[dreamer]

So I finally get my first Porsche this week and I'm very excited, as to be expected. But as I'm online reading I start seeing more and more about PPF and ceramic coating and I'm getting people saying that I should be getting my car protected before I put any more miles on it. So I make an inquiry at a fairly reputable shop and I get a big hard sell and the owner keeps contacting me and pushing for me to make an appointment to get my car covered in plastic and coated with ceramic. Ugh!

A little background, I used to be in the detailing business and I was highly regarded in paint correction. So I was always very particular about my cars. And to an extent, I still am. The car I just traded in for my new Cayman was five years old, had 8,000 miles and was virtually flawless. And, I did very little to keep it that way other than washing and always keeping it garaged. I think I clay barred the top sections and polished one time in the five years I had it and the shine and the hydrophobic properties of the paint were as good when I traded it as the day i took delivery. So today finds me a bit dismayed to see the paint protection scene progressing to this major, seemingly mandatory undertaking that I was completely oblivious to.

I understand the theory behind the PPF. But I also know that covering the paint with plastic will never allow the paint to shine as much and reflect light to allow it's true beauty to shine through. It's like a screen protector on a retina display iPhone. The screen may not get scratched up but you're also not enjoying the brilliant retina display. I also know that the PPF will get chipped up over time and get fuzzy. Self healing? I've seen some videos. They don't completely heal and I could still see where the wrap was damaged. It has to be replaced. Warranty? No one is covering that. It's also not armor. A really good rock hit will go through everything and then what? And then there's the precut with all the exposed lines. Not only is it ugly but the edges collect dirt. Then, years down the line it has to be replaced. Will it come off without damaging the paint? It's not cheap to start with and then I'm going to do it again? And why am I going to keep the paint covered up? So the next owner can enjoy it? So many possible negatives with no guarantee of positives.

Then there's ceramic coating. This could be good but ultimately it will never let your paint look as good as it does when it's not coated. That's a fact. The big thing behind this is what happens when it gets scratched or marred (it may resist but it can still get scratched)? Paint correction will remove the coating. Can you simply reapply the ceramic in that area? Won't it be uneven (not match)? And when it's worn down you have to use abrasives to remove the old ceramic so you can reapply. I have had cars that NEVER saw an abrasive because I simply kept the paint in good condition. That kind of aggression should only be used when there's a problem. This is potentially good in theory but I see future problems.

I realize I'm just venting but the thought of spending thousands of dollars to quell my fears of the paint on my new ride getting a chip or keeping it nice for the next owner are just boggling my mind. I firmly believe in being diligent in doing what I can to keep this beauty in top condition but I feel like a big marketing machine is telling us all we should use any means possible to attempt to keep our cars pristine knowing full well that no option is completely bullet proof.

I am not oblivious to the fact that many who frequent this forum are ardent supporters of these measures and if they are happy with that then I'm happy for them. And frankly for a few moments this week I was ready to join them in this protection endeavor. But after reading and seeing so much and thinking about all the issues I detailed above, I hit the brakes (so to speak). So I said all that to say this: am I crazy?

 

[718S]

No, I have not opted for PPF or ceramic coatings... for similar reasons you noted. There are some areas of the Cayman where there will absolutely be some 'road rash'. Behind the rear tires, near the side intakes, etc. Such is life. If it gets so bad I can't stand it then I'll look for a good paint shop.

 

[don]

I agree, if you want your car to look the best it can don't put on PPF or ceramic. In the old days we used to polish then layer a good quality carnuba wax like Swissol or Zymol. I don't think you could beat the finish for depth and shine. Even without paint correction.

I have ceramic coating on one of our cars and it looks ok but not good. It is our daily so gets a bit of a beating by the kids and the weather so it is a losing battle anyway.

I have PPF and ceramic halo on my GTS and it looks ok but it also gets a bit of a beating on the front with country/mountain drive days. I already have about four chips in my windscreen, let a lone the PPF. I also ended up wrapping the front plastic splitters as they were getting trashed also. The PPF does change the colour slightly and the edges are a bother to a lot of people. I don't mind as I more drive the car rather than looking at it.

If you drive normally in the city and keep your distance on the motor way you don't really need either.

However, if you track or do drive days on country roads and in groups then I think PPF is a must if you want to protect the front of your car from stone chips.

