MontBlanc911

Can’t do this to my 911 so decided to ppf 😩

B194HR

One more opinion that won’t matter, since by this stage in the thread all the different reasons for and against have been discussed. Fwiw here’s my 2c. My 2024 Gt3 is out of production and headed to the port for transport. I’ve never had ppf or ceramic coating done ever, and at 50+ years of age I’m pretty set in my ways.

My reasons for no ppf.
1) I’m wary of the authorized service center let alone a third party fiddling with my car. In my experience the less contact hands have on your car the better, unless absolutely necessary.
2) ppf is a relatively new phenomenon, all my life I’ve touched up/painted areas of the car that required it and that has worked fine for me.
im not ocd and like to put wear on a new pair of sneakers asap, don’t baby my watches even though I’m reasonably careful and apply the same philosophy to my cars.
3) from what I’ve read, ppf installation has its own potential issues such as damage to paint, imperfect coverage resulting in all sorts of different issues
like dirty edges overtime.

You’re gonna do what you feel is best, as am I, but these days I feel people are too obsessed with material objects and tend to treat them like family.
Theyre just machines made to be used and enjoyed. I don’t want to get hung up on keeping it pristine. The first scratch / ding / chip always cuts the deepest, after that all the concern just fades away and you’re able to enjoy freely. That’s just my experience, I hope you enjoy yours !

MoeMistry

1. Don’t throw in the towel…I started GP back in 1995 to serve people like you…it hasn’t been the easiest road because as we’ve grown, I’ve stayed the single common thread for almost 30 years. I devoted my life to learning and mastering my craft, which I’m still a student of because there’s always more to learn

2. PPF has been around since Vietnam war when 3M made it for the helicopter blade.

As for it’s production automotive use, been around since Porsche used it for stone guards on 996, look inside door jam for a very small strip near door/1/4 panel, then 997 stone guards and so on

the 993 had a variation, though I’m not 100% if it was thick vinyl or ppf sprayed body color for the stone guards

and it also seems Porsche thinks it’s a good idea, or a profit center, since they’re offering it, along with ceramic coating, on configurator…good idea vs execution however leaves much to be desired, but I digress

3. See 1

last sentence is insightful and an opinion I enjoyed reading through the usual plastic couch/vs pro ppf conversations 😂

truth is, asking if you should get ppf or not is like your spouse asking “honey, do these pants make my butt look big?”….the right answer is in the eye of the beholder, or the 5th amendment

some of us as kids liked taking care of our toys, bikes, etc. we washed and waxed them …why should we stop now?

we still made friends with the kids that didn’t care and we didn’t think any less of them…why should we stop now?

the answer to this mythical question is actually very simple and should only be answered by you

why?….Because it’s an extension of your psychology AND everything else about YOU

B194HR

Thank you for your reply Moemistry, the opinions I expressed were not meant to represent anything more than how I view the ppf or no ppf
question posed by the OP. Not trying to bash ppf or convince anyone either way, just my pov.

I don’t reside in the US, In fact I live on a small island with less than two million inhabitants. I don’t have access to the kind of experience and expertise
available in the US for ppf or ceramic coating. Yes we have those services available but they’re relatively new where I live.

so my opinions and decision against ppf is right for me considering the pros and cons that apply to me, not just ppf as a product.

All the best
H.

MoeMistry

I appreciated your pov and found it refreshing

care to share where you are? Sounds like an excellent place to enjoy a p-car

B194HR

i reside in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in the Arabian Gulf. We regularly host the first Formula 1 race of the season at
our track The Bahrain International Circut as well as GT and Drag races.
The first race took place on April 4 2004.

Theres no place like home 😊

aggie57

Ah, so thats the answer. Own and drive the bloody thing like you stole it, as you get older it even looks better!

Brinkmann

Obviously this looks like it’s done with extreme precision but can someone explain to me how it’s safe to run a blade against the car like that? Am I missing something?

Icegrill

No you’ve pretty much got it covered. The installer will say they’re so skilled that they only score the ppf and don’t cut the paint. I don’t believe or trust this for a second! I’ve seen the aftermath of knife marks on custom installs and it’s enough to turn your stomach.

rasetsu

If you ever give a try at cutting PPF with a very sharp blade, you'll see that you don't need to apply pressure all the way through it. You just score it about 3/4 the way down or so on it and then you can pull and it will separate. I'm sure a pro installer can explain better but I have cut it myself with an Exacto knife and there's a point where it will separate well before the blade goes all the way through. Now sure, there are crap installers who use too much pressure or not a sharp enough blade and knick the paint. That's why choosing an installer is so important.

MoeMistry

Great question…it takes years to master, but there are times the blade does go through…we’re not all perfect

the most obvious sign you made the perfect cut is visual…the piece you’ve scored, is still technically CONNECTED…once you tear it, you’ll feel some resistance, but the pull is a clean edge letting you visually see the film tear in a clean line

if the film separates with no resistance, that’s a visual sign it was cut all the way through

what DOES separate the professionals from the rest is how deep the cut is…the pros, IF it does happen it’s felt…you remove the film, polish the clear coat since it’s slightly grazed the surface, get back to smooth surface, and reapply the material

the perfect cut creates a “squeak “…that’s what we strive for

when I teach an installer, I explain there are three types of cuts:

Beginner - film is trimmed OFF the edge and blade NEVER touches surface…think hood and excess along leading edges

Intermediate - ride the edge of a panel with side of your blade…moderate risk, but if practiced proficiently, low risk of damage…think wheel wells

Advanced - blade comes in contact with film…high risk and requires years of blade skills to master.

I have my new guys practice on a metal cutting plate…think the game “operation”…blade is connected with wire clip, film applied to surface of the metal plate. If the blade breaches the film, the current is passed to the metal plate and it makes an audible sound letting you know you cut the surface

i make them do 100 cuts, various patterns, to pass their test…but that’s just my shop…not sure what others do to train their staff

typical installer at my shop doesn’t even own a blade until six months or so, and at least another year or two before they are in the beginner/intermediate level to trim

in almost every installation, it’s rare NOT to make a trim here or there…as others have mentioned, find the most skilled installer that knows Porsches and has done many

IMHO, anyone that states they NEVER cut paint, is either not aware of it, or isn’t being honest to themself or their client

it’s like anyone in any profession stating they have a 100% success rate…100% guaranteed

tmslc

i wish you were in slc.

tmslc

if you track it ... don't hold back at all. its looks like you have a double wrap and that should be proper coverage for most holes these days i assume.

well done!

tmslc

has anyone ever noticed the cars that were ordered with full front ppf are missing a piece on one of the two front headlights? i noticed it on my 2022 wife cayenne and on my 2022 911. one is done but not the other. wtf?

shelbyking

I get it now.
We all need to spend 6 or 7 large to have some meth head high school drop out put a bunch of plastic junk all over our new cars and accept the fact that they will likely cut into or in some way damage the paint with a knife. I'm sure all the lighting hardware, trim pieces, etc., will be reinstalled in a factory state with no rattles, leaks, misalignments, it will all be factory spot on. Sure it will. Sounds like a wonderful idea. Can't wait to do that.