PPF for long term ownership- bad things waiting?

[bl1ss]

[FrozenGT]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

OK, so you use the "most expensive" PPF on your own cars.

Honest question....what do YOU expect to see out of this PPF? Why did you put it on your car? What are you hoping to accomplish?

I installed PPF to prevent bugs and other debris from getting into the clearcoat. And I like knowing that when I wash my car, the bugs come right out.. however do not leave bug sitting in PPF for more than a week because that will stain the PPF. My PPF is fully coated with Gyeon PPF ceramic coating.

However, my wife’s brand new X3 M50. Her car is driven every day, so I didn’t install PPF on it. She drives it on dirt roads and up and down the highways, so I don’t think it’s worth worrying about. For me, PPF was more of a luxury, especially since my car sits so low.. I’m okay with replacing it in a few years. I’ll deal with the edges, lifting, and other issues as they arise.

[FrozenGT]

Originally Posted by Crester

I'm really feeling that you don't understand the point of PAINT PROTECTION FILM. The point of PPF isn't for the film itself to magically stay looking perfect forever. The point of PAINT PROTECTION FILM is to be form of PROTECTION for the PAINT... hence its name.

It's a sacrificial layer to absorb damage so that the actual paint of the car does not get damaged. And if the PPF gets a significant form of damage... you can replace it without having to repaint the car.

I understand the point of PPF if you are daily driving your vehicle, you’re throwing money away. The pain protection film is going to look worse overtime than the paint itself if you want to spend $4000 every two years or three years protecting your daily driver that’s totally fine. I don’t put PPF on daily vehicles.

[FrozenGT]

And I really hope people are not leasing cars and putting PPF on them. That is the absolute worst. you are literally burning money. Please take that money and invest in into something that will make you money.

[gohawks23]

Outside of very expensive 'peace of mind'... for most the PPF is just protecting the car for the next owner...haha! I had PPF on my F80 M3 and it looked like crap after 3 years when I sold it but great when peeled off for next owner!

EDIT: Mine looked bad because over the 3 years and tens of thousands of miles on highways I had quite a few gouges/dents/tears in the film from larger rocks...it did its job but looked bad and I was too cheap to spend several hundreds to replace.

[1xquisit]

Originally Posted by gohawks23

Outside of very expensive 'peace of mind'... for most the PPF is just protecting the car for the next owner...haha! I had PPF on my F80 M3 and it looked like crap after 3 years when I sold it but great when peeled off for next owner!

So what you're saying is abuse the car and daily it for 2 years while having the PPF. Then remove damaged PPF by start of year 3 and you have a fresh new paint, and continue driving it for the next 1-2 years then sell it. That will have the car looking fresh for at least 3 years haha

[firefly.]

As others have stated in the thread, modern PPF doesn't peel or yellows over time. If it does, you picked a cheap film or installer. I had 3m PPF (front-only) on my last Red color car for 14 years, and it still looked great when I sold it last year. Yes, the next guy appreciated me taking care of the paint, despite the rock chips in other non-PPFd areas. But I didn't do it for them, it was for me to appreciate it with minimal damage during my ownership.
It's fine to go without PPF if you so choose, but don't do it for inaccurate concerns of PPF quality or short lifetime.

[26LagunaG80]

Originally Posted by firefly.

As others have stated in the thread, modern PPF doesn't peel or yellows over time. If it does, you picked a cheap film or installer. I had 3m PPF (front-only) on my last Red color car for 14 years, and it still looked great when I sold it last year. Yes, the next guy appreciated me taking care of the paint, despite the rock chips in other non-PPFd areas. But I didn't do it for them, it was for me to appreciate it with minimal damage during my ownership.
It's fine to go without PPF if you so choose, but don't do it for inaccurate concerns of PPF quality or short lifetime.

Yeah I don't even know how far back PPF has existed but my 06' F430 has had it on the front since delivery and it still looks great other than a couple of very small spots from rock impacts (aka where it did it's job)

[fdheadwear]

So I live in the Northeast and do a lot of highway driving. I'm going to be ordering a 26' M4 Comp X Drive and I love the frozen black look. My plan if I buy/finance is to get BSM then do stealth PPF. If I lease it, then do you think I'm better off getting Frozen Black directly from factory and just try to take care of it as best I can for the 3 years of the lease? With the amount of highway driving I do I'd be worried the hood/front bumper are going to look terrible with rock chips if it isn't protected. Thoughts?

[gohawks23]

Originally Posted by fdheadwear

With the amount of highway driving I do I'd be worried the hood/front bumper are going to look terrible with rock chips if it isn't protected. Thoughts?

My experiences with high speed highway miles was that the PPF itself looked bad...dents, gouges, tears.

[fdheadwear]

Originally Posted by gohawks23

My experiences with high speed highway miles was that the PPF itself looked bad...dents, gouges, tears.

Isn't it supposed to be guaranteed or else they replace/fix it? The Xpel I think comes with a 10 yr or something long warranty? When I've had ppf in the past I've never had it gouge or rip anywhere but I've only done the front half of the car never a full car.

[gohawks23]

Originally Posted by fdheadwear

Isn't it supposed to be guaranteed or else they replace/fix it? The Xpel I think comes with a 10 yr or something long warranty? When I've had ppf in the past I've never had it gouge or rip anywhere but I've only done the front half of the car never a full car.

Warranty does not cover physical damage from external forces like accidents, road debris, or intentional damage.

[fdheadwear]

Originally Posted by gohawks23

Warranty does not cover physical damage from external forces like accidents, road debris, or intentional damage.

