[Conezz]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

During the winter yes. Much like most of the northern US states, sand/salt is a way of life. You have to adjust when driving behind large trucks or you are basically a firing range of salt pellets and debris. It'll all be over by next month hopefully and on to normal nice conditions

Nice thing about Socal is that the highways are relatively clean. So long as you don't tailgate, chips aren't an issue.

[Eric S]

Has nothing to do with tailgating...my car has 100k miles and the front end is like braille.

PPF for rock chips, coatings for easy car care.

[Burrcold]

Originally Posted by Eric S

Has nothing to do with tailgating...my car has 100k miles and the front end is like braille.

PPF for rock chips, coatings for easy car care.

100% agreed!

[themnmd]

Originally Posted by RedKloud

So I searched online, and the local CQuartz certified place is charging $2K for the complete treatment! Is that normal?

CQ is not that hard did mine myself. Patience and take your time

[Conezz]

Originally Posted by Eric S

Has nothing to do with tailgating...my car has 100k miles and the front end is like braille.

PPF for rock chips, coatings for easy car care.

What’s your reasoning? Do you mean debris that kicks up from your own tires? Still, that’s not really enough of a concern to get full front paint protection film if you’re not a tailgater. A lot of cars come with the fenders having a piece of paint protection film on them for this reason. My buddy here in San Diego has had his 330i for 8 months now. He drives on the highways and makes a point not to tailgate. He has no chips on the front of his car or windshield. I just remember having expel ultimate forefront on my last two cars. Despite it being self healing, the swirls add it up over time. Not to mention that the film can be damaged from debris itself. What good is a clear bra when the windshield is exposed? Blemishes on the windshield are much more annoying and noticeable than ppf. Everyone has just become so OCD. In the big scheme of things, it’s nothing.

If I had a choice if either protection film or good coating, the coating is it.

[TTG]

Originally Posted by Conezz

What’s your reasoning? Do you mean debris that kicks up from your own tires? Still, that’s not really enough of a concern to get full front paint protection film if you’re not a tailgater. A lot of cars come with the fenders having a piece of paint protection film on them for this reason. My buddy here in San Diego has had his 330i for 8 months now. He drives on the highways and makes a point not to tailgate. He has no chips on the front of his car or windshield. I just remember having expel ultimate forefront on my last two cars. Despite it being self healing, the swirls add it up over time. Not to mention that the film can be damaged from debris itself. What good is a clear bra when the windshield is exposed? Blemishes on the windshield are much more annoying and noticeable than ppf. Everyone has just become so OCD. In the big scheme of things, it’s nothing.

If I had a choice if either protection film or good coating, the coating is it.

I am sorry but I disagree with you.

Repainting your front bumper & hood costs much more than replacing a windshield for starters. Further there is a product called clearplex which goes on your windshield like a PPF if you are that concerned.

Coating doesn't replace PPF and PPF doesn't replace coating. Both are recommended.

I had a seamless PPF done on my car then I coated the entire car myself. PPF is all about the installer. You won't be able to tell its there if it is done right. I also had Xpel ultimate on my last 4 cars and did not experience discolor, swirls or scratches. There is also another product called Stek Dynoshield which is even more impressive than Xpel. Look it up.

Report back after 3 years after 30K + miles about the condition of your paint, not on your friends car after 8 months. The PPF you had clearly protected your previous car's at the expense of the film itself.

Overall this is a well documented fact and you pretty much need PPF on today's soft paints otherwise you will get chips. Coating has minimal protection against chipping.

But then as you stated, to each on its own. Some people don't care about chips or swirls and rather save the $$$

[Eric S]

Its all subjective in this arena...

coatings are easy car care and great looks, ZERO rock chip protection

PPF is rock chip protection that has its limits, but if you compare a car with it at 100k miles to a car without it at 100k miles, it will be VERY evident why there is a demand for it.

Rocks dont only from tailgating. Think about it...your traveling at 80mph and there is a car in the next lane over who kicks up rocks left, right, directly behind...you can literally never drive directly behind someone and still end up with chips.

Some people care about chips, some dont. Just like some care about tint, some dont. Some care about Auto vs manual, some care about all the bells and whistles where someone else just wants the base model. To each their own.

[Conezz]

Originally Posted by Eric S

Its all subjective in this arena...

coatings are easy car care and great looks, ZERO rock chip protection

PPF is rock chip protection that has its limits, but if you compare a car with it at 100k miles to a car without it at 100k miles, it will be VERY evident why there is a demand for it.

Rocks dont only from tailgating. Think about it...your traveling at 80mph and there is a car in the next lane over who kicks up rocks left, right, directly behind...you can literally never drive directly behind someone and still end up with chips.

Some people care about chips, some dont. Just like some care about tint, some dont. Some care about Auto vs manual, some care about all the bells and whistles where someone else just wants the base model. To each their own.

That’s true. But then again he could hit anywhere on the car. Where are we going with this? Might as well wrap the entire car. It’s futile. I said before I had three, not two, full hood / front wraps. The self healing properties of xpel ultimate are overrated. The novelty wore off enough that it just doesn’t seem worthwhile anymore. What did people do before ppf?!