 

[Nosmo]

hi @dreamer. All valid points.
PPF is just that, paint protection, not paint enhancement. Ceramic coating is not a protection but, as it occurs to me, an equally fragile layer as the paint itself (bearing in mind the velocity of road debris hitting the car) to make the car look clean quicker. The reason for me to have gone (over the top) and ceramic coated the paintwork, ppf'd the car and ceramic coated the ppf is that the cost of it is about the same as a good respray. Important for context is that the UK motorway agencies never feel the need to sweep the roads after the winter. There is a lot of grit on most A and B roads which bigger vehicles tend to suck into the road. Swerving cars pick it up etc. The exposed areas of the car will be sandblasted within miles of new delivery as I discovered personally. My second throught was that this is my keeper car. Removing the PPF after the 5 - 7 year warranty is over and making a decision then on re-applying or removing and going "au naturel" is something I can ponder over then, if I am still around. If I change my mind about keeping the car (highly likely now the GT4 Touring has been mooted) at least I am quids in and don't have to take the PX hit on the repaint job which will have to be done. It's a zero sum game. Whilst I have the car it's really easy to keep clean.

 

[JazzCatGab]

My car is a toy that spends the majority of its mileage on country roads, and now it will be finding itself on a racetrack twice a year with DEs. I have four coats of Ceramic Pro, plus a top coat that is reapplied annually to maintain the lifetime warranty. It makes my base Cayman look a little wet constantly and supper quick and easy to wash. I'm not anywhere near being a detailer like the OP was or have much of an eye or patience for detailing. My car, however, looks like I do. Being on a racetrack with other cars, I was wondering about getting some sort of bra for my front end. My worries receded after on one of my country jaunts, a dump truck came the other way and a rock hit the front of my car. The sound was like my whole windshield had shattered but I couldn't find a mark on it. Later, when I was rinseless washing the bugs off the front, I couldn't see or feel where the rock hit. The next time I was washing the front the same way, the light in my underground garage was just right I could see a tiny flare on the front bumper, and I could feel a very tiny divot. I took a picture of it to send to the detailer who had done the Ceramic Pro, but I didn't send it because it was impossible to tell the difference between the divot and the metallic flecks in the paint. I think the ceramic coating did its job and took the hit instead of the clear coat or paint. I plan to keep this car for a decade or so. I had it built with that in mind and ceramic coated to elongate the paint. At least, that is my intention. For shorter term ownership, perhaps as a DD, I'm not sure what I would do but I might have. These cars are beautiful.

 

[RotorOver]

I currently have PPF on the front clip, rockers and other bits on two cars. You are correct that a film will never look as good as the exposed paint, but it does indeed protect the the paint very well with a slight visual degradation. A rock will not damage the paint through the PPF, that I can guarantee you. One of my cars absorbed the impact of delivery truck hit on the bumper. The PPF sacrificially took the damage, but the paint was unharmed underneath. So, its a trade off. If you are ok with looking at rock chips or greater damage rather then a slight degradation to shine, etc., than don't get the PPF.

I do not have ceramic coating on any cars, but I am thinking about it for my daily that is not garaged. I have a paint sealant and apply wax and detailing spray regularly on my cars and even the non-garaged car holds up well to the environment. I have similar reservations as you do here, but like the idea of a lower level of maintenance. I don't know, I have seen a few before and afters of cars with ceramic protection and I'd dare to say they all better after.

 

[CaymanMatt]

Have PPF on most of the car and it has already saved my rocker panles. Don't have it on the roof panel so where do I get hit last weekend?..... roof panel. A small stone chip but it would make me seriously think of doing the whole car PPF the next time.

 

[RussellHodgson]

I don't have any sort of protection on my car. I've had the car for just over two years now and it has almost 19,000 miles on it along with multiple track days. The paint is still in excellent condition, with the exception of a few very, very small chips on the front bumper. You'd have to look up close to see them.

PPF (and other similar ideas) are not worth it to me. I'd rather take that money and buy a new set (or two) of tires. Plus if you lease a car from Porsche they don't make you put it on, so they obviously don't care about it for trade in value. When I finally get round to selling my car I don't care if the paint isn't perfect. (And whoever is buying should realise that as the car will be 10 years old at that point!)

