I know it's an old video but I just came across it now....as an installer I can say that installation could've been done better (it's really not awful though,I've seen FAR WORSE) but I feel like most customers expect PPF to be "bulletproof" where it's actually just supposed to be a sacrificial layer. Protecting your factory paint might be more expensive however not many people know just how difficult it is not only to match it when respraying but having the same factory quality paint. It also scares away potential buyers when/if you want to sell it (at least where I'm from) because they see a respray and assume it's been in an accident. Those edges can easily be cleaned and the scratches will heal with heat,rather replace film than an entire carbon panel which could cost more & at least that way your car will always be in "pristine factory condition".
Late comment, but I'm not the only one thinking about PPF pros and cons who found this video. Thanks for the honest assessment. It's a refreshing contrast to the videos put out by youtube influencers who received a free or discounted ppf job or pro detailers who make a living from ppf and, unsurprisingly, love it.
On the scratched trim area, before removing it, have you tried heating the PPF with a heat gun/hair dryer? Since PPF has self healing properties, heating it may remove the scratches again. Give it a try before removing it.
Thsi si really true for most ppf and xpel as well. Worst case scenario you can ask a detailer to polish it and I know that ppf can be polished like paint.
Thanks for sharing your real world experience. Wrapping the edges would solve the pre-cut edge dirt problem. But then tho cost would go up significantly. Everything is a trade off. Can you do another video on the SUV? It looks like the film really took a hit. Thanks.
It’s not a complain, it’s an observation. I understand the purpose of ppf, but I want it to look good as well. My point of the video is to showcase things you might not know or think about before you get ppf
They’re amateurs. All the edges should have been folded around the edges not done the way they did it for you. Also the door step is not hit by the sun so if you have a heat gun you can hit it with some and it should fix most of them unless they’re very deep.
some complicate bumper is not possible because the PPF has a limit of elasticity, also it may need to remove the whole bumper and head lights, which i think the cost at the end is higher than repaint the front bumper, hahahaha
Thank you for sharing this information. After watching this I don't think I will get the PPF. Those details would drive me crazy, especially after spending so much money.
Have you tried fixing those scratches on the door sill with a heat gun or blow dryer? Most PPF have a self healing characteristic that can repair minor scratches. Most beautiful Lexus by the way, just amazing!
2024 October and this chaged my mind to get ppf unless they do not use pre-cut sheets. But where the installer cut and tuck all edges. I would have them redo it under their warranty. 😮
sorry man for your problems. but your installation on lexus is done by amateurs. Real proffesional never gonna put that car to the client. Trust me. Better find real proffesional shop where people know what they doing. Take care
about that door seal film, the scratched one.. No one says that you can't scratch the film. They say that the small scratches done by careless washing can heal in sun heat. But those deep scratches are not curable.. The best part is that they are in the film, otherwise they would be in the carbon fiber.. I see this as a pro - ppf argument.
I talk about this a lot. I really appreciate you making this video tho because you are the customer. You. Are telling people your feedback as a customer. That carries more weight in my opinion. Because when I talk about this kind of stuff it seems more biased because I'm the guy who would put it on and remove it. People are less likely to listen to me basically and more likely to listen to you the actual and consumer customer. PPF is not a perfect system but it does protect your paint
@@atlasoverlandrecovery it should never harm the paint. It can only protect it. But often the rocks go past anyway and yous still get damage. But ultimately If money is not of concern then it's a decent idea to help stop chips. We install ppf for reference. The only time you will literally see it harm paint. Is when you remove it and you potentially literally peel paint off with the PPF because the glue is so strong. This is uncommon but it does happen
@@atlasoverlandrecovery IT CAN ....possibly harm the paint. I have seen removal of fairly new XPEL Ultimate on Audi R8 and it destroyed its paint cause the removal took the clear coat with it. But I have also seen removals where it was perfect and nothing went wrong. Pick your chances.
This is a thought provoking and interesting conversation. I had a very nice Kavaca ppf installation done on a recent new black car. I believe the both the material and installation was top notch. I enjoy paint care and have the tools and products to remove imperfections. However I have been hesitant to try any more aggressive techniques on the ppf areas other than a wash. This has left the treated areas looking slightly worse than others albeit protected. The cost savings goes a long way to a respray if necessary and I can likely get small chips professionally fixed. This video and conversation has me seriously considering a skip of ppf on my next car
If you have already decided on ppf then it would be worth seeing a Kavaca installation. I could definitely see an improvement when compared to Xpel on a dark car. However I bought a new car in November and decided to forgo ppf altogether.
I did a DIY full front end of PPF for my own 21 Honda Odyssey. It was very difficult process especially for the edges especially that I didn’t know it would be difficult to make it perfect in the edges.
I just want to point out that good shops apply PPF without seems. You want to go with a shop that hand cuts the PPF and wraps the film over the edge of the car parts. This process requires more skill and partial disassembly of some parts, but it's the proper way to do it. When a shop does PPF correctly, you can't tell there is any PPF on the car, no matter how close you look. I think its only fair for this to be mentioned as the result you got is not always the case
I came out of this video with this thought. If you want to PPF to keep your car perfect, know that PPF will make it imperfect immediately. Thanks for the great video.
My ppf was done on my all black Mercedes. RUclips taught me it will not be perfect and car color does make a difference. I'm satisfied with my ppf job. Having a white car will highlight the dirt buildup along any exposed edges over the years.
I watched your other video, which I feel should have been included with this one because in this video, you do NOT come across as giving advice to people about what to look for and be weary of. You seem to be telling people "I went to a reputable shop and it looks like this, so don't get PPF". So because of that, I am commenting with time stamps for the viewers who will not see the other video... I am a PPF installer (you won't find any videos through this account as it is my personal account - but I do own my own detailing and restyling shop in which I have 15 years experience and a very strong reputation as a custom/bulk PPF installer where we disassemble and cover everything), so I am speaking from professional experience here. You have a good start with pointing flaws out to to potential PPF buyers, but the review is lacking context and explanation. Before time stamps, I'll just point out that while installer experience IS important, this is a clear example of it not mattering/showing. A shop with 15-20 years of experience should NEVER put out this kind of work. This is arguably below even dealership work. 3:42 "and again, this isn't an example of a BAD job..." That is indeed a bad job. It's a pre-cut kit that was installed poorly enough to require re-cutting/trimming and the lines were cut crooked like crazy. 4:15 "a spot where the PPF is damaged..." You mean where it did its job and saved your paint from the rock chip. 4:20 "and then a little bit on the corner..." Again it's the poor quality shop/install using a precut kit not fully wrapping edges. 5:35 " this just looks like garbage..." Yes, because it did its job, protecting your CF from carelessness coming out of the car. PPF is sacrificial, and when it builds up enough damage, it is to be replaced. Also another example of a poor quality shop...they only covered half the carbon fiber, and with a gloss film over a matte CF. Matte PPF should've been used across the whole surface. 7:05 "it's the little edges that bother me...." Another great example of a poor quality shop doing the work. The LC has an oversized hood (larger than 60" in both directions), and a good shop knows that, so they will make sure to order and use 72" material instead of the standard 60" to properly cover the hood in one piece. This shop was lazy or cheap (or both) and simply didn't want to order the right material for your vehicle. Overall, the lesson to be learned here (and taught/passed on to your viewers) is to do your research on the shop and go on location to see examples of their work or current projects. Make sure you ask questions regarding which type of install you're getting (custom/bulk or pre-cut), ask if there will be seams, and if so, where and why. Ask what will be removed/disassembled (trims, badges, lights, moldings, etc.) Also, go with your instinct, is the person you're speaking with trying to convince you to buy something or trying to really push a sale or are they knowledgeable and trying to help you get what's right for you? Are they setting expectations as to what you'll be getting? Too many shops focus on the brand and length of warranty...when in reality, it's all about the installer and quality of the work.
