The Ugly Truth About Paint Protection Film (PPF) After Just 6 Months & 3,500 Miles

Coleton looks at a paint-protected Mercedes he recently did a full correction, detail, and coatings on to discuss paint protection film, or PPF, and how it holds up in the real world. Hear his opinions on PPF in general and when it makes sense to go with it as an option.
For more information on having your car detailed check out www.cleardetailing.com or email me at [e-mail]
Find all of our Amazon must-haves here:
www.amazon.com/shop/outofspec...
0:00 Welcome
0:47 My Background with PPF
3:03 What Bugs Do To PPF
6:54 My Take On PPF Value
8:28 Rock Chips
10:06 Installer Issues
14:46 Wrap-Up
#ppf #detailing #paintprotectionfilm

[@mynameismyname6194]

Isn’t the whole point of PPF that it is a sacrificial layer so instead of the bug stains permanently damaging your paint it damages the PPF? So essentially you don’t have to repaint your car and as result reducing the resale value of your car, you just take off the PPF and now have a more desirable car to sell or trade in and with perfect (original) paint, which ultimately means higher price for the seller.

[@shojus]

That's what he explained in this video. It's when you see people getting PPF on a vehicle that will never recoup the costs of even getting that done is what boggles my mind! To each his own I guess...

[@suvann540i]

real talk... prior to ppf being a thing, i've never sold/traded in a car where the paint having minor defects affected it's value.

[@hotdognobun]

I've had PPF/Wrap at a shop here in San Diego. After 7 years I removed them and notice lines of scratches everywhere that is caused by the razor the shop used. The value definitely went down and to say you get good value when selling or trading is not true.

[@FrankW1029]

@@hotdognobun exactly, PPF and vinyl wrapping is always risky when the installer hand cuts. All those video saying they are so good that they only cut the vinyl and not underneath are all BS. Those videos you see they cut vinyl over their hands; the truth is your skin is stretchable, the low amount of pressure applied over the skin with some of the blades will not cut you, but if you take that same amount of pressure apply it to paint that doesn't stretch it will leave a mark. Why does the vinyl cut then? because vinyl is a type of material that once it starts to rip the edge of the knife will slice through.

[@costafilh0]

"I am a professional specialized in paint correction and ceramic coatings. PPF is not worth the cost and inconvenience, I recommend paint correction and ceramic coating. Trust me, bro!" 🤣

[@ericsawatzky54]

As someone who is in the PPF/Ceramic industry I can appreciate this video. In my opinion, the only way to sell PPF is as a sacrificial layer of protection (like you mentioned) to protect your paint. PPF is a tangible product that will always be there and protect the paint from the majority of scratches, chips and dings regardless of how someone takes care of their vehicle. There is a big education curve that needs to take place between the installer and the consumer and lots of that education you touched on well in this video.

[@SirGalahadThePure]

Exactly. When I ordered my Charger Hellcat, I immediately looked to set up PPF installation. The whole point is to protect the original paint and replace the PPF panels as needed. I have replaced the PPF on the wide body just in front of the passenger doors and it was relatively cheap. Paint underneath what still perfect though the PPF was pretty beat up.

[@sheldonduffy9442]

In my opinion, in the long run, PPF always looks worse, especially on light colored cars.

[@ericHHII]

If people are more educated though, the price is gonna drive way down

[@Ccortanaa]

Ceramic Coating is a tangible product as well, don't make it sound like it's perfect. It lasts about as long as PPF, 2-3 years before you have to dish out another 2-3k to coat your car.

[@chrissimmons9969]

I drive quite a bit up to 28k miles a year. My commute to work is almost all expressway and with my last car I just couldn’t keep up with massive amounts of rock chips I was getting. When I bought my Type R the first thing I did was take it in for professionally installed PPF and ceramic coating. PPF may not be for everyone, but I am quite happy with how it has protected the leading edges of my car up to this point.

[@alichaudhry12]

Congrats, I just got mine a couple of weeks ago and thinking of going with matte PPF. How you looking the car so far?

[@chrissimmons9969]

@@alichaudhry12 Welcome to the club. I'm loving the car. It is by far the most fun car I have owned. Of course most of all my other cars were family sedans. My CTR is Championship White and I just had the roof PFF wrapped in gloss black and it really helps to tie in with the rear wing. It looks great.

[@alichaudhry12]

@@chrissimmons9969 that's what I have and am looking to do the exact same with the roof, can I get some pics please.

[@chrissimmons9969]

@@alichaudhry12 sure how can I get pics to you?

[@Dejan_23Unlimited]

JAAAAAG 🙏

[@slimdaddyy]

I believe PPF is good for people who don’t like scratches, point blank. It’s not about making things perfect. When parking in parking lots or driving long periods. It’s helpful to know you have that extra layer of protection instead of getting your car re painted.

[@zacklewis342]

How are you protected by paying thousands upfront to MAYBE save a few thousand on paint IF you ever happen to need it?

[@slimdaddyy]

I paid $5200 for a full X3M in XPEL. A lot of shops upcharge like crazy. That is cheaper than respirating. Most Luxury cars have expensive paint therefore it cost. Especially labor. I live in the northeast and labor here is not cheap. I rather pay $5200 once to protect my depreciation asset that I love to drive. It doesn’t protect against everything but 90% of things on the road it can.

[@slimdaddyy]

Than re spraying*** typo

[@jacobpetersen5662]

BINGO! And that is exactly why I have it on my hood. Only partial though, and it has paid for itself. ZERO rock chips after 7 years and that's on 2 cars. ALL our cars previously, were covered in multiple rock chips when we had to sell them. Not ideal! So there 100% IS a place for PPF.

