[BryanCO]

Originally Posted by Gfit

Dozens of threads on this. If you are trying to make a cost/benefit analysis or consider it an investment the numbers will never add up.

First in and correct.

[HuanLeBrown]

Watched this and now I am second guessing getting PPF vs paint correction every 2 years:

[Forzanerazzurri]

Originally Posted by HuanLeBrown

Watched this and now I am second guessing getting PPF vs paint correction every 2 years:

Most people don't get PPF to mitigate damage that can be paint corrected...

[ShoeZilla]

Got A BSM M4 and before ceramic pro coat I got ppf done to the front end and high impact areas done. Decided to also get the car ceramic coated because my car looked dusty and dirty almost immediately after a wash. Got sick of it and got the car coated and I must say it was a night and day difference. My car always looks clean for multiple weeks and so easy to wash. Must have for darker colors IMO

[wavyyyy]

I think I’m just going with the ceramic this time going to skip ppf. Just don’t see the value proposition.

[m4ml]

Originally Posted by HuanLeBrown

Watched this and now I am second guessing getting PPF vs paint correction every 2 years:

I watched this and that install was horrible. That's what caused the majority of the problems that he is pointing out.

He makes a lot of either/or (logical fallacy) arguments and also completely fails to bring up self-healing films.

It also seems like he might just be *slightly* (understatement) biased: he doesn't make money fixing your paint if you have PPF, and he admits as much.

Just my $0.02.

[Turbodu07]

I'm so glad I got my car 100% ppf'd and ceramic coated!

I'd absolutely do it again if I bought something nice (especially black) that I wanted to be easy to clean and have zero fucks given when it's dirty.

[Hendo741]

Unless you love paint chips, get PPF. Front bumper and hood at a minimum.

[davidmct-M3]

My previous car was ceramic coated which makes washing easy and looks really glossy all the time.

However, 48k miles of UK motorway driving gave it acne all over the front bumper.

Current car got ceramic plus self healing PPF on hood/trunk plus bumper. I am expecting this to stop low velocity stones but not high speed gravel from the motorway at (cough) 70mph at close range. The energy is too high for PPF to stop them.

My last big one was a brick thrown off a lorry and bouncing off the round then underside of the car it from then through my grill PPF didn’t stop that 🙂

[vbb]

I have debated and posted a lot about this topic in the past. The short of it is personally, I don't see extensive PPF (to the tune of $4000+) being worth it on a non-collectible vehicle that I'm going to daily drive. PPF, again to me, is something I would do on a car that I'm going to garage queen and keep the miles low on... if I finally get a 993 or a GT3 or GT4 (the three cars on my "dream" list). Something I will keep for the long haul and that is likely to hold or go up in value. On a car that I'm going to daily, put thousands of miles per year on and then eventually sell or trade in on something newer, no. My M4 is definitely in the top 3 of favorite cars I've ever owned, and I've had 30+. It's also BSM, which of course is a difficult color to keep looking perfect. I garage it, wash it carefully, and keep it looking nice. That said, I'll eventually trade it in or sell it and get something else, probably in a few more years. I know that it'll be worth whatever "good" condition used M4s with whatever mileage I have on it are going for at the time. Even if I do a full body PPF and ceramic, it won't look perfect after say 4 years and 40K miles. And as long as it doesn't look like I've driven it on Mars and I don't trash it, my value will be basically the same as someone who has done PPF.

So in short, I don't see the value proposition as being worth what the detailers are charging for this service. I'm not chasing perfection.

[Indo Rider]

I'd never get PPF. After one year, 10k miles, I don't have any noticable blemishes, and if I did it wouldn't bother me too much. I can easily spot seems and bubbles in just about every car with PPF though. That really is more noticeable to me.

I did get ceramic coating tho. Just makes washing so much easier.

[8250_RPM]

My $0.02...with four doors and kids, full PPF is a must. Then again, I'm a bit more maniacal than the average owner but I imagine that fits the bill for a lot of us. I did not PPF the trunk lid and the rear bumper but instead added it to the door jambs. My kids are 'trained' to not drag their feet but sh*t happens. Hell, just yesterday after cleaning my M3 with the wiper blades up, I got in and turned on the wipers (I know, I know) and they came crashing down while also scraping up the edge of the hood where luckily I have PPF. I'm hopeful that only PPF is damaged which means it served its purpose. As for me, well...I can be an idiot at times, but nothing new there.

