How necessary PPF/Ceramic

[Pentland]

I had my car ceramic coated.
With in a week of ownership I realised I can catch the rocker cover getting out of the car and rear seat passengers do the same. The covers are getting PPFd next week.
Rest of the car, I would PPF under the door handle and luggage lip but don’t want to see edges of film.

Can’t justify the cost of getting any other part done.

[JustinHEMI]

I KNOW that PPF doesn't have a "return on investment" when it comes to resale and what not.

However, when I took my M2C on a rally before PPF, I ended up with severe road rash on the lower bumper and a big paint gash from something getting caught in the grille.


I'll never not have PPF again, "cost benefit" be damned. (I'm getting "track pack" on my new M2, not full car).

[vbb]

Originally Posted by R BMW

Please tell me how you over came it. I need to learn to, some how.
Also it would make my wife happier.

My last post was sort of it... I thought about how I felt when I obsessed over my car's condition and how I felt when I didn't. I looked at other cars that clearly had not been paint protected in any way, but had been taken care of by their owners, and realized that the difference between a fully PPF'd car and a well cared for non-PPF'd car can be fairly minimal, and that the imperfections were amplified in the owners minds but to the non-owner it really wasn't that bad. Basically we all have a bit of "car dysphoria" where what we see in our own cars is not nearly as bad as what others see.

It's not that I don't care about my car's condition... I still park on end spots or away from others. I still use the 2 bucket method with a grit guard and make my neighbors laugh because I use an electric leaf blower to primarily dry my vehicle. I still have a foam cannon and a cabinet full of detailing products. But I just don't obsess. And again, I like my car MORE because of this, not less.

Originally Posted by imperfectluck

Also decided more recently to have a full paint correction...

Now THIS I agree with completely. If you aren't able or don't have the tools to do a paint correction yourself, then paying for a professional detailer to do it is money well spent in my opinion. Start with a nice, swirl-free base, and then wash the car appropriately to keep it looking as good as you can. Repeat when necessary.

[CPWINCH]

if the car is old and already has rock chips in front bumper, my advice is to wrap anything that is hard to repaint ie hood and roof. Those items also get the most amount of water spots so you don't have to worry about etching. Ceramic coat the rest.

For an irreplicable, or highly valuable car, I 100% reccomend wrapping everything in PPF. But for a $30k bimmer just do the parts that would be the most expensive to repaint and then do ceramic on all other parts.

spend the extra money on paint correction:

[Game]

My previous Audi didn't have PPF and it showed. My front bumper was chewed up from miles and miles of highway driving. 100% doing it this time around.

[contact335i]

Originally Posted by ShoeZilla

Got A BSM M4 and before ceramic pro coat I got ppf done to the front end and high impact areas done. Decided to also get the car ceramic coated because my car looked dusty and dirty almost immediately after a wash. Got sick of it and got the car coated and I must say it was a night and day difference. My car always looks clean for multiple weeks and so easy to wash. Must have for darker colors IMO

Are you saying you decided to get a full wrap for your BSM because the partial (front-only wrap) wasn't cutting it?

[diirk]

Scheduled for PPF, tint and ceramic coat this week.
PPF for the entire front, hood, fenders, pillars, above the windshield, door sills, hatch area and rear side of the wheel wells.
Ceramic tint on all glass surfaces of various percentages, including the moonroof.
Ceramic Coat of the entire can and wheels.

[dreamingat30fps]

You would have to define what you mean by necessary. Because it's obviously not necessary, car will drive perfectly fine with no PPF, would even run fine with no paint probably.

So I guess it depends on you. Will you commit seppuku if you get a rock chip... then I guess it's "necessary" or maybe invest that $$ in some kind of therapy.

Personally I have never PPF'd a car. I usually buy used so they come pre-chipped and dinged. However I don't do it on the new cars I've bought either either. Rock chips just don't bother me that much. I don't own any show cars that just come out to be displayed. Also depends how long you plan to own it.

Look at it this way. How many rock chips would one of your cars need to have to make you pay $6k to fix them? For me I would have had to have driven through a sandpaper car wash, but maybe it's 1 chip for you. Only you can answer that.

As for ceramic... I apply it myself to all my cars. I personally love it for the water beading effect. I like to blow dry my cars and blow drying a coated car is waaaaaaay easier than one without. Is that worth thousands some people spend to have it done professionally? Not to me, but it's certainly worth $100 and a half day of my time.

[Bimmerfun82]

Originally Posted by a1gio2

Hi all -

I'm sure it's been discussed, difference being is that now there's some road time on these cars and that might change your responses.

Anyone regret PPF/Ceramic due to the cost/benefit ratio?

Anyone not have PPF/Ceramic and wish they did?

