PPF/Ceramic/etc How Much is Needed?

[eddieparker]

Just got a brand new '23 GTP and I'm stoked. Trying to decide how much protection to get for it.

My last car just had a partial hood cover and some of the mirrors and stuff - paint looked fine after 8 years of driving. At first I didn't like the unseemly thin line where the 'bra' ended, but by the end I never noticed it (and I'm sure noone else did that wasn't looking for it).

I see places charging ~2,250 for full frontal or 5,500 for full wrap nowadays which seems pretty steep? Then they mention that ceramic coating should be done on top, and I can't help but wonder if I'm going for more than I truly need.

Anyone have opinions here? I imagine those of you who went full wrap have few regrets (why would you, I'm sure it looks great!) - so I'm curious if those with 'less' than full are happy with your setup or wish you had more.

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[GreaseMonkey]

Yes. Partial PPF on hood and fenders plus mirrors, and door b and c pillar and wheel well trim worked very well for me. It cost me $2,000. They wanted $3,200 for full frontal which is too much.

Ceramic coating is inadequate cause it doesn’t offer mechanical protection against chips. And adding it to PPF is an overkill.

Below is a video by my local heros at Chicago auto pros that explains the difference:

 

[SaintPaulMustangMach-E_GT]

2022 mustang GT, doesn't really matter except the color of mine is black and every nick creates a little white dot.
My hood is riddled with my attempts to fix the dots.
Get a film while your hood is pristine.
Maybe it's the color, maybe it's the angle of the Mach-E hood. But I've never had so many dings.

 

[Rick65]

I did PPF for the front of the car (full hood/grill area, front quarter panels, mirrors) and ceramic for the rest, including glass. Cost about $4500

 

[DevSecOps]

I wish Ford would offer it from the factory. I ordered my Rivian with it and it comes from the factory with a full front PPF for $1500. Well worth it, goes on before emblems and no hassle to me.

 

[TheVirtualTim]

Ceramic coating isn't meant to protect against damage. Think of it like semi-permanent wax ... it makes the car really easy to clean, adds depth to the paint, water will bead up for years. I compare it to ceramic-coated cookware where the food easily slides off and it's easy to clean. A ceramic coated car is really easy to clean. Much of the dirt will rinse off even before you get around to applying soap. If I drive in the rain, my car only looks slightly dirty.

Technically it isn't "permanent" in that after enough years out in sun and weather it will wear and need to be re-applied. Don't wax the car if you do ceramic (that defeats the whole point of ceramic).

PPF protects against minor dings and chips ... but if you get hit by a big enough stone ... it's gonna leave a mark. PPF comes in various thicknesses ... so you'll find varied pricing depending not only on how much PPF you want, but how thick it is. Also ... after enough years PPF can get cloudy, dull, yellowed, etc. and needs to be updated.

The rate at which ceramic and PPF degrade depends on how much time the car spends outside in full sun and weather. If you park in a garage it lasts a lot longer.

 

[sdoo25]

Yes. Partial PPF on hood and fenders plus mirrors, and door b and c pillar and wheel well trim worked very well for me. It cost me $2,000. They wanted $3,200 for full frontal which is too much.

Ceramic coating is inadequate cause it doesn’t offer mechanical protection against chips. And adding it to PPF is an overkill.

Below is a video by my local heros at Chicago auto pros that explains the difference:

Love Jason and Chicago Auto Pros, watch their videos on YouTube. Wish I lived closer to Chicago as I would definitely use their services. Thanks for sharing.

 

[GreaseMonkey]

Love Jason and Chicago Auto Pros, watch their videos on YouTube. Wish I lived closer to Chicago as I would definitely use their services. Thanks for sharing.

They will shatter your expectations. They are expensive, but worth every penny. But it’s a long drive for you

 

[MyLittlePony2022]

I went with PPF (10 year warranty) on the front end (bumper, headlights, hood, mirrors and fenders). Also added PPF on the lower rocker panel (part way up the door) on the A, B and C pillars, on the top part of the rear bumper and a small section (closest to the windscreen) of the pano-roof. I did ceramic coating (10 year warranty) and they did the entire car, wheels and windows. Mine was about $4K.

I absolutely think it was the best money spent. Spend a little money to protect a $60K plus car and protect the paint for the next 10 years. The PPF helps against the typical road chips. Had too many on my Lincoln and it made the front end look bad. The ceramic adds a little more of a protective (not against chips) coating so that I do not have to wax the car. I have not washed it since I have owned it, just use washless car wash spray to wipe off the dirt.

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