Is it common practice to apply a ceramic coating over Xpel PPF without voiding the warranty?
Planning on doing only the front bumper and headlights, ceramic coat the rest.
Thanks

 

Yes you can do ceramic coating over PPF. Makes it better actually.

 

Let me piggyback on this. I’ve never considered stripes on my vette until the Indy 500 pace car stripes were revealed. I would get them if offered with the 70th anniversary.

Can you PPF over those stripes? I had Xpel in my C7Z and definitely want it again for this one.

 

Yes. In fact I would say it is a good idea to protect them with something transparent.

 

You can ppf over stripes, but it doesn't work well, it's a bad shortcut. You end up with an air pocket at the seam where the vinyl sticks up from the paint. the correct way to do it is to ppf then add vinyl stripes or graphics over it.

 

Question as I’m considering going this route. Never been a fan or vinyl stripes too, so still not sure. Anyways, if you do elect to install them over the PPF, should you want to remove them, does anyone know if that would damage the PPF in any way? Deciding to remove the stripes and having to replace the PPF in the process would be unfortunate.

 

PPF can't be removed and then reapplied. The minute you remove it it's destroyed.

 

Sun Tek makes a relatively new product that incorporates ceramic coating into the PPF. I have it on one of my cars and it really works well. Looks great and completely resists dirt and water. It’s entirely hydrophobic.

 

STEK DYNOshield it's called, right? Considering that for my next car.

 

no the product is called SunTek Reaction. Not only does it contain ceramic coating but it is a bit glossier than their standard PPF or the comparable XPEL products. I will use SunTek Reaction on my C8Z as soon as I take delivery.

 

I understand that, but that wasnt my question. I’m asking if you can remove the vinyl stripes installed over PPF without damaging and needing to replace the PPF in the process.

 

Sorry I misread your post.

 

In my C7 I put stripes over Xpel. Not a problem

 

I’ll start by saying I don’t know for sure, having never done it, so this is just my thoughts... There’s 2 potential problems I would be concerned about with stripes over the ppf…1) the stripe will be susceptible to rock damage, as it’s not going to be protected or self-heal like the ppf, and 2) I have to think the stripe going from the painted area to the ppf (if that’s the case with your stripe) would be a very noticeable transition…though if we’re talking the hood, a full hood ppf with a stripe on top should look fine.

i think it would be very tough to remove a stripe from ppf without damaging the ppf…also seems likely the ppf would not age the same and would look different where the stripe was, making you want to change the ppf anyway.

It would seem to me that ppf over the stripes is the better way to go…though you’d probably have to accept going into it that the stripe might have to be replaced with the ppf at the end of its service life. It seems possible one could steam off the ppf without pulling the stripe, but also very possible it could pull the stripe too.

Lastly…while not what you asked, but related…the general consensus from people who ceramic coat their car seems to be to coat over the ppf, stripes, etc…I have preferred to ceramic coating the paint and then put on ppf…this way, there’s no line created that has to be corrected when the ppf is removed/replaced…same logic would apply to stripes, though I’ve never had stripes. Many people say ppf won’t stick to ceramic, but based on my own experience on several cars it does with no probs.