Whomever wrapped your Lexus did a bad job. Some installers cover the entire panel and they don't leave gaps. Also, what brand of PPF did they use? How was the paint condition prior to the wrap? And how was the paint prepared prior to having PPF installed? There's LOTs of variables that aren't mentioned.
That scratches on the door sills just means it's doing its job protecting whatever you covered up to protect. There's no scratch proof material that you can use to protect your car. Unless you have millions and billions to custom cut diamond.
Hello, thank you for your honest opinion and sorry for your troubles…I’m in the process of buying a new Tesla and, as I have found from other Tesla owners in RUclips, it’s one of the cars for which most people recommend PPF primarily because of Tesla’s traditionally bad quality paint and, especially, because of the car’s front bumper design which seems to get a lot of hits from bugs and other debris. Despite these recommendations, I’m on the fence as to whether I should have at least the front half of my car with PPF. As you said, PPF is expensive and I’m trying, in my mind, to decide whether a better financial decision would be to just pay for the repair of any chips that may occur over the years…Therefore, I’m inclined to just have a ceramic coating done, which should protect the shine of the paint from dirt, bird droppings, etc., and forego the PPF. Any thoughts? Thank you
I recently got a white Tesla model S plaid and decided to just to ceramic coating. See my other video I show the full process and explain why I did what I did. BTW - I love Teslas, good choice 👍
@@luxurymicrofiber4007 Thank you very much for responding. I believe your approach to preserving your cars is the most sensible, even in places where it snows and the weather doesn’t “cooperate”…The ceramic coating helps you protect the shine in your paint and should a small chip occur, it’s much cheaper to have it professionally repainted than to pay at least $2k for PPF. After all, how often will your car get hit by road debris if you live in a modern city with decent roads? I chose grey for my new Tesla because, quite frankly, it is (in my opinion) the car color that shows the dirt…
I did the same car a couple months ago and on that interior door piece I put a matte ppf on it to keep the matte look. Just be careful taking that piece off cause you can potentially rip the matte clear on the door jamb. Also that hood can be done in one piece. The video is somewhere on my RUclips channel.
I have an LC as well…. Really not sure if I want to drop $2200 to wrap front clip on this vehicle. It’s a Niory green so any chips do show up and concearn is of course a big hood that seems to collect every single bug lol. I’m not planning on tracking it but with CA freeways being so shitty I’m still a bit paranoid. Expel makes good product but when removed it can also damage factory paint…. Too many decisions
I also had an LC 500 and had the same front PPF installed as you I got it done at Tint World they used SunTek PPF installation is far more important than the actual brand of material they use. Obviously SunTek is a good brand but one of the key things is the SunTek film is a bit on the thinner side compared to something like Xpel so it’s easier to work with. My installer also had exposed edges only on the end of the hood from what I remember but I had no dirt build up after a year and a half. I’ll probably order a 2023 LC and get the whole car PPF next time
@@PerryPapanier money isn't an issue for me which is why I take it for professional touchup? $5,000 of full PPF on a depreciating asset makes no sense to me
@@PerryPapanier I would only get PPF if I took my car offroading often. Like if I didn't have it the car would be BEAT UP by gravel rocks and stormy weather and need a full repaint. I just can't justify the cost of PPF replacement otherwise.
About to get my 21 type r whole front in with ppf.. I’ll keep y’all updated, knowing the curves that both of these cars have I think it’s a great example to see what the outcome is. 😮💨
@@jayscul-de-sac6820 It’s one of the best investments I’ve made. It is beyond easy to clean the car now and the whole front end always look like new 🤝 also protects your headlights and body from any damage or aging. 10/10 recommend
I am the International Sales Director for an American PPF manufacturer, I’d be glad to A) answer any questions you might have about PPF B) get a proper installer with a proper film to replace all of this terrible workmanship.
I appreciate your help. I can be reached at info@luxurymicrofiberstore.com I’m looking for a good quality PPF installer. Looking forward to connecting with you
I have Kavaka PPF on my C8, professionally installed and an excellent job compared to this Lexus. However an odd thing, if you look at the car it’s perfect, then I put on my polarized sunglasses and see gray shading and spots in the film. Color is Silver. Kavaka says this is normal. If I knew this I never would have had the PPF done. Anyone else seen this phenomenon ? Remember make sure you use polarized sunglasses not all sunglasses are. Thanks
My experience is almost all good PPF come with their own pros and con. I made this video because it’s important to set your expectations as a customer especially when you pay 5-7k.
This is normal. Polarized glasses use a polar filter lens which filters light directionally. The spots you see are variations in the thickness/orientation of the film stretch where it was squeegeed. Your glasses are filtering out light refracted at a specific angle. If you take your glasses off and look at the film through them while rotating them, you'll notice the spots appear and disappear or change location as the glasses change direction. All manufacturers warn about this. IMO, a very poor reason to choose to not get PPF. It's only visible with polarized glasses and changes absolutely nothing of what the car looks like (or how the PPF will perform) to the proper naked eye. You could just get regular sunglasses which is a simpler option.
Some installers choose to remove parts of the vehicle for installation, however, who would want your brand new vehicle taken apart by just anyone? this was a good install, you just have a white car and can see it more than any other color.
@@executiveinvestments dude if that's the worst install you've ever seen then you've never seen a real bad install. I have a video on my channel on a Urus. It's like really bad it's practically kind of funny. The video covers multiple topics but everyone likes to focus on how bad the install is because it is pretty bad
Agree. I’ve probably bought 10 PPF kits by now and not one has been perfectly installed except for a 2014 Hyundai Azera that had such great lines that my installer could’ve did it with his eyes closed. He was done in about 2 hours, and you couldn’t even see it. But on every other car, there were simply problematic lines that I just had to accept that the PPF couldn’t be laid smoothly. My black ‘07 Mustang GT California Special was a nightmare and it didn’t look too good, but it still looked better than what rocks, chips and baked on bugs would’ve done to my paint. It’s a great product, but it’s not perfect for crying out loud.
Really appreciate an objective point of view on the downsides of PPF. For the money, it does not seem to be worth the downsides that you will see every day after they appear.