[Forzanerazzurri]

Originally Posted by vbb

I have debated and posted a lot about this topic in the past. The short of it is personally, I don't see extensive PPF (to the tune of $4000+) being worth it on a non-collectible vehicle that I'm going to daily drive. PPF, again to me, is something I would do on a car that I'm going to garage queen and keep the miles low on... if I finally get a 993 or a GT3 or GT4 (the three cars on my "dream" list). Something I will keep for the long haul and that is likely to hold or go up in value. On a car that I'm going to daily, put thousands of miles per year on and then eventually sell or trade in on something newer, no. My M4 is definitely in the top 3 of favorite cars I've ever owned, and I've had 30+. It's also BSM, which of course is a difficult color to keep looking perfect. I garage it, wash it carefully, and keep it looking nice. That said, I'll eventually trade it in or sell it and get something else, probably in a few more years. I know that it'll be worth whatever "good" condition used M4s with whatever mileage I have on it are going for at the time. Even if I do a full body PPF and ceramic, it won't look perfect after say 4 years and 40K miles. And as long as it doesn't look like I've driven it on Mars and I don't trash it, my value will be basically the same as someone who has done PPF.

So in short, I don't see the value proposition as being worth what the detailers are charging for this service. I'm not chasing perfection.

PPF isn't a value play, just like trading a new car in every 3 years isn't.

[Hit_Apex]

PPF is not an investment, it's insurance. You could put $7k in an account and tap into it whenever a blemish bothers you enough. If you are not the type to get bothered, or leasing, it's probably not a good use of funds. But if you are, getting paint work done is a pain to schedule and never sure whether the paint will match to your liking or if the quality is up to par, or how often you'll have to have work done. On the other hand, PPF is not a perfect shield against all debris encountered on the road and may need pieces replaced over time. Lastly, paint color is a consideration. Standard colors that are easy to match may change the above calculus. Something like dravit or a frozen might make better sense. When it comes to insurance, everyone approaches it differently - it is not a binary cost/benefit equation.

[vbb]

I disagree with both of you, respectfully. It is a value or cost/benefit play...it's just that different people value things differently and that's ok. I agree it isn't a money saver, just like trading in a car after 3 years isn't a money saver. But hell, if we go down that path, buying an M3/M4 is a waste of money too, because you can't legally explore the limits on public roads outside of maybe Germany and places in Montana. In some way we all decide how we want to spend our money, and no matter what we decide, someone else will see it as a waste.

I don't dispute that PPF offers superior protection to a car's paint job and also protecting to minor dings. I've owned cars with PPF and cars without. The cars I had with PPF looked good when I got tired of them and went to trade or sell. The cars I've had without PPF also looked good at the end of my ownership. I use proper wash methods and take care of my cars well. They don't look perfect...no daily driver will...but the condition has never been an issue on the resale market. And to ME I find owning a car more, umm, relaxing when I'm not fully stressed out over every single rock chip or hairline scratch. When I had PPF, I obsessed about keeping my car looking absolutely perfect. I spent so much money that i didnt want anything to be wrong. That subtracted from my ownership experience. Now, I have a slight rock chip on my front bumper that I touched up myself and can only be seen if I point it out, or if someone is going over the car in fine detail. I am much happier owning a car like this, accepting the fact that it won't be perfect.

[Forzanerazzurri]

Originally Posted by vbb

I disagree with both of you, respectfully. It is a value or cost/benefit play...it's just that different people value things differently and that's ok. I agree it isn't a money saver, just like trading in a car after 3 years isn't a money saver. But hell, if we go down that path, buying an M3/M4 is a waste of money too, because you can't legally explore the limits on public roads outside of maybe Germany and places in Montana. In some way we all decide how we want to spend our money, and no matter what we decide, someone else will see it as a waste.

I don't dispute that PPF offers superior protection to a car's paint job and also protecting to minor dings. I've owned cars with PPF and cars without. The cars I had with PPF looked good when I got tired of them and went to trade or sell. The cars I've had without PPF also looked good at the end of my ownership. I use proper wash methods and take care of my cars well. They don't look perfect...no daily driver will...but the condition has never been an issue on the resale market. And to ME I find owning a car more, umm, relaxing when I'm not fully stressed out over every single rock chip or hairline scratch. When I had PPF, I obsessed about keeping my car looking absolutely perfect. I spent so much money that I didn't want anything to be wrong. That subtracted from my ownership experience. Now, I have a slight rock chip on my front bumper that I touched up myself and can only be seen if I point it out, or if someone is going over the car in fine detail. I am much happier owning a car like this, accepting the fact that it won't be perfect.

