PPF...Is It Worth It?

[Mhj]

My apologies if this has been discussed to adnaseum. I am getting ready to take delivery of my order in a few month so I'm debating PPF. I hear the normal arguments about protecting the paint especially with Supra's notorious weak paint job. Lately though I'm hearing loads of other arguments. Most notably, this video:



His arguments are that rock chips are going to happen regardless and you would have to replace the PPF in order to get that pristine look. You can also maintain a pristine look with paint touch of which is substantially cheaper. Plus there's also the risk of damaging the paint itself when replacing PPF.

Then you also come across botched jobs where the paint is actually scratched while the PPF is being applied after paying thousands of dollars for it. https://www.supramkv.com/threads/avoid-top-guard-in-miami.13635/

I was quoted $3600 by a fairly reputable job here for
Full Front End Package
Rocker Panels & Lower Doors
Rear Wheel Impact Area

So with the fear of the cost, botched jobs, damage to the PPF itself after rock chips, difficulty of maintenance and the replacement issues I'm beginning to wonder if this is really the best option especially since the resale will not be affected at all.

What do you guys think?

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[razorlab]

You're going to get all sorts of opinions on the subject. It's really up to you to figure out what you want.

My personal opinion, I didn't buy the car to sit around and look at it, I bought it to drive and to me, wear and tear are signs people actually use the car.

Others will tape up their whole car to drive two miles.

 

[rwense]

I agree with razorlab, however my car came with the front end ppf from factory. Personally, I think that's enough, I don't mind the wear and tear from track days and such but knowing there's just a bit of extra protection is nice.

There is another option you may want to consider though. Take a look at trackarmor. I haven't used it but I've hears good things. Essentially It's just a thick temporary ppf film to apply before an event. It's fairly cheap and you can get some decently sized rolls on Amazon. I might try it out at some point.

 

[nosavingthrow]

Like others said, its a personal thing. If you highly value the car looking shiny and new, then it may be worth it. PPF can self-heal with heat if it gets dinged, so its not like after a while you end up with a hood PPF that looks like swiss cheese or something.

IMO if you are going to do PPF, full front is the sweet spot. I was able to get Stek PPF from a good shop for about $1750 which included full hood, fenders, front, splitter, etc. Definitely do your research looking at reviews to try to gauge how good the shop is at PPF. $3600 for what you described seems high unless the shop is absolutely top tier in terms of craftsmanship. I live in the greater Seattle area which is not cheap for this type of work either.

I wish I had full front on my 370Z I drove for 7 years. By the end of that time, it had multiple large chips in the paint from rocks, and one big one that was all the way down to the metal in the middle of the hood.

I've also not had a good time with chip repair kits in the past, but maybe other folks are better at making them actually work than me. Fixing chips yourself is definitely not a zero skill job though.

 

[Mhj]

Thanks guys. I won't be taking this thing on the track but will likely daily it weather permitting so lots of highways. I actually had the dealership take the PPF off since I know the quality is poor.

This shop definitely seems steep and I'm in the Midwest, not the Coasts. It seems like they do a lot of exotics so maybe they are used to people paying that much. But of course, my fear is dealing with a bad ppf which causes more problems including actual damage to the paint itself. How do you go about finding a decent shop with a reasonable price point?

 

[humblemoto]

For the $7,500 I was quoted for full Xpel ppf, I’ll have the car clear coated and corrected myself for half before I sell it.

 

[nosavingthrow]

This shop definitely seems steep and I'm in the Midwest, not the Coasts. It seems like they do a lot of exotics so maybe they are used to people paying that much. But of course, my fear is dealing with a bad ppf which causes more problems including actual damage to the paint itself. How do you go about finding a decent shop with a reasonable price point?

I'd check the local subforum for your area (USA - Great Lakes) and see if anyone has already asked the "What local PPF shops do you recommend" question. If not, post it there and see if anyone has first hand experience.

Otherwise, yelp reviews I guess. Check the shops instagram/FB page to try to get an idea of what kind of cars they are often dealing with, the higher end the better.

 

[Southtown]

I had the whole front end of my 13’ sti done with xpel ppf. It started to yellow about a year ago and I took it off. The paint was basically prestige underneath after all that time. In the last year with it off my front bumper is covered in paint chips. So it is very worth it to me.

 

[Axix23]

Sounds like you just need to keep the car washed/waxed. That’s what us OG’s did before all this ppf bs shit. Still manage to keep all my cars in good condition. Get yourself some Toyota touch up paint.

 

[Supraboi7]

Maybe its because I’m poor but these prices seem insane

 

[Mhj]

Well that's my thought exactly. I never had ppf but seems like it's all the buzz nowadays and the prices are insane.

 

[Mimosa]

I just raw dawg it. I have gotten good at using touch up. Plus my car normally looks cleaner and shinier than 90% of the people with full PPF.

I'd rather just do a respray if things get really bad.

Paint correction and ceramic coat is enough for me.

 

[Mhj]

I just raw dawg it. I have gotten good at using touch up. Plus my car normally looks cleaner and shinier than 90% of the people with full PPF.

I'd rather just do a respray if things get really bad.

Paint correction and ceramic coat is enough for me.

That is absolutely the most brilliant thing I've ever heard. The benefits of Raw Dogging your car paint.

 

[Andrew4Supra]

I’ve used ppf on all my cars since ‘98…
I personally wouldn’t have a car without it but I’m very particular about my cars and can justify the investment. Yes I drive my cars and that’s why it’s worth it to me. Not a garage queen.

As for the video… the film edges are lifting because of poor installation. The edges must be heated and sealed down. I suggest the car stays in the shop for an extra day or so to assure this happens.

Most installers get the job done in a day and shipped it off. Not the company I’d select. Always inspect ones work on prior installs before selecting a shop for install.

If you opt for no ppf… stay clear of the freeways where most damage occurs.

 

[PikkaGTR]

The thing is it must be a quality Film (Xpel Ultimate) and a high quality installer
I have it for piece of mind, as this thing is a keeper long term, AND I especially love the fact I can manhandle to bird poop and dead bugs off the front end/hood with elbow grease and once the sun heats it up, all the micro scratches disappear

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