Ive done my own ppf on my genesis g70, tons and tons of tiny curves, the first one u mentioned at 3:09 could have been eradicated with more heat after lifting and re applying from the apex of the curve outward. Heat and pressure makes 3m very tacky and it would stick. Sorry man, i wish i could’ve fixed it for you
i will not cover the bumper, because the cost is high as i repaint the bumper, also the ppf cannot cover the complicate bumper shape and fold over it, i will only cover the hood, the other areas i will do ceramic coating only also you can try STEK PPF
It looks like they haven’t wrapped the car correctly. In regards to your carbon fibre wrap. It has done its job by scratching the ppf and not the carbon fibre. If you take the ppf off, then you will have near perfect carbon fibre
The ppl was a pre cut kit this is what happens with this a good installer has the machine to make the ppl longer so you can wrap the edges then you won’t have this problem
iv got a great idea to fix your corners. clean it really well then put a thin coat of clear silicon around all the edges and just run your finger over it. that will probably fix your issue. I put it on my vynal wrap edges and you can't even see it
Yes the PPF can be tucked underneath along the straight edges BUT there is always that exposed/unprotected ~90-degree corner on each panel. Even within a very reputable shop, the skills among the technicians vary. The end result oftentimes depends on the luck of the draw.
Not always. You can cover the corners perfectly fine. Takes some skill, yes, patience 100% but we do it at our shop. Can every single corner be covered on the car? Maybe not but for front clips that Lexus should have been covered way better.
This is why I try to stay away from PPF all together. But here I am getting back into the whole PPF world. The problem I have with it, is that for the money it cost, it goes from being a paint protection product to a vehicle enhancement product. And that's where the drama starts.
How you enter and exit your car will prevent damage…those scratches can be healed with a hair dryer? My entire Hood on My Challenger was done in one piece along with the entire car. My Daily driver is done also.
The PPF on your door sills that is scratched has self healing abilities. You need to take a hair dryer or heat gun to it. It normally does not get enough heat to self heal on its own. I would also have them cover all the carbon fiber and not just a piece of it. They now have matt finish PPF so you can have it match the dry carbon fiber (non-gloss).
@@georgemiloslavski7086 You are absolutely correct. However, I install PPF at my business as well and I have had formal installation training. I wasn't commenting on every defect that I could see with his PPF on the doorsill. I was commenting specifically on the scratches that the owner was specifically pointing out on the doorsill. There are scratches as well as glue lines.
I have PPF on my Ferrari. So the dirt on the edges is almost only visible on White cars, then also the carbon door panel is never exposed to heat and sun so it doesn't heal automaticly. Use a heat gun and it will be as new again... Polishing PPF is not advised because you will take a bit of the "self healing by heat" top layer. Also i dont understand why they didnt fold the PPF inwards so you cant see the edges.
I think this is not the problem of the PPF but that it feels like the installer could have done a better job... I am not installer myself, but they could have wrapped the PPF around...
Just got my tesla m3 , by far the most expensive car i ever bought.. the whole tesla community will tell you to put ppf on your tesla.. yea right, unfortunately i don't have the $4000-6000 that i cost to out ppf on the full car.. but i went ahead , victim of that hype and paid $1000 to ppf the rocker , door bottom, and front bumper.. now im broke. I do not believe i will ever recover that money.. but atleast im less nervous when i drive my tesla on a dirt road.. and in the snow. For the rest i will see how my finance goes…. I also bought small piece of ppf and added them my self on few spots.. like the mount roof rack points.. and the rear trunk sill.. using slip solution and tac solution i was able to to like pro.. almost.. there are some very very small tiny imperfection.. but im learning.. i wouldn't do the front bumper myself but if you want to practice , try adding door sill ppf by yourself, those are great areas to learn how to ppf. In conclusion, i don't think we should ppf a whole car.. big waste of investment, you won't get a better price because your paint is pristine.. you will grt couple,of,hundreds bucks at most,
I can live with a chip or scratch. What I can't live with is peeling clear coat. Which PPF may also carry that risk of peeling the clear coat with it if removal is necessary due to damaged/worn/yellowed PPF. Therefore, I always prefer professional coatings that have proven themselves in the SUN such as Opti Coat pro. I do have PPF though on door sill areas though as some high performance vehicles are so WIDE.
3:25 - looks like they rushed to have it done for you or something? They cut the PPF manually and that's how it ends. Companies that have automatic plotters which cuts PPF dont do these mistakes. 3:46 - yes, it is an example of a bad job xD
you see those creest there are special tools to push it in and use utility knife to cut it out ppf does get scratch but you can heat it up with heat gun
If you mean ppf, yes you can get it just know what you’re getting into and get it done by someone who is reputable. Once you have it put a layer of ceramic coating on it
Well, that's the thing about cost. You need to replace the PPF every few years. Not sure the cost outweighs just getting the car repainted. I had an Acura that I had PPF put on it but didn't realize how often I should replace it. The sun will shrink the PPF a bit over the years and the edges will leave glue where it originally was. This glue just doesn't pick up dirt but tiny rocks. Imagine putting coarse beach sand on glue that is on your car.... Yeah, I murdered my paint job in those areas taking the PPF off myself. Some areas were ok, but other areas were rough. I'm going the cloth/leather car bra method next time.
For the cost of ppf, I don’t care if it’s difficult, it should be wrapped around all edges. They are cutting corners by having the templates pre cut and simply installed. Some shapes need to be hand cut to avoid this. I wouldn’t deal with that. For 6-10k, I want it perfect. And I mean seamless. Otherwise what is the point of the high charge.
The PPF you have on your cars look like precut. If you got the bulk install (I think that’s what it’s called) the edges would be wrapped. It cost more for bulk and it takes longer
I'm fairly sure a lot of installers actually wrap the panels these days...so the edges are actually around the edge of the panel and you don't have those visible edges. Almost like how they do a vinyl wrap. That would literally solve most of what you showed on the front bumper with those ugly corner areas. Might have just been a sub par installer.
Well, based on what you are saying, they dont cover it all, had to add covering pieces. Also I ofcourse assume you did heat the PPF to fix it, not just polishing it like in the door? You havent informed us on that point within the video. Every appliance video shows us that to fix swirls, scratches etc, to activate the self healing properties in the PPF to apply heat to the affected area, usually sun does it for you under normal circumstances, but you might be living in a place where it doesnt pop out as much. Any way, you never mention it as far as I heared, and also, how much can the layers youve put on top of it have affected the fact of possible yellowing and such over time, and does it span months, or years?
I wonder have you (or anyone here) noticed a difference with your cars that don’t or haven’t had it? I mean, does waxing and caring for the paint properly essentially keep the car in just as good of shape, or does the PPF make a huge difference in a car a couple years down the line? Is it better to just take care of the paint and eventually have it reworked? I got a quote for $1700 from a place with 5/5 in 280 Google reviews, for the full front. Just trying to decide if it’s worth it financially/mathematically.
