Paint Protection/Tinting

[Boomer AZ]

My apologies to the previous poster who mentioned this, I can’t find your post. But it has been mentioned that some installers of window protection, who use a process that requires heat, won’t touch the Lucid windshiled because of the existing interior metalic IR film.

 

[JerseyStrong]

Car Wash (NT)
Customer car wash - TBD
1 35.00 35.00
XPEL Full Nose (T50)
XPEL Ultimate Clear Bra - Full Nose Wrap
1 2,875.00 2,875.00T
Window Tint (T50)
XPEL Prime XR Plus - 70% all side
windows
1 550.00 550.00T
Window Tint (T50)
XPEL Prime XR Plus - 70% windshield
1 700.00 700.00T
Window Tint (T50)
XPEL Prime XR Plus - 70% sunroof
1 500.00 500.00T
Vehicle (NT)
2022 Lucid Air Dream
1 0.00 0.00
SUBTOTAL 4,660.00
TAX (9.25%) 213.91
TOTAL $4,873.91

I spent my career in the non-profit sector. Very rewarding but not lucrative, so the Pure (10/2020) is a stretch for me, especially If subsidies are gone by the time Pures are produced. So, does bumper and mirrors (Neurio post) provide a decent amount of protection worth considering or might one just as well not have any coverage? I admit my eyeballs glaze over at the initial outlay you all made for a Dream and then added another 10 grand on top of that.

 

[SDHacker]

might one just as well not have any coverage?

If you've never had ppf installed on your previous vehicles and you accept that chips in your paint are an inevitable consequence of driving your car, then don't put ppf on your Pure. But I definitely recommend putting a ceramic coating on. There are consumer grade products (sprays like from Adams and Griots - both constantly have sales so don't pay full price) that are very easy to apply and according to Youtube videos where they do durability testing of multiple products on a single panel, can last over a year. If you use a spray rather than the much more concentrated small bottle, put two coats on.

 

[hydbob]

I spent my career in the non-profit sector. Very rewarding but not lucrative, so the Pure (10/2020) is a stretch for me, especially If subsidies are gone by the time Pures are produced. So, does bumper and mirrors (Neurio post) provide a decent amount of protection worth considering or might one just as well not have any coverage? I admit my eyeballs glaze over at the initial outlay you all made for a Dream and then added another 10 grand on top of that.

I ended up only doing a full front, rear bumper, and door edges with a ceramic coat and a full interior tint. Ended up only costing around $6300.

The front ppf is great ar preventing chips especially because the air is so low to the ground. Ceramic makes washing much easier.

You can do the consumer products where you just refresh it every year or so, they work great, if you have the patience and fortitude to do it yourself, otherwise pay to get a commercial grade ceramic that lasts for 7 years and just wash your car every 2 weeks and you are pretty much set

 

[borski]

I’ve never had PPF on another car before. I only got it on this one because it’s such an expensive car.

If I were getting the Pure, I might not.

 

[copper]

Any special benefit from a full PPF+ceramic for a car that lives outside? Mine will be in the driveway in a fairly foggy microclimate.

 

[hydbob]

Any special benefit from a full PPF+ceramic for a car that lives outside? Mine will be in the driveway in a fairly foggy microclimate.

It will prevent your paint from fading, help keep the dirt/dust from getting "set" into your paint, prevent any bird droppings from etching into your paint

 

[JerseyStrong]

Thank you all so much. I’ll probably be back on this topic late this year, to see if experience or product innovations shift your advice. I think I will be fortunate if Pures are being delivered this time next year.

 

[SDHacker]

Any special benefit from a full PPF+ceramic for a car that lives outside?

The simplest way to look at what ppf does is it protects against chips and scratches. Ceramic protects the paint from the environment. The thing ceramic has that wax and sealants don't is extended durability. With a high quality spray ceramic coating, apply every 1 to 2 years after applying 2 coats initially. With the higher concentration product sold in tiny bottles, every 4 to 7 years. Sprays generally have 10 - 17% SiO2 content while the small bottles in the 40 something percent range. Since you keep your car outside, I would top coat whatever ceramic coating you get annually with the spray. This will maintain the thickness of the professionally applied or highly concentrated coating as it wears over time and exposure.

Why coat ppf with ceramic? You are protecting the plastic film from the environment. UV protection so it doesn't yellow. Protection from acid - like bird droppings - that eat away the plastic. Adds hydrophobic properties and seals the plastic so it sheds dirt easier and makes it much easier to wash. When you wash your car with bare ppf, you feel a little resistance against your cloth but with ceramic coating, it's slick/slippery.

If you've ever refinished hazed headlight covers and had them quickly haze over again, using ceramic coating after polishing keeps them clear - I learned that the hard way.