Paint protection ideas?

[Jiffjingle]

What, if anything, are you guys doing for paint protection?
I don’t have much knowledge on the topic. I hear about PPF and ceramic coating.
What other options do we have? What are the pros and cons?
Also, if I choose to wrap the truck will It ruin the paint?
just trying to wrap my head around the options. Pun intended.

 

[1OF1ACR]

I was a 3M PPF installer. It's a great option, but extremely expensive. To do the truck expect to pay around $4k. It's gotta be done by a skilled tech. It won't hurt the paint. Just not worth it on a truck in my opinion. Maybe just wrap the nose, the rockers, and behind the tires. To wrap half of my ACR it was $3k.

Ceramic coating is a must. To have it done it's around $800-$1000 depending on paint correction. You can do it yourself, but you have to know what your doing. The product itself is around $100. There are a ton of products out there now that call themselves ceramic and they have like less than 10% in them. Do your research. Someone on YT did a 2 year side by side test on like 20 products. Try to find it. Amazing how many products failed in like 3 months.

 

[mack1212]

doing ceramic coating, 5 year setup. Best if you have a covered parking place so water spots don't bake into the coating (which can be fixed but annoying) but great for gloss and paint long term.

PPF i thought about but decided against

 

[TRXJouster]

3m or xpel type clear/satin film is ideal...thats real protection
ceramic is a sham....good for poo and acid rain for some time, but look, its not stopping pebbles or road debris. (it does have a great finish)
we are buying a TRX.. a coating is not stopping rock chips on your rear panels and its not stopping pinstriping on tight trails
..or love bug guts eating away at your paint and coatings...

i was going to linex my Powerwagon if i was keeping it...
i will probably wrap

 

[2crazy2stop]

I am seriously considering PPF, but as already stated crazy expensive. I got a white truck, and thinking if I can get a pearlized PPF that it would be worth the investment as I love that look!

 

[TRXJouster]

i wrapped my whole x5 interior in carbon vinyl...i plan to tackle one panel at a time with Satin Wrap, which hopefully.. will look great on a black truck

More Pictures ,including 3m carbon wrapped interior!!!

More Pictures ,including 3m carbon wrapped interior!!! - Page 2

f15.bimmerpost.com

 

[Brad1331]

3m or xpel type clear/satin film is ideal...thats real protection
ceramic is a sham....good for poo and acid rain for some time, but look, its not stopping pebbles or road debris. (it does have a great finish)
we are buying a TRX.. a coating is not stopping rock chips on your rear panels and its not stopping pinstriping on tight trails
..or love bug guts eating away at your paint and coatings...

i was going to linex my Powerwagon if i was keeping it...
i will probably wrap

I wouldn't go as far to say ceramic is a "sham" unless someone has convinced you that it lasts longer than 3-12 months depending on how much time it spends in the elements.....If you put it on a sports car that sits in the garage year round except for when the weather is perfect it will last the longest but assuming you are washing bugs off after every drive you still wont get much more than 12 months out of it. If you put it on a daily driver that is too big to fit in your garage and it sits outside and is driven every day you would be lucky to get 3 months before it needs to be reapplied....

All ceramic is is silicone dioxide and you can buy a 2 ounce bottle (which is enough to do a TRX) of 100% silicone dioxide for less than $100 if you look around and applying it is as "simple" as wash, claybar, wipe down with isopropyl alcohol, apply the coating with the provided cloth and sponge, then buff. It takes some time and most detail shops will sell it as around a $50 add on to an exterior detail if you provide the ceramic.

The benefit of ceramic is instead of having to "wash" your vehicle you can simply just spray it down with a pressure washer then dry it and you are done and it gives an amazing mirror finish to the paint. The "downside" is it has to be reapplied at lest once a year or more and it offers no protection against scratches chips etc.

In a nut shell think of ceramic coating as the best and longest lasting wax job you have ever seen and with that in mind don't pay more than what 2-3 hand wax jobs would cost you but if you are like me and enjoy washing and detailing your own vehicle do it yourself it is easier to apply and harder to screw up than traditional wax

 

[1OF1ACR]

I wouldn't go as far to say ceramic is a "sham" unless someone has convinced you that it lasts longer than 3-12 months depending on how much time it spends in the elements.....If you put it on a sports car that sits in the garage year round except for when the weather is perfect it will last the longest but assuming you are washing bugs off after every drive you still wont get much more than 12 months out of it. If you put it on a daily driver that is too big to fit in your garage and it sits outside and is driven every day you would be lucky to get 3 months before it needs to be reapplied....

All ceramic is is silicone dioxide and you can buy a 2 ounce bottle (which is enough to do a TRX) of 100% silicone dioxide for less than $100 if you look around and applying it is as "simple" as wash, claybar, wipe down with isopropyl alcohol, apply the coating with the provided cloth and sponge, then buff. It takes some time and most detail shops will sell it as around a $50 add on to an exterior detail if you provide the ceramic.

The benefit of ceramic is instead of having to "wash" your vehicle you can simply just spray it down with a pressure washer then dry it and you are done and it gives an amazing mirror finish to the paint. The "downside" is it has to be reapplied at lest once a year or more and it offers no protection against scratches chips etc.

In a nut shell think of ceramic coating as the best and longest lasting wax job you have ever seen and with that in mind don't pay more than what 2-3 hand wax jobs would cost you but if you are like me and enjoy washing and detailing your own vehicle do it yourself it is easier to apply and harder to screw up than traditional wax

This....yes. Except I think you can find a high quality products to last a couple years. Easy washes is what makes it worth it. If you do PPF then ceramic over that and the bugs will just rinse off. I am going to PPF the hood nose and rockers then ceramic the whole thing. Best bang for the buck I think.