Yes there is a difference, waxing and ceramic will help protect from the elements and partially droppings, but the film is a physical barrier that can also withstand more intense damage like small stone chips and swirls - the good ones are also self healing so swirls vanish with heat. Without ppf swirls are directly in the factory paint and can only be polished off.
You are better off Professional coating and only PPF areas that you believe get high traffic areas. Professional coating meaning a coating that actually last as long with the clear coat (Silicon Carbide), not the ones that you have to redo every 2-5 years. PPF in areas like the rear door sills (if you have kids coming in and out of vehicles), but you have to decide how your car is going to be used. Like the video has stated, everything has pros and cons. For the average user, you are correct in that paint sealant and regular wash/wax will go a long way still, and the damages that may experience may actually be livable.
Ppf is sacrificial. It does help a little, but it has a massive cost and you need to replace it if it gets damaged. Yes, scratches can have self healing, but paint can also be buffed. Chips and chemical damage require replacement, but paint just needs touch up. End of the day I would only ppf an extremely valuable collectible that I plan to keep for 40 years.
This is standard paint protection film installation process still worth the money to protect paint. Do you prefer rock chips or corner dust ( which you can easily clean) But if you wanted perfection, you should have requested PPF as wrap where they do it as vinyl wrap. It cost more but for high end cars that you keep for more than 5 years or more, it is worth it.
This isn't clickbait and there's a lot of value in sharing these real and common pitfalls, but having read the comments and then watched the part 2, you went from "I don't care how good the shop is" to "this is a bad example of PPF". Just saying, if you want your viewers to learn the truth you should edit the description or pin a comment here accordingly for all the future viewers, because many will just take what you present here at face value without realizing that part 2 should be the one with all the views.
Damn the shop you went to is your issue there buddy. Every issue you have should have been discussed at the point of sale and you should have either agreed or disagreed with type of installation they were going to do. They make ppf in 72” rolls and that fits the entire hood. You can also stretch the film, cuz that’s what it’s designed to do, and you will cover the whole hood. That’s a lazy job with a shop that didn’t want to buy the extra large 72” roll. They cheaper out on you my guy.
Hi, my intention in this reply is not to make you look foolish but simply to inform you of a couple of area’s in your presented video that needs to be corrected or for you to be informed of. First, your PPF installation is not typical of how many professional PPF shops would have left those lines in the PPF film, at least not in the part of the world where I live, [North America]. So it is not a fair assessment of you warning your viewers of what they can expect if they choose to have PPF done on their vehicles. The next area where you may be confused is on the drivers-side door panel where there were some light scratch marks on the ceramic film that you stated you attempted to polish out. What you need to do for those light scratches is to use a hair-dryer or a heat gun, set the heat setting to high and slowly blow hot air back and forth along the PPF on the ceramic film strip, unless these scratches are extremely deep you should see them disappear. As for the area’s on your front bumper and hood, I would suggest purchasing some auto degreaser [read the label and follower the directions on it], once you have removed all of those thin dirt lines, I would then wash down the areas and dry them, I would then apply a good brand of wax to those areas’ to eliminate future discolorations, note: you could also purchase some ceramic and apply it to those areas instead of using a wax. Hope this helps.
@@atlasoverlandrecovery The PPF does not harm the cars paint. Depending on how poorly the PPF was applied, there should not be any bubbles on the cars surface; if the PPF was done by one's self, then there are possibilities of bubbles but depending on the size of said bubbles, the user may be able to remove them or at least min. them.
One of the simplest and yet on point review. Having PPF has its trade off and from experience i had but good experience from but imho the only thing i'll ppf is the headlights and pay extra on my insurance to lower my deductible which is about $250 deductible ($10-$20 increase from $1200 deductible difference).
The door sill plate scratches may look ugly, however imagine if that was without PPF.....all of those scratches would be on your actual carbon fiber. At the end of the day, it is paint protection film, not paint perfection film.
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I know it's an old video but I just came across it now....as an installer I can say that installation could've been done better (it's really not awful though,I've seen FAR WORSE) but I feel like most customers expect PPF to be "bulletproof" where it's actually just supposed to be a sacrificial layer. Protecting your factory paint might be more expensive however not many people know just how difficult it is not only to match it when respraying but having the same factory quality paint. It also scares away potential buyers when/if you want to sell it (at least where I'm from) because they see a respray and assume it's been in an accident. Those edges can easily be cleaned and the scratches will heal with heat,rather replace film than an entire carbon panel which could cost more & at least that way your car will always be in "pristine factory condition".
Only way to not have any scratches is to never not use or drive it at all from the factory. No protection will ever stop every scratches.
Late comment, but I'm not the only one thinking about PPF pros and cons who found this video. Thanks for the honest assessment. It's a refreshing contrast to the videos put out by youtube influencers who received a free or discounted ppf job or pro detailers who make a living from ppf and, unsurprisingly, love it.
Thank you 🙏
On the scratched trim area, before removing it, have you tried heating the PPF with a heat gun/hair dryer? Since PPF has self healing properties, heating it may remove the scratches again. Give it a try before removing it.
Thsi si really true for most ppf and xpel as well. Worst case scenario you can ask a detailer to polish it and I know that ppf can be polished like paint.
Thanks for sharing your real world experience. Wrapping the edges would solve the pre-cut edge dirt problem. But then tho cost would go up significantly. Everything is a trade off. Can you do another video on the SUV? It looks like the film really took a hit. Thanks.
Not sure I understand the complaint of the PPF having scratches on it. Would you prefer the scratches to be on the Carbon Fiber? Isn't that the point?
It’s not a complain, it’s an observation. I understand the purpose of ppf, but I want it to look good as well. My point of the video is to showcase things you might not know or think about before you get ppf
@@luxurymicrofiber4007 no worries thanks
Thank you for sharing. I'm now reconsidering getting PPF for my new car.
They’re amateurs. All the edges should have been folded around the edges not done the way they did it for you. Also the door step is not hit by the sun so if you have a heat gun you can hit it with some and it should fix most of them unless they’re very deep.
some complicate bumper is not possible because the PPF has a limit of elasticity, also it may need to remove the whole bumper and head lights, which i think the cost at the end is higher than repaint the front bumper, hahahaha
@@P222RL wrong.
Dealerships choose the cheapest 3rd parties to do it. No surprise
Thank you for sharing this information. After watching this I don't think I will get the PPF. Those details would drive me crazy, especially after spending so much money.
Have you tried fixing those scratches on the door sill with a heat gun or blow dryer? Most PPF have a self healing characteristic that can repair minor scratches.
Most beautiful Lexus by the way, just amazing!
2024 October and this chaged my mind to get ppf unless they do not use pre-cut sheets. But where the installer cut and tuck all edges. I would have them redo it under their warranty. 😮
sorry man for your problems. but your installation on lexus is done by amateurs. Real proffesional never gonna put that car to the client. Trust me. Better find real proffesional shop where people know what they doing. Take care
every professional was an amateur at one point, you expecting guys to be pros one their first day. Stfu
about that door seal film, the scratched one.. No one says that you can't scratch the film. They say that the small scratches done by careless washing can heal in sun heat. But those deep scratches are not curable.. The best part is that they are in the film, otherwise they would be in the carbon fiber.. I see this as a pro - ppf argument.
