Anyone not PPF?
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 176
Likes: 55
From: Las Vegas NV
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...s-ppf-job.html
This thread is currently discussing PPF and has pictures. Great advice from the forum members if you want to PPF and from those that don't like it.
This thread is currently discussing PPF and has pictures. Great advice from the forum members if you want to PPF and from those that don't like it.
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 35,045
Likes: 12,412
From: NE South Carolina
Here is a pic summary an what I might for my upcoming E-Ray!
After I sold two C4's that were perfect except for dings on the rocker panels and behind the rear wheel, both these very large splash guards for my 2008 C6. Helped, fine for the rear and most of the sides, except by the rear wheel opening
GM Knew the Coke Bottle shaped C7 would be a problem with rocks. Offered slash guards I installed AND a heavy plastic type PPF on the rockers from the center of the door up in front of the rear wheel well. They were dongs and marked in a month. I installed full length side skirts that solved the issue. removed the marked-up GM protective plastic PPF type (although folks note not as good as 3M stuff.)
Added wider ACS front splash guards and GM rear. GM had worked fine on my 2014 C7. Bout the $4500 Stage 2 Areo option for my 2017 Grand Sport to stop rocks. Worked great when sold all looked new.
Added aftermarket equivalent to GM Option 5VM to my C8. No rock dings in 3 years.
BUT no full-length side skirts for my planned E-Ray. C8 Z06 has been out for over a year with the same body and no long side skirts for it. "Thinking About" having 3M PPF installed only on the small area after the GM 2/3 size side skirts.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 2,617
Likes: 1,805
From: Mandalore
At this timestamp the owner describes how the C8 ran into a divider post that separates the express lanes in Florida. The PPF completely guarded against damage except for the front grill slat (required for pedestrian safety). This timestamped link jumps straight to that discussion:
And here's the raw aftermath before the PPF was pulled:
You can estimate how much more the damage would have been without PPF plus losing the priceless ability to claim your C8 has full factory original paint.
And here's the raw aftermath before the PPF was pulled:
You can estimate how much more the damage would have been without PPF plus losing the priceless ability to claim your C8 has full factory original paint.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 454
Likes: 272
Not for me on my AW 2023 HTC. I did just polish and ceramic coat a 2000 Toyota 4 Runner; also white. I have purchased a color match touch up pen for three small rock chips on the entire SUV. It has 60K miles on it and has received zero special treatment. Hard pressed to see gloss difference in new C8 and Dad's old Toyota after polishing and ceramic coating.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 2,617
Likes: 1,805
From: Mandalore
This guy regrets not getting PPF. His frontend looks pretty pelted despite avoiding tailgating on the highways. It seems to be area dependent so it might make less sense if you live in an area with roads that are so clean you can lick them. Even then, that's an assumption that won't necessarily always hold true. Some also don't mind respraying their front bumper when necessary. I prefer maintaining original paint with one and done preventative care.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 263
Likes: 180
At the end of the day it's a car. And it's a mass produced car that's a depreciating asset. The days of flipping a C8 for $20k in profit during COVID are done. Yes prices are still strong, but they're going to continue to come down. So for me it's just not worth it. You can do a good enough job with Dr. Colorchip. I did do a DIY ceramic coating on mine which absolutely was worth it to keep the gloss up and make it sooooooooo easy to clean.
Now if this was some rare supercar where they only made a thousand and it would double in value in a 10 years, then yeah. I'd probably protect my investment a bit.
But at the end of the day it's a Chevrolet car.
Now if this was some rare supercar where they only made a thousand and it would double in value in a 10 years, then yeah. I'd probably protect my investment a bit.
But at the end of the day it's a Chevrolet car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,037
Likes: 520
From: Texas
Last car I put PPF on it and was very glad I did. I daily drove it and clean up on it was way easier than the cars that didn't. Birds droppings that baked in the sun, bugs from a road trip, rocks flung up from the road... Nothing phassed it. It also saved the car from neglectful people who slammed their door into my mirror. Replacing the film on the mirror is cheap, likely cheaper than repairing the damage if I hadn't had it.
If you don't drive the car much, I would say don't do it. If you use the car and want easy maintenance and some assurance from damage, good PPF is worth it. It's not perfect but it's done a good job.
If you don't drive the car much, I would say don't do it. If you use the car and want easy maintenance and some assurance from damage, good PPF is worth it. It's not perfect but it's done a good job.
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