PPF...Is It Worth It?

[razorlab]

Yeah. My PPF guy actually said that if I'm doing track work I should get the sides done. I'm just protecting my car from Soccer Mum's and truck drivers.

These are the parts that get annihilated on my car from the track, I even have front rock guards.

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[Rensuhlo]

These are the parts that get annihilated on my car from the track, I even have front rock guards.

This is why I've been considering keeping this wrap on for longer than I want. For the "protection" of random pieces of rubber. I know PPF will be more better, but this was free.99

 

[razorlab]

This is why I've been considering keeping this wrap on for longer than I want. For the "protection" of random pieces of rubber. I know PPF will be more better, but this was free.99

The rubber comes off. It's the sandblasting that doesn't. Here is the car weeks later:

 

[lucky phil]

My advice after applying some 3M PPF myself to my Focus RS and Mazda CX5 is to do it yourself. Is it tricky? sure but it's quite doable and a great result achievable if you do some youtubing and buy some pretty basic equipment.
When I bought the RS I investigated getting the PPF done professionally and the labour costs for the front of the car only was about the same hourly rate as a commercial 747 captain earned which I'm not prepared to pay for someone to install clear sticky stuff to my car so I bought a pre cut kit and did it myself. The result was almost perfect and I saved around $1200 in labour. 1 slight mistake with a water bubble that if I'd just left for a few weeks would have sorted itself out but I lifted the film a little too late and it distorted slightly at an edge. Water bubbles dissipate over a few weeks, air bubbles do not and need to be delt with immediately. Lesson learned. So doing it yourself and getting a first class result is doable for sure. I just did the rear bar on my CX5 to protect the top surface when loading the back and that turned out fine. I just cut my own pattern from a roll of 300mm wide 3M I bought in a length. Next project is the wifes Kia which nobody makes a pre cut kit for so I'll do it from sheet again. Then the CX5 front with a pre cut kit, then the Supra. Although I achieved a really great result on the RS I still see it more ultimately as a sacrificial protector and on the DD's I'm not going to get totally OCD about it being perfection. I aim for that but if it's not it's not. The Supra will be different and I'll be shooting for a perfect application.
I suggest people buy a kit or some on a roll and give it a go. Practice on some small pieces like stone protection behind the wheel wells on the side of the car to get a feel for the material. You can scrap a lot of PPF learning and still come out financially in front when you don't pay for the labour costs of a pro installer.
Prep is another key to a good outcome, wash, clay bar, and wax and grease remover to get a perfectly clean and dirt/wax free surface.
The install on the car in the first post looked less than professional in my view and I suspect if the actual install looked poor then the prep probably wasn't much better.
All of this guys stuff is good.


Phil

 

[FLtrackdays]

My advice after applying some 3M PPF myself to my Focus RS and Mazda CX5 is to do it yourself. Is it tricky? sure but it's quite doable and a great result achievable if you do some youtubing and buy some pretty basic equipment.
When I bought the RS I investigated getting the PPF done professionally and the labour costs for the front of the car only was about the same hourly rate as a commercial 747 captain earned which I'm not prepared to pay for someone to install clear sticky stuff to my car so I bought a pre cut kit and did it myself. The result was almost perfect and I saved around $1200 in labour. 1 slight mistake with a water bubble that if I'd just left for a few weeks would have sorted itself out but I lifted the film a little too late and it distorted slightly at an edge. Water bubbles dissipate over a few weeks, air bubbles do not and need to be delt with immediately. Lesson learned. So doing it yourself and getting a first class result is doable for sure. I just did the rear bar on my CX5 to protect the top surface when loading the back and that turned out fine. I just cut my own pattern from a roll of 300mm wide 3M I bought in a length. Next project is the wifes Kia which nobody makes a pre cut kit for so I'll do it from sheet again. Then the CX5 front with a pre cut kit, then the Supra. Although I achieved a really great result on the RS I still see it more ultimately as a sacrificial protector and on the DD's I'm not going to get totally OCD about it being perfection. I aim for that but if it's not it's not. The Supra will be different and I'll be shooting for a perfect application.
I suggest people buy a kit or some on a roll and give it a go. Practice on some small pieces like stone protection behind the wheel wells on the side of the car to get a feel for the material. You can scrap a lot of PPF learning and still come out financially in front when you don't pay for the labour costs of a pro installer.
Prep is another key to a good outcome, wash, clay bar, and wax and grease remover to get a perfectly clean and dirt/wax free surface.
The install on the car in the first post looked less than professional in my view and I suspect if the actual install looked poor then the prep probably wasn't much better.