Thanks for this. You have interesting insight into the psychological part of this and how your mindset can detract from the ownership experience. I think its completely rational to say if you have managed to get into a mindset where this stuff doesn't bother you, then PPF doesn't make a lot of sense for you. I wish I could get there too but I'm not. I am OCD about cars and I keep them for a long time (we can reserve the psychological reasons for that for another day). I would probably enjoy the ownership experience much more if I had your mindset.

[KevinGS]

Originally Posted by Forzanerazzurri

Thanks for this. You have interesting insight into the psychological part of this and how your mindset can detract from the ownership experience. I think its completely rational to say if you have managed to get into a mindset where this stuff doesn't bother you, then PPF doesn't make a lot of sense for you. I wish I could get there too but I'm not. I am OCD about cars and I keep them for a long time (we can reserve the psychological reasons for that for another day). I would probably enjoy the ownership experience much more if I had your mindset.

100% agree. Every single rock chip bothers me. But I do get over them, ever so slowly. Nevertheless, PPF is a must for any fun car I own (and any used fun car I plan to purchase).

And I deplore door dings so much that I will apply crazy strategies to avoid them, too many to name. But they work. My 2013 M3 with 150,000 miles has never had a ding, and the PPF has protected the front end quite well. I can't imagine how sandblasted the front of my car would look without it. I had the front bumper PPF replaced about a year ago and the paint underneath was pristine, a showroom finish, after 9 years and 140,000 miles. They put a new piece on, and now the front end looks damn near perfect. Many people can't believe my car is a 2013 model. And I don't buy garage queens. Hec, my 2021 M4 already has 45,000 miles, with plenty of road trips under its belt, and it's holding up pretty well under its PPF protection (though I've already had a panel replaced )

But, if you're the type that doesn't care much about normal wear and tear, complete with the occasional door ding and rock chip, save your money.

PPF is for the OCD among us...and for us, it's worth, Every. Single. Penny.

[vbb]

Originally Posted by Forzanerazzurri

Thanks for this. You have interesting insight into the psychological part of this and how your mindset can detract from the ownership experience. I think its completely rational to say if you have managed to get into a mindset where this stuff doesn't bother you, then PPF doesn't make a lot of sense for you. I wish I could get there too but I'm not. I am OCD about cars and I keep them for a long time (we can reserve the psychological reasons for that for another day). I would probably enjoy the ownership experience much more if I had your mindset.

It was a process. I can tell you what finally did it for me. I had a 911 Turbo, which was then and still is the highest MSRP car I've ever owned (although I bought mine used) and the ownership experience kinda sucked. Sure, I loved driving the car, but I was constantly freaked about it looking perfect and working perfect mechanically, and was hyper focused on every little detail about it. I didn't like being that concerned. I sold it for about what I paid, which was nice, but then vowed to never be like that with a car again. It hasn't been easy...I still notice every single imperfection on my cars, but I also realize that the perfect can sometimes be the enemy of the good, and obsessing like that makes me less happy. I'm treating my M4 like a nice and special car, because it is to me, but I'm driving it every day and not sweating the small stuff. I'm keeping it clean, but not perfect. And if I get a rock chip here or tiny scratch there, I'll fix it the best I can and move on. If I get something more major, I'll have it repaired or repainted if necessary. And eventually when I go to sell it (right now I'm thinking of ordering an M3 in 2025 or 2026 to get the "last of the ICE M3s") I'm pretty confident I'll get good money for selling or trading my M4 even if it isn't perfect.

It's liberating.

