PPF/Ceramic coating - Why?

[MarkBrokeIt]

I've had expensive cars before (or at least they were expensive for me). Door dings, curb rash on the wheels, some scuffs on the bumpers when you BUMP things...sure, they aren't pleasant, but they happen. And IME, I'm WAY more nervous worrying about getting the first one then I am about any that follow

About a year ago I returned a leased car. It had a variety of scratches, all of which were deemed normal wear & tear.

So is there a particular reason why there are so many people here talking about PPF/Ceramic for their car? Is it just because this is an enthusiasts site with a bunch of hardcore car folks? Or is there a particular concern with the quality/reliability of the paint job from Tesla?

I don't think it would really prevent any sort of serious damage to the body, and that's where I have concerns (seen S owners with looong waits for parts).

 

[S3XY]

I've had expensive cars before (or at least they were expensive for me). Door dings, curb rash on the wheels, some scuffs on the bumpers when you BUMP things...sure, they aren't pleasant, but they happen. And IME, I'm WAY more nervous worrying about getting the first one then I am about any that follow

About a year ago I returned a leased car. It had a variety of scratches, all of which were deemed normal wear & tear.

So is there a particular reason why there are so many people here talking about PPF/Ceramic for their car? Is it just because this is an enthusiasts site with a bunch of hardcore car folks? Or is there a particular concern with the quality/reliability of the paint job from Tesla?

I don't think it would really prevent any sort of serious damage to the body, and that's where I have concerns (seen S owners with looong waits for parts).

It's pretty much both reasons. Tesla's paint is said to be soft and enthusiasts are obsessive. My main reason for getting the wrap is because I chose MCR. I'm afraid it will be hard to match if it gets scratched. Plus I plan to hang onto it for a long time so I want it to stay looking good.

 

[run-the-joules]

Ceramic doesn't prevent serious damage. It's more like a really, really good wax job that lasts a few years. I'm very pleased with it since my expectations are realistic.

PPF, which I didn't do, can help prevent stone chips, scratches, etc. I wish I had done this on the front and rear bumpers, but alas.

 

[MarkBrokeIt]

My main reason for getting the wrap is because I chose MCR. I'm afraid it will be hard to match if it gets scratched.

Don't they sell a small thing of touch up paint? Or is the multi-coat paint just not something you can match with something like that? (MCR for me as well)

 

[TaoJones]

Ah, nanocoating...

Makes cleanup in between washes a breeze.
Makes washes easier. For bonus points, add ONR Blue (Optimum No Rinse), which makes wiping/drying the car also a breeze.
Does provide protection against minor impacts.
Annual visits per the warranty are helpful for decontamination and such.
Works out to about the same cost as waxing the car every 3 months for 5 years - which happens to the warranty period for Opticoat.
These cars often need paint correction straight from the factory (both of mine did), so as long as you're going to do that, then paint protection is a logical next step.

The new front end design is a rock magnet both for the front end and the windshield.

A front end wrap is almost an imperative as a result, along with exterior windshield protection (see C-Bond or Optimum products).

I had both cars Opticoated, and should have had a front end wrap for the second one. Only a couple of rock chips so far, but that's 2 more than I would have had with a decent wrap.

I live 50 yards from the ocean and have no garage. When seabirds get indigestion, cars can get strafed from frunk to taillights - it's really quite remarkable to note the chunkiness and opacity of coverage that can be achieved from one fat pelican. As if they were aiming, really. And you leave yer pano open at sunset at yer own peril, lemme tell ya.

If I lived in snow country, which is to say in grime and gravel and all manner of nastiness on the roadways much of the year country, I would either wrap the whole car or just not care and not even do that.

Your mileage may vary.

Don't they sell a small thing of touch up paint? Or is the multi-coat paint just not something you can match with something like that? (MCR for me as well)

I ordered a vial of steel grey (later renamed midnight silver, but the same paint code) touch up paint from Tesla during the first year. Over a year later, that product was still out of stock when I went to trade in the car.

Dr. Color Chip I believe is a good alternate resource - just get the right paint code from Tesla first.

 

[mjp462]

This is the most amazing car I've ever owned. I plan to own it forever and want it to look beautiful for as long as I can.

When I turned in the lease on my Fiat 500e, I noticed the front bumper and hood were covered with Rick chips from the freeway. I never want my 3 to look like that so it was worth the money for the PPF.

I decided to do a coating because it makes the paint look much better and is easier...a lot easier to wash.

My Model 3 is much more than 'just a car' to me.

 

[TheLocNar]

Skip to 12:02 in the vid. A Model S with PPF got a small dent on a door. The film totally protected the paint.

