Here’s my situation: The dealer added PPF (paint protection film) without checking with me first. It covers the whole front end, door cups, edges of the doors, and around the front windshield. I’ve heard mixed opinions on this stuff. I’m worried it might look bad in a few years or require too much maintenance. I didn’t want the car with this applied, but they keep pushing me to take it. They said it’s foolish not to.
The PPF is 3M, but I’m not sure if it’s XPEL or Scotchguard. Trying to find out more details. Do I need to worry about it long term?
Honestly, there’s no real downside to PPF. If you enjoy rock chips and don’t mind your car looking like it was shot up in a few years, you could peel it off. Otherwise, it does its job.
Kasey said:
Honestly, there’s no real downside to PPF. If you enjoy rock chips and don’t mind your car looking like it was shot up in a few years, you could peel it off. Otherwise, it does its job.
It’s 3M, but I’m not sure if it’s XPEL or Scotchguard. Do you know if one is better than the other?
Removing it isn’t too difficult. Personally, I hate it once it starts peeling after some time, but it does help with keeping small scratches off the car.
Nova said:
Removing it isn’t too difficult. Personally, I hate it once it starts peeling after some time, but it does help with keeping small scratches off the car.
I’m just worried it might mess up the paint underneath or cost me to take it off later.
@Keller
If it’s under warranty, go ahead and use it. I don’t usually rely on warranties because they can be a hassle to deal with, depending on how the company handles it.
Nova said: @Keller
If it’s under warranty, go ahead and use it. I don’t usually rely on warranties because they can be a hassle to deal with, depending on how the company handles it.
It’s a dealer warranty, so that could be a hassle, but at least it’s there. The dealer’s a big one in the city, so they have a taping department, according to the sales rep.
@Keller
3M offers a warranty on this film. If it yellows or comes off in the next few years, reach out to them. They’ll investigate and point you to a 3M certified installer or list other shops for you. If they’re not charging you for the film, you’re getting a $600-$800 value for free.
Denali said: @Cedar
Yeah, just add a 1 in front of your numbers and you’ll be closer.
I’m in Canada, and around here, shops charge around $2k for a full hood and fenders with XPEL Ultimate Plus. My shop charges around $2k for the full front end, headlights, a-pillars, and the area around the doors.
@Keller
It’s not hard to remove if you decide to. I did it on my car and haven’t had any rock chips after two years. Plus, the newer PPF doesn’t yellow much unless it’s really cheap.
We’ve had PPF on our last 4 cars, and I wouldn’t buy a new car without it. One time, my toddler took a crowbar to the hood for 10 minutes. It left scratches all over the PPF, but with a little heat, 98% of it came off.