[@executiveinvestments]

@@zacklewis342 go repaint the front of ur car and see the car value drop like a rock from it. You seem like the type of person who says why get insurance? You man never need it.

[@alexstealth27]

Great video. Answered so many of my questions. Great content!! So happy I can make an informed decision now and not regret it down the road by not having had someone explain everything to me as you have.

[@TheDrivenDave]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this, Coleton. I’ve had mixed feelings about not getting PPF for my car, but this makes me relieved I didn’t get it! I had no idea there were so many downsides. Hope to see you again soon!

[@DogDongDotCom]

Here is a quick video summary for those who don't have time to view the entire thing. Classic or High End Car = Get PPF Any Tesla (even plaid) = Get PPF if you like wasting more money, even though you think you are saving on not purchasing gas. Like and Subscribe.

[@Henry_Jr_Watsson]

@@DogDongDotCom Just get coloured PPF as a cool wrap ;) Now you have a fancy color AND it's PPF'd. Just wash it regularly and it won't get damaged by regular wear and tear.

[@rickhunter6513]

I bought a black c5z06 several years ago and the first thing I did was PPF the front, hood and side mirror housings. For a black car you care about, I think PPF is very beneficial because black shows EVERYTHING

[@jameslee2738]

Except that with a black car all the scratches and abrasions in th PPF now look like white blemishes... I know I have one with PPF... never again@@rickhunter6513

[@j.taveras8447]

The whole half of the video of you talking around the car before zooming in, it looks perfectly fine to me. Seems like the ppf did it's job.

[@richscott2483]

Once the damage is done, will you be happy to spend another $2,000 plus dollars every 6 months to 12 months?

[@j.taveras8447]

@@richscott2483 Complete bs, I've had my car PPF'd for over two years w ceramic coat on top and have zero issues. You do not need to replace it every 6-12 months. My previous M3 had PPF/cermaic coat for four years. It had minor chips on the PPF but otherwise perfect and without the PPF it would have been the paint.

[@alisterdaniel]

@@j.taveras8447 I feel like he is a typical tradesman who complains about another trade person's work. they always speak of perfection but their work has issues as well.

[@znemo5275]

Thanks so much for your video. It helped me so much to understand the PRO/CON of PPF. Really appreciate the truth you shared here.

[@ChillyWillyJr]

I've had PPF (and ceramic) on my Audi S5 SB for years. It still looks beautiful and turns heads. If the PPF layer is an example of what the permanent damage could have been to the paint, it's money well spent. In my opinion, this is a nit picking video. The average person that gets PPF could care less about about a few things. Gas prices. Bug smudges that they have to literally dig into just to find and complain about. And the price of getting a good detail. The PPF prevented 99.9% of potential permanent damage. And you're complaining about the 0.1%? Nit picking PPF bug smudges and critiquing someone else's work? Not educational in my opinion.

[@IronCan88]

I have xpel ppf and it makes me happy knowing my paint is protected, and when i wash my car i know uts going to look like new and shiny. Because i have OCD and any imperfection just gets in my nerves, so ppf is easily worth it for me. If you dont care about rock chip and are mainly focused on value then dont use ppf. You wont get your money back when you sell your car, but while you own the car, you will be happy ppf helped keep it looking beautiful 😍

[@whereisthedollar]

Thank You, for someone in the industry finally stating the whole truth about PPF. I've seen some pretty bad work out there where you can tell by just seeing the edges. On some it would have been better too just have an new paint job. Also, PPF doesn't last forever.

[@executiveinvestments]

PPF lasts way longer than most people keep their cars. So whats the problem?

[@anangelshero0410]

Think about this, if a rock chip would've damaged the PPF as described in this video, can you imagine how badly it would've damaged the clearcoat AND paint!?

[@jacobpetersen5662]

Rocks don't damage PPF. The video is silly.

[@19hundoc47]

@@jacobpetersen5662what about all the dents and divots in the film he showed?

[@filippxx]

Of course it does, not all rocks are made equal. ​@@jacobpetersen5662

[@tommykaira8775]

He's saying bugs damaged the PPF

[@artiep7721]

I've had the same ppf on my m3 for 6 years and EVERYTHING comes off. I don't get it. Maybe the brand of ppf? I've done 7 cars with 3m, Scotchguard and even some 3mil ebay stuff. Never had this happen.

[@jimbuono2404]

A year ago I bought a 4 year old Mercedes SL450 with full PPF over the entire car. The car was just off lease and had spent it's life in Florida, bug capital of the US. The paint was flawless. Not a swirl, not a stain, no blems except for a couple of chips on a mirror. What creates flaws in the paint is driving 70 mph on the highway or perhaps a windy day around town. Dust, fine particles of dirt and the like create micro abrasions in the paint. This is where you benefit from ppf. The ppf protects from these types of abrasions and they don't seem to damage the ppf at all. After my owning the car for another year, the paint looks like it just came out of the factory. Yes, it's expensive, but unless you drag out the buffing wheel once a year, and I don't, the ppf will, in most cases, keep your paint looking factory fresh.

[@mach183]

This so good to hear I just moved too Florida

[@dahnejaygomez]

Thank yoy! Good thing I saw your vid. I nearly had my daily driven crv done as I get unwanted scratches and bugs stains and got tired of cleaning it off every weekend thinking that ppf will help.

[@alairys]

Thank you so so much for this video honestly you helped me save so much ! Grateful for people like you that are honest !!!! We need more in this world !!

[@tjuan7]

I was actually looking into getting this done on my new car. Just saved me a lot of money. Thanks.

