PPF and ceramic coat
- Thread starter FrancoG
- Start date
Yes Xpel is definitely more expensive, but Xpel is a better product and I do like they offer precut kits, so it would not be a difficult install. I'll be grabbing a kit for my wife's new car and the C7 probably in the fall. Like you said, comparing to cost to have someone install it compared to be taking a day on a weekend, I'll do it myself.
Good work Larryd I will be doing my own ceramic coating but will leave the ppc to the pro’s . Might try PPG for the lower rear fender
Here is a good place to buy bulk Xpel Ultimate Plus www.paintprotectionfilm.ca Pretty good prices on the bulk Xpel Ultimate Plus and car specific kits available as well. Prices in Canadian dollars and shipping from Ontario.
You seem to be getting a lot done for your 6100. The CeramicCoating Part is very labour intensive depending on how bad the paint correction is. Weather it is 1 step, 2 step, 3 step and New car from a dealership does not matter as most have swirl marks when the leave Bowling Green. If the Company has a good reputation (do the homework with checking past customers) I am sure you will be amazed how good your car looks after paint correction and Ceramic Coating it will look deep and wet beautiful for Years and protected from a lot of the nasty stuff cars are exposed to well driving. The PPF you won’t really see when it’s done right. They often have to take parts off the car when doing PPF or Wrapping a Car! Be leave me if they check out to be honest and do quality work with some sort of a warranty you will say it was money well spent. They also will Ceramic Coat your PPF also.
Do your “research” ask for references and then also ask around about the company with Corvette Community. If they can’t give you references- Walk away!
I agree 100% with @Driver_WT said!
it’s actually a very rewarding part doing paint correction! Buy a 500.00 DA Polisher watch a bunch of YouTube Videos and take your time! And get good Chemical Guys or Adams Polishing Products damn you can buy everything at Canadian Tire even the DA!
Chemical Guys are mediocre at best Adams is ok to good. But is still better than most of the crap at CT. Anything from Sonax, CarPro or Menzerna (Jescar in the US) is top notch and you will get excellent results.
I use Rupes polishers but you don’t have spend that much on your DAs. Torx or Griots DAs are decent. Doing paint correction is not technically difficult at all. Good products and tools and a LOT of patience is mainly all that is required. Lots of great tutorial videos from Matt Moreman at Obseesed Garage or for that Canadian content, Pan The Organizer on YouTube
I’m glad you’re satisfied with the work from top Geer. I picked up my car yesterday and now have to wait a week before I can bring my car to them. So eager to start driving but afraid of stone chips.
This is solid advice, CT sells junk. CarPro offers quality products, a does Menzerna and Meguire's if you can get their commercial line (not the stuff at CT). Rupes may be a little pricey for the average joe for a DA though, but is a great polisher.
gone
Power User
This topic has been covered many times and doing a search on these Forums for these postings might be a good idea especially for newer members. In general, keep in mind that:
1. For PPF, there's different ways to apply this plastic coating so find out if (for example) they use a pre-cut kit or simply cut out the pieces themselves. Templates from pre-cut kits can leave a thin exposed edge on the bottom panels of the car, since less material is left over from a stencil or cut-out sized to fit a specific area and there's not enough material left to wrap around the bottom edges of the car. Only by wrapping the lower edges will the PPF line be out of sight and all the vehicle completely covered in that area. I'm focusing on the lower edges with these comments but there could be other areas where a line is left, when the PPF isn't wrapped around the edge: ie. the edges of the front hood. So don't just look at price...also make sure you know what they plan to do and how it's to be done and decide if that's what you want. Having said that, templates can still be used with extra length left for wrapping when cutting out the stencils but it depends on the installer and you need to know and agree upon their game plan.
2. For PPF, there are different types with the most common being XPEL Ultimate or SunTek. In the past, 3M was often used but it fell out of favour when it started to yellow after a few years., more noticeable with lighter coloured vehicles. I've heard that 3M has since solved that problem but most people seem to go with the others. Those others are generally both viewed favourably. You can also buy some PPF in different thicknesses and some think the thicker layer provides better protection from rock strikes however others say it's too hard to deal with when it's too thick (ie. you can't easily wrap around edges) so it's not worth it.
