Thought there might be others like me who are deciding whether or not to "protect the paint" on his/her car...so I figured I would let you all know what I'm doing and why. Maybe it will help others make a decision.
I recently took delivery of a Model S LR, Ultra Red. Like many, I then faced the question of to what degree (if any) should I protect the paint. My history with cars:
1) I have never installed PPF on any of my past vehicles (mine or wife's).
2) This Model S is the first vehicle I've purchased which cost more than $55K.
3) Historically, I purchase cars new or near new, and drive for 10-12 years.
4) The Model S will be my daily driver, including occasional 1000+ mile road trips.
5) I live in the Northeast USA...so there will be cold winters, road salt, etc.
6) This will not be a track car in any way
7) I like to keep my cars "clean" inside and out, though not super anal about it. This means (historically) regular washing at a local "car wash". Imperfections in appearance do tend to "bother me".
8) The car will be garaged when not in use.
I was on the fence about spending a few more thousand to have some amount of PPF installed. However, within a few weeks of delivery I my hood already developed a very small paint chip/nick. This has convinced me that just for peace of mind itself, I want some PPF protection.
After the typical research on-line and friends, I settled on an installer.
Premium Auto Detailing New Jersey. 5 Star Services: Clear Bra / Paint Protection Film, Paint Correction & Ceramic Coatings. Hillsborough NJ & NYC.
signaturedetailing.com
I will be getting the following services:
- Basic paint prep (clean, one step correction, polish)
- PPF (Suntek Ultra) on typical surfaces: Front Bumper, Hood, Head lights and Fog Lights, Front Fenders, Rocker Panels, side view mirrors
- CQuartz Pro Ceramic Coating of entire car (PPF panels and non PPF Panels)
This seemed to me to be a good compromise between cost and protection price. Greg and his staff walked me through their process and options. They cut their own PPF, will wrap panels (tuck PPF around / underneath) where possible, and do not remove panels. (I prefer they do not remove panels) Some panels will have small visible edges at the corners, since the corners can't be wrapped "around." All makes sense, but the point is they make sure I know exactly what to expect before doing the job.
Not protection related, but I'll also have 20% tinting done on the rear windows and hatch. In NJ it is actually illegal to tint front windows and windshield to ANY degree...though many people still do it of course. Doing the rear will offer some UV protection inside the vehicle, while at 20% gives the "privacy glass" type appearance commonly found in many OEM delivered vehicles...including my past vehicle. I'm doing the tinting mainly or appearance reasons.
A few more comments:
1) SunTek Ultra should be a good choice of PPF since I want to enhance the Ultra Red paint / Glossy look. It has a 10 year warranty. The installers were up front and said to honestly expect it to last a few years less than that. They will deal with warranty work when the time comes assuming it is needed.
2) With the PPF I am committed to washing my car myself by hand rather than take it to a car wash. We'll see if I can keep to it...and I still have some concerns of how I will keep up in the winter time (freezing temps, road salt, etc.)
The car is in the shop as I type having the services performed. I'll post back with impressions and pictures in a few days once it is completed.