Which PPF to choose?

[travelermark]

I’m curious if anyone has opinions on which PPF is best. I’m really just looking for protection, not to change colors. I’ve got the choice down to Xpel or Stek mainly based on the installers I can find in the area that I would trust to do the work but I’m having a hard time choosing between the two products. I’d also have the windows tinted with products from the same company.

Anyone have some background and able to provide some insights?

 

[SaratogaLefty]

My guy uses only Xpel products. My Lucid was done with Xpel Ultimate PPF (4/22) and my wife's new GV60 was just done with the newer Xpel Ultimate Fusion (has hydrophobic properties added to the PPF). Both cars were also treated with Ceramic Coating (Lucid with FeynLab Heal Plus and GV60 with Xpel Ceramic). Lucid has Xpel Prime XR Plus tinting on all windows (70 on the windshield; 35 on top; and 55 side and rear windows).

 

[Adnillien]

I’m curious if anyone has opinions on which PPF is best. I’m really just looking for protection, not to change colors. I’ve got the choice down to Xpel or Stek mainly based on the installers I can find in the area that I would trust to do the work but I’m having a hard time choosing between the two products. I’d also have the windows tinted with products from the same company.

Anyone have some background and able to provide some insights?

Choose your installer carefully and use the material that they have the most experience with.

 

[travelermark]

My guy uses only Xpel products. My Lucid was done with Xpel Ultimate PPF (4/22) and my wife's new GV60 was just done with the newer Xpel Ultimate Fusion (has hydrophobic properties added to the PPF). Both cars were also treated with Ceramic Coating (Lucid with FeynLab Heal Plus and GV60 with Xpel Ceramic). Lucid has Xpel Prime XR Plus tinting on all windows (70 on the windshield; 35 on top; and 55 side and rear windows).

How do you like it? Xpel Fusion Ppf and Prime XR are one of the options I’m strongly considering.

 

[SaratogaLefty]

How do you like it? Xpel Fusion Ppf and Prime XR are one of the options I’m strongly considering.

They are excellent!! Consistently rated top quality. I previously had Xpel Ultimate on my 2018 Porsche Panamera as well and although I sold it to a friend the PPF is still in great shape after over 5 years.

 

[Coho]

I’m curious if anyone has opinions on which PPF is best. I’m really just looking for protection, not to change colors. I’ve got the choice down to Xpel or Stek mainly based on the installers I can find in the area that I would trust to do the work but I’m having a hard time choosing between the two products. I’d also have the windows tinted with products from the same company.

Anyone have some background and able to provide some insights?

Notice you are in the Seattle area. I recently drove up from AZ and got some nasty front rock dings so I guess Im going to do the PPF is some form. Who did you find in the area that does a good job. I have no experience to guide you in your immediate decision of which type.

 

[TotalDetailingPA]

Do you want the opinion of those who have had it installed or the facts from someone who has had their hands on all the films? Because shopping for the "best product" is the worst decision you'll make when it comes to PPF. It is 20% product and 80% shop that makes the difference in your install.

Not here to be rude just genuinely asking what information you want.

 

[travelermark]

Do you want the opinion of those who have had it installed or the facts from someone who has had their hands on all the films? Because shopping for the "best product" is the worst decision you'll make when it comes to PPF. It is 20% product and 80% shop that makes the difference in your install.

Not here to be rude just genuinely asking what information you want.

Actually that helps and I sort of expected that to be true. I’ve narrowed it down to three different installers in the Seattle area (California Tint, Prestige Auto Salon and Pista Films) all of which I think have a good reputation based on what I’ve seen and they’ve all worked on Lucids before. What I’m gathering is that between the Xpel and Stek products I probably wouldn’t experience much difference as long as the installers were really good. Honestly, I’m anxious spending so much on it (full car PPF and window tint) without knowing someone personally that’s worked with the installers. Plus I’m new to PPF and while I’ve been researching a lot, I think I’m suffering from information overload and struggling to land on a decision. Probably sharing too much but it’s where I am in the process.

 

[GMan]

Similar to @SaratogaLefty , I went with XPEL PPF with Ceramic coating (whole car), and Xpel Prime XR Plus tinting.

• 35 for all windows and back
• 70 for front windshield/canopy single sheet

I live in Nevada and I was close to going with 20 on all windows, however, night visibility would become a real concern for me, so I stuck with 35. Besides, I think 20 is illegal in most states (Nevada allows anything).
On the windshield/canopy, I have 70 which helps with heat management, particularly the high IR reduction XPEL Prime XR Plus offers. However, if I had to do it again, I might have tried 50. Again, I live in a desert, so take that for what it's worth.

 

[ZASUPITTS]

For those that want PPF and tinting I DO NOT recommend Dipped Auto in Vegas. Subpar work on my Lucid.

 

[hmp10]

For the first time in my life, I put PPF on a car when I replaced our wrecked Lucid with another Lucid -- Xpel Ultimate Fusion. The first Lucid was coated with Opti-Coat Pro3 ceramic, the newest generation of a product I had used on other cars with good results. However, because the car had accumulated a few minor chips on the leading edges, I decided to try a film on the replacement car.

