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I did not put PPF on my C7. First long trip I took (Northern VA to Bowling Green and back), I ended up with half a dozen tiny chips on the front bumper. I put PPF on my C8. What are you getting covered for $3000? I think the most critical piece is the front valance. If your guy is quoting 3K just for that, shop around. If the quote includes more, consider reducing the coverage to save money.
"Weak paint" has nothing to do with it. A sharp little rock will chip the paint on any car, from the cheapest Chevy to the most expensive Mercedes.
Oh, and ceramic coating, no matter how many coats you put on, won't protect against rock chips. Think of it as a very hard wax. Even with a couple of coats, you're looking a microns of thickness, nothing like film
Last edited by Red Mist Rulz; Feb 19, 2023 at 01:29 PM.
Sounds like you got the answer you wanted to hear....good luck...
I know it's a subjective decision, but yes, I'm looking to vet the quote I had from the installer that implied the C8 paint is 'weak' because it is 'water based', and therefore more prone to damage that only PPF can save it from. So, did I want to hear this? Sure. Did I want to hear other perspectives, yep... yours included, thank you!. It is also interesting to see how wildly the pricing can vary... I'm glad that so many have shared their perspectives and experiences, it is helpful.
I know it's a subjective decision, but yes, I'm looking to vet the quote I had from the installer that implied the C8 paint is 'weak' because it is 'water based', and therefore more prone to damage that only PPF can save it from. So, did I want to hear this? Sure. Did I want to hear other perspectives, yep... yours included, thank you!. It is also interesting to see how wildly the pricing can vary... I'm glad that so many have shared their perspectives and experiences, it is helpful.
EVERY car, except maybe a few very hgh end models, has water based paint. The EPA effectively banned anythig else decades ago, as have all the western European countries. Pretty sure Japan has, also. Maybe China still uses solvent based paints. Heck, they probably use lead-based paints.
...17,000 miles accumulated from road trips from FL to Nevada, Niagara Falls and all points in between. Car gets regular use and has gone from a fairly reserved use to a daily driver. Just took the pictures. Car is filthy and needs a wash. The off color things you see are pieces of leaves picked up driving home Thursday night after a Stuart Corvette Club function. Didn’t even take the leaf blower and get rid of the debris. Have driven several miles on unpaved “cut” roads to get to an Alpaca Ranch in Hesperus, CO and a couple other places. We have more flying debris damage to the windshield than the car body.
Looking at this pic with a high def 30" monitor here you can clearly see nearly a dozen small chips in the paint...This might be acceptable to some but not for me....A good PPF will prevent this from occurring...
How is your paint faring? I've been told that the "water-based C8 paint is weak" and chips easily. I have to imagine it's no less 'weak' than my last Chevrolet, but, curious. Any big damage you didn't expect that you'd attribute to 'weak' paint?
No big or small. With 6500 miles I have no chips or any signs of "weak paint". However, the day will come when I get my first, second...... chip. At almost 73 I dont care, its the next guys problem.
The only reason I had my 19 C7 Z06 done was because it was black. Did the whole works. If I get a C8 Z06 it won’t be black because I want a different color. So most likely it will not get the PPF. Maybe it will get ceramic coat.
Unfortunately anyone that paid the bucks for PPF is not going to tell you it was not worth the money. Something you will have to decide on your own. A few chips in my opinion is no big deal if you ever get them, drcolorchip will do a nice job of repairing them. Many owners will tell you about the benefits of PPF, ceramic coating etc. Most Vettes I have seen on dealer lots do not have PPF and do not have paint chips. Bottom line those that have PPF will swear by it even tell you how it saved them from some form of damage myself no way is it worth the money.
I agree!
A lot of it has to do with how and where you drive. Don't follow too close, do your best to avoid construction areas and driving behind trucks, trailers and equipment. Drive slow over old parking lots and gravel roads/driveways etc. On interstates drive the inside lanes, not outside.
I did get a small chip knocked out of one of my fender flares on my Tacoma and my body shop did a perfect repair/paint match and cost me $194. I can get a hell of a LOT of stonechips etc fixed for the $3000>$3500 PPF costs.
Besides, I don't like how PPF looks.