 

[Muppet]

The only bit of PPF on my 718 is in front of the rear wheels
(Where debris from front tyres gets kicked up). PPF should be fitted here by the Factory.
I’ve owned my 718 for over 16 months now and done over 6000 miles.
Including driving through winter, as the car is my daily driver.
I only have one very tiny chip on the lower bonnet.
Basically to avoid chips don’t drive too close to the car in front of you.
My car gets a polish with Meguires Ultimate Liquid Wax every time I clean it.
The Night Blue Metalic paint looks stunning afterwards.

 

[kmacuk]

We have PPF and ceramic. Our previous car for 4 years had the same. Prior to that car we had a min SD black and after 3 years of running country roads we had too many white chip marks, after this we applied PPF, but after 1 week where in that time we picked up a single stone chip to the white under coat, 4 years on it was the only chip. When we applied to the Cayman we did it before it had been driven. Personally I cannot tell any difference between coated and not.

My wife has done colour matching and is very particular about paint appearance and paranoid about swirls, after 5000miles and 4 months we have no swirls (washed weekly) and no stone chips. and it looks as good as day 1. Ceramic for me is to protect against washing and even with 2 bucket wash and snow foam its this process that makes the swirls. PPF protect much better than just paint and can adsorb a lot more than you think, our has never been breeched no matter whats hit it; for us its oncoming vehicles throwing up stones that is the biggest problem and they can’t be avoided by keepng distance to the car in front.

Maybe as we live in a country with not so much sun and limited UV exposure it maybe different to those based in sunnier climes. Maybe it’s down to the PPF used and more likely the time and care taken to prep correctly before the PPF is applied that makes a difference - our car was worked on for a full week and our detailer is excellent. If you take a look at my showcase pic this is at dealer collection PPF applied full front Inc lights), lower sides, intakes and spoiler all coated.

Comparing our car to those brand new un-coated ones under the strong showroom lighting ours looked the best, maybe GT silver is less obvious than a darker car, bit our previous red TT the coatings/PPF also invisible to my eyes.

For the cost of the car and the roads we drive I would take PPF/Ceramic every time vs chips. Partial respray would never get to fix stone chip damage, it would need to be a full respay which is expensive. For lease cars in the UK (PCP) they look at damage and that will reduce your value on return so again.

 

[718S]

Ok so there are few things to consider. One- depending on the color- it seems chipping is more or less obvious in certain areas. On my car, Midnight Blue Metallic, chips in the lower wheel openings, front bumper might not be as obvious as say a White car. Secondly- what is this "paint protection" work? Is it touching up and buffing the areas of concern or is it a respray of paint in badly damaged areas?

I guess what I'm wondering is- how much would repairs be in the most obvious areas like I mentioned above? Most of the critical areas (less maybe the front hood) are all plastic panels so rust wouldn't be an issue... if a chip was really bad. I think many of the other panels are aluminum?

Has anyone done any kind of repaint? I know it sounds horrible to repaint and many seem to be concerned about keeping the car with original with paint but heck- PPF causes potential issues too right? Cuts? Exposed edges, etc. Furthermore- I have to imagine removing the PPF isn't a perfect science and damages can occur then.

Lastly- let's face it, the cars will depreciate in value considerably in the next 6-10 years or so.. so how much is it worth to try keeping the original paint pristine?? These are things I wonder about.

Now that I say all this I hope I don't get cursed with a massive chip on my bumper!!

 

[Gtipirelli]

I sold my 10 year old metallic black Golf GTi with 80k miles on it to buy the cayman. The golf looked like it had been sand blasted on all the leading edges and the undercoat was white so it looked a mess. I regularly washed and polished that car.

I vowed to PPF my next car which is exactly what I have done with my black cayman. It gives me satisfaction that it protects the front of the car from what my golf experienced and looks nice after a wash and polish. I cannot tell the difference between the protected and non protected areas of the car after a wash and polish

It was expensive to have applied but I am fortunate not to have to worry about the cost. The satisfaction that it is protected is enough for me

It is a car I intend to keep for a long time which was also a deciding factor with the PPF

 

[MLJJ]

I think it all depends on if you lease/turn cars over regularly or whether you intend to keep them for a while. I see above that UK and probably others discount trade-in value based on paint condition. Maybe that is true in the US too, but I haven't traded/leased a Porsche so can't say. From all other vehicles that I've dealt with, the dealership accepting a trade doesn't look at the car - year and mileage. I've never leased so not sure how that goes, but I assume they want to collect every penny for chips, dings, etc. If you are a short-term owner you'll have to assess the cost of PPF and ceramic against potential depreciation due to road rash, etc. BYW, I plan on keeping my car for a long time and have not applied PPF or ceramic except for a DIY application of PPF in front of the rear wheels.