[@bartekkozie7122]

I’am the owner of PPF studio in Australia and wanted to thank you for the video. I have to agree that PPF is not for everyone, I always mention to my customers this wont solve all your problems. In my opinion PPF is worth the money as long as you use best brands like Suntek or XPEL. Installation process is a key - edge wrapped, do not overstretch and use patterns. A lot of people don’t understand PPF installation is basically a handcraft and many of detailers expend their services without thinking how difficult it is to make it right and that’s what destroying our industry. I found educating people about the whole idea make them coming back with other vehicles. In addition detailers sell ceramic coating as a paint protection which everyone knows it does not, expect UV.

[@dnegel9546]

What happens if you put 3+ layers of ppf on ? Just wondering if 1 layer is kinda good. What would 10 layers do. Then when the top layer is damaged you peel it off and its like new underneath. 😅

[@hypereffects972]

@@dnegel9546 You would never, ever need 10 layers of ppl. Most pff films are at minimum 8 mils thick. More than thick enough for rock chips to never go through. The film doesn't get shredded over the years. So to answer your question, nothing would happen other than them unnecessary being on the car. 1 layer of ppl is good.

[@upup209]

Are you in Melbourne?

[@otomoravec1732]

This looks like the kind of job i got on my car. Was really disappointed. Complained to the shop so eventually they gave me my money back while i kept the ppf installed. So for free, i deemed it acceptable lol.

[@pamfox1601]

TRUELY APPRECIATE THIS MOST VALUABLE & INFORMATIVE INFORMATION U TOOK YOUR TIME 2 SHARE this with us. I was contemplating having the " rest" if my brand new FORESTER PPF'd ......HOWEVER THANKS 2 YOUR video i am just going have the ceramic coating applied & CARE 4 MY FIRST NEW CAR as it should B...& hand wash, double buckets & IF I need a car wash once in awhile....BRUSHLESS 😮 THANK U SO MUCH 4 YOUR TIME & CONSIDERATION in making this video 4 all of us who really want ti know IF its worth it 😮 I WISH I wud have seen it B4 I had the front of my car, fenders, & pillars done with PPF.... I live in the PNW ...no garage & i truely WANTED the BEST PROTECTION 👌

[@shnerp]

Thanks for the video. As a person who had a bad PPf experience, I thought Id comment. If you are going to get PPF, make sure you get it installed by a professional and insist on seeing some of thier work in person before giving them any of your money. My first experience was through a shop with 5 star ratings, but i never had a chance to see any of thier PPF work. The end result was an install with all the flaws Coleton shows, along with knife cuts into the paint! PPF was removed by another shop and most, but not all of the knife cuts could be polished out. Not a good start for a brand new vehicle. In the future, only paint correction and ceramic coatings for me.

[@zuvin2350]

My exact same experience. And my exact same conclusion

[@kevindhouck]

I really, really appreciate your HONEST opinion about PPF. I was on the fence about spending that kind of money on something that I really wasn’t sure about but you have convinced me that it’s not worth it. I realize that this video will upset some PPF installers, but people need to see the pros and cons with it and that it’s not a perfect product. Thank you again I really enjoyed your video. I’m just going to have it ceramic coated, and call it a day.

[@kevronreid3234]

This was VERY informative. Nice to have a non-salesman talk clearly about the benefits and disadvantages of PPF

[@Supercruze]

It is nice to hear your opinion and I learned a few things about what makes a good or bad PPF install. I have put PPF on my vehicles for years thinking it is the best protection from rock chips in the long run, but I have discovered like you point out that some rocks can get through and damage the paint anyway. The other dirty secret with PPF is that it needs to be replaced on a routine basis. It is not install it for the life of the vehicle. I have an 09 Corvette Z06 that came with PPF installed on the front section. That PPF is now starting to dry out and check in places and will need to be removed at great expense. I have decided to forgo PPF on my newest vehicle purchase.

[@aussie8114]

I had PPF put on my CX5 gloss black plastic door pillars. The plastic is ridiculously soft so it needed some way of helping stop scratching. The PPF does help prevent lots of micro scratches but PPF is itself prone to scratching that won’t self heal. It’s only the micro scratches that self heal.

[@cheahkaimun1]

Agreed. It does help to prevent scratches from my neighbours 5:11 cats which like to lying on my car. Prevent many stone chips whenever following truck with load of stones or sand…..

[@shojus]

PPF should NEVER be sold as an "enhancement" to your vehicle! It's a barrier to protect your factory paint so that you can resell and hopefully recoup the cost of the PPF. For me, I don't drive on the highway much and don't follow close to cars ahead of me. I see people getting PPF on a Nissan Sentra, and for me that's just throwing your money away! If you have a very expensive car, get some PPF to protect your car from losing its value even more than it already will.

[@LifeLongLearner-om8jx]

My rule of thumb for PPF is if the cost of the PPF is >10% of the cost of the car then it makes no sense whatsoever (with a few exceptions).

[@stuffhappens5681]

100%

[@Dejan_23Unlimited]

Really

[@dekcode2824]

I hust DIY it and save thousands of $.

[@AJ56]

Not to mention the optical distortion, yellowing, still doesn’t stop dents or deeper chips, and you still have to ceramic coat it for hydrophobic properties.

[@DouglasJMark]

Got Xpel PPF on our 2022 Model Y. I finally got around to hand-washing it this week (no-touch washes leave a greyish dirt film). Car looks like new. Better yet, the PPF makes the paint look like it has 20 layers of clear coat on it. PS Bug spots are harder to get off (ceramic coating helped). I'll have a closer look for PPF damage and for big rock chips too. Thanks Coleton! Lotsa love to all ❤❤❤

[@VgAce135]

So your rationale for not getting PPF is because it leaves a mark on the PPF when there is a rock chip? Do you not understand what happens when a rock hits your car? It chips the paint. On my previous car that did not have PPF I had so many rock chips. I would go over it with touch up paint, which would cost money, but it was never that good of a job. PPF would have protected my paint. It is not perfect, but PPF is better than nothing. And the dealership that I got it installed at gave me a 10 year warranty on the PPF. Even if I trade in the car, it will be worth more with having PPF installed. Hard to say that is not worth it.