Paying for an installer that has the experience is priceless imo. If you’ve got that experience, that’s fantastic. I definitely don’t. So it was a no brainer for me. I couldn’t be happier with the guy and place I used. Similar to Bryan’s car, I can have her showroom new looking with a little wash, even after a track weekend.

Here’s the company I used. My car is on his website now (kinda cool). The place was like a giant operating room. Ridiculously clean Check out the links

https://www.thedetailfreaks.com/

https://www.thedetailfreaks.com/paint-protection-film-fort-myers-fl

The rubber comes off. It's the sandblasting that doesn't. Here is the car weeks later:

That’s pretty messed up how you can keep your car that nice after a track weekend. Damnnnnnnnnnn that‘s not right

 

[Andrew4Supra]

The Supra is NOT the car you want to attempt yourself. A very difficult application. The hood and front bumper are one of the hardest cars to complete at the moment.

Trust me on this one... I've installed ppf since 1998.

 

[ColonelAdama]

The Supra is NOT the car you want to attempt yourself. A very difficult application. The hood and front bumper are one of the hardest cars to complete at the moment.

Trust me on this one... I've installed ppf since 1998.

Yeah, my PPF installer said the Supra hood was one of the hardest cars he's done. That and a Porsche Macan hood apparently. This dude PPFs exotics on the regular too.... GT4RS was next in line after mine.

 

[MisterSkiz]

I've had half hood/half fender PPF on my daily driver 08 IS-F since new - it helps with sandblasting, but bigger rocks can get through the film and even still ding the car.

As well - the film should be removed after a certain amount of time as it will yellow and become hard.

If you plan on tracking the car, they do make a quick film you can throw on. I think it is called Track Armour or something like that. Its quick, cheap, protects the car and can be removed easily.

The 7-8k prices for people putting stickers on the car is insane, right up there with 3-4k for applying ceramic coating..

 

[razorlab]

The Supra is NOT the car you want to attempt yourself. A very difficult application. The hood and front bumper are one of the hardest cars to complete at the moment.

Trust me on this one... I've installed ppf since 1998.

Lucky Phil likes to talk about a car he doesn’t even own. I’m sure the ppf he did on his wife’s car that isn’t a Supra looks great though.

 

[tomfree]

Yeah, my PPF installer said the Supra hood was one of the hardest cars he's done. That and a Porsche Macan hood apparently. This dude PPFs exotics on the regular too.... GT4RS was next in line after mine.

My PPF guy said the same - he had done another Supra before my car and he told me he wanted 2 extra days to do it vs his normal amount of time because it was such a pain.

I'm bummed - I now have a pretty notable tear in the PPF on the hood from my last track weekend. Looks like an OPR (other people's rubber) hit. I know the Expel is supposed to be somewhat self healing, but this is probably too big for that.

 

[Sgtfluffy16]

I dropped my car off last night. Getting the entire front hood. Front bumper. Splitter. The Rocker panels. Fender behind the front tire. And the rear bumper behind rear tire area. A pillars, and mirror caps

 

[razorlab]

side skirts (carbon fiber look)

How much did they charge you for the side skirts?

Reason I ask is the skirts and the front black bits are very cheap to replace. Side skirts are $150/each.

 

[lucky phil]

The Supra is NOT the car you want to attempt yourself. A very difficult application. The hood and front bumper are one of the hardest cars to complete at the moment.

Trust me on this one... I've installed ppf since 1998.

Yea I'm not exactly looking forward to doing the Supra. The front hood section looks reasonable but the front nose section look like a proper challenge.

Phil

 

[Zeepra]

Let me share my experience, please. I have my 2023 Supra fully wrapped (Xpel Ultimate). It is worth every penny to get PPF installation if you really care about paint perfection, let's say a rock chip for you is equal to "write off". Wear and tear and scratches, are inevitable regardless of how hard you protect the car, even if you spent thousands $$ on PPF. As a result, I am stressed about using the car. I can't enjoy driving the supra. Any tiny wear or tear could make me upset because it is not as perfect as brand new anymore. Would you treat supra like an antique collection? I have to learn attitudes from Razorlab. Salute! If MSRP of supra plus $$$ PPF can't get you happiness, peace, what's the purpose of the purchase?

 

[concept]

How much did they charge you for the side skirts?

Reason I ask is the skirts and the front black bits are very cheap to replace. Side skirts are $150/each.

It was part of the package, and the individual components were not quoted seperately.

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