[R BMW]

Originally Posted by vbb

It was a process. I can tell you what finally did it for me. I had a 911 Turbo, which was then and still is the highest MSRP car I've ever owned (although I bought mine used) and the ownership experience kinda sucked. Sure, I loved driving the car, but I was constantly freaked about it looking perfect and working perfect mechanically, and was hyper focused on every little detail about it. I didn't like being that concerned. I sold it for about what I paid, which was nice, but then vowed to never be like that with a car again. It hasn't been easy...I still notice every single imperfection on my cars, but I also realize that the perfect can sometimes be the enemy of the good, and obsessing like that makes me less happy. I'm treating my M4 like a nice and special car, because it is to me, but I'm driving it every day and not sweating the small stuff. I'm keeping it clean, but not perfect. And if I get a rock chip here or tiny scratch there, I'll fix it the best I can and move on. If I get something more major, I'll have it repaired or repainted if necessary. And eventually when I go to sell it (right now I'm thinking of ordering an M3 in 2025 or 2026 to get the "last of the ICE M3s") I'm pretty confident I'll get good money for selling or trading my M4 even if it isn't perfect.

It's liberating.

Please tell me how you over came it. I need to learn to, some how.
Also it would make my wife happier.

[imperfectluck]

vbb Very interesting perspective and sorry to hear that your 911 ownership faired that way for you but the double edged sword was that it was a very important learning lesson itself which I value. I enjoy reading through these threads and the meat of it is that it shows you how everyone values their own things differently and we are all different individuals of course so we can only share our thoughts and reasoning as to why we do what we do.

For myself as my F87 is my daily I opted for the high impact areas to be PPF'd because I know that the highway driving I do I'd probably pick up a few and the PPF has picked up a few that have almost gone through it. I take pictures of my car often and on my old F30 it reminded me at the time of editing those little imperfections that were there. Never took away from the driving experience but as others have mentioned the PPF acts as a bit of an insurance which makes me live a lot easier with the car not worrying so much.

Also decided more recently to have a full paint correction and then have a go at the ceramic coating to live with it first hand and see if via my own personal experience I would enjoy it and despite the initial cost the ease of cleaning and dirt not adhering to the paint so easily has made it priceless for me already. Could've opted to just do an every six months DIY waxing but yes you have to make sure your process is correct and I just wanted to pay once and not have to worry for a long period of time and every day I go out I smile with how the ceramic keeps up.

TLDR: The price I paid just allows me to spend less time cleaning the car as washing is a lot easier and happens a bit less frequently now and more time just enjoying happy miles and happy smiles ��

[tranquility]

I'm definitely gonna be in the minority given this is a car forum w car lovers.

I respect ppl getting ppf, etc, but I personally don't get it. This is because I'm a perfectionist. I'm saying this ironically because I figure that any vehicle will never be perfect (read: unblemished), if one drives it regularly; if you believe otherwise or you have a unicorn car that's somehow untouched, ok, great for you, kudos, but I'm trying to base things on reality and for the vast majority of cases. It would suck balls if one gets ppf and the rock hits the part where it's not covered or hits the ppf and it still goes through causing damage. I don't like the idea of fitting a 'condom' on and it's kinda ridiculous one may consider covering the entire car, basically saving it for the next owner, you never seeing the car in the flesh/metal. This goes for front lifts as well, once that person still scratches the bottom, all the complexity of having such sys is just wasted. W that mentality, I wonder why ppl don't start putting film on their seats too lol.

Yes, it depends on one's OCD level. I can't even see the imperfections unless I'm eyeballing my car w/i 1 foot, and even then, despite driving crazy miles, it's not that bad at all. I think that I'm driving a car, not a piece of art, it's meant to be used and it's out in the real world, in environments and wear & tear happens no matter what.

The above is said not even taking into account that protection now costs 4-figures...what?? I'm not even thinking about $$$ but tack that on and it further boggles my mind.

Anyway, my 2c.

[Nick8915]

I considered full front PPF and ultimately decided against it as I could not justify it. Yes the PPF would (in most cases) protect the paint from rock chips. However, if the PPF catches a rock that was big enough or had enough velocity to mark/cut the PPF beyond the self-healing capabilities (believe this would not be covered under manufacture's warranty), you're going to have a portion of the vehicle that is visually unappealing as it looks rough/spotted (albeit the paint is still ok). This presents a problem for those that have trouble looking at the car and seeing imperfections. You essentially would then have 2 options. Pay even more money to replace that section of PPF, or live with the fact the protection is not visually appealing/looks like crap because of rock chips in the film that couldn't self heal. If you choose the latter, also consider the fact that dirt can get around the edges of the rock-chipped film and become even more noticeable (especially against lighter colored paints), potentially making it look even worse. I realize I may be in the minority here, but just my 2 cents on my thought process.