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  1. #16

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    Re: Life with PPF so far.

    BudgetPlan1- That`s just wonderful! And yeah, we`ve become pals with some people at the dealerships we patronize too, always great to run into swell folks especially with all the Car Buying Horror Stories ya hear.

    I have a sneaked suspicion that she *would* be happier in a Boxster, but eh...that`s probably just my anti-newer-`vette bias

    And yeah...as long as you don`t get yourself in a bind, there`s a lot to be said for smelling the roses now and then. You really *don`t* know what the future holds. (Hey, had I waited much longer some of the greatest experiences of my life wouldn`t have happened as my new-normal vision just isn`t up to it.)

    And yeah#2 regarding "the journey..", agree completely.

    Moonracer364- Hey, that`s a great thing to do on your (*BLACK*) farm truck!

    Oh, and a belated Welcome to Autopia!
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  2. #17

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    Re: Life with PPF so far.

    When I saw Moonracer364 wrap his truck, I thought that was insane! Until I realize that most new and certified pre-owned (CPO) trucks are north of $50,000 these days, why NOT protect such a substantial financial investment (at least in my economic realm).

    Somehow I have this idea that protective plastic film (PPF) wraps will become the next dealer installed add-on. When we bought a CPO Taurus from a local Ford dealer, they were selling a Simoniz (yes, the original car wax company) coating package (no, I did not buy it , but it was "guaranteed" for three years). It wasn`t that long ago that EVERY dealer sold Auto-Armour sealant protection packages (yup, I still have some of that stuff on my car-care collection shelf. Should probably throw it out!)

    When Mike Lambert showed how thin new Mazda paints are these days by readings he took with his Paint Thickness Gauge (PPG) , I made a bold (but dumb, excuse me; "unintelligent"!) prediction that someday soon ALL new vehicles will be painted a thin base-coat white, and then PPF-wrapped at the dealer with a color hue chosen by the customer. Makes for easy renewal of a vehicle exterior down the road OR changing the color hue to match market preferences/trends when it is resold as a used vehicle. Are the days of detailing an exterior surface coming to an end, much like shade tree mechanics working on modern engines??

    OR the dealer will give a new-vehicle leasee a break on a lease price per month, IF they agree to drive the vehicle PPF wrapped with their dealership advertising as a rolling billboard for the life of the lease and all they have to do is wash/clean it once a month.
    GB detailer
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  3. #18
    Hooked For Life Bill D's Avatar
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    Re: Life with PPF so far.

    My handyman had the Simoniz coating installed by the dealer. They tried to get away with not coating the roof. He brought his truck back to them and demanded they do the roof. He watched them do it.
    Treat it like it`s the only one in the world.

  4. #19

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    Re: Life with PPF so far.

    Lonnie- I`d be surprised if enough consumers care enough for the "wrap `em all" to catch on.

    But yeah...pickups are *pricey* these days! But then I think that about so many vehicles now-a-days, figure it`s because most people don`t really "buy" them in the sense of writing one check for the whole amount....don`t buy `em at all in the case of leasing.

    And heh heh, yeah...Auto Armour...in my area it was TSP.."Protecting what moves you!"
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  5. #20

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    Re: Life with PPF so far.

    Bill D- I hope he had a bit of fun with it at their expense and got to watch some [guilty individual] squirm.

  6. #21
    Hooked For Life Bill D's Avatar
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    Re: Life with PPF so far.

    Yep. He shamed the “detailing” department and hovered over them while they completed the job.
    Treat it like it`s the only one in the world.
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  7. #22
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    Re: Life with PPF so far.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lonnie View Post
    When I saw Moonracer364 wrap his truck, I thought that was insane! Until I realize that most new and c certified pre-owned (CPO) trucks are north of $50,000 these days, why NOT protect such a substantial financial investment (at least in my economic realm).
    I miss the days of cheaper cars. Way back when, bought a new 1994 Ford Escort, no air conditioning, no radio, hand-crank windows. 36mpg all thru it`s life, 250k miles with little to no problems. They just pile so much stuff on cars these days (some government mandated) that it`s getting absurd, hence the financing terms of 72 & 84 months which used to be unheard of.