I've only had it on for a month, so here are the only three observations I can make thus far in comparing the two treatments. Both cars were/are Zenith Red, which I found to show dirt almost as readily as a black car.

1. The car stays cleaner with the Ultimate Fusion, accumulating far less dust and not showing rain spatters as much on the lower rear fenders. It's been three weeks since I washed it, and I'm still on the fence about whether a wash will noticeably improve its look.

2. The self-healing seems to work well. The other day I noticed a light scratch several inches long on the hood. Although it was a minor scratch, it was enough to catch a fingernail when I examined it. I thus assumed the scratch went below the self-healing layer of the film. The next morning, the scratch was gone.

3. The film brought new visual depth to the finish. We have a friend who is almost fetishistic in commenting about every aspect of our Lucids -- a car which fascinates him. Whenever I would wash the first Lucid and apply Opti-Seal to its ceramic coat, he would comment on how rich the finish looked. But the first time he saw the new car with the Ultimate Fusion on it he immediately held forth about how much richer the finish looked than on the first car.

The main reason I opted to wrap the car is that I was getting tired of trying to keep the first Lucid clean with frequent hand washings during our rainy season. One of the reasons I paid for Ultimate Fusion is that it is claimed to hold up under automatic carwashes and that its impregnation with ceramic particles gives it more durability. Xpel sells a PPF sealer (for $109 a gallon) that they say should be applied to the film every month for ultimate protection. I bought it before asking the installer whether the sealer was really necessary, and he said no. Thus far, the sealer is still sitting unopened in the garage.

 

[TotalDetailingPA]

Actually that helps and I sort of expected that to be true. I’ve narrowed it down to three different installers in the Seattle area (California Tint, Prestige Auto Salon and Pista Films) all of which I think have a good reputation based on what I’ve seen and they’ve all worked on Lucids before. What I’m gathering is that between the Xpel and Stek products I probably wouldn’t experience much difference as long as the installers were really good. Honestly, I’m anxious spending so much on it (full car PPF and window tint) without knowing someone personally that’s worked with the installers. Plus I’m new to PPF and while I’ve been researching a lot, I think I’m suffering from information overload and struggling to land on a decision. Probably sharing too much but it’s where I am in the process.

The biggest difference is that the STEK will be clearer with less orange peel. The Adhesive on the XPEL is so aggressive it imparts massive orange peel, which can diffuse metallic flake and the true reflection in the paint.

That said - pick the shop that was willing to spend the most time with you answer questions and the shop that spoke the most common sense to you.

My personal recommendation is to go to Parker's in Gig Harbor. He's a client of mine (I operate an agency that helps the detailing and film industry) and does fantastic top-tier work and I've given him business coaching myself personally. He installs STEK & Fireball coatings.

 

[SaratogaLefty]

So I have now used Xpel on three of my own cars and my detailer has done over 20 Lucids. I’ve never seen any “orange peel” and the coatings are completely clear and definitely enhance the paint finish and luster. That of course assumes the paint was properly prepared and corrected before the PPF was installed. As hmp10 said above it looks fantastic.

 

[TotalDetailingPA]

So I have now used Xpel on three of my own cars and my detailer has done over 20 Lucids. I’ve never seen any “orange peel” and the coatings are completely clear and definitely enhance the paint finish and luster. That of course assumes the paint was properly prepared and corrected before the PPF was installed. As hmp10 said above it looks fantastic.

The orange peel in the XPEL film isn't going to be seen by someone who doesn't inspect paint every day. The level of paint prep also doesn't affect the orange peel of XPEL film, it is strictly related to the level of aggressiveness of the adhesive. All that is required to install PPF on a vehicle is it be clean and decontaminated. No paint correction is required - anyone who tells you so is strictly feeding you BS. Infact most shops don't want to correct a car prior to film install since it just increases the chances of film being contaminated by polish and making the paint extremely tacky. My post history is filled with this information.

Orange Peel in the paint vs orange peel in PPF are 2 different things. I can go roll half a hood in XPEL film in the shop and then lay a competitor product next to it. If I put it under an inspection light, you'll choose the competitor product. This isn't to say that the XPEL PPF is bad because it isn't but it absolutely has orange peel in comparison to other films. Again - this isn't me telling anyone they are making the wrong choice - I'm giving you the facts based on real world, 1 on 1 handling of PPF in every day scenarios.

 

[hmp10]

So I have now used Xpel on three of my own cars and my detailer has done over 20 Lucids. I’ve never seen any “orange peel” and the coatings are completely clear and definitely enhance the paint finish and luster.

Same here. I've hand-washed my Xpel-filmed car and gone over every inch of it from every angle in bright sunlight and seen no orange-peel effect at all.

The orange peel in the XPEL film isn't going to be seen by someone who doesn't inspect paint every day.

In other words . . . no problem.