i posted this to a member who was asking about scratches.. take a look at the XPEL website. I use Xpel Ultimate. Yes it is a Paint Protection Film. Clear, excellent clarity and very good durability. I have several PPF wrapped vehicles with both 3M and now XPEL. http://www.xpel.com/xpel-ultimate-paint-protection-film/ Yes it will help with Rocks, sand, small branches and everyday minor scrapes and scratches. That said - its not cheap and my experience says should be installed by a trained installer. I watched my friend wrap my truck - entire hood (wrapped edges) both front quarter panels, lights, mirrors, rocker panels and all exposed paint on the front around the lights and grill. It took him 4 to 5 hours with an assistant (not me) doing much of the prep work. This is what he does for a living - owns his own business and works for a handful of high end dealerships in Fairfield County CT. hope that helps.. let me know if there is anything else.. happy to help. from website - Constructed from a combination of advanced elastomeric polymers, XPEL ULTIMATE’s special clear coat not only prevents the film from discoloring due to contamination and ultra-violet radiation, but also heals itself from swirl marks and light scratches that can occur through ordinary washing and drying or daily driving. Contaminants like bug splatter, bird droppings, sap and road tar wipe off XPEL ULTIMATE’s super-slick surface with a cloth, while scuffs and light scratches in the surface of the film disappear within minutes in the heat of the sun or the warmth of your garage—leaving your car pristine and the protective film like new. And this level of protection comes without compromise. The mirror smooth finish of XPEL ULTIMATE ensures that no unwanted texture, commonly referred to as “orange-peel,” is added to the appearance of your car, leaving the protected surface indistinguishable from the factory paint. Professional installation by one of our network of factory trained installers ensures exact alignment around surface features such as air inlets, parking sensors, headlamp washers and other design elements, while the film along the perimeter of each panel is wrapped around the edges for a truly invisible barrier against the hazards awaiting you on the road. Even the film’s adhesive is superior. The enhanced workability of XPEL’s adhesive allows the film to be contoured around the most complex surfaces without distortion—which means you show off a perfect finish, not seams, wrinkles, and ripples. XPEL ULTIMATE also comes with a full 10-year warranty against yellowing, discoloration, peeling, cracking and hazing. If it fails, we’ll replace it—labor included You drive one of the finest cars in the world. Protect it with finest paint protection film available on the market.
OK OK - what does it cost..? that depends.. hahahaaa so first depends on how much you want wrapped. You want just the leading edge or 6 to 8 inches of the hood (bikini wrap on hood) that is much cheaper than wrapping the entire hood. Also 2 ways to wrap a hood. edge to edge - like a cell phone screen protector. There will be a couple mm at the very edge all around the hood that is not wrapped. Is that a place you may get hit with a rock/pebble on the highway - sure but its a very small area. OR you can get your installer to "wrap the edges" - this is the way i go - takes a lot of time and expertise. Full hood with wrapped edges is $700 to $1000 depending on the film used and the installer. So my last 2 vehicles i did full hood with wrapped edges - full front quarters and full front bumper (if its painted) - mirrors, lights and rocker panels. If you did this as a dealer installed option you can expect to pay $2000 to $2500 Independent Installer would charge $1500 to $2000 I know its not cheap and i know its not for everyone. Many will argue - its a TRUCK and supposed to have chips and scratches. To each his own.
I had a car dealer installed OPTI-COAT Pro. Does help protect paint from very minor scratches and the environment (tree sap, bird droppings etc...) but nothing protects from rocks and pebbles chipping your paint better than PPF. It was a funny story because the salesman oversold it and told me it guards against rock chips. It doesnt and after my first chip (2 weeks after i got the car) they gave me my money back on the Opti-Coat and i had the car wrapped. Ceramic coating will not stop a rock bouncing off your truck hood on the highway and chipping your paint. just my 2 cents. I think its a "you get what you pay for" thing..
much of the prep work. This is what he does for a living - owns his own business and works for a handful of high end dealerships in Fairfield County CT Whose your buddy? Shopping around after a couple of bird strikes.
his name is JOHN Custom Auto Designs, LLC 222 Teller Road Trumbull, CT 06611 203-273-0952 (thats his Cell) [email protected] please tell him Mike in Vermont sent ya!! he is the man when it comes to paint protection film. Xpel Ultimate is the way to go. Good luck..
Ok I guess I owe you 2 beers now! Whats even better - I reside in Trumbull!!! Glad i asked. emailing now.
feel free to call him on his cell. Great guy, super talented. I know he was working outta his home in Trumbull but was looking for a full time "shop" to work out of. I think he might be in Shelton now but either way you wont regret it. I have 4 cars - i have PPF on all 4 - John did all 4 and all 4 look awesome - no rock chips and no road rash.
so he responded back to me this morning. While hood and fenders are nice, I am interested in full paint protection. I have another guy stopping by shortly for ceramic coating. I dont tailgate - but I do car about the wife's nails, my watch, trees, etc on the sides. Shit if anything hits this hood besides bird poop, it fell from a plane and not the road.
Funny story - the guy who stopped by for the ceramic - is buddies with your guy John. I think i am going to go Ceramic Pro. I don't like the price, but the guy is close and willing to accommodate my needs.
Dumb Q; The surface has to be free of dents and chips before this is used right? If that's the case, it may be too late for coverage.
Just got my truck back today. Got Cquartz put on. XPEL on the door handle inlets (my wife has nails). Damn! She shines like the freakkin' sun!!! I will circle back to this in a few weeks to let you know how it is holding up. (FYI - it took almost 2 weeks for paint correction. Ford did a really crappy job on the paint - and I had a ton of etching from leaves)
I did CQuartz UK and there really is nothing that compares, the shit is amazing. The paint correction is a major undertaking, even on my truck when it was new. Factory paint sucks. I had Xpel on my CTS-V when I bought it, but removed when I put my new CF hood on because the application wasn't great and it had bubbles. It definitely serves a it's purpose, just bloody expensive.