[@19hundoc47]

Most dealers hardly look at a car when they give it a value for trade in. They look it over once, maybe drive it, and give a value. Your 2-3k in film isn’t going to make them give you more. I traded in a car with 100s of rock chips up front and got more a little more than trade in value was, and I didn’t spend 3 grand on film

[@VgAce135]

@@19hundoc47 Remind me never to buy a car that you have driven then. Sounds like you don't take care of them at all.

[@dieselsyndrome1755]

I had 3 vehicles done with ppf. Never again. This guy is spot on in his video. I'd rather fix some paint chips. I don't have any on my 3 MBs and together I have over 600k on them. They still look far better than any car I had with ppf after 2 years. Just my opinion

[@VgAce135]

@@19hundoc47 If you don't take of your cars then that's on you. So I will definitely not be buying any car you have ever driven. No clue why this concept is so hard for you to understand in that it took you a month you reply to my comment. But you do you, buddy.

[@19hundoc47]

@@VgAce135 whatever you say troll boy, stay mad

[@jonathanparkinson9536]

I'm thinking about PPF for my pickup truck. I want to protect the paint as best I can but I also have to take the vehicle through dirt tracks and woodland (I run a farm). For me, PPF seems like the best option - Protection against scratches small "Branches" and protection against track stones etc. Great video and thanks for spending the time putting this together.

[@visualaxingofficial]

I’d rather have bug stains that can only be seen when 6 inches away from it than rock chip I can see from 6 feet away. PPF for the win and for me.

[@postridebeers]

Thank you. Exactly the video I needed to see

[@jomarisangalang]

Thank you for sharing your POV. I've been thinking about installing it in my car but when I saw your video I'm thinking thrice. They said there are self healing PPF, I might find a review for that.

[@justinsugay1149]

I feel your passion for what you do. This was very helpful. Thank you!

[@paolotiglao]

had mine on 3yrs and counting, and i live in a tropical country. no problems. no peeling. ppf looks good still.

[@zachc9551]

I have a 2021 Mazda cx-9. I have PPF on my car since new from rock guard films on the east coast in Pennsylvania and have no problem or issues like this. Looks great since day one. It goes to my detailer about every 6-8 month for maintenance washes. I also have a ceramic coating and they say the car and ppf is great.

[@stevenbenton2061]

Modesta Ceramic Coating, here I come. Been thinking about doing film on my soon to be factory delivered BMW, but had concerns (like lifting film). Thx for answering questions I have suspected to be problematic with PPF.

[@whatsupwithsteve]

Thanks for a great review! I just bought a GLE AMG63s and of course want to do the best thing to keep it looking good. But I thought back over all the cars I have owned and realized that while they did get a few rock chips, other than that they looked just fine as I hand wash and wax(nano-coat) them myself. Your video confirmed that I made the right decision to save thousands of dollars on PPG.

[@whatsupwithsteve]

@@japanwatchconnection It's a car, not jewelry. Touchup paint works just fine if applied the right way..:)

[@Dawood4]

Exactly, unless your car is a literal showpiece you are trying to preserve, it will literally be cheaper just to repaint the whole car. PPF on the entire car would cost close to 10,000. You can get an amazing paint job for a third of that. We're never gonna make up the resale value in a few rock chips by spending thousands on PPF

[@veliksami]

I'd rather replace ppf than paint. And if you apply wax or synthetic wax it will protect the ppf from bug stains. Make sure to get 3M pro series ppf.

[@teamgartz-motorsports6881]

I agree with you. I only have done PPF on my cars that are 100k+, there is no reason to do in a beater. And a good PPF starts at 5k, and needs to be replaced every few years to not look garbage. But it will protect from rock chips and bird poop, the PPF might fade but the painting underneath won’t. A good PPF shop will do paint correction before applying the PPF and then after to make sure it looks neat.

[@teamgartz-motorsports6881]

@japanwatchconnection it’s just s matter of finance. A paint that costs 1k to fix a panel of the car, in a car that will be beat up, there is no reason to spend 3k protecting it. I let it get beat up and repaint it. A car that costs 10k to 20k to repaint, it worths a PPF expense of 5k to keep the original painting as those cars usually have multi-layer painting that is quite expensive. It’s not about being elitist, just smart about how to spend the money. Of course if your car is special and you love how it looks with PPF and that gives you a good feeling and you can spend. Go ahead. Tho I have 10k cars either fade out painting that I couldn’t care less, as far as I can have fun with it driving around. And others that I want to preserver the painting and it will be more expensive to fix than protect.

[@timmietz]

Yeah, I don’t think so. Very strange viewpoint in my humble opinion. I own about 40 cars and almost all of them have some PPF and I probably have about 10 cars that I have full PF on them. The proper way to protect a new car is Pain correction, then, PPF, then ceramic coating over the PPF. In the last seven or so years, I’ve used three different shops. One of them does amazing work every time, the other two, it depends on who did the job as far as the technician himself. That new EXPEL thicker film is awesome. Also, the matte film is terrific in my opinion. My matte paint cars I don’t even drive at all until they are PPFed. As far as staining, yes, I have had one year old PPF redone twice. Both times it had to do with the fact that the car sat in the sun with sapp stains on the PPF. And, regardless of what it is, older, film, seven years plus old, will need to be replaced if you drive the car at all. I am a big fan of ceramic coating, but only if it goes on top of the PPF. Lastly, the worstPPF that I have seen both from the application technique perspective as well as the quality of the film itself, is Factory PPF on the newer Porsches.

