plastic film vs ceramic coating

[Eric280SL]

anyone have experience with clear plastic film cover ing or ceramic coating to. prevent chips from road rock s?

[specracer]

PPF will assist with rocks chips, Ceramic coating will not. I have many cars with both.

[johnk]

My personal feeling is ceramic coating is a waste of money. A car possible stays cleaner with it like a new wax job. But I it offers no scratch protection, not even from a less than smooth wash cloth.

Expel or other modern plastic
Coatings work great though. I am having it put in my pagoda within a month. Didn’t want any chips on the front of my new paint.

[johnk]

The yellowing is pretty much a thing of the past that was caused by the glue rather than the plastic. I had Expel out in my jag 4 years ago and was very happy with the results. I am about to have it done in my 280sl but will be checking to see what is the best product today and can let you know. Given the curves around out headlights I am having to take my car to a specialist for the plastic coating.

[specracer]

Sun Tek and Xpel from my findings have been the leaders. All of our cars are Xpel. The installer is really what makes the difference, so find him or her 1st, and then defer to the product that they use. "Today's" films are amazing. I have some cars that are 10+ years old, and you look at them and go ouch (I really need to change them), but recent ones, you just cant tell. As referenced, yellowing is not an issue, and Xpel even offers a 10 year warranty against it.

[johnk]

Also ten years or so ago installers would only apply the film to about a third way up the hood. Now you at least do the entire front end up to the windshield, fenders and hood.  Some people do the entire car.

Keep in mind It is a point deduction in some judging classes, but I would rather loose a quarter point or so over getting a chip in my new metallic paint which can’t be touched up properly.

[specracer]

^^^ This is exactly correct, we have 3 cars that are 100% wrapped. The minimum I would do is the entire front clip (forward of the doors), and any other panels you do them 100%, so no seams are visible. For an SL, I would go the extra step, and pull the grill, side markers, and headlight trim to be able to wrap the film so the edge is concealed.

[johnk]

^^^ This is exactly correct, we have 3 cars that are 100% wrapped. The minimum I would do is the entire front clip (forward of the doors), and any other panels you do them 100%, so no seams are visible. For an SL, I would go the extra step, and pull the grill, side markers, and headlight trim to be able to wrap the film so the edge is concealed.
[/quote]

I am having mine  done before I reinstall my lights and even windshield. Did you do your pagoda and were they able to wrap around the front fenders without extra seams?  I am taking mine to an installer recommended by a trusted detailer but just wondering what to expect.

[ChrisInNashville]

Mine is ceramic’d.  I’ve had others with xpel.  I’m going to xpel the metal around the grill.  Ceramic is not comparable in performance

[johnk]

Sorry to be confusing Chris. My question was to space craft reading the three cars he had wrapped.

[specracer]

Sorry, no, our SL does not have PPF on it. Ours is "driver" quality, and not good enough to bother.

I am having mine  done before I reinstall my lights and even windshield. Did you do your pagoda and were they able to wrap around the front fenders without extra seams?  I am taking mine to an installer recommended by a trusted detailer but just wondering what to expect.

[johnk]

My detailer called me back. Xpel is a thicker wrap with the ten year warranty. sun tech is thinner and is a 3 to five year product. The reason why some people prefer sun tech is that is thinner and is less noticeable on the edges. 

[jeblack123]

In what ballpark are talking in terms of price understanding that there may be variably associated with location and quality of installers? How long after new paint do you need to wait to apply any of the coverings?

Thanks

[johnk]

I paid $1,500 four years ago to have my Jag F-type wrapped from bumper to the doors. I have not talked to the installer yet but the detailer that managed my Jag's process estimated that a full covering of a 280 would be about $5k because of all of the cutting and fitting. Of course the front end has the most curves so i am guessing that just part will be in the $2,000 to $2,500 range. This is for Xpel, but I have to believe most of the cost is the labor rather than the plastic film chosen.

[H. Keith Henry]

When I told my brother-in-law that I am planning to have film put on the entire body of my 280 SL, he asked if i was concerned about paint coming off when the film is eventually removed. I said, "No," but was that the right answer?

[Jordan]

I have a 60's pickup with a paint job that is maybe 15 years old (clear/base).  I bought some film to put on certain sections to see how the truck would look with different colour accents.  Left the film on for maybe 3 weeks and then peeled them off.  Took the clear coat off in some sections.  Was not happy.  Luckily I had decided to repaint those sections based on the film so that corrected the missing clear coat.  I did it both cold and warmed up and it didn't matter, both pulled off bits of clear coat.

[johnk]

I was told it’s ok if the paint dries for 60 days first but I don’t have first hand experience. What type of paint is a factor along with how well it was prepped before painting. I am not worried for my car but I did the paint work. Todays plastic wraps will
Last ten years.