My M3P is about 6 weeks old. It was a demo with 38 miles that I found on the lot in early January. Within a couple of weeks of delivery, the car had a series of rock chips on the lower passenger side rocker panel (closer to the front wheel and not on the rear area). The chips were in the lower part of the rocker where that extra clear coat is. I have touched up those chips (doesn't look great but I'm over it) I have also since added TSoloutions MudFlaps and the Tesla All Weather film to the rear area. I have never put PPF on a car so this is the first time I am seriously considering it. I live in Pittsburgh. I do not drive on the highway frequently. A full PPF is not on the table. I am considering, however, putting some money into PPF to get me some peace of mind. I usually lease cars but I bought this one so I find myself more protective of it than usual. I will keep the car 3 years. I am considering a either a half hood ($795), a front bumper ($595) and/or rockers ($450). I am really trying to do the bare minimum and protect the worst spots from damage. I realize there will be exposed areas and I'm willing to accept some of it and paying 2K for a more complete PPF just isn't in the cards. Looking for opinions on (1) half hood versus bumper and (2) whether I need the rockers done or will the flaps plus the partial film be good enough. My car is MSM and the shop is saying the line on a half hood won't be too noticeable. I do not know if the chips in the rockers were there before I took delivery or after. I drove on the highway once in some snow/sleet so it could have happened then. Money is relevant. I am trying to spend the least I can. I am currently debating half hood versus bumper plus rockers. If I got comfortable that the rockers are good for now, I would probably go for the half hood. If the rockers need PPF, I am leaning toward going bumper only. I can literally hear all the stones and rocks being thrown under the car every time I drive it. Makes me crazy. Advice from owners as to the problem areas would be appreciated as well as the best way to deploy approximately $1000 on PPF. Thanks.
I have full PPF on my entire vehicle, but given your circumstance (you said you would be keeping the car for only 3 years), I would strongly suggest that you save your money and not spend/put any PPF, even a partial. If you plan on selling the vehicle in 3 years, I think it is generally accepted that having PPF will not increase the value of the vehicle one penny... at least that is what appraisers always tell me. In a private sale, the potential buyer may feel differently and place some value on the vehicle having some PPF, but certainly not any where close to what you paid for the PPF. Of course, if you want to put some PPF on the vehicle just for your own peace of mind, then I would suggest doing only the front bumper. Even though the M3 sits relatively low to the ground, it is the bumper that will get most of the impact from road debris. Yes, debris can still hit the hood, but less likely (and hopefully low enough of a risk that it is acceptable to you). Put in your situation, I would not spend the money on the hood, even a half hood. As for the rockers, definitely don’t do those. Cheap (but very effective) mud flaps will essentially give you all the protection you need for the rockers. Good luck!!
Thanks. This is why I am struggling so much. But those early chips on the rockers are concerning me but it was before I had mudflaps installed. I am still getting a lot of dirt on the area behind the front wheel and behind the front wheel well. But I am hopeful the flaps and partial Tesla film will address that area. Also thinking I could probably buy a precut xpel and do it my self before next winter. It’s not purely for resale as even a couple of visits to the body shop will end up costing more. Maybe I’ll just do the front bumper...
You’re welcome. If you really want to do something more for the rockers than just mud flaps, then I would suggest buying a small precut section of PPF for the areas behind the wheel wells (from Tesla or other retailers) and installing those yourself. Small pieces like these are extremely easy to do yourself. So, the added cost to address/protect this area should be minimal. If you have never worked with film, there are plenty of YouTube videos with decent instructions/tips on how to install PPF.
Front bumper is the most important. The rockers get the 2nd most debris damage, but you have a harder time noticing, especially if you have MudFlaps installed. The hood gets less damage than the rockers, in my opinion, but obviously the most noticeable. I DIY'd my PPF, and a person could easily do the hood and rockers. The bumper is only for masochists. If your goal is to spend as little as possible while maximizing protection, I would get the pros to do the bumper. You can do the hood and rockers, because those parts are relatively flat. If you do a partial hood, I don't know if half a hood would work. I did 30", which seems like 2/3rd to me. I know invisiblemask.com sells a 18", 24" and a 30" in addition to a full hood. In my opinion, anything less than 30" is too little. Even though you have mudflaps, I would still consider a rocker PPF kit, because you'll see when you drive thru rain that the car's rockers and lower doors will still be coated in road debris. It's relatively cheap, if you DIY. Carprotectionpros.com has a nice rocker kit that also includes the lower part of the doors. That's my 30" partial, bikini cut, wrapped edges that I got from invisiblemask.com And my rockers:
I haven't started on my DIY PPF project yet, but I bought a roll of 3M PPF film already. If you buy a roll of bulk film it shouldn't be too hard to do the relatively flat surfaces like the rockers. Or if you don't feel comfortable having to cut the film yourself, you can buy precuts. As others mentioned, the bumpers are going to be the toughest to do, due to all the curves, so that may be a job that's better for professionals. I agree that the rocker is one of the areas the most impacted, just from a short trip shortly after I got my car, it was already splashed with grime. The mud flaps probably help, but it's better to have some film for peace of mind.
Thanks everyone. Perhaps I’ll start with the front bumper which definitely looks like a disaster area and try my hand at the rockers as a diy.
If you do the rockers DIY, I raised the side up by driving up on some rhino ramps on one side. You still have to lay on your back though. And, because the piece is so long, it's best to have someone hold up one end, while you're working on the other end. The lower part of the rockers with the thicker prime coat is a little harder to stick, because it has a slightly bumpy surface. Just take your time.