DGA3

We're talking about expl, ceramic pro, opti-coat, etc.

I have a new black Z06 and am thinking that just a good old detailing and yearly wax job will be enough to handle most situations. However, I want to protect my investment, so I'm looking for advice.

What say you?

What have you done to protect your paint, and how/why did you choose that method?

And if you've chosen to just wash and wax, what led you to that decision?

rothchilds

I wrapped the front end, mirrors, quarter panels, and door handle inserts on mine with Suntek. have 40k on it now, no rock chips, I'm happy. My previous Corvette looked a bit sandblasted after a few years up front, and I do not like having to deal with paint matching.

I didn't do the hood on the vette, but did the same treatment on my wifes Cadillac and added half hood. Her's is black, and shows every little nick, so went for the extra protection.

Would do it again on both cars.

WMark

If you are planning any road trips, waxing/detailing won't cut it. I have the front end, up the hood, mirrors, along the lower sides and in front of the rear wheels all covered in Xpel.

After 18k miles, most road trips, glad I did. In the right light, you can see all the rock marks on the Xpel. If not covered, those would have been paint chips. I wish I had done the entire hood. A few rock chips just above where the Xpel ends.

Sandyman

I drive about 6-7K miles per year with a good portion being highway miles in the southeastern US. The roads I travel are less damaging than what I recall from pre-Corvette years in the northeast for example. Even then, I find PPF justified for me.

I had PPF for 9yrs and 56K miles on our C6. It had a few minor dings that pierced the film but overall kept the front looking very good. A lesson I learned: don’t have the film stop mid-way up the hood; that line bothered me for all those years. Another lesson: apply film only where really required as the edges can catch wax and dirt and are a pain to keep clean.

Had Expel film applied to our ‘16 C7 almost at day one. Elected to have entire hood wrapped. Was an excellent decision; has no lines to catch wax and can’t tell it is there.

Had a freak event on I95 9 months ago. Was in stopped traffic when an emergency vehicle traveling on shoulder threw a huge rubber chunk against our front bumper. That caused several inch long scratches through the PPF. Had to have front bumper cover removed, PPF removed, scratches repaired, and piece repainted. I thought “heck with this, I’ll just wax and do color chip repairs as needed”. Well, after only a few months and 1-2K miles of driving I was getting multiple small but visible chips on front bumper.

Bottom line, I patched up those chips and then had Expel reinstalled. My experience is PPF keeps the front of car much better looking. I have found no need for film behind the mirrors or front edge of the doors. I have never covered headlamps and never had a need to.

I used a car bra many years ago on a 911 Porsche. It did not work for me for a variety of reasons.

Foosh

I've been using PPFs on all my nice cars since 2006. My current C7 is covered w/ XPEL Ultimate on full-hood, nose, fenders, rockers, and mirrors.

There are only a few minor film nicks, but they aren't nearly as noticeable as the inevitable rock chips. Moreover, I seen literally dozens and dozens of impact marks, that might have been paint damage, but simply cleaned off the film w/ no film damage.

My view is that if you use your car only on sunny, weekend days, in light traffic, you probably can get away without doing it. However, all my film-covered cars have been nearly daily drivers, in which case exposure to damage is much greater. If I were to remove the film today, my car would be completely paint damage free, after 2 years of nearly daily driving, winter and summer.

Rangerdog1

I have the front fascia, hood, front fenders, A pillars, rocker panels, lower doors, and rear quarters wrapped in Expel, with Ceramic Coated. Didn't have any on my car the first I went on a road trip. Learned a lesson when I got caught behind a Dodge Charger that couldn't stay on the road. worth the money in my opinion.

Zymurgy

Paint Protection Film (like Xpel and Suntek) are totally different from paint coatings like Ceramic Pro and Opti-Coat and they serve different purposes. Paint coatings will NOT protect your paint from stone chips and other road debris. PPF will provide protection from road debris, but there are certainly limits to what it can protect against. PPF will protect against most small grit, pebbles, etc. Coatings are the modern replacements for waxes and will protect your paint from environmental damage (bird droppings, water spots, etc.).

Coatings can be applied over PPF.

Foosh

Many installers recommend ceramic coatings under PPF, because when the PPF comes off, the paint is still beautifully protected, and you haven't lost an expensive, professional, ceramic coating job. It doesn't make sense to me to protect a piece of plastic w/ expensive ceramics.