3. For PPF, you can have the entire vehicle done (excluding glass) or just parts of it. Again, this will dictate price and some installers will sell you their "standard package" that does specific areas of the vehicle. You need to decide what you want done and ensure that's what you're getting for the price. A common photo used on these Forums before, shows the areas in blue colour on the C8 that many like to PPF, as a minimum:
In addition to the above, I had the side A-pillars done along with the top of the front window, plus both interior door sills. Up to you and you'll pay more for any extra areas. Some installers will also suggest you ceramic coat the front windows and there's a debate about how effective that is for avoiding rock chips and whether other products (ie. Diamond Fusion) should be used for better actual protection and that's a whole different topic.
4. For PPF, the big issue is usually whether bubbles are left after the install. Some installers will tell you that bubbles come out by themselves over time and with exposure to the sun/heat. That may be true for some bubbles but usually not all. Then there's the hassle of taking your car back to the installer to have the bubbles dealt with. Others proudly say they NEVER leave you with any bubbles (guaranteed!) and usually they apply the PPF using hot water to avoid bubbles and take more time with the installation. You'll usually pay more for those installations. You'll also usually pay more for longer PPF warranty periods so that's something to consider as well.
5. For ceramic coatings, there are many different types that require different numbers of coatings but one big difference is whether you need to come back every year to have an additional update coat applied. I'd suggest avoiding those due to the "annual hassle factor". Some people will swear by a certain brand or type as being better and different types come with different warranty periods. Best to do your research and ask around for recommendations and check out reviews. Before ceramic coating (and before PPF, since the ceramic coating is done after the PPF) installers will do "paint correction" which is a must since most cars come from factory with flaws and ignoring them will leave you with a coated car which emphasizes those paint flaws. Some installers will tell you they do a better job than others with paint correction as a means of justifying their higher prices. That may not be true but again, check out the installer first to satisfy yourself they do good work. You might also consider ceramic coating your rims and brake calipers, to make them easier to clean the brake dust. Something I've done and generally the price seems to be $50/rim for that.
5. Lastly, there's a debate about whether you need to do ANY of these coatings and if it's cheaper in the long run to simply paint your car when needed...or if you don't plan to keep your car for many years, why pay for all this just to help out the person who later buys your car and will never pay extra to cover this cost? But some swear that PPF is a necessary minimum especially when driving on gravel or highways conducive to rock strikes...and before selling the car you can use a hair dryer to peel off the PPF to get rid of all its ugly rock strike areas...leaving you with a better looking car which will increase your sale price. Or others say that only PPF is needed but not ceramic coating, or vice versa. Ceramic coating makes the water bead better so your car is easier to clean/dry and it also enhances the paint appearance, whereas the PPF (not the ceramic coating) helps prevent paint chips from rock strikes although depending on the size/shape of the rock, it won't ever eliminate 100% of paint rock chips. Or finally, you have your DIY's who recommend doing all of this yourself to save ++ $ and that's made easier these days with all the YouTube videos available showing how to.
Whatever you do, take the time to research everything so you're not paying too much for a poor job or not getting what you want in the end. Hope this helps.
1. For PPF, there's different ways to apply this plastic coating so find out if (for example) they use a pre-cut kit or simply cut out the pieces themselves. Templates from pre-cut kits can leave a thin exposed edge on the bottom panels of the car, since less material is left over from a stencil or cut-out sized to fit a specific area and there's not enough material left to wrap around the bottom edges of the car. Only by wrapping the lower edges will the PPF line be out of sight and all the vehicle completely covered in that area. I'm focusing on the lower edges with these comments but there could be other areas where a line is left, when the PPF isn't wrapped around the edge: ie. the edges of the front hood. So don't just look at price...also make sure you know what they plan to do and how it's to be done and decide if that's what you want. Having said that, templates can still be used with extra length left for wrapping when cutting out the stencils but it depends on the installer and you need to know and agree upon their game plan.
2. For PPF, there are different types with the most common being XPEL Ultimate or SunTek. In the past, 3M was often used but it fell out of favour when it started to yellow after a few years., more noticeable with lighter coloured vehicles. I've heard that 3M has since solved that problem but most people seem to go with the others. Those others are generally both viewed favourably. You can also buy some PPF in different thicknesses and some think the thicker layer provides better protection from rock strikes however others say it's too hard to deal with when it's too thick (ie. you can't easily wrap around edges) so it's not worth it.
3. For PPF, you can have the entire vehicle done (excluding glass) or just parts of it. Again, this will dictate price and some installers will sell you their "standard package" that does specific areas of the vehicle. You need to decide what you want done and ensure that's what you're getting for the price. A common photo used on these Forums before, shows the areas in blue colour on the C8 that many like to PPF, as a minimum:
In addition to the above, I had the side A-pillars done along with the top of the front window, plus both interior door sills. Up to you and you'll pay more for any extra areas. Some installers will also suggest you ceramic coat the front windows and there's a debate about how effective that is for avoiding rock chips and whether other products (ie. Diamond Fusion) should be used for better actual protection and that's a whole different topic.