[@Chomperoni23]

I agree with you 💯

[@zacklewis342]

So, pay multiple thousands of dollars and waste loads of your valuable time instead of just maintaining your paint with regular washes and garaging? Even if you have a paint issue, it will probably be minor and cost way less than all of this nonsense.

[@mayeramschelrothschild3126]

@@zacklewis342if he has 40 cars I think the last thing he’s worried about is money.

[@lahzx10]

I have had 3M PPF installed and my commute is mainly HWY and over the years I have not in counter the issues that you mentioned, maybe is the quality of ppf that a dealer uses because the 3M film has done a great job on my car and if there are a few dings from rocks they have never penetrated the film and I have not had any issues with bug stain they always come off without leaving a mark, Its absolutely worth it to me.

[@williamelkington5430]

Thank you, Coleton. Very helpful.

[@jakemason9436]

I have had real 3M PPF on my ram hood edge and various other locations. 7 years. 220,000kms. Professionally installed. Still looks great. No fade. No peel. No stains. Some scratches and dings but that’s the whole point.

[@Vanguardkl]

I think this is the fastest like and subscribe I've ever done in 15 years watching KZbin. Great stuff, hi from malaysia

[@rkgsd]

The tradeoff of having protection from scratches, parking lot idiots and stone chips makes the film still worth it. I wouldn't replace the PPF because of a few bug stains and rock chips.

[@Eric-steele]

Good video buddy I was considering this stuff but you changed my mind Cheers

[@yuvalkapellner2551]

My car is fully ppf'ed. Aside the roof which doesn't count because it is a tesla and it is just glass. I was involved in an accident that was not fatal, Another car just scrapped through my right rear door down to the wheel arch and bumber. The whole area was heavily scuffed and a dent was created at the wheel arch area. The ppf saved my car paint and clearcoat. It protected it. My installer removed it and it was again like new. I had pdr done on the dented area and new ppf was installed instead of the one that was ruined on the door and back right side again. This car is white pearl. If i had to repaint and keep it look like new, it would end up repainting the whole right side of the car or otherwise it wouldn't be perfect color blending. So ppf was worth it to me. Car also looks much glossier than without it so it shines alot more. The ppf is self healing so any minor scratches just dissappear under the warm sun and the shine level remains high.

[@steveanderson5226]

Thank you for your honest opinion! I love this channel and all the insight that you bring to bear :)

[@jasonrichard6286]

You are really good at explaining stuff. I didn’t know a lot about this process but know a lot more now!

[@johng241]

I get everything you mention, but I live in the NE snow belt with a lot of cinders and salt and every stone chip leads to rust. So I get PPF purely for 1 layer of protection. Otherwise, by the time you continually touch up every rock chip to avoid rust, your vehicle looks like it has the chicken pox. I would rather live with defects on my PPF than paint chips and spotty touch up paint.

[@thrillhax]

What are your thoughts on ceramic on top of PPF? My Detailer did that for my install and my PPF still looks like it’s brand new from a year ago. Granted we don’t have as many bugs and I hand wash every weekend.

[@JamboneMan]

I did the same on my Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Summit Reserve. It looks amazing and so easy to maintain. They key to PPF really comes down to the installer. I only did partial PPF and the installer spent about 12 hours custom printing and cutting in a mobile lab at my house. He is a high experienced installer. I spent a week or so preparing the surfaces and this was before the car was driven after purchase. Make sure you find a very, very good experienced installer otherwise walk away...

[@RobertKeenanComp-U-Right]

Thank you for helping me with my decision.👍

[@Herofmine]

I ran ppf on all of my cars and no regrets, it does what it supposed to do, renew when needed 😊

[@jacobpetersen5662]

I LOVE PPF for a partial hood. I have 2 cars that are 7 years old and their hoods are 100% free of rock chips. I don't love it for bugs, and that's why I only do a partial hood. It has never faded and looks as new as when I installed it 7 years ago.

[@greyphantome2617]

Been using PPF over the past 20 years in all my cars. PPF is not for everyone. If you’re willing to take care of it then it has its place. Definitely payed off for me and it’s a must for those who’re willing to go the extra mile in taking care of their cars. To begin with the job must be done well, then it’s all about taking care of it, such as hand washing washing at home, there are special techniques washing ppfd cars, don’t cross over edges etc , seal the edges either waxes , etc

[@jasonblair4057]

This video for has come at a great time. I am looking to have my model y front end ppf and the car ceramic coated. Since it’s a daily driver I think doing the ceramic coat only will be a better value. I do plan on driving this car into ground as they say.

[@neoanderson7]

Well yes, anyone who has any thought would know that PPF is meant to be another layer of protection. Nothing protects 100%. So people are coming in and complaining that 6 month of heavy road use and there's wear on the PPF??? Well yeah, that's going to happen. However, if it was installed properly (which in this case wasn't), its still going to look better than not having it there at all. Imagine all the hard chips the paint would've suffered on the car already.. I can see why some installers would stop offering it because the last thing you want is someone coming back and complaining the stuff doesn't work. Or wants to replace everything without paying for it (which of course is the situation 99% of the time is going to happen). I still think installing PPF is a good way to go if you're worried about resale value or want to protect your "forever car". Would I put it on a daily driver or a leased vehicle? If the daily driver is a desirable brand or costs upwards of 70G's+, then yeah, I'd probably want too. On a leased vehicle?? No. I find it especially helpful to avoid all those swirl marks and blemishes that accumulate over time. I personally never put the car thru any car washes, but for those who want to quickly make it look "shiny", PPF goes a long way. Especially with its self healing properties.

