Paint Correction before PPF?
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Drifting
Joined: Jul 2013
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From: Swartz Creek MI
Paint Correction before PPF?
Should a paint correction be done prior to installing XPEL PPF on a new C8? I’ve talked to a few installers and some say they prefer doing a paint correction and others say it isn’t necessary and actually might be detrimental to the PPF install due to the residue/contamination from doing the paint correction. An installer I talked to also said the XPEL PPF will actually hide any swirl marks and scratches so no need to do it.
Just curious what members here have had done prior to your PPF installation. Any recommendations and tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Just curious what members here have had done prior to your PPF installation. Any recommendations and tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2021
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From: Simi Valley, CA
2022 C8 of the Year Finalist - Modified
My PPF installer just used a clay bar and a good washing before the PPF (front of car only). The Ceramic shop did a stage 2 paint correction on everything that wasn't PPF'd before applying the Ceramic on the entire car.
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The paint correction should be done before any ceramic coating or ppf are applied otherwise you will "lock in" the paint defects
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Melting Slicks
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I didnt bother with my C8 prior to PPF. Would it maybe be a tiny bit shinier had I had them do paint correction prior to PPF? Perhaps, but the paint on these modern cars is SO THIN I'd rather not thin out the clearcoat any worse with paint correction. The car looks killer and most folls dont even know it's PPF'd until they get right up close and look at relief cut spots, of which there arent many.
The residue from paint correction thing seems like a lazy shop to me. Any good shop that does correction will then do a full wash and decontamination prior to installing PPF.
The residue from paint correction thing seems like a lazy shop to me. Any good shop that does correction will then do a full wash and decontamination prior to installing PPF.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2013
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From: Swartz Creek MI
I didnt bother with my C8 prior to PPF. Would it maybe be a tiny bit shinier had I had them do paint correction prior to PPF? Perhaps, but the paint on these modern cars is SO THIN I'd rather not thin out the clearcoat any worse with paint correction. The car looks killer and most folls dont even know it's PPF'd until they get right up close and look at relief cut spots, of which there arent many.
The residue from paint correction thing seems like a lazy shop to me. Any good shop that does correction will then do a full wash and decontamination prior to installing PPF.
The residue from paint correction thing seems like a lazy shop to me. Any good shop that does correction will then do a full wash and decontamination prior to installing PPF.
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From: Simi Valley, CA
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My detailer did a paint correction before anything else….Stage 1 in my case as there were some surface scratches at the corners probably due to the transport cover. Then PPF (front impact areas and rockers) and ceramic thereafter (over the PPF).
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If a shop is telling you that paint correction isn't necessary before PPF run away from that shop as fast as you can. You've found someone who has no idea what they are doing and have the guts to charge people for their ignorance.
Melting Slicks
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From: Simi Valley, CA
2022 C8 of the Year Finalist - Modified
PPF doesn't "lock in" anything. Plenty of time to do paint correction when/if you remove the PPF. That's when you can correct and add ceramic coating if desired. Otherwise, the PPF adds plenty of gloss and hides any swirls/micro-scratches while preventing more. Don't waste your money.
Le Mans Master
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From: Rural NW Georgia. GO DAWGS!
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PPF doesn't "lock in" anything. Plenty of time to do paint correction when/if you remove the PPF. That's when you can correct and add ceramic coating if desired. Otherwise, the PPF adds plenty of gloss and hides any swirls/micro-scratches while preventing more. Don't waste your money.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2021
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Paint correction is just that! Some new cars need just a little and some new cars need a lot. Find a detailer/PPF/ceramic installer that uses proper lighting both handheld and on a cart. NOT Fluorescent lights that show nothing. The PPF installer needs to replicate what the car will look like in midday sun ie 5500K so at least 5000K
My Rapid Blue looked perfect in the dealer showroom (fluorescent), however in sunlight or with halogen light I could see some flaws. The PPF service here has LED light cart and handheld and you could easily see flaws. Try to see the car in sunlight before and after correction or use LED lamps. Remember, with PPF you are locking in the paint condition for a long time.
Anyone saying paint correction (clay bar and polish) is not necessary without looking at the car is wasting your money. That is why it is impossible to get an accurate cost of PPF without actually inspecting the car.
Update: Just to add that with metallic paint (Elkhart Lake blue, Red mist etc) the flaws are much less visible as compared to Black, White, Rapid Blue etc so much less paint correction (on none) needed.
My Rapid Blue looked perfect in the dealer showroom (fluorescent), however in sunlight or with halogen light I could see some flaws. The PPF service here has LED light cart and handheld and you could easily see flaws. Try to see the car in sunlight before and after correction or use LED lamps. Remember, with PPF you are locking in the paint condition for a long time.
Anyone saying paint correction (clay bar and polish) is not necessary without looking at the car is wasting your money. That is why it is impossible to get an accurate cost of PPF without actually inspecting the car.
Update: Just to add that with metallic paint (Elkhart Lake blue, Red mist etc) the flaws are much less visible as compared to Black, White, Rapid Blue etc so much less paint correction (on none) needed.
Last edited by gdb069; May 11, 2023 at 01:12 PM.
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Not only “what you would hope”but it IS What you should expect. Any shop that says he doesn’t want to paint correct before film or ceramic application because of the residue left behind is a shop that doesn’t know how to prepare a car before application. They are the shop to avoid.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2019
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From: Port Charlotte,Fl
I shopped for PPF before I took delivery of my '20 C8.A shop in Sarasota wanted $900 for paint correction even before seeing the car!...I looked around for a different installer and all he said he found were some light scratches where the shipping cover rubbed on the paint while in transit...My car is Switchblade Silver, now a black or darker color may need more attention than the lighter color.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2021
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From: Simi Valley, CA
2022 C8 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Do you have any experience with PPF? It takes a special solution to remove it properly so it doesn't damage your paint. I had a friend get a nasty gash in his PPF and while it didn't damage the paint he did have to pay for the solution to remove and replace it. PPF hides nothing if the paint correction isn't done properly.
As for hiding things, my C8 has PPF on the front surfaces, and Ceramic Pro lifetime coating on the whole car. The PPF installer only used a clay bar before the PPF. Ceramic Pro did a stage 2 paint correction on all non-PPF covered paint. You can't see any difference (in painted surface quality) between the PPF part and the paint-corrected part. So I would say the PPF is hiding any swirls/micro-scratches fairly well.
Pro
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If the paint is relatively new and in good condition, I would forego the paint correction. There are only a finite amount times that the paint can be corrected. The paint can be clay bared if there is fallout and it feels rough. I would then follow with a fine hand polish. Machine correction can be very hard on body lines and sharper corners. The horror stories are endless of shops being too aggressive with the paint correction, it is not worth the risk.