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Looks like a bad install…from some posts above mine had the PPF wrapped around the curves in most parts if not all…late at night but maybe windshield pillars were not.
A good shop should not only warn you about the down sides of PPF on light color cars but go over general pros and cons. I agree that a good install should have edges wrapped but there is no getting around having edges that are not in a place where they can be wrapped around an edge, especially if you are not doing a full PPF installation.
I just dropped my car off yesterday to get PPF installed and in addition to the time spent on the phone with the shop going over the installation and expectations I spent a lot of time going over the installation with the tech before I left the shop. We did a walk around the car and talked about how the PPF would be applied and challenges and how they would be addressed. I will do the same when I pick it up. There are pros and cons to everything, understanding them and setting expectations is the key…..
For those that say "should have wrapped the edges" it's simply impossible to wrap all edges.
The doors, around parts of the fender, around the entirety of the hood, and any area with sufficient gaps between panels I would expect to be wrapped.
Areas around the headlights, like in the OPs photos, are impossible to wrap in certain areas, especially where the headlight meets the fender. There simply is not enough gap. If by some miracle it could be wrapped, it would pinch and cause other problems. The best approach would be to get it as close to the edge as possible. Age, washing, wiping too hard against the edge, or environmental factors can cause that edge to pull away and dirt to get under it.
Proper care and maintenance to avoid causing edges to lift is important.
For those that say "should have wrapped the edges" it's simply impossible to wrap all edges.
Areas around the headlights, like in the OPs photos, are impossible to wrap in certain areas, especially where the headlight meets the fender. There simply is not enough gap. If by some miracle it could be wrapped, it would pinch and cause other problems. The best approach would be to get it as close to the edge as possible.
I disagree that the area around the headlights are impossible to wrap. Here are some pics of my ppf in similar locations to the OP's. You'll see there aren't any edges to the seams or pinching that you're referring to. It really does come down to installer skill.
That PPF job was terrible. I just picked up my car today. The shop had it for a week. PPF on everything but top (leading edge was done), rear bumper and tonneau cover. Ceramic on entire car. You cannot see a seam. I am going to post pictures as soon as the weather is better, currently overcast and stormy in the DFW area. It wasn't cheep by a long shot but the work is impeccable. They told me to bring it back in in 2 to 4 weeks so they can check it and make sure no edges are coming loose. They will also detail the car again.
the installer is the most important aspect of a good PPF job. there should be no visible seams with all seams tucked or lapped under the panel. I just had the front bumper cover and hood PPF replaced due to normal wear and tear from road debris.
Arctic white here and yes the edges look terrible. But I learned to ignore it, better than road rash. Someone told me that PPF is only good for 3 years, after that you risk paint damage when you take it off. Any truth to this???
Arctic white here and yes the edges look terrible. But I learned to ignore it, better than road rash. Someone told me that PPF is only good for 3 years, after that you risk paint damage when you take it off. Any truth to this???
Well mine was on for 3 years 7 months and was very easy to take off with no paint damage.
Not only did I have full PPF put on my 2026 SR Z51, I had Exoshield put on the windshield (basically PPF for the windshield), then everything ceramic coated. Installer did a great job. The Exoshield has already saved my windshield while driving from Lake Charles, LA to Katy, TX.
It was very easy to remove. I used a heat gun on the low setting and it peeled right off. It took about 30 minutes to remove it from the whole front of the car including the fenders.
Did you have any issues with it taking the coating off the headlights?
So you'd rather have paint chips?? Those dark edges could have easily been corrected.
Sure, I’d rather not get a rock chip, but if it happens it’s really not a big deal to me. I only put about 2,000 miles a year on the Vette, and very little of that is highway driving, so I’m probably not going to see many chips anyway.
I sold my C6 last year after owning it for 10 years and putting 44,000 miles on it. In all that time it picked up four small rock chips. I touched them up and they were barely noticeable—even from a couple feet away. The buyer looked the car over for about an hour and never even mentioned them.
My 8-year-old F-150 has 105,000 miles on it and the only chips it had were on the front bumper. I had the bumper resprayed for $200 and it looks like new again.