So now I'm really confused what to order/get. There are really no "stock" colors that I love the look of as they are now. The frozen colors from the factory are a $4500 upcharge and if I get any scratches/dings it will be a nightmare to fix. But a full stealth PPF is around $6k-$6.5K. I'm leaning towards purchase/finance to justify spending the $ to get the frozen look by doing the stealth PPF on BSM. But I do like to get a new car every 3-4 years too so not sure if leasing is the better play. Decisions! Any feedback/input from the community would be helpful and appreciated.

[gohawks23]

Originally Posted by fdheadwear

So now I'm really confused what to order/get. There are really no "stock" colors that I love the look of as they are now. The frozen colors from the factory are a $4500 upcharge and if I get any scratches/dings it will be a nightmare to fix. But a full stealth PPF is around $6k-$6.5K. I'm leaning towards purchase/finance to justify spending the $ to get the frozen look by doing the stealth PPF on BSM. But I do like to get a new car every 3-4 years too so not sure if leasing is the better play. Decisions! Any feedback/input from the community would be helpful and appreciated.

I'd avoid frozen as hard to maintain. Leasing MF and RVs stink but you can do that and save on PPF and just return.

[26LagunaG80]

Originally Posted by gohawks23

My experiences with high speed highway miles was that the PPF itself looked bad...dents, gouges, tears.

again.....isn't that kinda the point?

[gohawks23]

Originally Posted by 26LagunaG80

again.....isn't that kinda the point?

For sure but then you need to spend several hundreds/a thousand to replace otherwise your damaged PPF makes it look bad. And one tear was big enough to put a quarter inch gouge in my hood paint. The PPF itself isn't a guarantee either.

[fl1by]

Originally Posted by FrozenGT

I understand the point of PPF if you are daily driving your vehicle, you’re throwing money away. The pain protection film is going to look worse overtime than the paint itself if you want to spend $4000 every two years or three years protecting your daily driver that’s totally fine. I don’t put PPF on daily vehicles.

I guess you would be wrong in my opinion... 2023 G80, 45213 miles in two years, 4000+ of those on the track. I drive the car a a lot.. PPF is Xpel - 10 mil front cap (fenders forward), nothing on roof, 8 mil down the sides and 10 mil on the rear quarters and bumper. Looks as good as the day it was put on, minus 2 marks and one paint chip from a boulder. Your opinion, your ppf, but mine has absolutely made a positive difference, and car shows and track both have people comment on the "great paint" and when I tell them it's PPF everywhere they do not believe it until I show them.

my experience

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by fdheadwear

So now I'm really confused what to order/get. There are really no "stock" colors that I love the look of as they are now. The frozen colors from the factory are a $4500 upcharge and if I get any scratches/dings it will be a nightmare to fix. But a full stealth PPF is around $6k-$6.5K. I'm leaning towards purchase/finance to justify spending the $ to get the frozen look by doing the stealth PPF on BSM. But I do like to get a new car every 3-4 years too so not sure if leasing is the better play. Decisions! Any feedback/input from the community would be helpful and appreciated.

You’re trying to justify too many luxuries. None of this is justifiable, really. We spend money on all this because we like it. Sounds like you should lease the car and order the frozen paint. But even a lease and PPF will put you in a better risk position than purchase and flip in 3-4 years.

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by FrozenGT

I understand the point of PPF if you are daily driving your vehicle, you’re throwing money away. The pain protection film is going to look worse overtime than the paint itself if you want to spend $4000 every two years or three years protecting your daily driver that’s totally fine. I don’t put PPF on daily vehicles.

This is not my experience nor many others. Suspect you're misinformed or have had bad PPF.

Originally Posted by FrozenGT

I installed PPF to prevent bugs and other debris from getting into the clearcoat. And I like knowing that when I wash my car, the bugs come right out.. however do not leave bug sitting in PPF for more than a week because that will stain the PPF. My PPF is fully coated with Gyeon PPF ceramic coating.

However, my wife’s brand new X3 M50. Her car is driven every day, so I didn’t install PPF on it. She drives it on dirt roads and up and down the highways, so I don’t think it’s worth worrying about. For me, PPF was more of a luxury, especially since my car sits so low.. I’m okay with replacing it in a few years. I’ll deal with the edges, lifting, and other issues as they arise.

I.....can't process the dichotomy of this obviously contradictory logic. You do you man. But please stop telling people they are wasting their money on something that gives them piece of mind and does actually serve a functional purpose. Just because you don't see value in what it provides doesn't mean it's not there. It's just not...for you.

[Tall Tom Cruise]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

This is not my experience nor many others. Suspect you're misinformed or have had bad PPF.


I.....can't process the dichotomy of this obviously contradictory logic. You do you man. But please stop telling people they are wasting their money on something that gives them piece of mind and does actually serve a functional purpose. Just because you don't see value in what it provides doesn't mean it's not there. It's just not...for you.

I tried telling you, he really is stupid. Probably best if we all leave the poor guy alone lol

[godunovs65]

Having PPF in the long term pays for itself. I wouldn't put PPF on an X3 either, not because it's driven daily, but because it depreciates quite a bit and there's nothing special about X3, so PPF won't affect the resale or trade-in values. It will in case of an M3. I'd say FrozenGT's decisions were sensible but based on a broken logic.

[fdheadwear]

Originally Posted by NGT2

You’re trying to justify too many luxuries. None of this is justifiable, really. We spend money on all this because we like it. Sounds like you should lease the car and order the frozen paint. But even a lease and PPF will put you in a better risk position than purchase and flip in 3-4 years.

Not really trying to justify anything... it's just the fact my head is spinning from this site and all the awesome color combos and making me second guess what to go with. LOL.