Question Skipping PPF and Ceramic

[z06in2017]

Picked up my brand new 24 c8, straight from dealer to garage and haven’t driven it because I was planning on getting PPF (front end, other areas, track pack) + Ceramic coating. About $3800 for that.

But thinking about it more I might just skip it and want to hear from those that never got it and if any regrets.

I will have car for max 4 years.
Summer driven only.
I’m in GTA, Ontario

 

[vacek]

I skipped PPF as for me, I’m not a big fan (Don’t tailgate) and ceramic coated myself.

Cost , $250 and some sweat equity. My 22 is in pristine condition.

Bought some nice mods instead.

Be prepared for many school of thought on this topic. All valid as it’s to each their own.

 

[rfh928]

Picked up my brand new 24 c8, straight from dealer to garage and haven’t driven it because I was planning on getting PPF (front end, other areas, track pack) + Ceramic coating. About $3800 for that.

But thinking about it more I might just skip it and want to hear from those that never got it and if any regrets.

I will have car for max 4 years.
Summer driven only.
I’m in GTA, Ontario

I kept my C3 and C5 for 15 years each....bought each @ 6 years old...just used electric buffer & good quality wax every spring, and at age 21 when I sold each of them, the paint finish still looked like new. Doing the same with my 2019 that I bought new and plan to keep indefinitely.

I'd have to think that if you're only keeping your C8 for 4 years, that it wouldn't be worth the investment. I'm not sure that whoever buys your C8 at that point will pay a large premium for having done this to it.

 

[DenisC8]

skip both

 

[Murray20c8]

Skip neither.
PPF front end saved me thousands.
Ceramic is amazing for washing the car! Especially the wheels!

 

[1st Vette]

Picked up my brand new 24 c8, straight from dealer to garage and haven’t driven it because I was planning on getting PPF (front end, other areas, track pack) + Ceramic coating. About $3800 for that.

But thinking about it more I might just skip it and want to hear from those that never got it and if any regrets.

I will have car for max 4 years.
Summer driven only.
I’m in GTA, Ontario

I did apply PPF on the front end including A-pillars and mirrors . As well as ceramic on the rest of the vehicle . Two days after I picked it up while driving along the Yellowhead Trail in southern Alberta I passed a tractor trailer which was going in the other direction and BANG . A rock hit just at the edge of the hood below the windshield and then hit the windshield which I was amazed didn't chip . It did tear a chunk out of the PPF but the paint thankfully was OK . if that were to occur often enough over time it would make PPF seem like a good investment compared to a respray which on these vehicles I'm sure would be dear . JM2C .

 

[C8 Caunuck]

So, You spend 100+ K on a C8 and chose to skimp on Paint protection?? I've never been able to reconcile that line of reasoning. I had a reputable place(not the dealer ) put on 3M PPF on the front, A pillars. They did a fantastic job. The C8 Is a rock Magnet, even if you drive several car lengths behind . Anyone who passes another vehicle is at risk....Unless you drive like a Granny. Anyhow, It is then really easy to then apply Ceramic coating. Watch Pan The Organizer on youtube. Remember, Ceramic coating Will Not protect the paint from rock chips alone.

 

[DonnieT]

I had my entire 2023 HTC ppf’ed in the first 100 km of ownership at a cost of about 5% of total car price (MSRP + taxes). I apply xPel ceramic boost every 3 or 4 months. I got a relatively large rock at 5000 km and the ppf saved the paint. I don’t worry about much at all..rock chips, swirl marks, door dings etc. The car still looks brand new after 18k km. Basically, it was a small price to pay if you are anal about the condition of your c8!!

 

[GM MUSL]

If you are going to track it get PPF track coverage.

Rocks and stones aside, dust alone at 200KMPH will blast the paint. My C7 ppf along the rockers was blasted and when I sold it I removed that area to sell it and it was new under all that.

 

[WLGJ]

Picked up my brand new 24 c8, straight from dealer to garage and haven’t driven it because I was planning on getting PPF (front end, other areas, track pack) + Ceramic coating. About $3800 for that.