4. For PPF, the big issue is usually whether bubbles are left after the install. Some installers will tell you that bubbles come out by themselves over time and with exposure to the sun/heat. That may be true for some bubbles but usually not all. Then there's the hassle of taking your car back to the installer to have the bubbles dealt with. Others proudly say they NEVER leave you with any bubbles (guaranteed!) and usually they apply the PPF using hot water to avoid bubbles and take more time with the installation. You'll usually pay more for those installations. You'll also usually pay more for longer PPF warranty periods so that's something to consider as well.
5. For ceramic coatings, there are many different types that require different numbers of coatings but one big difference is whether you need to come back every year to have an additional update coat applied. I'd suggest avoiding those due to the "annual hassle factor". Some people will swear by a certain brand or type as being better and different types come with different warranty periods. Best to do your research and ask around for recommendations and check out reviews. Before ceramic coating (and before PPF, since the ceramic coating is done after the PPF) installers will do "paint correction" which is a must since most cars come from factory with flaws and ignoring them will leave you with a coated car which emphasizes those paint flaws. Some installers will tell you they do a better job than others with paint correction as a means of justifying their higher prices. That may not be true but again, check out the installer first to satisfy yourself they do good work. You might also consider ceramic coating your rims and brake calipers, to make them easier to clean the brake dust. Something I've done and generally the price seems to be $50/rim for that.
5. Lastly, there's a debate about whether you need to do ANY of these coatings and if it's cheaper in the long run to simply paint your car when needed...or if you don't plan to keep your car for many years, why pay for all this just to help out the person who later buys your car and will never pay extra to cover this cost? But some swear that PPF is a necessary minimum especially when driving on gravel or highways conducive to rock strikes...and before selling the car you can use a hair dryer to peel off the PPF to get rid of all its ugly rock strike areas...leaving you with a better looking car which will increase your sale price. Or others say that only PPF is needed but not ceramic coating, or vice versa. Ceramic coating makes the water bead better so your car is easier to clean/dry and it also enhances the paint appearance, whereas the PPF (not the ceramic coating) helps prevent paint chips from rock strikes although depending on the size/shape of the rock, it won't ever eliminate 100% of paint rock chips. Or finally, you have your DIY's who recommend doing all of this yourself to save ++ $ and that's made easier these days with all the YouTube videos available showing how to.
Whatever you do, take the time to research everything so you're not paying too much for a poor job or not getting what you want in the end. Hope this helps.
Full car Expel ppf and ceramic pro was $6,700 plus taxes. Done by VPS in Winnipeg. These guys are real pros. Its a lot of money I know but the protection is worth it. You don't even want to consider a repaint as an option. Not many shops know how to properly paint fiberglass and when you do find someone who can the cost will far exceed any PPF or ceramic treatment. Stone chips are inevitable.
Thanks. I did. My first line stated as such, but thank you anyway.
I've worked in the industry for many many years before I joined the military in 95 and I recently retired in 2019, and am a contractor for the government now (Defence), but now that I have time again, I recently got back into paint correction and protection as it's a solid form of therapy for my PTSD, my therapist has said as much. (OCD lends itself to auto detailing). I never "lost" the skills and over the last few years I've built my personal garage back up with pro grade tools and products again and couldn't be happier. This is NOT a business for me, but a hobby that I enjoy and a passion I share with fellow enthusiasts. (my neighbors on my street reap the benefits).
My post was merely reinforcing not only why PPF is expensive , but real evidence that it works long term. That is it, that is all.
My post was NOT the same as your post or others. It was my personal experience, sharing actual evidence.
If this is against your rules, I'll delete the post.
Last edited by a moderator:
+1
This is where I go as well, but only for tint or Xpel, paint correction and ceramic coating I do myself. They do great work, but its still a ridiculous cost in my eyes even though I do it.
gone
Power User
My post wasn't addressed directly at you but for anyone who might find it helpful. You weren't the OP (original poster) for the thread so I don't understand how you think my post had you as the center of attention.
I note the original ending of your post has now been deleted. Hopefully my post will assist others and be taken in context.
I'm confused as well.... I thought I was replying on my thread on this topic as well (PPF - yay or nay?) , since they were posted back to back... not sure what happened. Sorry for the cross thread/ mistaken post.
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