What is best to protect paint?

[NoMoGasBro]

Thanks for all the replies! I'm now looking closer into to Xpel! Would it be smart to do the entire car (if you can) or just do the entire front end?

 

[sorka]

"ding free" ..your front end XPEL protects you from minivan dings on the side?
Like I said, xpel is a GOOD product, but it's pricey, and nothing is 100% safe.
I value protecting a depreciating asset less than you. So you spend on XPEL, I'll spend on hookers and weed.

Yes, it protects the paint from being damaged by mini van doors from opening and scraping the side. It that door opens at enough of an oblique angle then it will dent the aluminum, but the PAINT will be still be fine. At that point, my dent guy, who's great with aluminum will remove the dent and the paint will still be perfect.

In my case, I only have xpel from the front fenders and hood forward, but I'm just pointing out that it will protect the paint from scrapes from doors, shopping carts, etc.

 

[No2DinosaurFuel]

Thanks for all the replies! I'm now looking closer into to Xpel! Would it be smart to do the entire car (if you can) or just do the entire front end?

It depends on if you can afford it. I did the whole car so I dont have to worry about scratches anywhere on the car. Also I never wax my car and always park it outside. If I didn't have the xpel, I would need to wax and wash the car a lot more often. With xpel, I just wash when I want to. No need to worry about dust scratching the paint.

 

[sorka]

I ask this question to determine whether or it should be considered, "Is it less than sales tax?" (or what would be sales tax if you live in a jurisdiction without sales tax). If so, it's probably cost effective. If not, then don't. And so far it's saved me two bumper repaints from cars who scraped mine (less the cost of some bug and tar remover). I've seen prices quoted in forums up to $2,600 for a bumper repaint. No idea how accurate or current that is, but if true I've recouped the cost. If not, I've at least saved the days of shop time.

(Disclosure, I use Suntek, but Xpel would perform similarly.)

My right rear window shattered a few months ago and destroyed the paint on the right rear door and right rear quarter panel. Death by a thousand cuts. Very very tiny nicks but many of them just barely went through the clear to the base. A good quality PPF would have completely saved it and I wouldn't have spent $1000 on my deductible to have it repainted. The paint alone was $2600 and I for sure can expect my rates to go up a little. Still not sure it's worth it to do the entire car but if I have something like this happen again, I may regret not having done the entire car.

 

[NoMoGasBro]

Yes, it protects the paint from being damaged by mini van doors from opening and scraping the side. It that door opens at enough of an oblique angle then it will dent the aluminum, but the PAINT will be still be fine. At that point, my dent guy, who's great with aluminum will remove the dent and the paint will still be perfect.

In my case, I only have xpel from the front fenders and hood forward, but I'm just pointing out that it will protect the paint from scrapes from doors, shopping carts, etc.

That's good to know. My BMW has yellow marks all over the front bumper for a Shopping car hitting it because some dingus didn't put it away and it flew straight into the front bumper! And that car has no paint protection whatsoever. And about the dents that's also good because every car I get is just prone to getting random dents on it. No matter how hard I try to park away I still find dents. My BMW has 4 dents on the passenger door....Makes me crazy every time I see them!

 

[EV-lutioin]

i put liquid glass on, its easier and cheaper than film and looks just as good

Amazon.com: Liquid Glass LG-100 Ultimate Auto Polish/Finish - 16 oz.: Automotive

Would Liquid Glass prevent this (see images below)? These thousands of little chips are on the flared section of my Model X FWD after one year of normal driving on California highways. Tesla paint is very fragile (at least on my car, I can't speak for all Teslas). My advice would be to wrap every inch of your car, I only wrapped the front 1/3 and that was a mistake. I recommend ClearGuard Nano SR, it is super durable and more clear than XPEL.

 

[SMAlset]

"ding free" ..your front end XPEL protects you from minivan dings on the side?
Like I said, xpel is a GOOD product, but it's pricey, and nothing is 100% safe.
I value protecting a depreciating asset less than you. So you spend on XPEL, I'll spend on hookers and weed.

Ah but will those hookers want to be with a guy with a pockmarked car?

For the money we spent on our car which we do plan to keep for as long as we can or get tempted by another, we went with full protection--full custom body wrap. Too many pot holes and loose gravel and crap thrown out of cars on the highway to run into. Plus parking lots and kids. We really didn't want to be driving around a car 7 years down the road that could have looked like brand new if we only had wrapped it.

 

[jerry33]

Would Liquid Glass prevent this (see images below)?

My understanding is that no, it wouldn't. It's mainly a wax replacement. Thickness and flexibility are required to prevent those kind of damages.

As far as "fragile paint" goes, I'm unconvinced. Every aerodynamic car I've had gets those kind of chips--this goes back to the 1960s when the supposedly "tough" paints were used. My hypothesis is that less aerodynamic cars protect the paint somewhat because of the squarer body shape. Less aerodynamic cars get the chips mainly on the front, which is mostly grill and chrome, so there's very little paint to chip.

 

[SMAlset]

When we inspected our car upon delivery we did not notice a paint chip on the passenger rear wheel well area. We drove it like 5-6 miles down a paved street immediately to our detailer. He spotted the paint chip when he was looking over the car. It was noticeable so we think it happened on the way there. He was able to do some corrective paint work on that spot and after Xpel, we can't detect it and now the car is protected so don't think it will be a problem here on out unless it's something major that hits the car.

 

[Joe F]

So you spend on XPEL, I'll spend on hookers and weed.

You misspelled hookah.