But thinking about it more I might just skip it and want to hear from those that never got it and if any regrets.

I will have car for max 4 years.
Summer driven only.
I’m in GTA, Ontario

Went PPF, just the whole front, fenders , hood etc. and no ceramic coating but ceramic wax that I do myself. I do not tailgate because I pass everyone. I do not regret PPF because I got hit by a decent size rock and it damaged the PPF slightly but not my paint.

 

[Vanguard2001]

PPF well worth the price for the front clip and hood. A flying rock can occur anywhere on a highway, even if you are not close to the vehicle ahead. It has saved a paint job on the front end for sure. As others have argued - you pay a lot of money for the car, a small investment is worth it. As for ceramic, I did it my self with very good results. Ceramic is way overpriced in the detail shops.

 

[JCWP]

Picked up my brand new 24 c8, straight from dealer to garage and haven’t driven it because I was planning on getting PPF (front end, other areas, track pack) + Ceramic coating. About $3800 for that.

But thinking about it more I might just skip it and want to hear from those that never got it and if any regrets.

I will have car for max 4 years.
Summer driven only.
I’m in GTA, Ontario

I had my 2022 ceramic coated by the Adams B.C. rep. who came to my home (garage) with black lights etc.; coated the entire car with their graphene ceramic product. Came back the next day and applied a ceramic booster. Ever winter I apply ceramic booster to the car. He charged me $600.00. All I do now is dust it off with micro fiber cloths. I hardly ever wash it except when I have to do the wheels to get the brake dust off. The car is over three years old and does not have a mark on it except for the windshield: fine pitting marks from the highway sand, I guess? Anyone have any ideas on the windshield? (It was ceramic coated as well)

 

[Murray20c8]

As for ceramic, I did it my self with very good results. Ceramic is way overpriced in the detail shops.

One can certainly do it themselves, but you won't get the quality of a job unless you pay for it with expensive products. I mean to say it won't last as long and will need to be done often. I've had mine for almost 5 years now (5 winters) and the wheels come clean with only spray foam and a rinse. I didn't want to continually do it nor do it at all!

 

[AxeZ06]

I had my 2022 ceramic coated by the Adams B.C. rep. who came to my home (garage) with black lights etc.; coated the entire car with their graphene ceramic product. Came back the next day and applied a ceramic booster. Ever winter I apply ceramic booster to the car. He charged me $600.00. All I do now is dust it off with micro fiber cloths. I hardly ever wash it except when I have to do the wheels to get the brake dust off. The car is over three years old and does not have a mark on it except for the windshield: fine pitting marks from the highway sand, I guess? Anyone have any ideas on the windshield? (It was ceramic coated as well)

Every spring for over 50 yrs, I use Ajax cleanser on the windshield of every car I've owned. Wet the glass, soak a clean microfibre towel, sprinkle Ajax on it, and wash/rinse the wind shield. It'll be like brand new, and takes about 2 minutes.

 

[JCWP]

Every spring for over 50 yrs, I use Ajax cleanser on the windshield of every car I've owned. Wet the glass, soak a clean microfibre towel, sprinkle Ajax on it, and wash/rinse the wind shield. It'll be like brand new, and takes about 2 minutes.

I definitely will try this and then coat it with ceramic booster - LOL.

 

[Vanguard2001]

One can certainly do it themselves, but you won't get the quality of a job unless you pay for it with expensive products. I mean to say it won't last as long and will need to be done often. I've had mine for almost 5 years now (5 winters) and the wheels come clean with only spray foam and a rinse. I didn't want to continually do it nor do it at all!
View attachment 130938

I use ceramic products from these guys in Edmonton. Professional stuff.

