I’ve read a number of threads about the pros and cons and I am still undecided! On one hand, I like to take very good care of my cars and chips and scuffs do bother me. However, I really want to put some miles on this car and then think what’s the point of spending thousands of dollars to prevent a few stone chips if I’m going to drive it? Will it really make a difference in trade in value 5 or 6 years from now?

can anyone give me a ball park idea of what wrapping the front end would cost? I’ll be doing ceramic coating as well I think.

 

A few thousand to wrap the front end. Yes it's worth it.

 

You’d be silly not to wrap it.

 

Definitely wrap and ceramic.

 

IMO it's more important to wrap a car that will see lots of use than one that sits in the garage most of the time. Personally, I think "professional" ceramic treatments are a waste of $...the DIY products do an excellent job at a fraction of the cost.

 

Regardless of the rest of your post, there's the answer.

It's not a matter of trade-in value which can be a wash, it's when you're casting your eye over the curves of the hood and there's that annoying chip right there pissing you off.

I was at a show this week, looking at a Ferrari 458. Two chips right in the middle of the hood, clumsily "filled" with what looked like red sharpie. Fair enough to the owner if he's not bothered by that, but it would bug the living crap out of me. It could have been prevented for what, 0.75% of the car's value?

 

Thanks for your thoughts guys…please keep them coming. So, just do the front end? I assume that’s what takes the most abuse. This car will be driven about 5,000 km/year as I won’t be taking it to work.

 

I put the thinnest plastic available at the time on the front/nose, headlights and mirrors because this gets 99% of the chips. Cost in 2009 - $400. Can't remember the brand but it was what Ronan used on his green car and it looked almost invisible. I love the metallic paint on my car so did not want to cover it. I detail and use "Top Coat" every 5 years or so to keep it pretty. Maybe my eyes but I find the ceramic coatings take some of the liquid paint depth away.

 

Yes, it's worth it. Do front bumper, hood, fenders, mirrors, rocker panels and an extended piece on the rear quarters where the factory piece is.

These cars are low, pick up a decent amount of chips and the cost of the protection, while expensive, I do think is worth the peace of mind. I drive mine more knowing that it is properly protected.

 

Add some mudflaps behind the front wheels https://rennlist.com/forums/991-turb...mud-flaps.html

 

Second the mud flaps behind the front wheels. PPF the front and rear fenders. DIY the ceramic, it's not that challenging.

 

PPF is also a maintenance item, if the car is a keeper, every handful of years PPF should be replaced
IMO, if a summer car don't need it, winter car yes, track car moot point
also IMO, stonechips less of a worry nowdays, more likely to have wack job driver hit car and moot point again

 

Handful? No, more like every decade or more...PPF these days doesn't yellow like the older stuff.

 

ease of removal without underlying paint damage...everyone will have a different experience
personally have run my GT2(over 178k km now) without PPF ever, but other cars I've had have it too...see LOTS with/without with my business
no right or wrong answer is my answer

 

This will be a low km summer only car for at least the next 4 or 5 years. I’m leaning towards doing this coverage (in blue) and ceramic coating or sealing it myself just to make clean up easier. I bought a pressure washer yesterday and I am going to practice the whole foam cannon routine on my Macan . Who knew car cleaning would become a cult-like activity!