[@adrianlawrence7224]

You opened my eyes to ppf. I thought it was the best protector out there . Certainly never new about bug stains

[@sa.t.2507]

Model Y user with full PPF on the entire car. The PPF is by far the best investment I’ve made on my Tesla. This far it has saved me from getting damaged doors from other people hitting it when parking way too close to my car. Also it has saved my front from getting damage from all the stone chips from the road when behind a semi. But foremost the car is so much easier to clean, it’s like your car has a constant coat of wax on it where it just washes off so much easier. Also one of the biggest advantages is that when I wash my car I really don’t think about if my sponge is clean from dirt and whatnot so that I wont scratch the paint, I just wash and use pretty much anything I find. No harm done ever. That said, is it perfect? No, not every corner is perfectly made and not every edge is clean. But I have a white car so every little thing shows up. It’s all about who installed it at the end of the day.

[@PaniczAdam]

I have my car PPFed and I am super happy about it. My PPF is self-healing and you can scratch it with a fork and after a couple of sunny hours, it looks perfect again.

[@IndyAvocadoKid]

Oh, you have the new self healing type of PPF, cool! One of the local shops even has a demo plate on the wall where you can scratch up the gloss black plate with a wire brush then blow dry it with a hair dryer, scratches just disappear like magic. And like you say sunny places can heat up the hood enough to fix up scratches too….pretty neat stuff!😊

[@southbayproducts5371]

Thank you Sir. Great info

[@broderp]

You made me want PPF after watching this video. If it gets damaged and saves the paint, then fine. You failed to provide a better alternative, and something is better than nothing. It sounds to me that if your story is true, then the owner of that car didn't clean it often enough and let the bugs damage the PPF. You t h en criticized people who care about protecting their car. Nice.

[@iSmokey-fq1kb]

So did u get it or was this all talk?

[@Ch0000Re]

Great video, was on the fence about ppf and your POV really help! Decided not to get it, not worth all the hassle like you said

[@iLoveBoysandBerries]

I've had ppf on my Bentley for 6 years.. It looks amazing to this day

[@nicholas_a.baxter-herold]

Thank you so much for this video! I didn’t realize all the bad things about getting PPF. I thought about getting PPF on my cars but after watching your video I’ve decided not to spend the money on it. Thank you!

[@wheresthepictureidk2817]

Do you think fixing rock chips after couple year period looks better and is cheaper than having ppf and replacing it after the same time period?

[@ZackScriven]

PPF will look better.

[@ak-iy4yb]

Define better. Better in price? Better in look? Most chips are in the bumper and hood. If you really want paint protection, the smartest move is to get PPF in the bumper and hood only. Possibly lower side of vehicle as well.@@ZackScriven

[@ZackScriven]

@@ak-iy4yb better in way it looks. That’s why I said it will look better. 🤔

[@jonesjones7057]

My experience. I have an 11 year old jag xf with 125k miles on it. No PPF. At some point lately the front bumper was pretty thrashed with rock chips so I had the front bumper repainted by a shop with great reviews and it looks as good as new. It cost $900. Seems better to just save the money and repaint after a few years than PPF. As this guy said, if I had a super car that would be different, but a typical car, dont think so.

[@mastrasport]

@@jonesjones7057 I have exactly the same experience. To be honest even if I have to repaint my front even 2-3 years it would still be cheaper that PPF. Also I would never be convince that PPF will look as new after years, you can never prevent peel offs and dust collection at the edges.

[@firerx]

thank you for this video. I considered getting PPF for my GLE 350. After watching this video, I will not do it. it an everyday car for me and it would be cheaper for me to have the Bonnet and front bumper repainted by my body shop to take out the rock dings. then to deal with the disadvantages you have shown in the video. I wash it weekly and wax it when needed.

[@matikalt1243]

Imagine all the damage those bug stains and rocks would have done to that beautiful paint without the PPF

[@Mark.AUS.]

Thank you for an honest review of ppf.

[@arshadhabib3063]

Thanks for providing this informative video, I just purchased a BMW 3 series. This car is very special to me and I was considering doing a PPF but now I don't know if I should after watching your video. This will be a daily driver and I work from home so the car will not be driven on highways, I also live in the city.

[@jasonsong86]

I have had bugs that would swell and even stain paint but it goes away after being baked in the hot sun for a day or two. The way I look at cars is that unless it's collectable just drive the car, it won't make a difference when you go trade it in. Also a lot of times, if the paint is not perfect on a car, it will damage the paint than not having it.

[@ngdanskraal2227]

I live in SA. I ppf my car at a reputable car detailer. I had done a roadtrip of mote than 4000 km's. No problems. Any bugs I just wiped them off at the end of the day. I had my second car done. No problem. I only did the front part because of lack of funds. It's only ordinary cars but it was the best decision. Perhaps thete are fitters and fitters.

[@rns2222]

Recently discovered your channel. Great content. Subscribed.

[@ser9656]

Definitely true about rock chips on front bumper. Several have gotten through to the paint below on my TeslaM3. Impossible to repair. My next purchase of Model Y I have no plan to get PPF for that and other reasons.

[@Smithy67]

Great video! Reminds me of my terrible efforts covering my kids school books ......

[@Near2Future]

I use halo v2 for my wrap, decals ppf ect. It's a flexable ceramic coating for your ppf ect. It's great honestly!

[@stuffhappens5681]

I drove to work on the highway about a half our each way. I live in an industrial city (although nowhere near as industrial as it used to be) so there are a fair share of trucks of all types. Add to that road salt and the fact that the roadway is full of debris each Spring, so if you’re like me and like to keep your car as detailed as possible under adverse conditions then I can see the use case for PPF. After I retired and only do local driving I peeled it off my GTI and must admit it mostly did its job. But regardless of paint protection a top tip is to always install it on your headlight lenses. If you do they’ll never yellow or haze over from harmful UV rays.

