4.9KVIEWS
15REPLIES
7APPRECIATES
10ACTIVE PEOPLE
04-15-2026LAST POST
Probably going to have to PPF the centre console in my CS, I'm not careful.
silvermanor wroteCeramic coatings are far from "snake oil". They have a purpose and work well at it. What they dont do is offer any sort of magic paint protection to stop scratches like people can be lead to believe.Ceramic coating is snake oil. You need to PPF trim if you want it to be scratch resistant.
Prep the paint correctly and apply a ceramic coating the paint will be much easier to keep clean and will look amazing. Want protection against scratches then use a quality PPF.
TimmyTurbos wroteCC can't even stop bird shit from etching your paint.CC for chemical protection - PPF for scratch protection.
Each application be it CC or PPF will have its limits.
I had the godawful piano black plastic in my interior PPF'd, and so far so good. I don't see why that wouldn't also hold true for carbon fiber, though it can't possibly be less scratch-resistant than the piano black garbage.
He said that if I ever needed to replace it, it could delaminate the clearcoat from the carbon fiber.
Has anyone heard of this happening?
I’d still like to PPF the roof, but this caught me off guard.
Atrane23 wroteThere are low occurrence but definitely documented cases of PPF taking clear coat when removed. There are a range of opinions about this, with some people saying that it will never happen to factory applied clear, others saying that it comes down to the removal method and only happens with "improper removal" (opinions on this also vary), and others saying that there is a risk regardless of paint history or removal means/methods.I reached out to a couple local installers for PPF, and was surprised when one of them told me not to PPF the carbon roof.
He said that if I ever needed to replace it, it could delaminate the clearcoat from the carbon fiber.
Has anyone heard of this happening?
I’d still like to PPF the roof, but this caught me off guard.
Installers do have this potential for damage hanging over them and may have even had a failure. It's tough to get a sense for what went wrong when people have an issue. You generally don't know the history of the car, may not know if the panel was repaired at any point, and may not know how the PPF was being removed. It can take a fair amount of heat to remove.
IMO, the best you can do it talk to installers in your area to gain their experience with installation and removal. You can read around online to gain some additional insight, and decide on risk. I would say the risk is low (usually very low) but not zero, for any PPF install.
fiveightandten wroteWhat I've heard, and this is also anecdotal, is that most times the damage occurs because the PPF has been left on the car too long. They say that once it starts to either discolor or edges begin to peel up it's time to go ahead and get it off of the car.There are low occurrence but definitely documented cases of PPF taking clear coat when removed. There are a range of opinions about this, with some people saying that it will never happen to factory applied clear, others saying that it comes down to the removal method and only happens with "improper removal" (opinions on this also vary), and others saying that there is a risk regardless of paint history or removal means/methods.
Installers do have this potential for damage hanging over them and may have even had a failure. It's tough to get a sense for what went wrong when people have an issue. You generally don't know the history of the car, may not know if the panel was repaired at any point, and may not know how the PPF was being removed. It can take a fair amount of heat to remove.
IMO, the best you can do it talk to installers in your area to gain their experience with installation and removal. You can read around online to gain some additional insight, and decide on risk. I would say the risk is low (usually very low) but not zero, for any PPF install.
I'd also have to say the risk is low, otherwise you'd hear about it much more often than you do. However, in this instance the OP is specifically referencing carbon fiber, so maybe there's a crucial difference? You can always get a second opinion, but I think I'd be more apt to go with the installer's opinion than not.
Phillies8008 wroteYeah, CF is a different paint process than color coated panels. That may make a difference.What I've heard, and this is also anecdotal, is that most times the damage occurs because the PPF has been left on the car too long. They say that once it starts to either discolor or edges begin to peel up it's time to go ahead and get it off of the car.
I'd also have to say the risk is low, otherwise you'd hear about it much more often than you do. However, in this instance the OP is specifically referencing carbon fiber, so maybe there's a crucial difference? You can always get a second opinion, but I think I'd be more apt to go with the installer's opinion than not.
What’s the guidance on how long you should leave it installed? I’ve not heard of that as an issue before.
fiveightandten wroteI'm really not sure how prevalent it even is – like I said, it's really just anecdotal stuff I've read on Reddit, etc. As for how long, I'd go by the installer/manufacturer's recommendation. For instance, mine is specified as a seven year application, so I'd think right around that time. I'll be doing a yearly inspection thingy*, so I'd assume that if it starts looking questionable the installer will let me know.Yeah, CF is a different paint process than color coated panels. That may make a difference.
What’s the guidance on how long you should leave it installed? I’ve not heard of that as an issue before.
*Which I'm not sure is actually needed or just a way to generate some yearly revenue. Tomato, tomahto.
TimmyTurbos wroteThank you. Well putCC for chemical protection - PPF for scratch protection.
