Considering Paint protection film (PPF)

Hi
My AGT is expected around July but I started to think about PPF. I’ve never had a car wrapped before. This could be my first.

What are your thoughts on the subject and what do you think about Xpel vs. Kavana?
Thanks

steveairgt said:

Hi
My AGT is expected around July but I started to think about PPF. I’ve never had a car wrapped before. This could be my first.

What are your thoughts on the subject and what do you think about Xpel vs. Kavana?
Thanks

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I don't know anything about Kavana. I have used Xpel Ultimate on two cars now and very pleased. In both cases I also had the cars ceramic coated after the Xpel was installed. That said, Xpel now has a new film called Fusion+ that has an excellent hydrophobic coating and thus doesn't really need a ceramic coating applied. Or if you want to spend the additional money you can still apply ceramic coating to it but its really overkill.

steveairgt said:

Hi
My AGT is expected around July but I started to think about PPF. I’ve never had a car wrapped before. This could be my first.

What are your thoughts on the subject and what do you think about Xpel vs. Kavana?
Thanks

Click to expand...

I think you mean Kavaca by CeramicPro (https://ceramicpro.com/kavaca/paint-protection-film/ceramic-coated-ppf/)? I was going to use it because of the ceramic top coat already applied, but my installer did not have experience with it and was going to charge an extra amount for it. Also at the time, they did not have a sufficient wide version available for the front hood. I finally settled with Prestige Film's Clear Guard Alpa (http://www.prestige-films.com/clearguard-alpha/), since my installer had installed it. It too has a special top coat that makes ceramic coating unnecessary.

Unrelated to the PPF, I have used (and also used on the Lucid) Prestige's Spectra Photosync with IRD (Inferred Dispersion) (http://www.prestige-films.com/spectra-photosync/) which is the best at reducing IR and heat. It's worked great here in AZ – especially on the windshield.

I’ve seen several PPF videos of Teslas. They show that Xpel has a system where they use a plotter to cut the specific sizes/shapes of the various panels. Their database has lots of cars.

I wonder since Lucid is so new do they have not have Lucid panel dimensions yet?

Yes, Xpel has all the Lucid Air panels available.

steveairgt said:

I’ve seen several PPF videos of Teslas. They show that Xpel has a system where they use a plotter to cut the specific sizes/shapes of the various panels. Their database has lots of cars.

I wonder since Lucid is so new do they have not have Lucid panel dimensions yet?

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They have the dimensions and, for example, my installer uses their software, but can also cut other brands of PPF.

steveairgt said:

Hi
My AGT is expected around July but I started to think about PPF. I’ve never had a car wrapped before. This could be my first.

What are your thoughts on the subject and what do you think about Xpel vs. Kavana?
Thanks

Click to expand...

I’m a fan of Xpel which I have used on other vehicles. Currently, my AGT is in the shop now getting a full wrap of Xpel Ultimate Plus with Xpel Fusion Ceramic Coating applied on top of the PPF and I’m also having them apply Xpel Prime XR Plus tinting on all the windows. (70% front, all others 35%). The most important thing is the ability and experience of the shop to custom install any top rated PPF you choose. Pick the shop first and use what they recommend. Good Luck!

Easyrider949 said:

I’m a fan of Xpel which I have used on other vehicles. Currently, my AGT is in the shop now getting a full wrap of Xpel Ultimate Plus with Xpel Fusion Ceramic Coating applied on top of the PPF and I’m also having them apply Xpel Prime XR Plus tinting on all the windows. (70% front, all others 35%). The most important thing is the ability and experience of the shop to custom install any top rated PPF you choose. Pick the shop first and use what they recommend. Good Luck!

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Obviously you like Xpel and that’s great. On the cars you’ve had done does it really look almost brand new, yesrs afterwards?
Is it really as easy as they say to clean? Do you see dings or marks from pebbles hitting it after driving on road trips ?

Do you ever see a need to go back in to have them repair something like getting dinging in a parking lot; someone hitting your door?

I’m considering getting about the same work done as yours. What’s this costing you may I ask?

Sorry for all the questions.
Thanks

Not sure if it's been discussed here or in other threads, but a quick word on the hood. Just got mine back from a full PPF with Xpel. The installer said that while templates exist for the car at this point, he did a custom on the hood. The reason is that the template for the hood is in three pieces I believe. He used one piece and manually fit it around the entire hood. His thinking is that the separate pieces (designed I think to fit in the air intake areas) would have a tendency to show the lines over time.

I'm very new to this, so I have no way of knowing whether that is accurate or not. But it makes sense to me. Just thought I would pass on to anyone who is planning to have this done.

I have had Xpel applied on 4 cars in the last 12 years and no one has ever seen the seams or edges. My cars are all dark in color and I can imagine on white paint a seam might be visible if dirt/dust has accumulated but realize folks who go to all this expense don’t keep dirty cars.

The seams only show up if your installer doesn't wrap the edges or tries to piece together 2 pieces which they don't need to. Find someone to wrap the edges and you won't be able to even tell there is a film on top

We don‘t have a Lucid Air yet but I am inclined to put partial PPF when we do. We didn’t put ppf on our white 2019 Model S and @ 69K miles when we sold, the front, hood, and mirrors all had multiple small but visible chips in the paint. I tried to touch them up but they were still visible and it bugged me each time I would wash the car. We got our white 2021 Model S in December and had the front, mirrors, the rocker panels, and the rear diffuser behind the wheels wrapped with PPF (can’t remember the brand for about $1600 by a independent installer). He used a kit, didn’t paint correct the car first, didn’t remove body parts to hide scratches that I read the high end installers do. I didn’t do any ceramic coating since I don’t mind hand washing the car every week or two and just apply liquid synthetic wax a few times a year.