[@thomasbihn]

My five year old Model 3 is happy it's had PPF on it. So much so that I'm getting my new Model Y protected. It looks great where the PPF was installed and I regret not having it installed in front of the rear wheels where the paint is ruined. It costs $20,000 or more to repaint a car. That's 10 applications of PPF

[@simon84]

Super helpful, thx

[@RoguePainter]

I get what your saying but for me the PPF has 100% done its job. its taken the damage and protected his paint. when he wants to sell it just pull off the PPF and his paint will 100% be in better condition than if he didn't have the PPF

[@lagunamusic7686]

Thank you for this video, what’s your opinion on ceramic coating?

[@marcasswellbmd6922]

He hit the nail on the head though.. I see a lot of people, some are my friend's throwing money around!! And not just on detailing but on Mod's and parts that they don't even need.. It becomes an addiction for some people..

[@scottc78]

I bought my Nardo Gray'18 Audi RS3 with Xpel Stealth PPF already installed on the whole car. Cool look. It doesn't have the same issues with bugs leaving stains like clear PPF. Makes cleaning super easy. But when there's any slight damage to the PPF there's nothing you can do besides replace it. I like it, But I didn't have to pay the $5k+ for the install.

[@uncrownedking5106]

PPF saved my paint and headlight. I was just leaving a car wash which had a narrow exit and i was not used to the long hood of my new car. I ended up scratching the side of the exit and did not notice until i parked somewhere else. There were huge but superficial scratch marks on the right fender and headlights. I was so annoyed all the way until i went home. Luckily, I had PPF on the whole body, and i was thinking of giving my PPF installer a visit to change the PPF in the affected area. Before i went to him, I said if im going to change it anyway, why don't i experiment with it a little. First thing i tried was rubbing it with alcohol swap, and the scratch marks disappeared like magic! It left minor scratches from the rubbing, which healed by itself the next day after being exposed to the sun!

[@ACTConcreteCutting]

I’ve had ppf for 4 years 50k miles. No scrapes or stone chips in the paint. I’m going to replace the hood and front spoiler area because it has done its job. The rest is still near perfect. Doesn’t look quite as good as a corrected car but I don’t have to stress about it, either.

[@mrgold3591]

Same with XPEL on one car and Suntek on another for +4 years (both have a 10 year warranty). Zero issues with either PPF living in the triple digit heat in the southwest, UV protection, road debris, road rash from sand, and a ton of bugs, and with posted speed limits of 65-80 mph. I hand wash/dry by hand with microfiber at home. I sometimes pack a bucket/ceramic soap/microfiber when I travel to clean as needed at the U-wash-it places on the road in summer. My PPF installer tucks the PPF into the seams to make it look invisible.

[@TRD_Nate]

My xpel ppf self heals with bug stains. Just wipe them off, let it sit in the sun, and it’s good as new. I’d recommend using xpel (template based, and self healing) and having a quality xpel certified shop install.

[@TeslaFlex]

I put a stealth ppf over the front of my Model Y to prevent damage to the wrap. My model X got so beat up on the front so I didn’t want to deal with that again 😅. If it was just over paint I wouldn’t have done it.

[@peacems]

I'm with you. PPF has come a long way since my first install in 2004 on my R32 (still own) but in reality, you're paying to keep the paint looking good for the next person while it looks like crap over time while you own it. Who is spending $2k to replace it every few years? Also, try to pull PPF off after 10 years.... it sucks. I'd rather touch up paint chips or respray down the road.

[@attisthecat]

My previous Tesla had PPF from day 1, for 3 years. PPF still looked fine to me. But of course does not increase value of car at all. When i sold it, nobody cared i saved the paid from a couple rock chips. So $2,000 for .... some peace of mind. All that said I am still getting PPF on my new Tesla Y. The difference this time is I bought a kit, and pre-cut pieces from TESBROS. Doing myself keeps cost down, and helps me justify the cost benefit. I think i will always have bumper, and rocker panels covered. Especially if I am successful in putting this stuff on myself.

[@DeltaCharlie27]

let us know how it goes. i’ve done some ppf on bikes and small parts with decent luck. large curvy parts are i think much more difficult.

[@SoCalVipers]

This is a really insightful video. I had my last car for about a year and it had full PPF. For me, the benefit is that it always looked good. There were far fewer rock chips than if it didn't have PPF, and I felt safe taking it to a drive through carwash once or twice a week and it never got swirl marks. My current car, a Tesla Plaid, has had PPF for almost a year, and it still looks new. Tesla paint isn't very nice, but the PPF seems to make it more glossy - as if it was just waxed. When I'm on a road trip, and the front is plastered with bugs, I use a gas station squeegee not just for the windshield, but also to scrub the bugs off the front. Since I have PPF, I don't worry about scratching it. I will reserve my final opinion until after 3 or 4 years. Then I'll know if the PPF looks terrible or not. Maybe it's cheaper to just repaint the front end every three years. But for now, full PPF has been a pretty awesome luxury.

[@bristheemufanpage]

Hell yea ima install some on my carbon fiber hood

[@z-prodidsanziiprod6090]

That totally depends on different people. Some people don't care about minor scratches or swirls since they think the car is the car, not a big deal, and the PPF is just a massive waste of money for them. For others who have a slight OCD or seek a perfect condition for the car, then the PPF is 100% worthy. Personally, on the day I picked up my new car, I thought the PPF is just too expensive to get one, but after a few months, I still choose to have the front end covered with PPF, however, at that time, there's already some chips on the hood. My suggestion is, if you are a person who likes everything to be tidy and clean, then don't hesitate to get the PPF on the day u pick up the new car.👍

[@mikez6683]

Colorado is rough when it comes to rock chips. The best way I have found to protect my car from rock chips in CO is stay way back from trucks on 25 and 70.

