You bought a car. Congrats! Now you want to save its paint from weathering, scratching, or maybe you want to advertise on your vehicle and the shiny paint serves as an eye-catching backdrop. One of the popular options for that is Paint Protection Film.
The paint protection film is exactly as the name states. It is a film used to protect your paint job on the car, leaving it with a glossy and shiny finish. Some refer to it as clear bra. It can be applied to the majority of the car’s surface as a shield against dirt, grime, and stone chips, or only on areas that have become nicked or scratched to make it look fresh and new again.
Before you decide whether or not paint protection films are what your vehicle needs, here are some of their pros and cons.
CONS
Price
Professional vehicle wrappings are pretty pricey, with some reaching thousands of dollars, depending on how big the project is. However, some do say that the one-time cost is well worth the advantages it brings for the long term.
Wear and Tear
Just like the car is subjected to wear and tear from the road, dirt, the weather, and the sun’s rays eventually deteriorating the paint job, paint protection film also tends to get damaged from this abuse. If quality is not good and left for too long.
Paint Adhesion
Paint protection film can cause damage on the car’s paint job IF it has not been maintained properly or had been left too long on the surface. For instance, if the film has been there for 10 years, then it will be difficult to remove it without chipping the underlying paint. Inferior products and workmanship can also cause more unsightly marks and harm on the surface, so be sure to have yours done only by a true professional.
PROS
Long-Lasting:
Our paint protection films claim can get you up to 10 years of continuous usage, but generally they last for around three years. When investing in paint protection films be sure to research on the best types of films in the market and to find the right people who can install it the correct way. The cheaper the quality of the film, the shorter it lasts on the streets. Some of the PPF brands we use include STEK, Xpel, and Kavaca.
Protection:
High-quality paint protection films offer shielding against scratches and rock chips, have self-healing properties, and prevent paint swirl formation. This is why many performance vehicle owners install them on the front of their cars, where bug debris and rock exposure happen most frequently. A layer of protection on your car’s paint job can also preserve the underlying paint job’s integrity for a longer time compared to having no protective layer at all.
Easy removal
Professionally, it is possible to remove the paint protection film seamlessly, unlike a paint job. Ideally there will be no traces left behind, which is why who you approach to get the job done is crucial. With a professional removal, your car ends up with little to no damage on the paint job.
Long-term Value of PPFs
Overall, paint protection films are great to have when it comes to adding protection for your vehicle’s exterior. When installed correctly and maintained regularly, you can reap the benefits for as long as a decade. For more information about the best types of paint protection film for your car, get in touch with us at ____ for a consultation.