Can they carefully apply heat to allow the self healing properties to correct the scratches? What brand PPF did they use?
I talk about this a lot. I really appreciate you making this video tho because you are the customer. You. Are telling people your feedback as a customer. That carries more weight in my opinion. Because when I talk about this kind of stuff it seems more biased because I'm the guy who would put it on and remove it. People are less likely to listen to me basically and more likely to listen to you the actual and consumer customer.
PPF is not a perfect system but it does protect your paint
Does it harm the paint like cause it to blister or bubbles?
@@atlasoverlandrecovery it should never harm the paint. It can only protect it. But often the rocks go past anyway and yous still get damage. But ultimately If money is not of concern then it's a decent idea to help stop chips. We install ppf for reference.
The only time you will literally see it harm paint. Is when you remove it and you potentially literally peel paint off with the PPF because the glue is so strong. This is uncommon but it does happen
@@atlasoverlandrecovery IT CAN ....possibly harm the paint. I have seen removal of fairly new XPEL Ultimate on Audi R8 and it destroyed its paint cause the removal took the clear coat with it. But I have also seen removals where it was perfect and nothing went wrong. Pick your chances.
@@LoveLikeaHurricane thanks! I've seen them too
This is a thought provoking and interesting conversation. I had a very nice Kavaca ppf installation done on a recent new black car. I believe the both the material and installation was top notch. I enjoy paint care and have the tools and products to remove imperfections. However I have been hesitant to try any more aggressive techniques on the ppf areas other than a wash. This has left the treated areas looking slightly worse than others albeit protected. The cost savings goes a long way to a respray if necessary and I can likely get small chips professionally fixed. This video and conversation has me seriously considering a skip of ppf on my next car
I'm also looking to install kavaca ppf. Would you recommend me to install?
If you have already decided on ppf then it would be worth seeing a Kavaca installation. I could definitely see an improvement when compared to Xpel on a dark car. However I bought a new car in November and decided to forgo ppf altogether.
A man of detail. I 100% agree with you. I will go with ceramic coating 🙏🏽
why is my film peeling in some areas after 4 weeks of fitting
bad install
I did a DIY full front end of PPF for my own 21 Honda Odyssey. It was very difficult process especially for the edges especially that I didn’t know it would be difficult to make it perfect in the edges.
Thank you for the great video. Since you have one car without PPF, it would be great to see a comparison between the PPF car and the car with no PPF.
Just compare the panels of the Lexus with and without PPF. I can see a difference pretty clearly.
I just want to point out that good shops apply PPF without seems. You want to go with a shop that hand cuts the PPF and wraps the film over the edge of the car parts. This process requires more skill and partial disassembly of some parts, but it's the proper way to do it. When a shop does PPF correctly, you can't tell there is any PPF on the car, no matter how close you look.
I think its only fair for this to be mentioned as the result you got is not always the case
You can also extend the edges or the entire pattern and still use the plotter and program. That way you have save film and cut a lot less on the car.
I came out of this video with this thought. If you want to PPF to keep your car perfect, know that PPF will make it imperfect immediately. Thanks for the great video.
A true take on products is rare. Thanks for sharing
My ppf was done on my all black Mercedes. RUclips taught me it will not be perfect and car color does make a difference. I'm satisfied with my ppf job. Having a white car will highlight the dirt buildup along any exposed edges over the years.
3:02 all concerns confirmed.
God bless you, boss!
I watched your other video, which I feel should have been included with this one because in this video, you do NOT come across as giving advice to people about what to look for and be weary of. You seem to be telling people "I went to a reputable shop and it looks like this, so don't get PPF". So because of that, I am commenting with time stamps for the viewers who will not see the other video...
I am a PPF installer (you won't find any videos through this account as it is my personal account - but I do own my own detailing and restyling shop in which I have 15 years experience and a very strong reputation as a custom/bulk PPF installer where we disassemble and cover everything), so I am speaking from professional experience here. You have a good start with pointing flaws out to to potential PPF buyers, but the review is lacking context and explanation.
Before time stamps, I'll just point out that while installer experience IS important, this is a clear example of it not mattering/showing. A shop with 15-20 years of experience should NEVER put out this kind of work. This is arguably below even dealership work.
3:42 "and again, this isn't an example of a BAD job..." That is indeed a bad job. It's a pre-cut kit that was installed poorly enough to require re-cutting/trimming and the lines were cut crooked like crazy.
4:15 "a spot where the PPF is damaged..." You mean where it did its job and saved your paint from the rock chip.
4:20 "and then a little bit on the corner..." Again it's the poor quality shop/install using a precut kit not fully wrapping edges.
5:35 " this just looks like garbage..." Yes, because it did its job, protecting your CF from carelessness coming out of the car. PPF is sacrificial, and when it builds up enough damage, it is to be replaced. Also another example of a poor quality shop...they only covered half the carbon fiber, and with a gloss film over a matte CF. Matte PPF should've been used across the whole surface.
7:05 "it's the little edges that bother me...." Another great example of a poor quality shop doing the work. The LC has an oversized hood (larger than 60" in both directions), and a good shop knows that, so they will make sure to order and use 72" material instead of the standard 60" to properly cover the hood in one piece. This shop was lazy or cheap (or both) and simply didn't want to order the right material for your vehicle.
Overall, the lesson to be learned here (and taught/passed on to your viewers) is to do your research on the shop and go on location to see examples of their work or current projects. Make sure you ask questions regarding which type of install you're getting (custom/bulk or pre-cut), ask if there will be seams, and if so, where and why. Ask what will be removed/disassembled (trims, badges, lights, moldings, etc.) Also, go with your instinct, is the person you're speaking with trying to convince you to buy something or trying to really push a sale or are they knowledgeable and trying to help you get what's right for you? Are they setting expectations as to what you'll be getting? Too many shops focus on the brand and length of warranty...when in reality, it's all about the installer and quality of the work.
I watched a video many years ago with someone that had their car painted black and they had the car with BOTH ceramic coated and PPF.
Whomever wrapped your Lexus did a bad job. Some installers cover the entire panel and they don't leave gaps. Also, what brand of PPF did they use? How was the paint condition prior to the wrap? And how was the paint prepared prior to having PPF installed? There's LOTs of variables that aren't mentioned.
That scratches on the door sills just means it's doing its job protecting whatever you covered up to protect. There's no scratch proof material that you can use to protect your car. Unless you have millions and billions to custom cut diamond.