 

[insaneoctane]

Here's a non-technical answer: Helps keep nice things nice longer and makes it easier to do so. Not mandatory or required, but worth it to people who care about vehicle appearance and go to the trouble and expense to keep their vehicles clean.

 

[turtlesz]

I decided to get ppf on the front of my 3 just because Tesla's have no grill and have large areas of paint in the front susceptible to chips. I chose white for my 3 which would likely show rock chips more easily then other darker colors. I am not putting ppf on my blue model x because I feel rock chips wouldn't be as noticeable. My midnight blue BMW still looks amazing without any protection after 47k miles and cannot notice rock chips despite there being a few on very close inspection.

 

[mjp462]

I decided to get ppf on the front of my 3 just because Tesla's have no grill and have large areas of paint in the front susceptible to chips. I chose white for my 3 which would likely show rock chips more easily then other darker colors. I am not putting ppf on my blue model x because I feel rock chips wouldn't be as noticeable. My midnight blue BMW still looks amazing without any protection after 47k miles and cannot notice rock chips despite there being a few on very close inspection.

I think you made a good choice. I have a white Model 3 and had the full front dome with PPF. IMO, getting at least the front bumper done is needed.

 

[Reid]

I've never been sold on PPF. I wanted to do it when I bought my Golf, but for the price it just didn't make sense. Everyone I talked to wanted around $2k or more to do a full front wrap. I've never liked how the pre-cut kits have unsightly lines that attract dirt. Too many "paneled" kits are far worse than rock chips. Supposedly SOME pre-cut kits still wrap around the various edges. Or you can do a "custom" cut, but one shop cautioned me away from it because supposedly they use a KNIFE on the paint when cutting it. I ended up being unable to find a shop that could convince me that their way of doing it was best.

At around 30k miles I know where each of the ~8 rock chips are (and they all came from the same incident of following a car transporter with a smashed car on it that sprayed glass shards at me), and I simply never see them. It's not clean enough often enough, and I don't stand staring at the front end from a foot away except when washing it. And few cars make it to, say, 100k miles without eventually needing a front end respray for one reason or another...

 

[anhnguyen]

...i drove my 3 from costa mesa to Coat My Car in Newport after delivery to limit any damage from the freeway..i had the bumper wrapped and ceramic pro the rest of the car including the windows after a 2 step correction..i plan on doing the headlights and mirrors myself..they have done a few model 3s and vanessa who does the wraps is a pro with all the little issues that come from the 3..will post photos..

 

[mjp462]

On a road trip to the Grand Canyon. An oncoming truck launched a huge rock at my baby. The PPF on my front bumper prevented a huge dent. I'm mostly certain if I remove the PPF the bumper will look untouched.

 

[colinrego]

The Model 3 will be easily the nicest car I have owned (close second being a used Audi S4 I drove). I have a decent commute (80-90mi round trip each day), and was considering ceramic coat for the car once I take delivery (hopefully soon!) to help ensure it stays pristine for years. Since ceramic coating bonds and, essentially, changes the paint — I was wondering if anyone here has had experience with it long term and, maybe specifically, how it impacts body work and paint matching down the road?

 

[SouthBayGuy]

I have a ppf partial kit. While I do see the lines of the ppf, it does not bother me and is not really that noticeable.

I have never done a ceramic coat before. But I plan to use it on my Model 3 because it will be outside most of the time and I want the paint to be protected between the long months in the winter that I will not be waxing my car because it is too cold outside.

 

[NoTDI]

...i drove my 3 from costa mesa to Coat My Car in Newport after delivery to limit any damage from the freeway..i had the bumper wrapped and ceramic pro the rest of the car including the windows after a 2 step correction..i plan on doing the headlights and mirrors myself..they have done a few model 3s and vanessa who does the wraps is a pro with all the little issues that come from the 3..will post photos..

Picking up my car later today and was thinking about doing the same exact thing. How much did it cost?

 

[WallyP]

Picking up my car later today and was thinking about doing the same exact thing. How much did it cost?

I went with XPEL PPF on the front bumper, headlights, and mirrors. The huge front bumper is like a big scoop for bugs and rocks, and I’m finding I need to clean it every 2-3 days due to my SoCal OC commutes. So far this solution has been a savior for me.

I also did OptiCoat ceramic coating on the rest of the car. The shine on midnight silver metallic is almost mirror-like - to the point where you almost cannot discern its color.

If you want to know prices and installers in the Mission Viejo/RSM area, please feel free to DM me.

 

[anhnguyen]

Picking up my car later today and was thinking about doing the same exact thing. How much did it cost?

...around 1800 depending on how many layers and what gets covered..hit them up..abe responds real fast and is only 6 miles from costa mesa delivery center..

 

[steven415]

I watched this and was sold.

 

[Premier Mobile]

This Tesla was saved from paint and thinner that dripped onto the hood: