[JakiChan]

My dealer has a relationship with a PPF shop that, based on my reviews and research, seems pretty decent. They said I could get the PPF (Xpel) done before I pick up the car, which sounds great because the drive home will be about 150 miles. But when I asked about ceramic coatings they talked about Zurich Paint Shield, which from what I've read is the usual dealer crap. So, my question is: are you "supposed" to do paint correction + ceramic BEFORE the PPF, or does it matter? If I get PPF done before I pick it up does it have to be redone for the ceramic coating?

 

[Chris NZ]

Paint correction and ceramic coating should definitely be your first step. Otherwise you are correcting and coating the PPF, which makes no sense to me.

 

[Ian718]

It is my understanding the correct order is paint correction and PPF, then you ceramic coat over the top of the PPF.

There are a multitude of google links which recommend this order. Here is one: A Comparison of Paint Protection Film and Ceramic Coatings - Details Matter - Prestige Detailing & Ceramic Paint Coatings

The ceramic coat has the gloss/shine, super hydrophobic properties, slickness/ease of cleaning.

If you PPF over the top of the ceramic coat you lose all those benefits, and replace them with the inferior gloss/hydrophobic/ease of cleaning properties of the PPF.

 

[ArchiProf]

So from reading that article I understand the PPF can diminish the gloss, hence the application of the ceramic coating on top of the PPF. My understanding is that the gloss of the original paint is not supposed to be diminished by the PPF. Would anyone who has had PPF applied confirm the gloss remains or is diminished? I plan to have the most vulnerable areas of my new Cayman covered with PPF but I do not want varying degrees of gloss!

 

[Guaji]

I had the latest generation Suntek Ultra installed with ceramic coating on top of that. The entire front has PPF. According to my installer it provides the best clarity compared to other films.

 

[lajoiedp]

I’m not sure I want to spend the money on a clear bra. Has anyone just done a ceramic coating? I am looking at doing one of these packages.

http://clearbraboston.com/services/detailing-coatings

Feedback please.

 

[JakiChan]

I’m not sure I want to spend the money on a clear bra. Has anyone just done a ceramic coating?

My understanding is that a ceramic coating will protect you from environmental damage (like bird poop), but do nothing for rock chips. That’s what a PPF is for.

 

[kfahmi]

From personal experience, Xpel PPF definitely, visibly reduces the gloss of paint. Supposedly, adding a ceramic coating on top of the PPF alleviates this and brings back the gloss. But last week, I stopped by Premier Protective Films in Fremont CA, and they showed me a demo panel covered in different brands of PPF. Xpel looked terrible, Suntek a bit better. They use ClearGuard Nano SR, and the difference was dramatic. They showed me a Tesla that had the ClearGuard installed 5 years ago, and I couldn't tell the un-PPF'd part of the car from the areas that had the film. So that's what I'm having put on my Boxster. They will then apply Modesta ceramic coating on top of the PPF. We'll see how it goes!

 

[Chris NZ]

I've never used PPF myself so what would I know! I guess that the PPF is a permanent thing? If not and it is removed at some point then it will reveal bare paint with no ceramic coating protection.

Following this with interest though as I noticed that the Miami Blue demonstrator I drove had quite a few stone chips. Is this a particular issue with lower cars or just that the car was driven by people who didn't care as it wasn't theirs?

I only ask as i've had my current car for almost five years and picked up my first stone chip late last year and then another one last weekend. But then I generally don't follow the cars in front too closely and reduce speed when the surface has loose stones. I was planning to ceramic coat the new car (my current car was Opti-Coated the week I got it) but hadn't thought of needing PPF until now.

 

[GregW]

I've not had a film coating, mainly because I've never had enough stone chips on any car to worry me.

I have had some paint deterioration/failure on a number of cars that when I heard about Opti-Coat I got that on my new vehicle. After 5 years of sun, birds, tree sap, and concrete dust, the surface was still better than new and easy to wash. I never waxed it, I was told the wax wouldn't stick!

I got Opti-Coat Pro+ on my new Boxster on day 3 after delivery. This coating is much harder, more glossy than the original paint, and has a lifetime guarantee.

 

[JakiChan]

I just don't like the idea of having to drive 120 miles back to home without any protection on the car.

 

[GregW]

If you've decided on the PPF then getting it before the drive home is a good idea. I'm not so sure about the dealer getting it done, although the work done before pick-up would sure be handy. I doubt the paint would suffer much deterioration on a 120 mile trip, so the coating could easily be done later. The coating applier should correct all the paint not filmed before application.

The shop I went to also did PPF as well as window tint and coating, and they do the paint correction and installations in a clean room so there is only clean shiny paint or glass under the films and coating. How would the dealer have it done and would them arranging it cost you much extra?

BTW they told me correct order is: correction, PPF, windows, coating. They truly specialise in high end and the shop had a Ferrari and a Lambo there while mine was being done and the web page was full of photos of their work and reviews.

Whichever way you go, getting the wheels coated means the brake dust doesn't stick or corrode the wheels.

 

[JakiChan]

How would the dealer have it done and would them arranging it cost you much extra?

Not much. The dealership I'm buying from are friends of the family. (Like, the owner whose name is still on the dealership chain lived near us, we all went to the same church, and our families carpooled to school together. We've never bought a car from a different dealership chain.) I'm getting steep discounts on everything. (My discount on the car was about 9.2% - basically a fixed amount above invoice.)

But, they're using Xpel and I've seen other folks talking about brands which are shinier. Since I'm in the SF Bay Area I'm thinking about calling that place in Fremont, but again I'm just worried about the 120 mile drive home. I mean if I did pick up a stone chip on that drive I'd be bummed. However, I'm not sure how to get a quality job done without making two trips out of town, seeing if I can find a place in the town where I'm buying and evaluating their work, etc.

BTW they told me correct order is: correction, PPF, windows, coating.

That's a good point. I'm not sure about the tint - I've got a shop for that. In fact, they did the tint on my R32 14 years ago, I found the receipt, and they're going to honor the warranty and redo it for free 14 years later. (It's just aging). But for tinting don't they take the doors apart, etc? I worry a bit about that - the build quality is one thing I'm excited about and I'm not sure how I feel about taking my brand new car apart.

 

[GregW]

<snip>...for tinting don't they take the doors apart, etc? I worry a bit about that - the build quality is one thing I'm excited about and I'm not sure how I feel about taking my brand new car apart.

They certainly didn't have to take the doors apart for the tint on the Boxster. They also did an "invisible edge" so the tint goes all the way to the very edges of the glass.

They did tell me they don't do Panameras any more because they do have to disassemble the door and trim, and apparently it's a pig to do. Besides hardly anyone went ahead when they heard the price!

Like you, I wouldn't want any disassembly unless it couldn't be helped. When the installer put in the "dash cam" he did take off some trim to hide the wires, but since he was a European car specialist and recommended by both the dealer and the paint protection guy I went ahead. Other than the camera (which is completely hidden behind the mirror) there is no evidence at all it was done. The only rattle I've had is the passenger seatbelt in the wind.

 

[JakiChan]

Like you, I wouldn't want any disassembly unless it couldn't be helped. When the installer put in the "dash cam" he did take off some trim to hide the wires, but since he was a European car specialist and recommended by both the dealer and the paint protection guy I went ahead. Other than the camera (which is completely hidden behind the mirror) there is no evidence at all it was done. The only rattle I've had is the passenger seatbelt in the wind.

Ooooh..sexy. Which cam and where did you have it done?

 

[GregW]

I got the Blackvue DR650S-1CH which was the smallest that offered what I wanted. There are now new models. I got the parking power connection as well.

It was installed here in Adelaide at AC-DC Pty. Ltd. It may be a bit far for you to ship the car!

 

[JakiChan]

I got the Blackvue DR650S-1CH which was the smallest that offered what I wanted. There are now new models. I got the parking power connection as well.

I'm a n00b for dashcams (and I'm derailing my own thread, but fascinated) - what's "parking power"? And where do they tap power in general?

 

[JakiChan]

I contacted this super elite place near me - ouch. Here's how it breaks down.

Their top of the line film (ClearGuard Nano SR), plus their top of the line coating (Modesta BC-04), plus a minimal amount of paint correction comes out to about $6200. That seems like...a lot of money, but I dunno. If this was a GT3 then it'd be "cheap", right? Does that seem completely wacko for a high-end batch of paint protection? The warranty on the film is 10 year, and I think the warranty on the coating is 5 year.

 

[Guaji]

I contacted this super elite place near me - ouch. Here's how it breaks down.

Their top of the line film (ClearGuard Nano SR), plus their top of the line coating (Modesta BC-04), plus a minimal amount of paint correction comes out to about $6200. That seems like...a lot of money, but I dunno. If this was a GT3 then it'd be "cheap", right? Does that seem completely wacko for a high-end batch of paint protection? The warranty on the film is 10 year, and I think the warranty on the coating is 5 year.

Seems pricey....I paid $3179 for Suntek film, 5 layers (i think) of ceramic pro and window tints. I am not familiar with that film. Must be really good...I guess.

Edit. Price paid.

 

[JakiChan]

Seems pricey....I paid about $3000 for Suntek film, 5 layers (i think) of ceramic pro and window tints. I am not familiar with that film. Must be really good...I guess.

Well, also...Silicon Valley. So yeah. And that's maxing it out, best everything, yada. But I might also shop alternatives.