Totally agree. It was just more of cringe moment 🙂
Hello, thank you for your honest opinion and sorry for your troubles…I’m in the process of buying a new Tesla and, as I have found from other Tesla owners in RUclips, it’s one of the cars for which most people recommend PPF primarily because of Tesla’s traditionally bad quality paint and, especially, because of the car’s front bumper design which seems to get a lot of hits from bugs and other debris. Despite these recommendations, I’m on the fence as to whether I should have at least the front half of my car with PPF. As you said, PPF is expensive and I’m trying, in my mind, to decide whether a better financial decision would be to just pay for the repair of any chips that may occur over the years…Therefore, I’m inclined to just have a ceramic coating done, which should protect the shine of the paint from dirt, bird droppings, etc., and forego the PPF. Any thoughts? Thank you
I recently got a white Tesla model S plaid and decided to just to ceramic coating. See my other video I show the full process and explain why I did what I did. BTW - I love Teslas, good choice 👍
ruclips.net/video/F3Nxp5WapFw/видео.html
@@luxurymicrofiber4007 Thank you very much for responding. I believe your approach to preserving your cars is the most sensible, even in places where it snows and the weather doesn’t “cooperate”…The ceramic coating helps you protect the shine in your paint and should a small chip occur, it’s much cheaper to have it professionally repainted than to pay at least $2k for PPF. After all, how often will your car get hit by road debris if you live in a modern city with decent roads? I chose grey for my new Tesla because, quite frankly, it is (in my opinion) the car color that shows the dirt…
I did the same car a couple months ago and on that interior door piece I put a matte ppf on it to keep the matte look. Just be careful taking that piece off cause you can potentially rip the matte clear on the door jamb. Also that hood can be done in one piece. The video is somewhere on my RUclips channel.
Thank you
heat the door jam it will remove the scratches
I have an LC as well…. Really not sure if I want to drop $2200 to wrap front clip on this vehicle. It’s a Niory green so any chips do show up and concearn is of course a big hood that seems to collect every single bug lol. I’m not planning on tracking it but with CA freeways being so shitty I’m still a bit paranoid. Expel makes good product but when removed it can also damage factory paint…. Too many decisions
I also had an LC 500 and had the same front PPF installed as you I got it done at Tint World they used SunTek PPF installation is far more important than the actual brand of material they use. Obviously SunTek is a good brand but one of the key things is the SunTek film is a bit on the thinner side compared to something like Xpel so it’s easier to work with. My installer also had exposed edges only on the end of the hood from what I remember but I had no dirt build up after a year and a half. I’ll probably order a 2023 LC and get the whole car PPF next time
From what you discussed, I don't think you would be ok with chips. I rather have the minor film issues vs paint chips.
Touch up paint by a professional is way cheaper than ppf
@@HaloDude557 personal choice n money wasn't an issue for me.
@@PerryPapanier money isn't an issue for me which is why I take it for professional touchup? $5,000 of full PPF on a depreciating asset makes no sense to me
@Jeffrey S once again. Personal choice n I didn't get full wrap. Plus i plan on keeping the car for years.
@@PerryPapanier I would only get PPF if I took my car offroading often. Like if I didn't have it the car would be BEAT UP by gravel rocks and stormy weather and need a full repaint. I just can't justify the cost of PPF replacement otherwise.
About to get my 21 type r whole front in with ppf.. I’ll keep y’all updated, knowing the curves that both of these cars have I think it’s a great example to see what the outcome is. 😮💨
Put your Instagram… I’ll send pics, getting wrapped as we speak
@@christianservin7635 how’s it holding up?
@@jayscul-de-sac6820 It’s one of the best investments I’ve made. It is beyond easy to clean the car now and the whole front end always look like new 🤝 also protects your headlights and body from any damage or aging. 10/10 recommend
@@jayscul-de-sac6820 Also it looks like the fist day I got it. Not kidding…🙌🏼
@@christianservin7635 I just did PPF on some cheap Chinese headlights that are notorious for yellowing. Let’s see how they do!
Is there any problems on removing it after many years old ?
I am the International Sales Director for an American PPF manufacturer, I’d be glad to A) answer any questions you might have about PPF B) get a proper installer with a proper film to replace all of this terrible workmanship.
I appreciate your help. I can be reached at info@luxurymicrofiberstore.com
I’m looking for a good quality PPF installer. Looking forward to connecting with you
@@luxurymicrofiber4007 I’m having my Domestic Sales Manager reach out to you. You should hear from him shortly
@trashdiscourse can you advise which manufacturer you work for?
I have Kavaka PPF on my C8, professionally installed and an excellent job compared to this Lexus.
However an odd thing, if you look at the car it’s perfect, then I put on my polarized sunglasses and see gray shading and spots in the film. Color is Silver. Kavaka says this is normal. If I knew this I never would have had the PPF done. Anyone else seen this phenomenon ? Remember make sure you use polarized sunglasses not all sunglasses are. Thanks
My experience is almost all good PPF come with their own pros and con. I made this video because it’s important to set your expectations as a customer especially when you pay 5-7k.
This is normal. Polarized glasses use a polar filter lens which filters light directionally. The spots you see are variations in the thickness/orientation of the film stretch where it was squeegeed. Your glasses are filtering out light refracted at a specific angle. If you take your glasses off and look at the film through them while rotating them, you'll notice the spots appear and disappear or change location as the glasses change direction. All manufacturers warn about this.
IMO, a very poor reason to choose to not get PPF. It's only visible with polarized glasses and changes absolutely nothing of what the car looks like (or how the PPF will perform) to the proper naked eye. You could just get regular sunglasses which is a simpler option.
Some installers choose to remove parts of the vehicle for installation, however, who would want your brand new vehicle taken apart by just anyone? this was a good install, you just have a white car and can see it more than any other color.
wrong. This is a horrible install. Worst I ever seen. Proper way to do an install is to remove lights emblems etc. This job sucks bad.
@@executiveinvestments dude if that's the worst install you've ever seen then you've never seen a real bad install. I have a video on my channel on a Urus. It's like really bad it's practically kind of funny.
The video covers multiple topics but everyone likes to focus on how bad the install is because it is pretty bad
@@STATUSDETAIL well I don’t bother with amateur installers. No pro installs like this.
Agree. I’ve probably bought 10 PPF kits by now and not one has been perfectly installed except for a 2014 Hyundai Azera that had such great lines that my installer could’ve did it with his eyes closed. He was done in about 2 hours, and you couldn’t even see it. But on every other car, there were simply problematic lines that I just had to accept that the PPF couldn’t be laid smoothly. My black ‘07 Mustang GT California Special was a nightmare and it didn’t look too good, but it still looked better than what rocks, chips and baked on bugs would’ve done to my paint. It’s a great product, but it’s not perfect for crying out loud.
@@desertdetroiter428 🤣🤣🤣. You need a better installer. I have PPF now and I guarantee you wouldn’t know it.
my car is also white... will the ppf turn yellow?.. which brand should i get?
