Paint Protection

[M4NJ83]

Recently purchased my 2020 m4. Never knew there were so many different types of paint protection out there (films, ceramic coatings, clear bras). Was wondering what, if any, paint protection others have used? Pros and cons. Thanks.

[irunalot]

Depends on the level of paint protection you are looking for.

Ceramic Coatings- These are great as a replacement for wax. They protect the surface from contaminants and wash marks. Before application be sure to get the paint corrected even on a new car. If you do not your imperfections (yes you have them) will be sealed in. Ceramic coatings look fantastic with a deep gloss and shine. I have all my cars corrected and coated before I take delivery. They will make the care very easy to wash but make sure you learn how to properly wash your car as its not armor and can still swirl after repeated bad washing habits. It will also not protect your car with rock chips or any other trauma. For that you need paint protection film. These can be applied by professionals or your self so do your research. I have used Ceramic Pro Gold for all my cars, but there are other products and installers that you should investigate.

Paint Protection Film (PPF) – Is great for protection against rock chips, general paint trauma and idiots that like to key cars (most of the time). Some like to get the entire car covered in PPF and some certain panels like the front bumper, hood, fenders, door sills etc.. You can also have the PPF ceramic coated to ease the washing and give the car a bit more gloss and depth. I’ve always used Xpel but there are a few other good brands on the market.

When dealing with either of these make sure you do not get caught up in the brand. The installer is the most important here as the preparation and execution is extremely important to the outcome.

I I were you I'd look into a full correction, PPF the front clip and ceramic the entire car. Again that's me, you may want to PPF the entire car which is not a bad idea either. If the car is a lease full PPF may be overkill due to cost.

[M4NJ83]

Thanks for the info. How long do ceramic coatings last? I noticed a small scratch on the hood and micro scratches along the sides which I asked the dealership to address prior to them putting on the ceramic coating. I still see both and am frustrated but not sure there's much I can do now that the coating has been applied. Can I wait for the ceramic coating to eventually wear off, then do the paint correction and a new ceramic coating?

[ohohoh123456]

film (ppf) and clearbra are the same thing. essentially protecting big rock chips. ceramic doesn't, very light chip maybe, but more for marks and a replacement for wax. i don't know how long it last but in the shop i go to i think they say it's 10 years but also need to go yearly for maintenance/touch up.

[N1rve]

Originally Posted by M4NJ83

Recently purchased my 2020 m4. Never knew there were so many different types of paint protection out there (films, ceramic coatings, clear bras). Was wondering what, if any, paint protection others have used? Pros and cons. Thanks.

I use PPF because from what I read about Ceramic coating, Ceramic coating is basically a permanent wax with some resistance to swirl marks. It does not block rock chips.

PPF prevents rocks chipping your paint and self heals. If you get a PPF with a hydrophobic top layer, it's almost the same as ceramic coating over a PPF.

I have llumar plat on my entire car and my car is as shiny as paint.

I wrote up my experience with PPF here.

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1616332

If you're gonna tint the car:

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1644400

[HyeM3]

If you're going to get a ceramic coating whatever you do DONT have the dealership install it. They charge you an insane amount for it and usually use some cheap inferior coating that only lasts a few months. Go to a professional detailer who will correct your car and coat it with a great coating for a fraction of what a dealership will charge

[ohohoh123456]

Originally Posted by HyeM3

If you're going to get a ceramic coating whatever you do DONT have the dealership install it. They charge you an insane amount for it and usually use some cheap inferior coating that only lasts a few months. Go to a professional detailer who will correct your car and coat it with a great coating for a fraction of what a dealership will charge

was going to say this until i saw op already got it done...

[HyeM3]

Originally Posted by ohohoh123456

was going to say this until i saw op already got it done...

Dang it I didn't read that far down, wanted to warn him before it was too late...

Originally Posted by M4NJ83

Can I wait for the ceramic coating to eventually wear off, then do the paint correction and a new ceramic coating?

Since the dealer probably put some cheap/fake coating on it should easily come off with just a quick couple passes with a polisher if you're eager to fix the imperfections

[irunalot]

A good detailer will use a DA and some polish or compound to remove any existing coating while performing a correction.

As far as how long it will last that depends on a few things.

Consumer/Prosumer products can last 1-3 years. They are typically thinner and easier to apply. The number of coats and the brand does matter here.

Pro products can vary from a few years to lifetime. The lifetiem products do require yearly visits to the detailer for maintenance. This is usually a light correction and some ceramic top coat is applied. Its worth it if you are anal retentive about your cars finish.

Keep in mind I'm not talking about spray on "ceramic" or silicone coatings but resin based coatings.

Here is a good explanations of ceramic coatings:

https://blog.iglcoatings.com/the-sci...amic-coatings/

https://www.youtube.com/c/ChicagoAut...amic%20coating

https://www.youtube.com/c/MattMorema...amic%20coating

https://www.youtube.com/c/PanTheOrga...amic%20coating

[secretariat]

I see you are from NJ-- Check out Detailer's Domain in Norwood ask for Phil