PorscheSince2013

Hi,

I am in the weeds on PPF and ceramic coatings. I've read through the different threads.

All PPFs look good when first applied. Probably indistinguishable in most circumstances, compared to the bare paint. But for a metallic paint, like Gentian Blue, are you giving up a little on shine and depth, particularly after a couple years?

I am just worried about trading one problem (paint chips and swirls) for another (pits, stains, bubbles, tears, lower gloss).

It just seems for the same price, you can have the chips filled and the whole car go through 2 step polishing each year. But the PPF probably wouldn't be replaced until it was in really bad shape.

Is it fair to say that for those who prioritize paint gloss, limiting PPF on the bumper and rocker panels is preferred, along with ceramic coating the rest of the car? Or does the long term durability and self healing really make this a non-issue?

Thanks

ohniner

Not sure what your threshold for acceptable condition of your Porsche is but "filling in chips" is best left to off road vehicles as with so many great looking options out there no one will buy a Porsche with chips, filled or not.

Doing a paint correction prior to ppf being applied assures eternal shine. PPF is like paint, it breathes and needs to be protected either with ceramic coating or regular wax/sealant as recommended by the ppf mfr.

In todays world with prices for P cars being what they are, ppf and ceramic seems to be a must if you intend to sell/trade within five years.

detansinn

You're going to lose depth with the PPF -- that's why I skipped it on my Aventurine Green C4S and just went with ceramic coating. 16k miles and 15 states later, the car still looks amazing.
My Alfa Romeo 4C Spider in Bianco (White) is PPF'd (XPEL) and ceramic coated. The 4C is on it's second PPF install after the dealer/factory stuff yellowed after 4 years. Hopefully, the XPEL lasts a little longer.

PPF is expensive and to be clear, it's no panacea. If you drive your car, the PPF is going to get weathered. Even with self-healing, some road hazards will still mark the PPF and you need to be particularly diligent when it comes to things like sap and bird droppings -- don't let anything of that sit. PPF will save you from the little paint chips and peppering from smaller debris, especially on your front fascia, but bigger stuff will still dent a metal hood under the PPF.

Yes, paint chip repair technology has come a long way. An expert detailer can clean up a lot of little chips with impressive, like new, results and a paint meter won't show a thing. If it's your own car, you'll pay to have that level of attention paid to it. That being said, I wouldn't make an annual thing of it, especially a multi-step polish -- you need to save some of that clearcoat and/or paint for when you actually need it. :P

So, what does PPF give you? If you're one of those people that will lose their mind getting a rock chip, it will save you that stress. If a tech putting a tablet down on your paint gives you discomfort, PPF makes that go away. You're paying for the piece of mind that something stupid isn't going to damage the finish of your car and ruin your day. That's really what it is all about, because for some people, that's the difference between being able to enjoy or not enjoy the car.

Bxstr

PPF has come a long way. But even then it's still going to show wear just like anything. The key with PPF is it tends to absorb rocks more than paint, so your car looks better for longer. Adding ceramic does help as well.

I would much rather have PPF than chips. I only do the full front and then the rockers and an extended piece on the rear quarters. All it takes is getting behind one truck and you'll have 100 really small peppering rock chips and then a couple big ones.

markanth

If you are even thinking about it, you know that you need it. My advise to you, get the PPF and then Ceramic on top.

Regards, Mark

Chris murphy

I had the front fenders, nose, head lights, and hood on my BMW done with PPF. The car was 4 years old and had 20k miles always garaged the paint on that car was perfect you could not see any difference between fenders and doors. I always only hand washed my car and spray wax after every washing. The blue on my BMW was very similar.