 

[Silversword]

So I finally get my first Porsche this week and I'm very excited, as to be expected. But as I'm online reading I start seeing more and more about PPF and ceramic coating and I'm getting people saying that I should be getting my car protected before I put any more miles on it. So I make an inquiry at a fairly reputable shop and I get a big hard sell and the owner keeps contacting me and pushing for me to make an appointment to get my car covered in plastic and coated with ceramic. Ugh!

A little background, I used to be in the detailing business and I was highly regarded in paint correction. So I was always very particular about my cars. And to an extent, I still am. The car I just traded in for my new Cayman was five years old, had 8,000 miles and was virtually flawless. And, I did very little to keep it that way other than washing and always keeping it garaged. I think I clay barred the top sections and polished one time in the five years I had it and the shine and the hydrophobic properties of the paint were as good when I traded it as the day i took delivery. So today finds me a bit dismayed to see the paint protection scene progressing to this major, seemingly mandatory undertaking that I was completely oblivious to.

I understand the theory behind the PPF. But I also know that covering the paint with plastic will never allow the paint to shine as much and reflect light to allow it's true beauty to shine through. It's like a screen protector on a retina display iPhone. The screen may not get scratched up but you're also not enjoying the brilliant retina display. I also know that the PPF will get chipped up over time and get fuzzy. Self healing? I've seen some videos. They don't completely heal and I could still see where the wrap was damaged. It has to be replaced. Warranty? No one is covering that. It's also not armor. A really good rock hit will go through everything and then what? And then there's the precut with all the exposed lines. Not only is it ugly but the edges collect dirt. Then, years down the line it has to be replaced. Will it come off without damaging the paint? It's not cheap to start with and then I'm going to do it again? And why am I going to keep the paint covered up? So the next owner can enjoy it? So many possible negatives with no guarantee of positives.

Then there's ceramic coating. This could be good but ultimately it will never let your paint look as good as it does when it's not coated. That's a fact. The big thing behind this is what happens when it gets scratched or marred (it may resist but it can still get scratched)? Paint correction will remove the coating. Can you simply reapply the ceramic in that area? Won't it be uneven (not match)? And when it's worn down you have to use abrasives to remove the old ceramic so you can reapply. I have had cars that NEVER saw an abrasive because I simply kept the paint in good condition. That kind of aggression should only be used when there's a problem. This is potentially good in theory but I see future problems.

I realize I'm just venting but the thought of spending thousands of dollars to quell my fears of the paint on my new ride getting a chip or keeping it nice for the next owner are just boggling my mind. I firmly believe in being diligent in doing what I can to keep this beauty in top condition but I feel like a big marketing machine is telling us all we should use any means possible to attempt to keep our cars pristine knowing full well that no option is completely bullet proof.

I am not oblivious to the fact that many who frequent this forum are ardent supporters of these measures and if they are happy with that then I'm happy for them. And frankly for a few moments this week I was ready to join them in this protection endeavor. But after reading and seeing so much and thinking about all the issues I detailed above, I hit the brakes (so to speak). So I said all that to say this: am I crazy?

I don't think you are crazy at all. In fact whilst I wait for my Cayman to be ready (hopefully it has moved from the docks now and will be at the dealer in a few days...) I've spent a lot of time reading about PPF, ceramic coatings, treatments, etc. and came to the conclusion that I don't need it - or at least, I don't want it at the prices charged.

Obviously I do not want my paintwork being battered by debris until it resembles some horrendous metallic pizza, but the car won't be a daily driver and will spend most of winter in hibernation. It will live in a garage. My current daily covers plenty of miles and its vulnerable areas show no visible chips even after 6 years; I will take my chances. I feel the money paid for PPF would be better spent on fuel, tyres, some decent cleaning products and a quality wax (or a re-spray!). In the meantime the paint can do the job it was intended for.