 

[Joe F]

After 2 years with no paint protection film but with Opticoat Pro Plus, my opinion is get the hood wrapped and don't worry about anything else.

Here's what no PPF does, from my experience:

Now that I had to get a new hood, I had 3M PPF installed on it. I sleep much better at night now

Since you asked for feedback in the video

Good thing you got that new hood wrapped. I'd be more bummed by the glaring swirls (see 2:20 in the video) than the stone chips. Yikes! You taking that poor car through a car wash? Washing in a circular motion?

Dude, your ride is crying out at you: "WASH ME, CORRECTLY!"

[dons flame retardant suit]

 

[jerry33]

You misspelled hookah.

During the Civil War, General Hooker kept an entourage of soiled doves. When people asked who they were, they were told "They're Hooker's" and the name stuck.

 

[EV-lutioin]

My understanding is that no, it wouldn't. It's mainly a wax replacement. Thickness and flexibility are required to prevent those kind of damages.

As far as "fragile paint" goes, I'm unconvinced. Every aerodynamic car I've had gets those kind of chips--this goes back to the 1960s when the supposedly "tough" paints were used. My hypothesis is that less aerodynamic cars protect the paint somewhat because of the squarer body shape. Less aerodynamic cars get the chips mainly on the front, which is mostly grill and chrome, so there's very little paint to chip.

You lost me a bit there, I am not sure I understand connection between aerodynamic cars and chipping paint? None of the cars I owned has ever displayed chipping in 5-10 years of use that compares to what has happened to my Tesla in 1 year, which is why my hypothesis is that Tesla paint is fragile. Would you consider any of these cars I have owned as aerodynamic? Prius, Accord, Jetta Sport Wagon, BMW 3-Series.

 

[MikeBur]

You get what you pay for. It will do nothing for rock chips and anything else striking the paint.

I have Xpel Ultimate full front and have already been saved 4 times from gravel falling out of the backs of trucks.

I have Opticoat 2.0 everywhere else for protection against bird dung, water spots, and possibly minor swirls. After two years, I'm swirl free even under a 10 watt led paint light on dark gray but I attribute that more to my beyond compulsive washing habits rather than the paint coating.

The Xpel Ultimate also heals from very minor damage or swirls for up to 7 years.

Exactly the same. Saved me from freeway damage a few times, the film takes it. One notably was from some leaning against car for photo and jean stud scrape. Had film replaced and amazingly no paint damage.

In terms of cleaning your car, particularly if darker color, then hand wash using two bucket technique (google)

 

[sorka]

In terms of cleaning your car, particularly if darker color, then hand wash using two bucket technique (google)

I went from 3 buckets (2 rinse buckets for dual stage rinse) back to 0 rinse buckets. Sounds crazy right? Well not if you never re-use the microfiber mitt in the first place. How do you do that? I have a single 5 gal bucket with 14 chemical guys microfiber mitts in about 2 gallons of soapy water. I use each microfiber mitt once. One side gets one part of a panel. Then I turn it over and do another part of a panel, and then I toss it in the dirty pile bucket. I'd say rinse and repeat but there's no rinsing

Of course prior to a mitt even touching the paint, I've pressure washed the car once, then I use the low pressure nozzle and chemical injector to coat the car in a layer of car wash. I then let that sit for 10 minutes...never in the sun. Next I pressure wash that off. By the time a mitt even touches the paint, there's nothing visible left.

You'd think it uses a lot of water but the entire wash uses only about 7 gallons of water. The key is low volume high pressure that is NOT directed. i.e. I use a spinning rotary nozzle.

 

[Joe F]

I went from 3 buckets (2 rinse buckets for dual stage rinse) back to 0 rinse buckets.

Same here, only DI water, Karcher (low) pressure and a Tornador foam gun using distilled water premixed with wash. I find the foam gun better than using the pressure gun and siphoned mixture. Too diluted and doesn't cling as well. 90 PSI compressed air driving the foam gun I found ideal.

Many microfiber mitts as well.

No shade though. Used to erect a giant tarp over the driveway. Got old, quick. Haven't done that in almost 10 years

 

[Happychaos]

I have Xpel and recommend it - saves on the rock chips from driving on the highway. I wouldn't go nuts, but at least the hood and partial fenders and the mirrors should provide adequate protection. I wish there was something for the windshield though :-/

 

[HebrHmr]

I went with full ClearGuard Nano, Modesta PD, and Spectra Photosync tint. The installer is significantly more important than the film.

 

[jerry33]

You lost me a bit there, I am not sure I understand connection between aerodynamic cars and chipping paint? None of the cars I owned has ever displayed chipping in 5-10 years of use that compares to what has happened to my Tesla in 1 year, which is why my hypothesis is that Tesla paint is fragile. Would you consider any of these cars I have owned as aerodynamic? Prius, Accord, Jetta Sport Wagon, BMW 3-Series.

My Prius rock chipped badly. What I'm talking about is cars that, like the Tesla, Prius, or DS-21, are very sloped rather than square. All the ones I've had that are sloped rock chipped badly (not the Tesla as I have Suntek on every painted surface), all the ones that are square didn't. Admittedly, this is just my experience.

 

[xyeahtony]

It's amazing how many people are so loudly against liquid glass, haha. Its almost as if some people need to find any avenue to justify their expensive aftermarket upgrade

i was simply presenting an alternative option that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to keep your car's shine. No it won't protect against paint chips, but personally i wouldn't spend extra money for a wrap unless i lived in a place where rocks were flying everywhere (and i don't). If the OP can afford a wrap, then by all means go full on XPEL.