    In May of 2019, the average price of a new car purchased in the U.S. climbed to $36,718, with interest rates hovering around 6%, according to automotive information site Edmunds. That`s up from $35,742 in 2018, which was already a 2% increase from 2017, according to Kelley Blue Book.

  8. #23
    Rasky's Auto Detailing RaskyR1's Avatar
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    Re: Life with PPF so far.

    Nice Write up BudgetPlan! A full PPF wrap definitely seems to reduce the amount of stress in keeping the car pristine and I`d less worried about where the wife parks now.

    I`m actually in the process of doing a full wrap on the wife`s new car. I have everything but the quarters and rear bumper wrapped now.

    It`s also nice to hear your installer mention that paint correction isn`t really needed. Prior to getting trained in on PPF I always thought it was a must for it to be done correctly. Now that I see how much the film actually hides, I realize it`s more reckless of an installer to insist in a paint correction and IMO, more of a way to increase the final ticket price than anything. Why remove clear coat unnecessarily when the film make it look perfect? For my prep I simply do a light polish to ensure a clean surface and only do a full paint correction when the owner insists on it, or if the paint is so bad the film won`t conceal it.

    I also feel the whole "custom" install is starting to get a bit ridiculous and seems to be more about Instagram bragging rights than anything IMO. You can modify the plots to get virtually the same coverage and not have to cut on the car near as much. You can also nest other items in with the plot to make better use of the film. That being said, there are definitely times where its a lot easy to bulk a panel. For most daily driver cars I feel its overkill, but at the end of the day it should be the owners decision.

    I definitely don`t understand the disassembly of a brand new car just to get a more seamless install. I have no issues removing badges, vents, and other items that pop out easy, but removing bumpers and door panels just seems silly to me. It opens the door for squeaks, rattles, fitment/alignment issues, missing or broken fasteners, and potential damage to the vehicle. Having a father that`s been doing body work for over 50 years I`ve seen how often clips get broken and I know they aren`t designed to be removed and reused. Unless installers are replacing them all, it just doesn`t make sense to me. To each their own though I guess.

    The appearance or ability to notice PPF next to the OEM paint IMO depends on the paint texture itself and which film is applied. While STEK is very glossy, I find the texture "orange peel" of it to "tighter" and that seems to cause more distortion to the reflection than some other films. Think of it as smaller waves in the water but spaced closer together. Some other films have an orange peel where the valleys are deeper and further apart, which IMO creates less distortion of the reflection. Think taller waves in the water but spaced further apart. The paint on my Ram has a terrible texture and the Xpel film I applied makes it look noticeably better. On my wife`s Benz the Xpel film very closely matches the texture of the OEM paint and it very hard to detect. I`ve also had cars with pretty smooth paint and the Xpel film looked noticeably worse.

    All modified kits except for the hood









  9. #24
    BudgetPlan1's Avatar
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    Re: Life with PPF so far.

    Quote Originally Posted by RaskyR1 View Post
    It`s also nice to hear your installer mention that paint correction isn`t really needed. Prior to getting trained in on PPF I always thought it was a must for it to be done correctly. Now that I see how much the film actually hides, I realize it`s more reckless of an installer to insist in a paint correction and IMO, more of a way to increase the final ticket price than anything. Why remove clear coat unnecessarily when the film make it look perfect? For my prep I simply do a light polish to ensure a clean surface and only do a full paint correction when the owner insists on it, or if the paint is so bad the film won`t conceal it.
    That was one of the big surprises for me, especially given the generally poor paint condition that some Corvettes (especially black ones) come outta the factory with. They did bring a new paint shop on line a year or two ago, maybe things are a bit better now...who knows. At first I kept kinda pushing the `paint correction before PPF` thing cuz, well, I dunno, kinda figured at that cost, didn`t wanna leave anything to chance. Installer kept coming back with "It depends, let`s see how it comes in.." and finally I had to let my own (un-informed) preconceived notions go and just plain trust them. And they were 100% correct. They woulda done it if I insisted but given the results, even with black, it was unnecessary. After that, I just began nodding my head in acquiescence regarding any suggestions of what to do (and more importantly, what *not* to do) while planning the entire affair. Professionals are professionals for a reason, find one you trust implicitly and let them do the heavy lifting.

