PPF and ceramic coating best value

[freeride1]

I have a solid black model 3 and drive it about 35 miles a day on the freeway. I want to keep it looking nice and make it easy to maintain. Specially, I want to prevent rock chips, make the car look shiny, and make it easy to wash and dry. I plan to keep the car maybe 8 years.

I have been researching PPF and ceramic coating and here are the prices from the best installer in my area.

Suntek PPF
$700 for front bumper and partial hood
$1800 for full front
$4000 for full car

Ceramic Coating
$350 Ceramic Pro Sport
$590 Ceramic Pro Bronze
$900 Ceramic Pro Silver
$1290 Ceramic Pro Gold

Each level of ceramic coating includes more coats and a longer warranty than the previous level.

I am willing to spend about $2500 total on a combination of PPF and ceramic coating. I am also thinking about keeping my $2500 and just replacing the car after 7 years instead of my planned 8. Or, using the $2500 toward paying someone to apply normal car wax every 6 months. Just kind of brainstorming with those options though.

What would you do? How would you spend $2500 on these things?

Thanks.

 

[reheat]

The car's flat front end would catch a lot of rock chips, PPF would definitely help. If you want to go cheaper route, you could just get a front bumper only install, there are bumper kits on ebay but I don't recommend DIY on the bumper. Or you could buy touch up paint and don't worry about PPF.

Ceramic coating makes keeping your car clean much easier. You can certainly DIY after watching some youtube videos, and depending on the kit you chose and prep material you buy it could run from $100 to $300 range. It's does take a whole day to do it, so you have to decide if it's worthwhile to DIY.

 

[64robots]

Where are you located?

I just got paint correction + full front PPF (Suntek Ultra) + 2 year ceramic coating + ceramic tint on all windows for about $2200 in Maryland. Seems like a good price and they did great work.

 

[freeride1]

I would rather not DIY it. I prefer to have a someone with experience in this do it. I am in Minnesota. The Bronze package I mentioned has a two year warranty. Sounds like you got a good deal in Maryland.

 

[nwahab]

I got my Tesla 3 wrapped @ Clear Bra North Dallas https://www.clearbranorthdallas.com
Did the full wrap, but a common installation practice is a full front PPF with a self healing ceramic coating on the rest of the vehicle, they are the only ones to carry the self healing ceramic by Feynlabs Clear Bra North Dallas

 

[nwahab]

Feynlab Ceramic Coating: FEYNLAB: Nanotechnology & Ceramic Coatings for Automotive | Marine | Aviation

 

[GMS1]

Where are you located?

I just got paint correction + full front PPF (Suntek Ultra) + 2 year ceramic coating + ceramic tint on all windows for about $2200 in Maryland. Seems like a good price and they did great work.

Would you mind sharing the name and location of the shop? I live in DC and am looking for the same treatment(s) for my new Model 3.
Thanks

 

[EVS Motors]

I have a solid black model 3 and drive it about 35 miles a day on the freeway. I want to keep it looking nice and make it easy to maintain. Specially, I want to prevent rock chips, make the car look shiny, and make it easy to wash and dry. I plan to keep the car maybe 8 years.

I have been researching PPF and ceramic coating and here are the prices from the best installer in my area.

Suntek PPF
$700 for front bumper and partial hood
$1800 for full front
$4000 for full car

Ceramic Coating
$350 Ceramic Pro Sport
$590 Ceramic Pro Bronze
$900 Ceramic Pro Silver
$1290 Ceramic Pro Gold

Each level of ceramic coating includes more coats and a longer warranty than the previous level.

I am willing to spend about $2500 total on a combination of PPF and ceramic coating. I am also thinking about keeping my $2500 and just replacing the car after 7 years instead of my planned 8. Or, using the $2500 toward paying someone to apply normal car wax every 6 months. Just kind of brainstorming with those options though.

What would you do? How would you spend $2500 on these things?

Thanks.

Based off of everything you said, you should do the full front PPF first and then with left over money, do any of the coatings that fits in the budget. Spending $700 to do a full front bumper and partial hood is "ok" but in 7-8 yrs, there's a high chance you'll encounter some rocks that'll hit higher up on the hood and even the fenders and mirrors, which defeats the whole purpose of doing the partial coverage. We've seen countless of Tesla's that are 1-4 years old that have rock chips in places a partial coverage couldn't save. If you end up getting a coating too, it definitely doesn't make too much sense to spend good money on it and skimp out on the PPF, because even with a coating--rocks will still chip away at your shiny paint as you drive for the next 7-8 years.

 

[ManoT]

Where are you located?

I just got paint correction + full front PPF (Suntek Ultra) + 2 year ceramic coating + ceramic tint on all windows for about $2200 in Maryland. Seems like a good price and they did great work.

Could you please share the details of the shop...I live in MD too and looking for a good deal on PPF + ceramic coating

 

[joebruin77]

I recommend that you put ALL of your money towards a high quality PPF such as Xpel Ultimate. Get as much of your car's painted surfaces covered with PPF as possible. Nothing will protect your car's paint like PPF. Then instead of a ceramic coating, you can apply a ceramic-infused spray sealant once every 3 to 6 months. Turtle Wax came out with a new hybrid ceramic spray sealant that is about $16 per bottle. Others I have used and recommend are The Last Coat ($37 a bottle) or Opti Coat's Hyper Seal ($40 per bottle).