To clear bra(xpel) or ceramic coat...

[jatleson]

100% agree on the PPF, at a minimum the front bumper. Ceramic coatings with a lifetime warranty - keep reading.

Always get a chuckle out of the lifetime warranties different detail shops or ceramic coating manufactures give. The reality is the product itself, when applied properly, maintained properly and never exposed to any real world driving may last forever. We all drive our coated cars, that alone will eventually cause chips/scratches/marks that will need to be corrected regardless of ceramic coating or not. Take it to the dealership for service and they wash your car even though you tell them not to, forget about it. What exactly does the lifetime warranty get you?

No doubt it is a special skill to be able to correct a car and prepare it for ceramic coating. And ceramic coatings do protect the clear coat from UV, contaminates etching the paint, leave a great finish and make the car really easy to clean. That is worth the price for admission and those detailers deserve being rewarded for their skill. But a lifetime warranty on a product that is supposed to be a sacrificial layer, I don't get it.

I have a coating on all my cars. Does a great job helping to keep them clean and makes them really easy to clean, but I know to keep my cars looking the way I like them, regardless of how careful you are when washing, will require a polish, usually every other year, to rid the surface of micro marring and bring back some gloss. Make sure to ask the lifetime shop what exactly does that lifetime warranty include.

 

[compujas]

I'm really starting to lean more towards doing PPF on the impact areas rather than ceramic coating. First of all, I went to install my tux mats this evening and already noticed what I think is a rock chip on the front. Only 400 miles and I already have a chip. I'm also starting to wonder whether the cost of ceramic coating is worth it considering the annual upkeep. I'd almost rather save the up front cost and pay a detailer to do a good wash, seal, and wax once a year if I'm going to spend $100 on the annual "inspection" anyway.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I'd almost rather save the up front cost and pay a detailer to do a good wash, seal, and wax once a year if I'm going to spend $100 on the annual "inspection" anyway.

Detailers do ceramic coatings that are a lot less expensive than a whole car with years of warranty. If they do a ceramic coating after a full detail, and restore this each year with each full detail, I think that you could go a lot of years before you finally spent as much as those "elite" ceramic jobs with their years of warranty (but still requiring annual upkeep).

I'm into my first winter. In the spring, I am going to get a full detail, and look into the price difference between going ceramic annually, or just a really good sealed wax after the detail.

Thanks for the input, all you all.

 

[washguy]

all im saying is what sold me on the ppf is a pic on this forum of a white stinger's fascia all chipped up...looked like hammered crap.....I was on the fence...after that pic I directly went to the ppf guy....all I can say is that the car looks and feels better than when it was on the showroom floor....so a good installer will be honest with you lets hope...and he will give you the impact areas to treat....mine did the complete front hood and fascia black chrome included for starters,A pillers,door handles,lower fenders.,black chrome grills,rear hatch/bumper...I was watching him on the second day and had to leave cause the labor was so detailed it was giving me a headache....ive played around with some sealants on the exposed parts,and the ppf....blackfire sealant bf 300 and topped with blackfire carnuba mid night sun is awesome...and easy to use.... Wash