    Quote Originally Posted by RaskyR1 View Post
    I also feel the whole "custom" install is starting to get a bit ridiculous and seems to be more about Instagram bragging rights than anything IMO. You can modify the plots to get virtually the same coverage and not have to cut on the car near as much. You can also nest other items in with the plot to make better use of the film. That being said, there are definitely times where its a lot easy to bulk a panel. For most daily driver cars I feel its overkill, but at the end of the day it should be the owners decision.

    I definitely don`t understand the disassembly of a brand new car just to get a more seamless install. I have no issues removing badges, vents, and other items that pop out easy, but removing bumpers and door panels just seems silly to me. It opens the door for squeaks, rattles, fitment/alignment issues, missing or broken fasteners, and potential damage to the vehicle. Having a father that`s been doing body work for over 50 years I`ve seen how often clips get broken and I know they aren`t designed to be removed and reused. Unless installers are replacing them all, it just doesn`t make sense to me. To each their own though I guess.
    As you say, owners decision for sure, with possible downsides laid out as well. If you get a bad installer, or one who `thinks` they can do it...well, I`m guessing dissatisfaction awaits. Found an interesting blog entry regarding `custom` installs, some interesting points: PPF Custom Install - Unspoken Details

    The appearance or ability to notice PPF next to the OEM paint IMO depends on the paint texture itself and which film is applied. While STEK is very glossy, I find the texture "orange peel" of it to "tighter" and that seems to cause more distortion to the reflection than some other films. Think of it as smaller waves in the water but spaced closer together. Some other films have an orange peel where the valleys are deeper and further apart, which IMO creates less distortion of the reflection. Think taller waves in the water but spaced further apart. The paint on my Ram has a terrible texture and the Xpel film I applied makes it look noticeably better. On my wife`s Benz the Xpel film very closely matches the texture of the OEM paint and it very hard to detect. I`ve also had cars with pretty smooth paint and the Xpel film looked noticeably worse.
    A dork like me can tell the difference, definitely there if looking (again, especially on black) but so indistinguishable in our case (fortunately) that it`s a very worthwhile trade-off vs the protection advantages. Given that a black car is only clean for about 10 minutes after you wash it, the dust that settles on the surface probably hides most of this anyway

    All modified kits except for the hood
    I really can`t imagine the patience and skill it takes to do this well. I know my limitations and something like this would exceed them by a tremendously wide margin. Sometimes ya gotta be honest with yourself and realize that the best solution to what you seek mainly involves using your checkbook as opposed to any delusions you may have regarding your own skillset. And having a trusted pro do one of my cars was kinda on my bucket list anyway. I worked in a picture frame shop in high school and remember the torture of trying to get a picture sealed behind the glass with no visible dust; a PITA on a 16"x20" picture, can`t comprehend doing a 4` x 6` black hood panel with the same requirements!

    I was really surprised how tough (and flexible) the film is...trimming that whacked corner bit of torn film was a bit more of a challenge than I thought it would be. I did bang a door into a light post next to our driveway, no harm, no foul...that was kinda nice!

    Definitely a worthwhile experience, much fun was had along the way and I learned a lot about something I had some ill-informed notions about. Great deal overall.
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  10. #25

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    Re: Life with PPF so far.

    Quote Originally Posted by BudgetPlan1 View Post
    I miss the days of cheaper cars. Way back when, bought a new 1994 Ford Escort, no air conditioning, no radio, hand-crank windows. 36mpg all thru it`s life, 250k miles with little to no problems. They just pile so much stuff on cars these days ...
    There are reasons having nothing to do with $ why my wife and I are driving older vehicles

    Accumulatorette had a Mazda GLC like that when we first met. >100K, zero issues since new (oe clutch/sychros/etc. too), only replaced it because it was rusting away. Same story with what she had before that; she simply expected cars to last forever with just scheduled maintenance because that`s what she was used to.

