellowing (which would be much more evident on a white car). I've also heard that Xpel is the most protective for chips, but in order to have that "just waxed look" I'd need to use some kind of coating over the PPF. So I guess my questions are:

1) If I get Xpel, will I need a coating over it to make it easy to clean? Does that interfere with self healing?

2) Does anybody have Suntek on a white car? How is the yellowing? Does it have that "just waxed" kind of look?

3) Can ceramic (or other) coating be applied to the 20" base wheels to make it easy to rinse brake dust and road grime off? I remember washing my cars' wheels with a toothbrush when I was a kid, and don't want to repeat that...

And I realize there are other threads about this. I've seen a few, but they didn't seem to answer my questions. I apologize if I'm asking a FAQ.

 

[idleuser]

1) It does not interfere with self healing and you don't want to use wax on top. You will want to most likely use something like opticoat or cquartz finest.
2) Not white but OCDetailing recently wrapped a Model 3 with the suntek film.

3) Yes

 

[boaterva]

My car looks and feels like glass with the full Suntek Ultra Wrap... Suntek is excellent and my guy recommended it as easier to wrap around edges, etc., than Xpel. I got Opticoat also, and plan to wash with Chemical Guys, and in between with their detail sprays. Never wax, exactly.

As for the wheels, you use the brakes a *lot* less in a Tesla than, say, a BMW. My old 3-series had black wheels in a week. I've not noticed anything in a month on this car.

Full wrap: can't be recommended enough, if you own the car and want to keep it for many years!

 

[Transhine]

1) If I get Xpel, will I need a coating over it to make it easy to clean? Does that interfere with self healing? We recommend applying a ceramic coating on the any polyurethane film paint protection film. We have done a lot of installations that didnt get it and they seemed to last. However, proper washing and waxing is recommended to keep the surface slick and resilient. Any wax is a good wax if it is used often enough. The ceramic coating is much more durable coating and is a great 'base' coat. Also, I would say go a year and then clay bar the surface and put a coat of wax on it just for good measure. (the self healing feature and capacity of all the films are overrated)

If a bird turd lands on the paint it will etch into it, as well as the paint protection film-(better the film than the paint?). If you add the ceramic coating it will be more resilient to those kind of caustic substances-alkaline and acidic.

2) All the films are warrantied against yellowing, so you are covered there. We have used both XPEL and Suntek on white or pearl colored cars and the results are nearly identical as far as clarity. The film adds a marginal smoothness to the painted surface. If you are looking under a magnifying glass that close there is a difference. However, when you are looking at it from a normal distance the films look the same.

3) Can ceramic (or other) coating be applied to the 20" base wheels to make it easy to rinse brake dust and road grime off? I remember washing my cars' wheels with a toothbrush when I was a kid, and don't want to repeat that...
the ceramic coating will work at keeping the wheels clean and easy to maintain.

 

[T3xrr]

I heard clear guard nano is top notch. High gloss looks, thicker than both xpel and suntek and ultra clear.

 

[Xcellent]

After months of dithering and years of wanting one, I finally ordered an inventory white X100D that should arrive in a few weeks!

I've spent 2+ decades since my 20s with practical cars (lately Priuses) , and this will be the first car I've actually cared about in a long time. However, I'm not 22 anymore either, and I don't have the time / energy to wash the car every weekend and wax it regularly, but I still want it to look good.

I want the car to have that glossy "just waxed" look without me having to do much work for it, and I want something that will protect me from "dentless" contact paint damage (rock chips, idiots with shopping carts, etc). From what I've seen the PPFs do a good job protecting from paint damage. However, I have heard that most PPFs do not yield a finish that's hydrophobic, and which I can easily wash off, without having to wax every few months.

My understanding is that Suntek has the most glossy finish, but it may show the most yellowing (which would be much more evident on a white car). I've also heard that Xpel is the most protective for chips, but in order to have that "just waxed look" I'd need to use some kind of coating over the PPF. So I guess my questions are:

1) If I get Xpel, will I need a coating over it to make it easy to clean? Does that interfere with self healing?

2) Does anybody have Suntek on a white car? How is the yellowing? Does it have that "just waxed" kind of look?

3) Can ceramic (or other) coating be applied to the 20" base wheels to make it easy to rinse brake dust and road grime off? I remember washing my cars' wheels with a toothbrush when I was a kid, and don't want to repeat that...

And I realize there are other threads about this. I've seen a few, but they didn't seem to answer my questions. I apologize if I'm asking a FAQ.

Hi
I just took delivery of X in the nonmetallic black paint a month ago. Black is brutal for showing scratches of course and newer paints seem softer. I had the entire car wrapped w Xpel. Our shop used Xpel, went to Suntek and is now back to Xpel as finds it a better product. He does a lot of supercars and is very particular. It looks great in terms of glossiness. He recommends just waxing. Same as for unwrapped painted surface - wax needs frequent reapplication vs sealants etc.
I am very glad I spent the $$ as I can practically wash it with steel wool and not worry
White is a very forgiving colour for hiding scratches.

 

[Jean-Claude]

Here is an article I wrote to help lift the fog on the benefits and how these technologies work. It is not a super short piece but is quite in-depth. Too, I used Modesta as the coating, but you could consider your coating of choice instead if you would like.
What causes swirl marks and other defects in modern car paint? -The Clear Bra Installation Specialists of Atlanta-

In this piece I demonstrate how to clean wheels thoroughly. But at the end of the piece there's a video demonstrating how well coated wheels behave and can ease cleaning. For posterity's sake: A coating does not authorize neglect of wheels, paint, etc. They reward proper care with a surface that is easier to clean, is better protected and stays looking better for longer.

