What is everyone's thoughts on PPF on a daily driver? I live in the Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Ohio). So, we face hot summers and cold winters with snow. We also don't really have many ways to hand wash the car in the winter...because well...it gets too cold. Is this worth it? Would you coat it as well or not? OR would you not do anything and use the automated washes and maybe just send the car to a good detailer once a year in addition to your waxing (in the warmer months)
PPF on a daily driver Stinger gt2 - Midwest (sun and winters)
- Thread starter CarBrad
- Start date
jalcala
Active Member
Well my Stinger will be my daily driver here in a few months and I did the PPF on it. I am in the south and we have these nasty lovebugs that show up twice a year. Their bodies have some horrific acid in them and when backed in the Florida heat do a number on your paint. Not to mention with the constant road construction paint chips are always in issue. I am hopeful with the PPF this will not be an issue.
MerlintheMad
10000 Posts Club!
I have frontal 3M PPF to the windshield; got in installed at three months. Best decision I made with this car's cosmetic needs.
Car washes in winter: I already discussed this today. Wash car in winters
Car washes in winter: I already discussed this today. Wash car in winters
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Good info Merlin, as always. Especially concerning winter washes - gonna have to find a routine like you did because I know how bad the car washes scuffs up your paint.
I am struggling on what to do here on the car. Going to be realistic and say that I probably won't keep it for 10 years or anything. Indiana winters can be odd. I like to keep my cars looking nice, and it will be my daily driver (unless a serious snow storm keeps me from going anywhere).
I am considering PPF for the high impact areas.
Or just living with it as it comes, and having it detailed by a pro as I see fit.
For the PPF I am being quoted around $1200 for front bumper, hood, lights, mirrors, and partial fender. I also will be getting the windows tinted (which adds on another like $500 or so). I have the gunmetal color with black interior so it will get super hot in the car during the summer I am sure - hoping the tint helps with that.
$1200 buys at least 3 trips for a detailer to remove swirl marks and touch up any chips. But at the same time I know I am the type that will be mad if I let it get all pitted up from rocks chips. And the stinger front seems like it would be the type of car prone to take damage there.
On a sports car (summer only) driver I had once. I did do ppf and even a ceramic coating. I actually didn't keep the car long enough for it to really pay off, but the pff gave me peace of mind, I am not super convinced that the ceramic was worth it though. It made washing a tad easier I suppose, but it didn't seem to be much better than decent sealer that I could have applied by myself twice a year. So, I dunno man.
MerlintheMad
10000 Posts Club!
I've gone back and forth on ceramic coating, and so far haven't done it. I have no idea what the difference is with "sealer" either.
In the beginning, I decided to just wash often (weekly or thereabouts), including each time it rains and all that. I figure that keeping even air grime off (never letting it accumulate in the first place) is the best way to preserve the clear coat. And if I was being overly optimistic, I'd find out over time. So far, swirls from my hand washes are at a minimum; and I know that I can get them taken out with a detail. Frankly, I'm pleasantly surprised that I haven't "needed" a detail yet: I thought in the first year that I'd probably get a detail done in the spring, but I haven't seen that need materialize yet. I'm super conservative on how I wash my car: no soaps or cleaners beyond ONR; I'm sold on that, and believe their hype that it lays down a protective coating as you use it. The evidence supports that. I'm pretty anal about this: I check out my car all the time for the slightest contaminant. A bug splatter or tiniest speck of guano, and out comes the spray bottle of distilled water with ONR and a microfiber.
From interior to exterior to high performance - everything you need for your Stinger awaits you...
Aarvix
Stinger Enthusiast
My stinger is my daily and PPF saved my bacon a couple months ago.
On my way home from work, a truck in front of me lost a bag of small gravel and absolutely showered my car with hundreds, if not thousands, of small rocks.
The pic doesn't do it justice, every one of those white specs is a rock hit and the entire front bumper and hood were covered. The PPF absorbed it all, after a wash there was ZERO damage.
This is my first car with PPF, but it will not be the last. I'm a believer.
On my way home from work, a truck in front of me lost a bag of small gravel and absolutely showered my car with hundreds, if not thousands, of small rocks.
The pic doesn't do it justice, every one of those white specs is a rock hit and the entire front bumper and hood were covered. The PPF absorbed it all, after a wash there was ZERO damage.
This is my first car with PPF, but it will not be the last. I'm a believer.
Hawk853
Stinger Enthusiast
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I don’t regret getting PPF at all. I got the full front clip in Suntek. It’s definitely doing it’s job. The PPF quote you got sounds good depending on the film they’re using. 3M/Suntek/Xpel seem to be the gold standards. $500 for tint seems pretty steep though.
I ended up getting ceramic coating later. It’s nice, but I don’t see a drastic difference between it and “wax” products I’ve used in the past. I installed it with a friend of mine who’s a detailer, otherwise I would have skipped it. Biggest benefit was removing my “dealer installed swirls.”
The PPF really does something that no nano coating or detailing product can repair or protect against. It’s absorbed some significant rock strikes.
GenesisG70
1000 Posts Club!
I have PPF in all my cars, its a must unless you are leasing the car or think about selling it in 1 yr.
