PPF or not PPF

[Bigriver]

Almost two years in and it’s doing the job. I would say 95% of potential chips are the flared out areas due to front wheel kick up. Counter intuitive is only 1% of hits are on the front bumper.

Can you clarify what the “flared out areas” are? The front fenders?

 

[zoomer0056]

Can you clarify what the “flared out areas” are? The front fenders?

In the Model S, the rear wheel wells are flared out. Rocks kicked up find the area in front of the rear wheel.

 

[Ted'sla]

Multicoat red was very weak and I had a lot of flakes after 2.5Years on my M3P.

I did get partial PPF on my MSP, and from what I see the Ultra red is about as sensitive as the multicoat red on the M3P.

Seriously considering the MYLR to replace my '23 Bolt EUV Premier (with SC and S&S) and I was going to "take Ultra Red for $2,000, Alex"...or Art (Fleming), for us old folks). But I'm NOT going to "cover my couch with plastic," so I think "I'll take Pearl White for $1,000" to better hide the chips. Unfortunately, here in Texas, it seems like at least 90% of vehicles, when you include pickups and work vans, are WHITE.

 

[DayTrippin]

I am totally on the white bandwagon when it comes to Tesla. I am on my 4th white Tesla. Three of them were purchased in Texas. The other in Florida. The white has held up well.

For the MYLR, and its bulbous nose, which is what I ordered first and in Florida, white was really the only way to go. I saw a red Y with less than 1 year and 20k highway miles and the face looked so pockmarked it was like a high schooler with an acne breakout. I never thought about going with another color since then.

I didn't PPF my 3 and it has done better than I thought it would. I did full PPF on my MS LR and Plaid. Doing something for the Plaid was a must for the rear and the nose given the speeds it sees. Launching hard with all that power and big sticky tires, sure flings up a lot of crap on the car. The PPF has kept the car looking pretty much perfect.

I am not OCD to the point of being CDO, but I like my cars looking nice. That's why our kid rides in my the 3 and not the Plaid most of the time (it is mostly my wife's car).

 

[TBrownTX]

I was also in this camp. Never have had or have seen the need for PPF.

I have a '21 M3P and the paint on the front bumper, hood, rockers, snd lower rear doors is just trashed. Low mileage car (13K) at 2.5 years but my commute is high speed highway and regular debris from yard companies, trucks, etc. has just decimated my paint.

I don't think it's a paint quality issue, but more of an aerodynamics and lack of plastic/grill thing combined with rocks flung up from sticky summer tires.

I'll be trading up to a Model S sometime next summer, and I'm 95% sure I'll go the PPF route. I just can't stand seeing the white primer spots all over my rockers especially. Trying to figure out if I go front end only, or full car at this point.

My biggest fear is install errors. And I don't like the lines, but I like rock chips even less.

A few weekends ago, I got the clay bar out, cleaned the car well, and stripped any old wax. I used the touchup paint to carefully fill chips on the rockers, hood, front bumper, and rear fender flares.

Next was a gentle polish and a fresh coat of wax. It looks almost as good as new.

You can see an indention where the chips were in the right light when up close, but they are otherwise indistinguishable. I've swung back the other way now, thinking a good detail and touchup will keep me happy.

I reserve the right to change my mind again of course before placing my order in the spring.