 

[dreamer]

It's tough because I'm really unsure about the future. It's not like I'm a person who trades cars often. I could see keeping this car for a long time. I had my first really nice car for 19 years (and it looked really good when I sold it). So maybe doing PPF on the front bumper and the rockers would at least be a prudent level of protection (as long as I could get the bumper done with no exposed edges...probably have to remove the bumper to do that). As for the ceramic, I'm not sure I understand the "easy to take care of" attribute. It still has to be washed. Frankly, for a car this size, washing is not something that will take a long time. It'll take longer to wash the wheels than anything and that won't take an inordinate amount of time. The whole "swirl" protection is something I don't care about. I have the ability to make almost any paint job swirl-free. And then to redo the coating in the future requires removing what's on the car and that requires a level of aggression that I try to avoid with cars unless absolutely necessary. Maybe if they came up with a solvent that took it off I might feel differently.
I'm a person who believes in progress (makes sense, I bought a 718) but I'm not sure if I can trust this type of progress at this point. If I bit the bullet and went down this avenue of protection and it failed somehow it would ruin the whole ownership experience. And I'm not getting any younger! But I do appreciate everyone's take on this issue.

 

[dave92101]

I faced the same decision this past week. On my previous two Boxsters (987 and 981), I had the PPF on the full front end and mirror backs and it prevented those speckles of stone chips that accumulate over time.

On the 981, I went back after just a week and had them apply PPF to the side rockers as I was already seeing a few minor stone chips behind the front wheels and especially near the side scoops. It also helps if you tend to scuff the rockers with your shoes getting in and out of the car.

On this 718 I knew I wanted the same protection, so I had that applied before I took delivery. I also knew from experience that the Carrera S wheels are a pain and time consuming to clean, and wanted the ceramic coating on those for sure. Anything to make it easier to keep them nice and shiny!

There wasn't time to do the ceramic before delivery, so I dropped it off on Day 3 of ownership. When I got there, I decided to get the entire car done. I'd just paid $95k + tax for the car and the cost of the coating didn't seem like that much more to add.

The ceramic coating will prevent the PPF from staining and it gives the entire car a 'wet look' that is stunning. I picked it up two days ago and am totally pleased with the results. They also applied a coating to the convertible top to aid in beading up and repelling stains.

I wash my car by hand and do my best to keep it nice, but I am also not shy about putting tons of miles on it. I look at the PPF and ceramic coating as just another option, this one to preserve the look of the car for a long time.

We are all different, so do what works for your budget, usage and preferences. Good luck with your decision!

 

[GregW]

The look of the paint, and the coatings are entirely up to you. If you can keep your car the way you want it without extras, that's great, just do it.

Tiny chips and signs of wear are OK by me 'cause I don't get many, but general paint dulling and deterioration are not. The 'wear marks' only show I'm using the car so PPF was not on my list.

I went for Opti-Coat Pro+ because it served me well on my previous car which was exposed to cement dust, copious nasty bird droppings and the Australian sun. I thought the paint looked better with it than without, even after 5 years--after all it's only a very thin, very hard clear coat on top of what's already there, and it was installed on top of a mild paint correction. It is also much more resistant to minor scrapes and scratches than the paint alone--but it is not invulnerable. It does make the car easy to clean and waxing is not needed nor does waxing make the appearance better.

Yes it would need to be removed and re-applied to repair real damage, but considering the overall cost of repairs (if I'm having to pay) that small increase isn't an issue for me.

As always, YMMV.

 

[Porsche2018]

There are no wrong choices just preferences. As is well known to this forum I am an advocate of the use of the PPF on my high end cars. For me, at least, it would bother me to see my Porsches get chipped up so I have no problem paying the extra to avoid that. Regarding keeping the car pristine for the next owner, well, that is not my motivation I feel better while I own it to have it chip free.......so a PPF makes sense. The other thing you need to consider is the cost. It cost me 2K for the 718 CS to have the front end and rocker panels done, 5K for the 3RS and 6K for the 2RS. If we look at it from a practical dollars and cents point of view you will not get back the money on resale so from that prospective and if that is your primary concern is return on investment then I would not do the PPF. Presently on my 2RS I have a little over 4K miles and it is chip free and the investment for me was worth it.

 

[kmacuk]

Agree with the reasoning here for application. The return on investment probably better than an equivalent Porsche option and retaing brand new car looks for ownership duration a good option for me; this assumes a $2k cost, rather than greater, however it's all relative to percentage price of the vehicle.

We got approx £1k more trade value on our 4 year old TT due to immaculate condition, a lot of this down to ceramic and ppf.

 

[dreamer]

Cost is not necessarily the primary issue for me. It’s the degradation of the appearance, the exposed, visible edges and the long term effects. Prevent chips/have a duller finish or take my chances? I dunno.