@@delmichaeldizon1489 it really depends, ppf have come a long way, ceramic on top also helps. Ask your installer for more information
what kind of floor mat is that in your garage? i like it
It’s swisstrax flooring. Send me an email info@luxurymicrofiberstore.com I’m a dealer for this flooring
I think I’m just going to repaint any chip damage. I do think I will do the inside door trim of my Tesla with ppf after watching this thanks ;)
So what ppf did you put on is ia the cheaper stuff
LC500 is just gorgeous...just gorgeous!
Thank you and yes I agree
Really appreciate an objective point of view on the downsides of PPF. For the money, it does not seem to be worth the downsides that you will see every day after they appear.
Ive done my own ppf on my genesis g70, tons and tons of tiny curves, the first one u mentioned at 3:09 could have been eradicated with more heat after lifting and re applying from the apex of the curve outward. Heat and pressure makes 3m very tacky and it would stick. Sorry man, i wish i could’ve fixed it for you
Thank you
i will not cover the bumper, because the cost is high as i repaint the bumper, also the ppf cannot cover the complicate bumper shape and fold over it, i will only cover the hood, the other areas i will do ceramic coating only
also you can try STEK PPF
Will your paint get fade off when you remove the ppf ?
No. The quality of ppf has gotten really good in the past years.
It looks like they haven’t wrapped the car correctly.
In regards to your carbon fibre wrap. It has done its job by scratching the ppf and not the carbon fibre.
If you take the ppf off, then you will have near perfect carbon fibre
The ppl was a pre cut kit this is what happens with this a good installer has the machine to make the ppl longer so you can wrap the edges then you won’t have this problem
iv got a great idea to fix your corners. clean it really well then put a thin coat of clear silicon around all the edges and just run your finger over it. that will probably fix your issue. I put it on my vynal wrap edges and you can't even see it
Yes the PPF can be tucked underneath along the straight edges BUT there is always that exposed/unprotected ~90-degree corner on each panel. Even within a very reputable shop, the skills among the technicians vary. The end result oftentimes depends on the luck of the draw.
Not always. You can cover the corners perfectly fine. Takes some skill, yes, patience 100% but we do it at our shop. Can every single corner be covered on the car? Maybe not but for front clips that Lexus should have been covered way better.
thank you. seem like color plays a role too, since white makes dirt build ups stand out
Thanks, yo jus saved me $2200 every 5 years when all I need todo is repaint and detail t instead!
an oem quality repaint will cost a lot more ..
just saying
This is why I try to stay away from PPF all together. But here I am getting back into the whole PPF world. The problem I have with it, is that for the money it cost, it goes from being a paint protection product to a vehicle enhancement product. And that's where the drama starts.
Agreed. Well said.
Great and we need and wish videos in Real Best 4K 60fps HDR resolution clarity quality soon please and Sound in full HD 3D Stereo
How you enter and exit your car will prevent damage…those scratches can be healed with a hair dryer?
My entire Hood on My Challenger was done in one piece along with the entire car. My Daily driver is done also.
Some PPF brands you are supposed to be able to use a heat gun to remove scratches.
The PPF on your door sills that is scratched has self healing abilities. You need to take a hair dryer or heat gun to it. It normally does not get enough heat to self heal on its own. I would also have them cover all the carbon fiber and not just a piece of it. They now have matt finish PPF so you can have it match the dry carbon fiber (non-gloss).
@@georgemiloslavski7086 You are absolutely correct. However, I install PPF at my business as well and I have had formal installation training. I wasn't commenting on every defect that I could see with his PPF on the doorsill. I was commenting specifically on the scratches that the owner was specifically pointing out on the doorsill. There are scratches as well as glue lines.
I have PPF on my Ferrari. So the dirt on the edges is almost only visible on White cars, then also the carbon door panel is never exposed to heat and sun so it doesn't heal automaticly. Use a heat gun and it will be as new again... Polishing PPF is not advised because you will take a bit of the "self healing by heat" top layer. Also i dont understand why they didnt fold the PPF inwards so you cant see the edges.
You don't buff out scratches on PPF, you put a hot gun to it and it auto heals
Thx for sharing your experience with ppf.
I think this is not the problem of the PPF but that it feels like the installer could have done a better job... I am not installer myself, but they could have wrapped the PPF around...
Agreed
Just got my tesla m3 , by far the most expensive car i ever bought.. the whole tesla community will tell you to put ppf on your tesla.. yea right, unfortunately i don't have the $4000-6000 that i cost to out ppf on the full car.. but i went ahead , victim of that hype and paid $1000 to ppf the rocker , door bottom, and front bumper.. now im broke. I do not believe i will ever recover that money.. but atleast im less nervous when i drive my tesla on a dirt road.. and in the snow. For the rest i will see how my finance goes…. I also bought small piece of ppf and added them my self on few spots.. like the mount roof rack points.. and the rear trunk sill.. using slip solution and tac solution i was able to to like pro.. almost.. there are some very very small tiny imperfection.. but im learning.. i wouldn't do the front bumper myself but if you want to practice , try adding door sill ppf by yourself, those are great areas to learn how to ppf. In conclusion, i don't think we should ppf a whole car.. big waste of investment, you won't get a better price because your paint is pristine.. you will grt couple,of,hundreds bucks at most,
I can live with a chip or scratch. What I can't live with is peeling clear coat. Which PPF may also carry that risk of peeling the clear coat with it if removal is necessary due to damaged/worn/yellowed PPF. Therefore, I always prefer professional coatings that have proven themselves in the SUN such as Opti Coat pro. I do have PPF though on door sill areas though as some high performance vehicles are so WIDE.
Dude Awesome You Made this Video, I was so looking for Cons of PPF. Super Thanks Man 🙏🏻
Thanks for the real and honest review of PPF. I appreciate the time you've past for our information: thanks!
good review. ppf is way too expensive when installed by the shops. i think I can also live with the small chips w/o ppf if it happens.
3:25 - looks like they rushed to have it done for you or something? They cut the PPF manually and that's how it ends. Companies that have automatic plotters which cuts PPF dont do these mistakes.
3:46 - yes, it is an example of a bad job xD
you see those creest there are special tools to push it in and use utility knife to cut it out
ppf does get scratch but you can heat it up with heat gun
Wonder how much they charged you for this job?
I like your video. Sharing your real personal experience and not just riding the bandwagon and defending your purchase like everyone else.
Should I get it?
If you mean ppf, yes you can get it just know what you’re getting into and get it done by someone who is reputable. Once you have it put a layer of ceramic coating on it
@@luxurymicrofiber4007 do graphene better than ceramic
@@dylan-nguyen Graphene is the new thing right now. I don’t see any additional benefits. I like ceramic and titanium coatings
@@luxurymicrofiber4007 easier to apply IMO and supposedly lasts longer :)
Well, that's the thing about cost. You need to replace the PPF every few years. Not sure the cost outweighs just getting the car repainted.
I had an Acura that I had PPF put on it but didn't realize how often I should replace it. The sun will shrink the PPF a bit over the years and the edges will leave glue where it originally was. This glue just doesn't pick up dirt but tiny rocks. Imagine putting coarse beach sand on glue that is on your car.... Yeah, I murdered my paint job in those areas taking the PPF off myself. Some areas were ok, but other areas were rough.