My guy, who was one of the PPF pioneers 20 years ago recommends that. He's arguably one of most experienced in the country.

I know, I know, XPEL said in the past, don't do that because some installers have problems w/ adherence. Experienced installers don't have that problem by properly wrapping around edges.

LT1 Z51

I have my whole car wrapped in XPEL and then OptiCoat Pro Plus on top of it.

Zymurgy

And most PPF manufacturers recommend that no coatings be applied under their PPF. Understandable, since coatings greatly reduce adhesion and the manufacturers don't want to be responsible for their film peeling off.

From Xpel:
3M:

Foosh

Yes, I know, and I acknowledged that in my original post before you quoted them. The PPF manufacturers do that to protect themselves from warranty claims and installers who can't handle it.

Mine has been CQuartz Finest coated underneath XPEL Ultimate for nearly two years now, and driven year round in a climate with temps from 5º - 105º. No adherence issues, the film looks as great today as it did when new. Moreover, the brilliant shine underneath enhances the film appearance.

Like I said above, only a true pro installer would have enough confidence to do that, and there are many who do recommend that as a better approach. If you go to an installer who says he/she won't ceramic coat first, that's a very good indication that you shouldn't w/ that installer.

The ceramics were designed for paint protection, not plastic protection, but they also protect plastic if that's what you want to do.

TXshaggy

xPel on front/mirrors, side skirts, ceramic coat, cleartastic on rear quarters, and OEM front/rear splash guards.

Black car w/no ptotection...if you’re happy with a 10 footer then wash wax will be fine.

joemessman

Exactly! Well said.

LT1 Z51

PPF isn't plastic though.

The top layers of the film are a clear coat, and like your paints clear coat they need to be protected.

The reason for the ceramic coating over the film is that it protects your films finish. While what you've done keeps the paint looking nice under the film, this is useless if the film gets marred.

If I was doing it your way, I'd have it coat it twice. Once before the film, once after.

But if you're putting it on one layer, you put it on the film. Your paint should already be protected by being cleaned and polished prior to the PPF going on.

Foosh

It makes more sense to me and is far more economical to protect the PPF with the XPEL or similar protection product. I view the film as sacrificial, and I'm far more interested in protecting the paint.

My pristine, paint-corrected. ceramic-protected, paint finish will still be that way with no film residue when the film must be removed and replaced. I don't have access to it now, but my installer did a YouTube video showing him removing old damaged film from a car that had been ceramic coated. The car needed no further work underneath before reapplying film. It was rather amazing to watch.

But yes, if you're really OC and money is no object, over and under would be a good way to go.

LT1 Z51

It doesn't change the fact you're paying for protection you can't enjoy. Sure you're paint will be protected when you remove the film, but until you do that you have to look at your film in whatever state it's in. So if it's damaged, you get to stare at that.

Most people who do things to their paint do it to make it visually pleasing not to actually "protect it"

Foosh

I disagree. As I said, I get to enjoy a more brilliant appearance of the paint underneath the film, and if I have to remove the film, I still have it. You won't have it anymore, and it's not going to give your film any additional protection from rock/projectile damage.

The XPEL product as well as other waxes also give the film a brilliant shine, as well as protection from birds and the elements. They are easy to apply on film. An hour job a couple of times a year, and you're done.

Snowwolfe

Had my C6 and C7 liberally protected. Hood, front bumper, rockers, parts of the fenders, mirrors, etc. I don’t think it was worth the money and I would not add it again. In my case just didn’t like it and it added nothing when I sold both cars. Did it protect against some rock chips? Most likely yes. But if you do get one bad enough that it went through the film then not only do you have to repair the chip but the film over it needs to be replaced. Sometimes you also end up with smudges from bugs or rocks. Tried it twice to the tune of $2k each time. No more for me.
PS: IMO XPEL doesn’t heal near as good as it is advertised to.

DGA3

Wow.

I wish I had the $$$ to do all of that!

kaplana08

Look you can go back and forth with this but the simple answer is ..you wrap it and then you forget it, simple as that. You don't have to worry about it any more. You are protected. I did the front end hood and the mirrors and fenders. Now I never think about it any more. I am protected, not only stone chips but bird droppings that sink right in the paint and other contaminants. And best of all it looks great.