rdv

Oh boy, I know this is going to upset some people but here goes....... it’s a car. It gets driven on the road. There are pebbles, sticks and God knows what else on the road that gets thrown up from the car in front of you. Birds **** on it. Trees drop sap. Get over it. If you want PPF or ceramic fine, but seriously it’s just a car. I understand you are asking for advice on whether PPF or ceramic coat is better. But I think the better question is what are your expectations? You want it to look perfect forever? Don’t drive it. You want it to look great for almost forever? Don’t drive it much. You want it to look great for a few years? Drive it when the weather is nice and keep it garaged. You want it to look great for a few months? Drive it like you stole it, park it outside, wash it occasionally and wipe that silly grin off your face from all the fun you are having driving the most amazing car on the road. We put 18k miles on our 2007 997 coupe over 13 years. Boy was that a mistake. I should have driven the crap out of it. We sold it for for a 2021 992 S coupe and I swore I’d drive it and not worry about chips, scratches, dents or dirt. And by God am I enjoying the 992 like God and Ferry P. intended. Okay, done ranting for now......

(skip the PPF)

Ross

ritchieg

I put Expel ultimate on my last 2 Boxster's and now on the 911. I also put a ceramic nano coating on them. The one I put on the 911 was called Tsunami. The Expel is expensive but the nano coating is around $800. Not only does it protect the paint but you never polish or wax it. You will save the $800 in the equipment and products you would use on a normal car. I just pressure wash it and then dry. If it is really dirty then I wet it down and wash it with a microfiber mitt and then spray it. I just purchased a cheap leaf blower and it does wonders at getting the water off the car. I used to use waffle weave micro fiber towels but you can get dirt in them and scratch the surface. The nano coating is 9 times harder than the clear coat that comes on the car so it does offer a lot of protection.

voiceprint1

I would say that PPF is good protection for the nose and side near the rear tires, but the whole car is a bit drastic. I am also not a fan of the ceramic finish, as it looks really artificial to me (rainbow haze), and I prefer the look of carnauba wax. If you don't enjoy cleaning and waxing cars that is one thing.

Just remember that one day you might want to refresh the PPF and it might not want to cooperate, because it can become brittle over time.

Carrera-T

Modern PPF when applied properly is hard to see on the paint and provides excellent protection. Having been a paint only guy for a long time, I am happy and glad that I wrapped my new Turbo. BTW you do understand that you can’t polish the car every year. There is only so much clear coat before you break through into the color.

Penn4S

3 year old PPF, full front, hood, fenders, and rear qtr. Daily driver.

MoeMistry

LOTS of excellent advice and points of view...and ALL are on point.

PPF isn’t for everyone and it simply comes down to your lifestyle and threshold for pain

We’ve recently began installing Suntek Reaction...the newest and latest technology in PPF. It has AMAZING gloss, very clear, and has ceramic technology embedded in the material

Reaction FEELS as though it already has a ceramic coating applied, but for our purposes, we still prefer to add a dedicated coating to further protect the film

I’ll have a thread up soon with the Cayman GTS that it’s being applied to in the next few days

For OP, PPF has come a long way and the easiest question to ask yourself to find out if you’re a perfect candidate....If you notice a chip/dent and it’s removed paint, would you have a bad day? If answer is YES, protect with PPF...if answer is NO, go with ceramic and enjoy the ease of maintenance

if you do get PPF, make sure to also apply a ceramic coating over it

NOTHING will ever match the naked and beautiful paint...however, with the right film, coating, and installer....you will appreciate your paint in pristine shape for much longer without chips and blemishes and still be around 85-90% of look in natural light

aggie57

Not upsetting me....cars are just paint and metal. They will depreciate at pretty much the same rate regardless of whether you pamper them like a newborn or drive them like there's no tomorrow. If PPF makes someone feel better about their car, all good and dandy. Otherwise, save the pennies and tip the car wash folks a few extra bucks.

Tedster

If I looked at two equivalent cars I would pick the one with no "spots".

Master Deep

I drive my car much more and park it anywhere with full PPF. Getting stuck behind a gravel truck on a highway, worrying less about stray shopping carts rolling into the car at the grocery store, if someone keys the car the ppf should protect a lot of it, etc. It was mainly for peace of mind as I’ve never spent this much on a car before, and it was well worth it.