Looking at this pic with a high def 30" monitor here you can clearly see nearly a dozen small chips in the paint...This might be acceptable to some but not for me....A good PPF will prevent this from occurring...
Your standards are higher than mine. I don’t require perfection. You drive a car it gets battle scars. That’s life. Life is short. This is my eighth Corvette and I will continue to drive it because that’s why I bought it.
OP’s question was do you regret not getting PPF. I don’t. My regret is that I haven’t driven the car more. I will work on that.
For those that prefer to have PPF I wouldn’t tell them not to get it.
Your standards are higher than mine. I don’t require perfection. You drive a car it gets battle scars. That’s life. Life is short. This is my eighth Corvette and I will continue to drive it because that’s why I bought it.
OP’s question was do you regret not getting PPF. I don’t. My regret is that I haven’t driven the car more. I will work on that.
For those that prefer to have PPF I wouldn’t tell them not to get it.
Yes, admittedly my standards are higher than most...
My C8 is my 35th new car and 4th Corvette and I enjoy keeping them looking great while driving the hell out of them!
PPF applied on the front end has always been a must have for me....
Your standards are higher than mine. I don’t require perfection. You drive a car it gets battle scars. That’s life. Life is short. This is my eighth Corvette and I will continue to drive it because that’s why I bought it.
OP’s question was do you regret not getting PPF. I don’t. My regret is that I haven’t driven the car more. I will work on that.
For those that prefer to have PPF I wouldn’t tell them not to get it.
To be fair, like another poster said, it's extremely rare for someone to admit they made a mistake and regret getting/not getting something.
Next time we’re visiting our friends in Casa Grande I will get in touch with you. We can get together for a libation. Probably be in 2024 as of right now.
I had my C7 done and just got my C8 in August so I'm having PPF done in a couple weeks. I'm paying $2800 for a Prep Wash, Front Bumpers, Headlights, Full Hood, Full Fenders, Mirror Caps, Door Edge Guards, Door Cups, Rear Trunk Ledge, Rocker Panels, Rear Splash, A-Pillars, Leading Roof Edge. So 3K seams to be about average. What ever you do ask questions like do they roll the edges or do they use a plotter for there patterns. That will tell you if they know what they're doing, Good luck with whatever you decide to do..
From what I have heard from a friend that does a lot of high end cars is that he thinks PPF is highly overrated. He does PPF+Ceramic installs all the time.
If a stone makes a light strike that doesn't go through the PPF, then it is a quick fix with DrChip and will look good as new to any untrained eye.
If a stone makes a harder strike that does go through the PPF, then DrChip might work, but sometimes even that won't correct it if the chip is just too severe.
So basically PPF only helps with the light stuff, which needs to be fairly light for even the "self healing" PPF that you could have fixed with DrChip instead.
His advice to me was, "If you are keeping the car FOREVER, get PPF+Ceramic. If you are keeping the car for 5-10 years max, just get ceramic and dr.chip anything the troubles you so long as the car is stored in the garage all the time the CarPro CQ UK3.0 ceramic will 100% last that long if maintained."
Since I was planning on getting the next iteration within 5 years, I just went with ceramic.
The only part of my car that shows any signs if visible chips is the damned window after 14k smiles. That window chips incredibly easily.
Getting PPF depends on where you live and drive. If you drive alone and are not in traffic at highway speeds with a lot of pickups and jeep type SUV's you most likely don't need it.
Also if your roads are good, little traffic + there is little gravel/stones/debris on the road - again you don't need it.
If you are driving in traffic at highway speeds with crappy roads with debris on the sides or gravel ( from poor pot hole repair) on the sides of the highway - you will want it.
I worked midnights ( 10p -6am) and early tours (3am start ) when I got my DD. I rarely took the parkways / expressways. After 10 years there was no chips and still had the original windshield. When I got close to retirement, I transferred to 7am start , (different work location) and drove in traffic on the parkway. The car looked like someone hit it with buckshot.
I would suggest , to go out and look at the DD and see if that is ok for you new C8 / car. That is how I made my choice to get the PPF.
Yeah, I also forgot to mention, I am in FL in area with relatively good roads. Sand is the main thing on the roads. I drive around 5k miles per year, so I might have 25k miles on the car before I swap it for a new one.