Now @ 5K miles I have no chips but one small tear on the lower air dam where something struck the car but didn’t affect the paint underneath. Another are on the rear diffuser something left a black mark on the ppf but didn’t penetrate the ppf to affect the paint. I do have seems visible (since it isn’t wrapped around corners) but they come clean when I hand wash the car and aren’t visible unless you look very close. My guess is they would not be visible if the car wasn’t while.

We do our semi annual drive across the country in June so we will see how it holds up to all the highway driving.

I am not sure I would spring for these $3K+ treatments but for <$2K, it would be worth it for me on the Air to lessen the possibility of those dreaded rock chips.

Maverick said:

Not sure if it's been discussed here or in other threads, but a quick word on the hood. Just got mine back from a full PPF with Xpel. The installer said that while templates exist for the car at this point, he did a custom on the hood. The reason is that the template for the hood is in three pieces I believe. He used one piece and manually fit it around the entire hood. His thinking is that the separate pieces (designed I think to fit in the air intake areas) would have a tendency to show the lines over time.

I'm very new to this, so I have no way of knowing whether that is accurate or not. But it makes sense to me. Just thought I would pass on to anyone who is planning to have this done.

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OCDetailing said the same thing in their video and they’ve done a few Airs now. Best to just do one piece with no seams.

steveairgt said:

Obviously you like Xpel and that’s great. On the cars you’ve had done does it really look almost brand new, yesrs afterwards?
Is it really as easy as they say to clean? Do you see dings or marks from pebbles hitting it after driving on road trips ?

Do you ever see a need to go back in to have them repair something like getting dinging in a parking lot; someone hitting your door?

I’m considering getting about the same work done as yours. What’s this costing you may I ask?

Sorry for all the questions.
Thanks

Click to expand...

I’ve been on several roads trips with my GLE450 and I do not have any pebble dings, even with the determined suicidal bugs haven’t evendamaged the paint. The clean up is very easy with a waterless wash spray from Adam’s, usually once a week and it takes me about 15-20 mins. I only do a complete full water wash about every 6-8 weeks. I have not had the need to go back to the installer for any warranty needs, but Xpel offers a 10 year warranty on their Ultimate film. You can expect to pay between $6k and $9k depending on what other added services you are getting.

While we’ve got a bunch of threads on this topic I’ll just reply here. The best local shop here has the new SunTek PPF so I’m gonna put that on hood/bumper/fender/mirrors, and then I’m gonna do Adams Graphene spray myself to coat the car (Chicago Auto Pros did a great video comparing all DIY ones for durability and it’s stupid durable), and do the Gtechniq glass coating. Yeah you can pay a shop $2-3K ceramic your car with Opti-Coat or Ceramic Pro which takes 14-30 days and lasts for many years, but since I wash the car so much myself I’ll just do the Adams graphene coat myself which lasts at least 6 months and is $30 a bottle.

hydbob said:

The seams only show up if your installer doesn't wrap the edges or tries to piece together 2 pieces which they don't need to. Find someone to wrap the edges and you won't be able to even tell there is a film on top

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Right...that was exactly the point. The template in three parts would have had the installer doing exactly that...piecing 2 together that don't need to. There wouldn't have been a way to wrap those edges.

Maverick said:

Right...that was exactly the point. The template in three parts would have had the installer doing exactly that...piecing 2 together that don't need to. There wouldn't have been a way to wrap those edges.

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How did the wrap go? You recommend this place?

bunnylebowski said:

I’m gonna do Adams Graphene spray myself to coat the car

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Debating DIY vs having the shop that does the PPF apply XPEL coating. I use Griots 3-in-1 ceramic spray which is stupid simple - spray on car, spread, wipe. Spray bottle is enough to double coat 3 cars. Durability tests by Pan the organizer and Scott HD on Youtube shows it to be a good product. But I also bought the Adams graphene advanced spray since it is more concentrated and supposed to last longer. With the Adams product, you spray the applicator, spread, wait 1 - 2 minutes for it to "flash", then wipe.

If anyone decides to use Griots or Adams suite of products, be aware that they frequently run sales so don't buy at full retail - wait for a sale...although for some of you, I don't think you care about price.

I’ve been invited to come see Xpel PPF being applied to a Lucid starting tomorrow. This shop is the largest Xpel installer in Georgia. This will be their second Lucid.

Since I’ve never has PPF applied to any of my cars I’m curious about the process.

Being a retired engineer I’m interested in the technical details.

I’ll see if I can video some of the steps.

SDHacker said:

If anyone decides to use Griots or Adams suite of products, be aware that they frequently run sales so don't buy at full retail - wait for a sale...although for some of you, I don't think you care about price.

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Thanks! Got a 20% discount on the graphene spray. Looking forward to trying it out and saving $2500 on full ceramic coat! If it’s not that great after a year then I’ll have them do paint correction/full ceramic but honestly it seems great for the price, it did awesome in the Chicago Detail Pro comparisons.