[@joevanseeters2873]

That is one beautiful Mercedes. That color is absolutely stunning and perfect on that vehicle. I actually like the new larger Mercedes grille also which harkens back to their early days when some of their vehicles had larger grille like that. My wife just got a new Subaru Outback Touring XT and it was the dealer fleet demo (so it literally had every bell and whistle the Outback could have on it including the partial PPF on the front area of the car including the hood. Not my favorite look having the line across the hood showing but I am glad it has it on there due to being in Colorado. It's only a matter of time until you get a rock chip here. No sense in trying to avoid it, IT WILL happen! It's only a matter of time, so PPF on the front half of the hood is essential here in Colorado although I do want to at least make an attempt to keep the PPF (which is in like new condition at this time) in the best possible condition using the correct products. That's the reason my search brought me here. I was searching to see what product(s) I should be using to maintain that PPF so it doesn't yellow. Is using a regular wax or sealant on it ok? I was just curious. How did you clean the edges you pointed out in the video? You said you spent a ton of time cleaning the edges. I was just wondering what product(s) you utilized to get the edges clean because that is something i will be dealing with as well. I generally use a sealant (Jescar Ultralock ceramic infused polymer sealant), followed with maintenance with Griot's 3 in 1 ceramic spray wax. Is that a safe combination to use on the PPF? I don't think either one of the products leave the white staining of yesteryear that old waxes used to leave on vehicle time and they are safe for all parts of the vehicle exterior. Also, is using harsher soaps a "no-no" on the PPF film area? Meaning the higher alkaline or lower acidic wash solutions? Does it absolutely have to be a PH balanced soap is my question? It's a daily driver and will be stored outside at the moment until we get the garaged cleaned out a bit more. It's also a daily driver in Colorado where it's been a more snowy winter this year so it will most likely be covered in salt and traffic road film, needing more frequent washes. What product do I use to correct scratches in the PPF? What compound or polish is best on them to get some of the slight scratches out of the PPF. I thought I saw somewhere that you could polish PPF with certain specialty products? Help please. Thank you sir.

[@georgevavoulis4758]

Thank you for your insight and telling us the truth about PPF

[@myname2263]

If you add ceramic coating to the PPF does it still have the same bug stains ?

[@chrisbradley3224]

I have had PPF for 2.5 years on my car and I have no bug stains at all. Not one. I keep the car pretty clean and with spray sealant though.

[@stevemartin4759]

This guy be like, " you shouldn't clean your room, its just gonna get dirty again."

[@mischaraine1645]

😂

[@Can8ian.]

So once upon a time, someone said hey we should paint metal to make it last longer and look better. Then some time passed and someone said hey we should put some clear paint over the color paint so the paint will last longer and look better. Now we reach recent days, and someone says hey we should put some extra clear film over the clear paint on the color paint to make the shine last longer. So my question is, why not just put thicker clear on so repairs can be done to paint more frequently without risk of needing to repaint?

[@Meltdown900cc]

I traded in a red BMW that was not PPF and I lost a lot of money cause of the rock chips expose the white primer underneath . Since then -I had my last three cars PPF and no rock chips or bug marks.

[@topwrapzltd]

Ive Been installing PPF for over a decade ...... It's not perfect , it never will be , it should be sold as a degradable protection and pros and cons clearly explained. The edges lift over time, it gets beat up as it does it's job , but its a great sacrificial layer . Is it for everyone ? No way..... I've done some installs where's theirs no patterns on old cars and In all honesty they aren't perfect , neat but certainly not perfect, average cut lines and bits you have outlined in this video , I've always explained to the customer what to expect and they can make their choice to go ahead / or not , most and are just happy the car has that hard wearing layer. The newer patterns ( 2015 onwards) are much much better but in reality I've never seen or done a perfect PPF install. It's just not possible. I try my absolute best and have won awards for my installs and still some of them as mentioned particularly on the older cars (early 2000s) with no patterns are 6/10 at best as it's a hand created product, I can't hide from that , my z4m 2006 is a definite average install , Again little to no patterns and what was available was pretty damn poor, but my pride and joy is mostly protected from top to bottom and that lets me enjoy it and I will improve it everytime a section needs swapping out. For me, I see the benefits and the pros out weight the cons. The key as an installer is to be honest and very upfront. I love the PPF product , and even the challenge to install. Very proudly a Suntek official install shop here in the UK. Good video 👍🏾

[@mastrasport]

Issue for me is that PPF is being sold/marketed as the perfect solution for everything and only downside being the price to afford it.

[@topwrapzltd]

@@mastrasport anyone marketing PPF as perfect is bare faced lying. It's very much imperfect. I adore the PPF sector but I'm vbrutally honest with my clients. As mentioned my old 2006 car with the early patterns is far from perfect. Wiggly lines in places where I've made hand cuts, hexagon around circles where I've had to adjust myself , but overall neat. Neat is as far as Id go. The newer car patterns are much much better but still it's definitely not perfect.

[@kiplingvisintini5783]

95 town car signature 34.000 miles first owner put 20000 on it in 20 years.flawless-thinking of doing front end

[@sab0024]

@@topwrapzltdI like your honesty. That’s what I tell customers in time edges will lift up. Ive noticed it more on edges. Dirt gets in there some how

[@joelupetz5157]

What if we put ceramic coating on top of PPF? Would it solve the issues you pointed out aside from a poor application by the detailer?