I'm going the cloth/leather car bra method next time.
Use rubbing alcohol to remove the dirt from the edges. Works well.
Thank you.
For the cost of ppf, I don’t care if it’s difficult, it should be wrapped around all edges. They are cutting corners by having the templates pre cut and simply installed. Some shapes need to be hand cut to avoid this. I wouldn’t deal with that. For 6-10k, I want it perfect. And I mean seamless. Otherwise what is the point of the high charge.
Thank you. Didn’t cross my mind
I bet you got a realy realy good deal.
The PPF you have on your cars look like precut. If you got the bulk install (I think that’s what it’s called) the edges would be wrapped. It cost more for bulk and it takes longer
The edges should have never done like that, they should have been folded inside, unless they used pre-cut pieces. This does look bad.
I'm fairly sure a lot of installers actually wrap the panels these days...so the edges are actually around the edge of the panel and you don't have those visible edges. Almost like how they do a vinyl wrap. That would literally solve most of what you showed on the front bumper with those ugly corner areas. Might have just been a sub par installer.
try heat gun on scrathes. It self corrects
Well, based on what you are saying, they dont cover it all, had to add covering pieces. Also I ofcourse assume you did heat the PPF to fix it, not just polishing it like in the door? You havent informed us on that point within the video. Every appliance video shows us that to fix swirls, scratches etc, to activate the self healing properties in the PPF to apply heat to the affected area, usually sun does it for you under normal circumstances, but you might be living in a place where it doesnt pop out as much. Any way, you never mention it as far as I heared, and also, how much can the layers youve put on top of it have affected the fact of possible yellowing and such over time, and does it span months, or years?
I wonder have you (or anyone here) noticed a difference with your cars that don’t or haven’t had it? I mean, does waxing and caring for the paint properly essentially keep the car in just as good of shape, or does the PPF make a huge difference in a car a couple years down the line?
Is it better to just take care of the paint and eventually have it reworked? I got a quote for $1700 from a place with 5/5 in 280 Google reviews, for the full front. Just trying to decide if it’s worth it financially/mathematically.
I have decided not to ppf my new cars going forward, but that’s just me
Yes there is a difference, waxing and ceramic will help protect from the elements and partially droppings, but the film is a physical barrier that can also withstand more intense damage like small stone chips and swirls - the good ones are also self healing so swirls vanish with heat. Without ppf swirls are directly in the factory paint and can only be polished off.
You are better off Professional coating and only PPF areas that you believe get high traffic areas. Professional coating meaning a coating that actually last as long with the clear coat (Silicon Carbide), not the ones that you have to redo every 2-5 years. PPF in areas like the rear door sills (if you have kids coming in and out of vehicles), but you have to decide how your car is going to be used. Like the video has stated, everything has pros and cons. For the average user, you are correct in that paint sealant and regular wash/wax will go a long way still, and the damages that may experience may actually be livable.
Ppf is sacrificial. It does help a little, but it has a massive cost and you need to replace it if it gets damaged. Yes, scratches can have self healing, but paint can also be buffed. Chips and chemical damage require replacement, but paint just needs touch up. End of the day I would only ppf an extremely valuable collectible that I plan to keep for 40 years.
What about the Ngenco PPF that is a spray? What type of PPF did you use? Do you recommend any type of ceramic coating?
I recommend and use Luxury Microfiber Shield Pro. I would not do a spray PPF personally.
your ppf wasn't tucked properly
This is standard paint protection film installation process still worth the money to protect paint. Do you prefer rock chips or corner dust ( which you can easily clean)
But if you wanted perfection, you should have requested PPF as wrap where they do it as vinyl wrap. It cost more but for high end cars that you keep for more than 5 years or more, it is worth it.
Wrap is a god alternative, not as much protection as PPF but still protects and keeps paint looking beautiful underneath 👌🏽
I see your car is from Minnesota, what shop in Minnesota did it so I don’t go there
Lexus of Wayzata dealership. I believe they outsource it to some local shop in the area
in ppf installation it should be wrap edges
This isn't clickbait and there's a lot of value in sharing these real and common pitfalls, but having read the comments and then watched the part 2, you went from "I don't care how good the shop is" to "this is a bad example of PPF". Just saying, if you want your viewers to learn the truth you should edit the description or pin a comment here accordingly for all the future viewers, because many will just take what you present here at face value without realizing that part 2 should be the one with all the views.
Makes sense. Thank you for the feedback. I appreciate it.
Damn the shop you went to is your issue there buddy. Every issue you have should have been discussed at the point of sale and you should have either agreed or disagreed with type of installation they were going to do. They make ppf in 72” rolls and that fits the entire hood. You can also stretch the film, cuz that’s what it’s designed to do, and you will cover the whole hood. That’s a lazy job with a shop that didn’t want to buy the extra large 72” roll. They cheaper out on you my guy.
Hi, my intention in this reply is not to make you look foolish but simply to inform you of a couple of area’s in your presented video that needs to be corrected or for you to be informed of.
First, your PPF installation is not typical of how many professional PPF shops would have left those lines in the PPF film, at least not in the part of the world where I live, [North America].
So it is not a fair assessment of you warning your viewers of what they can expect if they choose to have PPF done on their vehicles.
The next area where you may be confused is on the drivers-side door panel where there were some light scratch marks on the ceramic film that you stated you attempted to polish out.
What you need to do for those light scratches is to use a hair-dryer or a heat gun, set the heat setting to high and slowly blow hot air back and forth along the PPF on the ceramic film strip, unless these scratches are extremely deep you should see them disappear.
As for the area’s on your front bumper and hood, I would suggest purchasing some auto degreaser [read the label and follower the directions on it], once you have removed all of those thin dirt lines, I would then wash down the areas and dry them, I would then apply a good brand of wax to those areas’ to eliminate future discolorations, note: you could also purchase some ceramic and apply it to those areas instead of using a wax. Hope this helps.
Does PPF harm the paint like cause it to blister or bubbles?
@@atlasoverlandrecovery The PPF does not harm the cars paint. Depending on how poorly the PPF was applied, there should not be any bubbles on the cars surface; if the PPF was done by one's self, then there are possibilities of bubbles but depending on the size of said bubbles, the user may be able to remove them or at least min. them.
use a heatgun on door sills; should fix most of scratches.
Thank you for this review. I probably will not get PPF on my car.
One of the simplest and yet on point review. Having PPF has its trade off and from experience i had but good experience from but imho the only thing i'll ppf is the headlights and pay extra on my insurance to lower my deductible which is about $250 deductible ($10-$20 increase from $1200 deductible difference).
One thing is sure, you need to find out next time some Pro and different person to do ppf.
Good heads up!
The door sill plate scratches may look ugly, however imagine if that was without PPF.....all of those scratches would be on your actual carbon fiber.
At the end of the day, it is paint protection film, not paint perfection film.
Agree
Excellent video! Answered many questions!...well done, Sumeet !