[dream54ing]

How many people have or going to get PPF wrapped? Who feels its not worth the cost?
We were highly considering it, but not sure now after someone said its not worth it for the cost. Ours is mineral white.

[AndroidRobot]

I have the full front (a pillars, forward including headlights and mirror caps) then my rockers. The rest is ceramic coated and it's worth the price.

Full front is generally $1700-2000

[avengerboater]

Worth it? Yes. I have ppf and ceramic coating on mine.

If you lease, it may not be worth it.

[Stinkyxy]

I hummed and hawed over it on the F15 and didn't end up getting. It was Alpine White and got 1 stone chip on the hood. A little touch and buff and it was fine.

I've heard horror stories on black cars.

I'm getting another Alpine White and won't do ppf. Won't regret saving the money.

Maybe if i has a different color my decision might be different.

[MystroX5]

I am a no PFF but I am also a concourse type of guy where I like to bring out the max in gloss and depth. I also know how to professionally apply touch up paint to where you won’t see my stone chips. If my 50i was my everyday ride in the northeast then I would PPF. What sucks in our area is when I see a PPF pocked up with marks and not be able to correct it without a new film application so there is always a trade off.

[bmwmgens]

I consider myself an amateur detailer and I'm a "Nay"...

[MystroX5]

Originally Posted by bmwmgens

I consider myself an amateur detailer and I'm a "Nay"...

Love your set up.
One of my classic 911’s was used on Griots catalog cover years ago when their products were less distributed. I love their orbital buffers. I use both sizes. They are still going strong. I am more P21 and Adams these days.

[AndroidRobot]

Originally Posted by bmwmgens

I consider myself an amateur detailer and I'm a "Nay"...

I aspire to have my garage look like that

Originally Posted by MystroX5

Love your set up.
One of my classic 911's was used on Griots catalog cover years ago when their products were less distributed. I love their orbital buffers. I use both sizes. They are still going strong. I am more P21 and Adams these days.

care to post a picture

[******]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

I also know how to professionally apply touch up paint to where you won’t see my stone chips

Tell us about that! How do you do that?

[Denk]

From my experience with and without a clear bra, I say yay. One of my M3's got the front sandblasted in one day without any PPF...it was Jerez and showed every little blemish. A clear bra would've saved me. I love the self healing properties. I use Suntek.

[MystroX5]

Originally Posted by ******

Tell us about that! How do you do that?

That would be a long post but I will try to give you a idea. Every paint is different but for example like metallic paint touch up like Carbon Black must be shaken up every 2 minutes as you use it as the metalic flakes won’t properly be suspended. This is key with touching up metalic paints. Then when you apply the metalic paint, you want the surface to be as level to the ground as possible. This may require you to partially open your hood if that is where your chip is. This will allow the metalic flake to stay suspended evenly in the chip. Fill the chip in stages until it is above the factory coat. Then when it’s partially dry (45 minutes depending on temp/humidity) you use a fine paint cleaner like P21 paint cleaner/prep or similar gloss and lightly start to buff with the tips of your finger tip through a micro fiber cloth. This way you can feel the raised touch up paint. This also allows you to control the pressure. Over a few minutes of buffing, you will gradually feel the paint chip buff down to flush with the factory paint. Do this right and you can blend a new cars paint with matching touch up paint and you won’t even be able to find it in sun light. You can’t rush the buffing and never use anything more abrasive than a super fine finishing paint cleaner. If you can feel the chip, then you can see it. Buff it to where you can’t feel the chip with your finger tips and most cases it will be invisible.

I learned a lot of the tricks competing for decades in PCA concourse events and some in Hershey. I use to teach a detailing course a few times a year at our PCA events. Over the years you pick up so many techniques with what works with certain colors and paint types. I still compete but only in top-side events and less competitive shows. I am getting too old crawling around with q-tips for weeks before events.