This stuff is A LOT of money. Sure, great work, great shine, great protection...but in my case, we're talking about a $6,500 investment to protection the high impact areas with PPF, ceramic coat and interior coat on a black interior.

Worth it? Any of the three more worth it than not (PPF/Ceramic interior/Ceramic exterior)

Man. My shop was “only” $4500 for nearly complete PPF - only excluded the rear and trunk lid - AND full ceramic coating. Although I was a repeat customer and got $500 off...

Definitely worth it for my matte finish. Completely rests my mind about sand blasting and rocks and bird droppings and sap…. Basically I never worry about the car when I’m driving or parking. Plus it makes it so much easier to clean.

I’d say if you have a metallic finish or alpine white you really don’t need the ceramic coating and I would only do PPF on the front to protect from sand blasting and rocks and A pillars because that black plastic scratches so easily.

[M2Cmtl]

6-8 year olds here. PPF is a must.

[Bimmerfun82]

+1 for PPF

I had an unfortunate incident today- on the interstate going 70 mph and a little mound appeared in front of me in the middle of my lane. No idea what it was but it looked like loose asphalt mixed with rock … couldn’t avoid it so it hit the front lower part of the bumper about two inches into the black mesh above the lower lip.

The PPF saved me. Washed the car and no scratches at all.

Before and after - note I took the before picture after I wiped off the lower lip

[R BMW]

Our Mini friends have a new option for PPF.

[Bimmerfun82]

Had another incident. No idea how or when this happened. Going to the shop to see if they can clean it up, otherwise replace at least the PPF on the headlight. The PPF on the hood might self heal under heat. PPF FTW

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by Bimmerfun82

+1 for PPF

I had an unfortunate incident today- on the interstate going 70 mph and a little mound appeared in front of me in the middle of my lane. No idea what it was but it looked like loose asphalt mixed with rock … couldn’t avoid it so it hit the front lower part of the bumper about two inches into the black mesh above the lower lip.

The PPF saved me. Washed the car and no scratches at all.

Before and after - note I took the before picture after I wiped off the lower lip

If you have a color like Frozen Grey, a PPF like Xpel's Stealth is a must as this color is extremely difficult to match in the body shop. If I am not mistaken, BMW doesn't even sell touchup paint for their frozen colors and you have to use a 3rd party's product.

[coolman2527]

It all depends on the person, if you can't stand paint chip on your car at all, you gonna want PPF, yes it sure can be expensive, but you can choose only to protect the high-impact area, for example, the full front end.

But keep in mind, PPF are not invincible, there is still a chance PPF can be penetrated, it doesn't happen all the time, but the possibility is there.

Last thing... if you are buying a new car from the dealer, you can ask them to throw in some PPF to sweeten the deal, some dealer willing to give you free ppf to push the deal forward, I had luck with that with both BMW and Mercedes dealers

[chhappy7]

Originally Posted by coolman2527

It all depends on the person, if you can't stand paint chip on your car at all, you gonna want PPF, yes it sure can be expensive, but you can choose only to protect the high-impact area, for example, the full front end.

But keep in mind, PPF are not invincible, there is still a chance PPF can be penetrated, it doesn't happen all the time, but the possibility is there.

Last thing... if you are buying a new car from the dealer, you can ask them to throw in some PPF to sweeten the deal, some dealer willing to give you free ppf to push the deal forward, I had luck with that with both BMW and Mercedes dealers

The thing is... Do you really want the dealership to put ppf on....?

[Bimmerfun82]

Originally Posted by chhappy7

The thing is... Do you really want the dealership to put ppf on....?

No. They do such a terrible job.

[c1pher]

One nice thing about PPF now is most of them are self healing to a degree. Accidentally put small scratches from cleaning? No problem, just let it sit out in the sun.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by chhappy7

The thing is... Do you really want the dealership to put ppf on....?

The dealer would outsource the work to a PPF shop and add a markup to the price as dealers never do anything like this at cost.

[chhappy7]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

The dealer would outsource the work to a PPF shop and add a markup to the price as dealers never do anything like this at cost.

That is what you'd hope for. But even then, dealership will use the cheapest possible PPF installer. Maybe the ones in your area is different, but in majority of posts of dealer installed/subcontracted PPF, the result is even below subpar.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by chhappy7

That is what you'd hope for. But even then, dealership will use the cheapest possible PPF installer. Maybe the ones in your area is different, but in majority of posts of dealer installed/subcontracted PPF, the result is even below subpar.

I totally agree with you, that is why I visited five shops before I decided on who would do the work on my car.

[Bimmerfun82]

Originally Posted by c1pher

One nice thing about PPF now is most of them are self healing to a degree. Accidentally put small scratches from cleaning? No problem, just let it sit out in the sun.

I got damage to mine and they have to replace it…. Still better than the alternative