How to Quickly and Safely Wash Your Wheels - Detailed Designs Auto Spa

I hope you enjoy!

 

[jjriley1]

Hi All -

I'm joining the Tesla family in a few weeks, picking up my Deep Blue Metallic Model X on 3/17. I'm leasing, so I'm torn on whether or not to do any paint protection. Quotes I've received are in the neighborhood of $2k for the front end (bumper, lights, hood, fenders, mirrors). Seems like the majority of owners think it's worth the cost for the peace of mind, but I'll more than likely turn this in for a new model in 3 years. Would love your thoughts or opinions one way or the other.

 

[mattack4000]

Why would you put any money into a leased car.

 

[Jacksan]

He might just be selling it at 3 years, instead of leasing? Just a guess.

 

[mattack4000]

Who is going to pay the inflated residual from Tesla at lease end other than the original owner

 

[Need]

He might just be selling it at 3 years, instead of leasing? Just a guess.

It is really hard to sell the car at the lease end to offset the high residual on a Tesla, and adding $2K on the cost would make it impossible I think. So don't do the paint protection if you are leasing.

 

[Premier Mobile]

Drewg123,

With any paint protection film, there is a certain amount of maintenance that needs to happen. Paint Protection Film's first and foremost intended use is to protect the paint from rock chips, dings, and minor scratches. Given that most if not all Paint Protection Film has a self healing coating (self healing only to a certain extent), putting some sort of coating, whether it is film sealant or ceramic coating can only help enhance and prolong the life of the film.

We've preached this before,... when looking into getting PPF, the most important thing isn't the film as most film technologies are quite similar. The most important thing is finding the right installation company with adequate experience. This is one of the most saturated industries with Xpel churning out many newbies every week. The best film in the hands of a novice can result in very bad installation, and in some cases, cause paint damage such as razor cuts, ect... Do find references and go see the work in person to compare work between companies. This will ultimately determine whether their work and film used will meet your standards. Remember, your standards may not be the same as the guy who just had work done their car. We redo a lot of work from local companies, so we've seen it all.

With that said, to answer some of your questions. This is coming from a us, with over 20 years of experience in the PPF industry.

1 ) If I get Xpel, will I need a coating over it to make it easy to clean? Does that interfere with self healing?

- In our experience, getting a coating over any film does not interfere with the self healing coating. Having any paint protection film over the painted surface will be easier to clean than paint. Besides the ease of maintenance, having a ceramic coating also helps make the film more etch "resistant", not etch "proof". As durable as PPF are now a days, they are still susceptible to bug stains, bird droppings, ect when left on the surface for too long.

2) Does anybody have Suntek on a white car? How is the yellowing? Does it have that "just waxed" kind of look?

- With white cars, there is a industry term called the "clear coat" effect. In essence, when you put additional layers of clear coating over a white surface, that surface becomes slightly more "off white". This is sometimes interpreted as slightly yellowing.

- Another thing to take into consideration is that PPF is a plastic urethane. If you look at the color of your white bumper (plastic) vs the white on the fenders (aluminum surface), under certain lighting conditions, you will also notice a slight tonal color difference. This is no different when applying film onto a white car. Immediately after installation, you will already notice this effect under certain lighting conditions.

- Over the years, no matter how well you maintain your film, the film will go through the natural aging process from normal wear and tear. The minor color change in the film is not noticeable on any other color other than white. You will have to consider this trade off vs. scratches and rock chips in the paint.

- As far as the different brands are concerned, ClearGuard Nano SR is actually the clearest film with slightly better hydrophobic properties than Suntek. On white cars, especially when viewed outdoors, the gloss difference between most films is minimal. With Xpel, you will notice more "Orange Peel" texture...especially indoors.

 

[rjdoc74]

I had my car wrapped at Transhine.

My experience couldn’t have been more positive. Great job, great communication, great prices. Bill and Jesus are the best. I highly recommend them.

 

[Transhine]

I had my car wrapped at Transhine.

My experience couldn’t have been more positive. Great job, great communication, great prices. Bill and Jesus are the best. I highly recommend them.

 

[Transhine]

Glad you had such a great experience. We put together a new shop video for Tesla owners that are considering going with the Matte finsh vs the clear paint protection film. Your Tesla X has a starring role.

 

[isjka]

It is really hard to sell the car at the lease end to offset the high residual on a Tesla, and adding $2K on the cost would make it impossible I think. So don't do the paint protection if you are leasing.

What actually determines a high residual? I'm currently leasing a 16k discounted 2017 75 RWD showroom car. I thought I read in another thread that the residuals on these types of cars was wasn't as high as a normal lease without a discount. I'm also debating getting paint protection. My estimate was around 3k for Xpel hood only and C-Quartz entire car. The cost also included some paint correction to remove the existing swirls. I would like to think that my car would be more than the residual after 3 years given such the high discount.

 

[mattack4000]

Residual is set based on MSRP, has nothing to do at how much you bought it for. Putting 3K into a leased car, really?

 

[isjka]

Seems crazy yes. My thought process was that there is a great chance I'd keep the car. I drive less than 10,000 miles per year and while newer cars will of course come and go, in 3 years, fingers crossed, there will be nothing wrong with my car. Perhaps I'll wait until the lease is up, then if I do decide to keep the car, I invest in the protection.

 

[mattack4000]

Good news is that you saved a lot of money the next 3 years, bad news you gave up the 7500 for it