[Conezz]

Originally Posted by TTG

I am sorry but I disagree with you.

Repainting your front bumper & hood costs much more than replacing a windshield for starters. Further there is a product called clearplex which goes on your windshield like a PPF if you are that concerned.

Coating doesn't replace PPF and PPF doesn't replace coating. Both are recommended.

I had a seamless PPF done on my car then I coated the entire car myself. PPF is all about the installer. You won't be able to tell its there if it is done right. I also had Xpel ultimate on my last 4 cars and did not experience discolor, swirls or scratches. There is also another product called Stek Dynoshield which is even more impressive than Xpel. Look it up.

Report back after 3 years after 30K + miles about the condition of your paint, not on your friends car after 8 months. The PPF you had clearly protected your previous car's at the expense of the film itself.

Overall this is a well documented fact and you pretty much need PPF on today's soft paints otherwise you will get chips. Coating has minimal protection against chipping.

But then as you stated, to each on its own. Some people don't care about chips or swirls and rather save the $$$

Replacing damaged clear bra can also get quite expensive.

[Burrcold]

Originally Posted by Conezz

Replacing damaged clear bra can also get quite expensive.

Far far less. Plus you get to keep your original paint.

[TheFizzels]

Originally Posted by TTG

If your car's paint isn't damaged or if you do not have any swirl marks, ceramic coating is way easier than applying a coat of wax.

It is pricy bec most detailers will have to do a full paint corrections before applying ceramic coating.

I did mine in less than 2 hrs but my paint was perfect.

Highly recommended as others stated.

PS: Use the search function as many of these things have already been discussed!

https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1645510

1) could you recommend your product?

2) have anyone done their seats?

3)does ceramic coating change the hue of the paint?

[shawntech]

I've been obsessing about new and perfect cars for 20yrs, ppf helps but the fact is if you drive it, it will get chipped and blemished.

[jondagger]

I'm doing them for people super cheap in south Florida will I build clientel. 450$ for 2 step and ceramic, 350$ for 1 step and ceramic.

[Eric S]

Originally Posted by ls3c6

I've been obsessing about new and perfect cars for 20yrs, ppf helps but the fact is if you drive it, it will get chipped and blemished.

do you want to have the ability to save your paint in an accident?? Client ran her car into the side of her garage on accident. scraped up the clear bra. We peeled it back to inspect, no paint missing. Remove the film, and replace with a 4 hour turn around. Not new paint, 4 day turn around, and twice as much.

[Dravit_M340i]

For those who have a ceramic coat.. how many layers did you do? Thinking of going with ceramic pro and doing a 4 layer 9h and one layer of light package with lifetime warranty.

[Preciseyyc]

Originally Posted by Conezz

Yeah I had a full front xpel ultimate on my past two cars. Decided against it. Just doesn't look completely invisible and does wear after a couple years even with maintenance. Cars are made to be driven, not embalmed. You got to take the good with the bad.

DISCLAIMER: Just my own opinion. Do not be offended.

Xpel has a good warranty if the film looked like shit you should have made them redo it.

Film will only be invisible if you do full panels.
But it's still far better looking than raw metal, primer, etc from rock chips and other debris.

[RSnic]

Hi,

Since my car is a fairly dark color, Tanzanite Blue metallic, I had car ceramic coated by a local detailer with two coats of GTechniq.

BTW, regardless of what you do, I strongly encourage having wheels coated as our BMWs throw off a potful of brake dust

Hope that helps!

[M340_pilot]

I bought the Adam's kit and did 2 coats on the front end, hood, roof and trunk. All the doors just 1 coat. Wash, clay bar and ceramic coat took 3-4 hours all by hand. Applying the ceramic coat was kinda like waxing a vehicle only you do much smaller (~2'x2') sections at a time and the flash time for removal is much quicker.

As RSnic mentioned...I really want to do the wheels next to make them easier to clean.

[themnmd]

imho ceramic makes cleaning way easier in particular the wheels. i am a Carpro user. as a DIY it is what i am comfortable using. ceramic coating can be a bit less forgiving than wax depending on type and skill level

[pneumodoc]

Originally Posted by themnmd

imho ceramic makes cleaning way easier in particular the wheels. i am a Carpro user. as a DIY it is what i am comfortable using. ceramic coating can be a bit less forgiving than wax depending on type and skill level

Which coating do you use on your wheels? I got modesta on the rest of the car professionally but didn’t pony up for wheels. Going to coat my takeoffs and then when they are back on in fall coat my summer wheels.

[themnmd]

Originally Posted by pneumodoc

Which coating do you use on your wheels? I got modesta on the rest of the car professionally but didn't pony up for wheels. Going to coat my takeoffs and then when they are back on in fall coat my summer wheels.

Carpro uk 3.0 same as on car. tip make wheels are super clean 1st

[Eric S]

Originally Posted by pneumodoc

Which coating do you use on your wheels? I got modesta on the rest of the car professionally but didn’t pony up for wheels. Going to coat my takeoffs and then when they are back on in fall coat my summer wheels.

Modesta BC06 is hands down best from my experience. Tried most everything else. Proper application is key and the effort lasts a long time with minimal effort needed to clean the wheels moving forward.