Detail Driven are trained and approved PPF Installers situated just outside Tonbridge in Kent.
What is PPF?
Paint protection film is clear plastic wrap usually self healing which is applied to interior and exterior surfaces of a new or used car in order to protect the paint from stone chips, swirls, scratches and minor abrasions.
There is still confusion and many misconceptions around what PPF (Paint Protection Film) can and can’t do, what it looks like, how it fits and more importantly is it worth the investment? Like anything there are pros and cons to PPF and this blog post will educate you to help you make the decision.
When it comes to protecting a car’s paint, there are a multitude of choices you can take, the most common being a Ceramic coating or PPF. We all know what ceramic coatings do now (follow this link if you don’t!) but how does PPF compare, is it better and why is it three to four times as expensive to have installed?
While your clear coat is engineered as the first line of defence against the elements, it itself is still extremely vulnerable and is often far weaker than we expect. Suffering from stone chips and scratches almost immediately, car paint year on year gets thinner, cheaper and scratches far easier. I’ve met many clients over the last ten years who are prepared to spend thousands on paint correction and ceramic coatings with their best intentions being to protect their pride and joy from the elements and day to day life but the sad reality is all our hard work can be undone in the blink of an eye in the wrong hands, simply because ceramic coatings and clear coat are not resistant to physical damage and are fundamentally designed to make maintaining and cleaning the car easier.
BMW M5 Competition Full Coverage during the install.
Can I see it on my car?
One of the most common conversations I have with clients about PPF is “I remember PPF, it’s that thick plastic stuff that goes yellow”. PPF in its early form had a reputation for being too thick, yellowed quickly, stained easily and to be frank was pretty unsightly. Thankfully the manufacturing processes and technology advanced very quickly and over a short period of time and when installed by a trained professional, in the correct environment can be almost invisible to the untrained eye.
Can you see it? Essentially yes, If you go looking for it! PPF is not engineered to be invisible, it is however designed to fit in the most seamless discrete way and in the correct hands with an experienced installer can often be fitted to a level where it is near invisible. If you know it’s there you will look for it, however in most cases a good install will be un noticeable at first glance. Most paint protection film installs now are templated patterns cut through a plotter via a library of patterns supplied by the film manufacturers. This library of patterns is often comprehensive and includes most modern vehicles from the early 2000’s onwards. This allows us to fit pre cut templated shapes to the vehicle rather than bulk rolls of material which is the old school method. Bulk fitting is more costly and creates much more wastage too.
So now you know what it is and what it does, the next question is, how much does it cost and is it worth it?
Toyota Yaris GR Front end protected with Premium Shield Elite Self Healing PPF
What does it cost?
Cost will vary dramatically subject to brand of film, make and model of car and intricacy level. On average a front end install which covers the most exposed front end of a vehicle usually falls in the region of £1200 - £1500. For full coverage pricing can range anywhere from £3500 to £7000 even more in some cases. We often build bespoke packages for clients too protecting small areas such as gloss black pillars or cargo loading areas in the boot. Areas that suffer the most from day to day life. Answering the question is it worth it is completely subjective. Ultimately it depends what value the vehicle has to you but a lot of the time the advice we give is based upon the clients individual scenario. We often consider things like how is the car looked after and will the client be frustrated by swirls and stone chips? PPF is a large investment and we take the time to discuss our clients expectations and make sure they understand what to expect and how to take care of it to make sure it’s the right decision for them. The decision between basic front end kits and full coverage ultimately comes down to what is your reason behind having PPF? If it’s for piece of mind knowing you can take the car anywhere and not live in fear it’ll get damaged, it has to be full coverage. If it’s to protect against stone chips and day to day driving more often than not front end or extended kits are more than sufficient.
Is it easy to look after?
Looking after paint protection film couldn’t be easier. Giving physical protection against day to day life means essentially you no longer have to live in fear of dealerships washing your car while it’s in for a service or stones and rocks being flicked up chipping your new pride and joy. It’s piece of mind and stress free motoring knowing that nobody can physically damage your paintwork. If your anything like us, that’s a big weight off the mind! Washing and cleaning PPF is easy, we recommend you don’t use a pressure washer or automated car washes however, If you are very careful and gentle a pressure washer can be used. Most PPF now is hydrophobic meaning it offers the same properties as a ceramic coating. It has self cleaning abilities and beads to help keep the car cleaner for longer meaning PPF is even easier to look after than a ceramic coated car. Wash as you normally would but without the fear that you could be causing swirls and scratches. In time on lighter coloured cars you may notice edges start to hold on to dirt. This is super easy to clean off and isn’t detrimental to the install. It’s a basic step of looking after the film.
Premium Shield Warranty Card and Aftercare information.
There are so many brands, which is best?
There are many different types and brands of PPF on the market now so which ones the best? The industry leading brands such as Premium Shield, XPEL, Suntek, Llumar and STEK all now offer a range of different films in different finishes, gloss, matte, carbon and even glitter! Generally speaking gloss and matte at the most popular offering OEM finish on factory painted surfaces protecting them but maintaining their original appearance. Picking which brand is best for you comes down to your expectations of the product and what you want to spend. Like most things these days you get what you pay for, it’s no different with PPF. The cheaper the install the lesser the grade of film and quality of install. Our recommendation is pay your installer a visit. Check out their work and the film they use and make sure your happy with how it looks on the car as some brands can vary in their appearance. We chose premium shield as it offers the highest levels of gloss we’ve seen from paint protection film supported by a comprehensive library of patterns offering the best possible fitment.
Preparing the pre-cut patterns by removing the waste material ready for install.
How long does it last?
Arguably the key benefit of PPF is its longevity and lifespan. Most brands offer a 5-10 year warranty based upon the assumption it’s fitted correctly by a trained and accredited installer. A poor install could lead to a shorter lifespan. Doing your homework is essential when it comes to PPF and will pay dividends If you chose wisely.
With all that said, we have drawn up a list of the pros and cons of Paint Protection film to help you make the final decision.
Pros:
No more stone chips or scratches.
Permanent finish which won’t age or weather like paintwork.
Easy to clean and look after.
No need to polish or wax the car.
Can be removed at any time.
Often glossier and sharper in appearance than paint.
Cons:
Research your installer, check their work and experience in the industry.
Most expensive way of protecting a vehicle.
If damaged it has to be replaced.
Bad installs can lift and not have longevity.
Lamborghini Huracan EVO full coverage in Premium Shield Elite Self Healing PPF
Every product in every industry has its pro’s and con’s. Speak to any professional in this industry and PPF will come highly recommended. Do your research, find a good, experienced installer and see their work before investing in the best protection you can ever have applied to your vehicle. PPF is a rapidly growing industry and we are proud of the work we do, working with one of the best brands on the market who supply a high quality product and some of the best templates available. If your still not convinced, please hit the contact us button below or pick up the phone, we would be happy to talk through your questions with you. Or if you have decided PPF is the right choice for your pride and joy, we would be happy to provide you with a tailored quotation, just hit the enquire button below!