 

[C8 Caunuck]

One can certainly do it themselves, but you won't get the quality of a job unless you pay for it with expensive products. I mean to say it won't last as long and will need to be done often. I've had mine for almost 5 years now (5 winters) and the wheels come clean with only spray foam and a rinse. I didn't want to continually do it nor do it at all!
View attachment 130938

Disagree, The products "professionals" use you can purchase. Preparation is everything in Ceramic coating. I have Ceramic many vehicles over the years and they have shown excellent durability. Check out an excellent Youtube site "Pan the Organizer"

 

[JCWP]

Disagree, The products "professionals" use you can purchase. Preparation is everything in Ceramic coating. I have Ceramic many vehicles over the years and they have shown excellent durability. Check out an excellent Youtube site "Pan the Organizer"

I agree. I had a professional do mine and he did a fair amount of prep first.

 

[English]

What did we all use before PPF and ceramic coating came out and became popular, some people (but not me) a front end bra.
I have had a ton of cars and trucks including C3, C5, C6, C6 Z06, 2021 C8, 2023 BMW M850 and now back to a 2024 C8.
Up until I purchased the 2021 C8 I had never done PPF or Ceramic coating, since then I have done PPF and Ceramic coating on 2 new pickup trucks, 2 of my wife’s cars and the BMW.
All of my other Corvette’s when I sold or traded them in had no dings or dents in them that PPF or ceramic coating would have prevented (unless the full car was Done) these dings and dents would be from shopping carts or women walking by to close to the rear with handbags with big steel buckles on the bags.
Non of the Ceramic coatings but for the 2021 C8 lasted longer than 2 years and these were all 5 year ceramic coatings, I would only ever have Ceramic coating again if I applied it myself, as in my opinion it is not worth the money and it’s a lot of money for these coatings, I don’t care if I spent over a 100K for a car I’m not going to throw away $1,800 on a coating in my opinion doesn’t do much or do much for very long.
The PPF I can see a benefit of this if you do long road trips, live in an area with lots of gravel on the roads or you plan on keeping the car for a long time and I may yet get the PPF done, but I may trade in again for the e-Ray, the vette has been sitting in the garage since a purchased it back in November and has not come out to do any kms yet, maybe in a couple of weeks after the road sweepers have been around.
All I know is the 2021 C8, BMW, one truck and one of my wife’s cars were all traded in for new vehicles and non of the PPFs and Ceramic coating raised the trade in values by one cent and did not make the trade in any easier.

 

[DW Ruby]

What did we all use before PPF and ceramic coating came out and became popular, some people (but not me) a front end bra.
I have had a ton of cars and trucks including C3, C5, C6, C6 Z06, 2021 C8, 2023 BMW M850 and now back to a 2024 C8.
Up until I purchased the 2021 C8 I had never done PPF or Ceramic coating, since then I have done PPF and Ceramic coating on 2 new pickup trucks, 2 of my wife’s cars and the BMW.
All of my other Corvette’s when I sold or traded them in had no dings or dents in them that PPF or ceramic coating would have prevented (unless the full car was Done) these dings and dents would be from shopping carts or women walking by to close to the rear with handbags with big steel buckles on the bags.
Non of the Ceramic coatings but for the 2021 C8 lasted longer than 2 years and these were all 5 year ceramic coatings, I would only ever have Ceramic coating again if I applied it myself, as in my opinion it is not worth the money and it’s a lot of money for these coatings, I don’t care if I spent over a 100K for a car I’m not going to throw away $1,800 on a coating in my opinion doesn’t do much or do much for very long.
The PPF I can see a benefit of this if you do long road trips, live in an area with lots of gravel on the roads or you plan on keeping the car for a long time and I may yet get the PPF done, but I may trade in again for the e-Ray, the vette has been sitting in the garage since a purchased it back in November and has not come out to do any kms yet, maybe in a couple of weeks after the road sweepers have been around.
All I know is the 2021 C8, BMW, one truck and one of my wife’s cars were all traded in for new vehicles and non of the PPFs and Ceramic coating raised the trade in values by one cent and did not make the trade in any easier.

You are absolutely correct - when you trade these in, nobody cares.
On my E-Ray, I have a ceramic coating, but even that is only because it makes it easier to keep clean.