[MystroX5]

Originally Posted by AndroidRobot

I aspire to have my garage look like that

care to post a picture

My garage has a fully carpeted side just for getting cars ready for shows. It’s easier on my knees when crawling around and warmer in the winter when I heat the garage up. I have so many products and tools that it looks like a working detailing shop with all kinds of ugly lights hanging down (different lume and color tempature). Side lights projecting all the way around that garage bay and multiple vacuums mounted with 15’ hoses. It’s a working bay for detailing. Everything in its place and a place for everything. Controlled clutter. Everyday dirty cars don’t ever go in this bay. Only washed and semi detailed vehicle ready for the next step in polishing/waxing or inside detailing. Some guys have a woodworking shop as a hobby, I have a auto detailing shop for my enjoyment. My wife laughs when she sees me running the Shark vacuum on my garage bay carpet every so often.

[******]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

That would be a long post but I will try to give you a idea. Every paint is different but for example like metallic paint touch up like Carbon Black must be shaken up every 2 minutes as you use it as the metalic flakes won’t properly be suspended. This is key with touching up metalic paints. Then when you apply the metalic paint, you want the surface to be as level to the ground as possible. This may require you to partially open your hood if that is where your chip is. This will allow the metalic flake to stay suspended evenly in the chip. Fill the chip in stages until it is above the factory coat. Then when it’s partially dry (45 minutes depending on temp/humidity) you use a fine paint cleaner like P21 paint cleaner/prep or similar gloss and lightly start to buff with the tips of your finger tip through a micro fiber cloth. This way you can feel the raised touch up paint. This also allows you to control the pressure. Over a few minutes of buffing, you will gradually feel the paint chip buff down to flush with the factory paint. Do this right and you can blend a new cars paint with matching touch up paint and you won’t even be able to find it in sun light. You can’t rush the buffing and never use anything more abrasive than a super fine finishing paint cleaner. If you can feel the chip, then you can see it. Buff it to where you can’t feel the chip with your finger tips and most cases it will be invisible.

I learned a lot of the tricks competing for decades in PCA concourse events and some in Hershey. I use to teach a detailing course a few times a year at our PCA events. Over the years you pick up so many techniques with what works with certain colors and paint types. I still compete but only in top-side events and less competitive shows. I am getting too old crawling around with q-tips for weeks before events.

Thank you, I appreciate that. Sounds good...

[avengerboater]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

My garage has a fully carpeted side just for getting cars ready for shows. It's easier on my knees when crawling around and warmer in the winter when I heat the garage up. I have so many products and tools that it looks like a working detailing shop with all kinds of ugly lights hanging down (different lume and color tempature). Side lights projecting all the way around that garage bay and multiple vacuums mounted with 15' hoses. It's a working bay for detailing. Everything in its place and a place for everything. Controlled clutter. Everyday dirty cars don't ever go in this bay. Only washed and semi detailed vehicle ready for the next step in polishing/waxing or inside detailing. Some guys have a woodworking shop as a hobby, I have a auto detailing shop for my enjoyment. My wife laughs when she sees me running the Shark vacuum on my garage bay carpet every so often.

[AndroidRobot]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

My garage has a fully carpeted side just for getting cars ready for shows. It's easier on my knees when crawling around and warmer in the winter when I heat the garage up. I have so many products and tools that it looks like a working detailing shop with all kinds of ugly lights hanging down (different lume and color tempature). Side lights projecting all the way around that garage bay and multiple vacuums mounted with 15' hoses. It's a working bay for detailing. Everything in its place and a place for everything. Controlled clutter. Everyday dirty cars don't ever go in this bay. Only washed and semi detailed vehicle ready for the next step in polishing/waxing or inside detailing. Some guys have a woodworking shop as a hobby, I have a auto detailing shop for my enjoyment. My wife laughs when she sees me running the Shark vacuum on my garage bay carpet every so often.

that's awesome, if I had the space I'd be doing the same. It's funny how fast you grow into a house that's much bigger than you need only to realize there isn't enough room. I'm planning on moving in the next year or so, once that's done I'm going to design a workshop of sorts for my various hobbies.