    My Aunt Irene (whom I`ve mentioned before) ordered her cars like that too, only she always spec`ed the biggest engine and trailer-tow package/etc. to get as much performance as possible. Used to [gripe] when she had to take an AM radio, considered it a frivolous distraction. She kept hers until they rusted away too, only owned three cars her entire life and loved `em all, in large part because they never left her stranded and were easy for her to understand when they did need service ("listen, just tell me exactly what needs done and why..don`t worry about being too technical, just tell me").
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  11. #26
    Rasky's Auto Detailing RaskyR1's Avatar
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    Re: Life with PPF so far.

    Quote Originally Posted by BudgetPlan1 View Post

    Found an interesting blog entry regarding `custom` installs, some interesting points: PPF Custom Install - Unspoken Details
    Yeah, that article ruffled the feathers of some but IMO it has a lot of solid points.
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  12. #27
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    Re: Life with PPF so far.

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    Used to [gripe] when she had to take an AM radio, considered it a frivolous distraction.
    Life with PPF so far. I would run into the same thing when trying to find a totally stripped new car. "No, we can`t find any with no options; who wants a car w no radio?" Uh, me?

    For me, cars were either toys or the automotive equivalent of a screwdriver. Had no problem driving a car with no radio for 10 years, 250k miles...was quite peaceful. Only got rid of the Escort `cuz the drivers door quit opening and wife said if I didnt get rid of it, she would. I guess she had enough when it was raining and I`d have to crawl out drivers window, run around and crawl in thru back hatch to roll up drivers window then crawl out back hatch again (passenger side door mechanism was kinda sporadic too).

    I think I had a lot more free time before I started buying cars that I actually cared about.

  13. #28
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    Re: Life with PPF so far.

    Quote Originally Posted by RaskyR1 View Post
    Yeah, that article ruffled the feathers of some but IMO it has a lot of solid points.
    "A Little Rebellion Now and Then is a Good Thing"

    It certainly did bring up some interesting points to ponder regardless of what side of the question one takes. Would be quite alarming to discover later some of the things mentioned.

  14. #29

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    Re: Life with PPF so far.

    Quote Originally Posted by BudgetPlan1 View Post
    Life with PPF so far. I would run into the same thing when trying to find a totally stripped new car. "No, we can`t find any with no options; who wants a car w no radio?" Uh, me?
    Growing up, I thought ya just ordered every vehicle equipped the way you wanted it...nobody in my family ever bought anything off the lot/showroom except for my dad`s `78(?) Midnight Charger and that was a one-time special edition they ordered figuring he`d take it (anybody remember those? Cordoba with an early version of the "Cord grille" that they then used on the Magnums, got totaled by a neighborhood kid driving a delivery van).
    For me, cars were either toys or the automotive equivalent of a screwdriver.
    These days my "toys" are just "tools" to me...not that I treat `em any differently.

    Had no problem driving a car with no radio for 10 years, 250k miles...was quite peaceful....
    Heh heh, you and my Aunt Irene Though come to think of it, neither of my parents ever turned on a radio that I can recall..different times, they grew up with cars that didn`t have such things.

    I think I had a lot more free time before I started buying cars that I actually cared about.
    I had to get rid of a car I cared about so I could buckle down and graduate from college...having a Disposable really did change my life. Did the same thing a few times after that too, needed to focus on more important things. But that was back before "Vehicles We Like" went out of production...

    Wouldn`t have put up with that Escort door though...safety issue First Rule of Operating a Vehicle: Live to Tell.

  15. #30
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    Re: Life with PPF so far.

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    Wouldn`t have put up with that Escort door though...safety issue First Rule of Operating a Vehicle: Live to Tell.
    Never even thought of that actually, probably clouded by thoughts of "Its paid for and still functions!"

    Sometimes my `Budgetplan` philosophy gets in the way of practical concerns. Doh!

 

 
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