[Stinkyxy]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

That would be a long post but I will try to give you a idea. Every paint is different but for example like metallic paint touch up like Carbon Black must be shaken up every 2 minutes as you use it as the metalic flakes won't properly be suspended. This is key with touching up metalic paints. Then when you apply the metalic paint, you want the surface to be as level to the ground as possible. This may require you to partially open your hood if that is where your chip is. This will allow the metalic flake to stay suspended evenly in the chip. Fill the chip in stages until it is above the factory coat. Then when it's partially dry (45 minutes depending on temp/humidity) you use a fine paint cleaner like P21 paint cleaner/prep or similar gloss and lightly start to buff with the tips of your finger tip through a micro fiber cloth. This way you can feel the raised touch up paint. This also allows you to control the pressure. Over a few minutes of buffing, you will gradually feel the paint chip buff down to flush with the factory paint. Do this right and you can blend a new cars paint with matching touch up paint and you won't even be able to find it in sun light. You can't rush the buffing and never use anything more abrasive than a super fine finishing paint cleaner. If you can feel the chip, then you can see it. Buff it to where you can't feel the chip with your finger tips and most cases it will be invisible.

I learned a lot of the tricks competing for decades in PCA concourse events and some in Hershey. I use to teach a detailing course a few times a year at our PCA events. Over the years you pick up so many techniques with what works with certain colors and paint types. I still compete but only in top-side events and less competitive shows. I am getting too old crawling around with q-tips for weeks before events.

Here's a good video that I used to learn touchups.

[wrickem]

I'm another one who would miss my "therapy" buffer too much and relieving a little stress while working to get a perfect shine on my Mineral White X5. PPF would take all the fun out of it for me.

[X54TH]

I'm a yay.

Everyone of my cars gets a full front coverage including lights and mirrors. In the past I had 3M Pro and last 4 cars have been done in Xpel Ultimate. Our cars are on the highway all the time as well as taking a trip to the cottage once every two weeks. In the past before PPF the front took a beating from winter pitting (salt / sand) and the summer with insects. I recall when I had to wash one of our Non PPF cars I hated detailing the front of the car because the finish was so deteriorated. I have no issues now and makes for a quicker wash.

2 out of the 4 cars are leased but I still do them. Granted they are leased and I could get the appearance protection for the same cost as PPF and not worry about it but I like it when they look great all the time. Plus I may end up buying them come the end of the lease.

[bmwmgens]

Originally Posted by wrickem

I'm another one who would miss my "therapy" buffer too much and relieving a little stress while working to get a perfect shine on my Mineral White X5. PPF would take all the fun out of it for me.

One hundred percent this.....the question to consider is:
How much enjoyment and satisfaction do you obtain from a great looking, clear coated paint job vs. how good do you feel knowing that the paint is protected by a film even though you've sacrificed the looks.

Based on what's more important to you (and if you can live with a few rock chips as part of regular wear); then that's what you go with...

For me it's "no PPF" but take it with a grain of salt because it's coming from a guy who removes his wheels to wash them and cleans the rubber trim remnants from under his hood

[AndroidRobot]

Originally Posted by bmwmgens

One hundred percent this.....the question to consider is:
How much enjoyment and satisfaction do you obtain from a great looking, clear coated paint job vs. how good do you feel knowing that the paint is protected by a film even though you've sacrificed the looks.

Based on what's more important to you (and if you can live with a few rock chips as part of regular wear); then that's what you go with...

For me it's "no PPF" but take it with a grain of salt because it's coming from a guy who removes his wheels to wash them and cleans the rubber trim remnants from under his hood

beautiful ride. what X5 do you have on order?

[MystroX5]

Originally Posted by bmwmgens

One hundred percent this.....the question to consider is:
How much enjoyment and satisfaction do you obtain from a great looking, clear coated paint job vs. how good do you feel knowing that the paint is protected by a film even though you've sacrificed the looks.

Based on what's more important to you (and if you can live with a few rock chips as part of regular wear); then that's what you go with...

For me it's "no PPF" but take it with a grain of salt because it's coming from a guy who removes his wheels to wash them and cleans the rubber trim remnants from under his hood

I spend time conditioning all my rubber door seals and vacuuming a perfect pattern on all the carpets. I also wax all my air intake grills (bugs don’t sick to them). It’s a sickness.
We got to hang out.

My wife drove her black Audi A4 through a no touch car wash and I nearly lost my mind. I had to show her all the swirl marks I have to now buff out. The Audi is a outside car but still is forbidden to go through a public car wash.

[AndroidRobot]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

I spend time conditioning all my rubber door seals and vacuuming a perfect pattern on all the carpets. I also wax all my air intake grills (bugs don’t sick to them). It’s a sickness.
We got to hang out.

what do you use to condition the door seals?