 

[Texas_TRX87]

I got a 8k quote for ppf in DFW

 

[Superbrowndude]

I will be getting my truck cermaic coated as soon as I get it. I had my last truck done, and it makes quite a difference for keeping the truck clean.

 

[KnightMare]

I wouldn't go as far to say ceramic is a "sham" unless someone has convinced you that it lasts longer than 3-12 months depending on how much time it spends in the elements.....If you put it on a sports car that sits in the garage year round except for when the weather is perfect it will last the longest but assuming you are washing bugs off after every drive you still wont get much more than 12 months out of it. If you put it on a daily driver that is too big to fit in your garage and it sits outside and is driven every day you would be lucky to get 3 months before it needs to be reapplied....

All ceramic is is silicone dioxide and you can buy a 2 ounce bottle (which is enough to do a TRX) of 100% silicone dioxide for less than $100 if you look around and applying it is as "simple" as wash, claybar, wipe down with isopropyl alcohol, apply the coating with the provided cloth and sponge, then buff. It takes some time and most detail shops will sell it as around a $50 add on to an exterior detail if you provide the ceramic.

The benefit of ceramic is instead of having to "wash" your vehicle you can simply just spray it down with a pressure washer then dry it and you are done and it gives an amazing mirror finish to the paint. The "downside" is it has to be reapplied at lest once a year or more and it offers no protection against scratches chips etc.

In a nut shell think of ceramic coating as the best and longest lasting wax job you have ever seen and with that in mind don't pay more than what 2-3 hand wax jobs would cost you but if you are like me and enjoy washing and detailing your own vehicle do it yourself it is easier to apply and harder to screw up than traditional wax

Close enough

I'm doing a wrap to change the color. Don't know if I'll go further at the moment to protect it some until more info about the new TRX coming out for MY22 is released so I can get a order in early.

If the TRX can't fit in my garage, I'll have it live in carport until I get my shop built. Going back & forth with the city off & on now about the size & getting the area out of a flood zone

 

[tkdr6]

In Colorado, I'm taking my truck to Colorado Clear Bra:

Colorado Clear Bra | Leading Installer of 3M Clear Bras in Denver and Boulder

Denver Clear Bra is a premier installer of clear bra, ceramic coating, SunTek, and 3M vehicle paint protection films in the Denver and Boulder areas.

www.bestclearbra.com

They are doing a clear PPF in key areas (lower rocker panels, tow mirrors, hood portions, etc.), then they are going to apply ceramic clear coat over the entire truck.

They are also tinting my front two windows.

Doing many things all in one shot! These guys are considered the BEST or at least top 3 in the state of Colorado.

 

[Brad1331]

Close enough

I'm doing a wrap to change the color. Don't know if I'll go further at the moment to protect it some until more info about the new TRX coming out for MY22 is released so I can get a order in early.

If the TRX can't fit in my garage, I'll have it live in carport until I get my shop built. Going back & forth with the city off & on now about the size & getting the area out of a flood zone
View attachment 2908

LOL the funny thing is in the scene and IMDB the character name is Brett however in the actual line you quoted "Look at the big brain on BRAD" was actually said by Sam Jackson in the final cut that made it into the movie

 

[LordExplorer]

In Colorado, I'm taking my truck to Colorado Clear Bra:

Colorado Clear Bra | Leading Installer of 3M Clear Bras in Denver and Boulder

Denver Clear Bra is a premier installer of clear bra, ceramic coating, SunTek, and 3M vehicle paint protection films in the Denver and Boulder areas.

www.bestclearbra.com

They are doing a clear PPF in key areas (lower rocker panels, tow mirrors, hood portions, etc.), then they are going to apply ceramic clear coat over the entire truck.

They are also tinting my front two windows.

Doing many things all in one shot! These guys are considered the BEST or at least top 3 in the state of Colorado.

That’s who I’ll likely use. Did you get a quote from them?

 

[CopBait]

Don't mean to hijack the thread... But what are your guys favorite products for interior care? Looking for something to protect the leather and carbon fiber.. Last truck my detailer used ceramic pro interior and it look / worked great but $450.00 is steep for interior for me.

 

[tkdr6]

That’s who I’ll likely use. Did you get a quote from them?

Yes, you you want to talk with Kirby the owner, this guy is a straight shooter and extremely meticulous when it comes to craftsmanship.

His prices are pretty standard and straightforward, he also offers some basic packages when it comes to paint protection film wrap. For me I’m not following one of his standard packages for the film, instead I’m gonna have him just do the areas that are high traffic and risk based on my own experience, because of that I don’t have an exact quote for the wrap but have a general idea.

The ceramic clearcoat for the entire truck is pretty standard, I think it’s around $1900.

I’m expecting to spend around $3300 out the door for the window tinting, the wrap in key areas, and the entire truck with ceramic clearcoat.

 

[tkdr6]

Don't mean to hijack the thread... But what are your guys favorite products for interior care? Looking for something to protect the leather and carbon fiber.. Last truck my detailer used ceramic pro interior and it look / worked great but $450.00 is steep for interior for me.

To be honest, I don’t know what the best options are and don’t have personal experience on the interior side. Traditionally I have always just maintain the interior myself with water and a clean carbon fiber rag, avoiding putting any type of chemical on the interior materials.

However, I’m going to start poking around in the Denver area and see what the options are and who the best is. Once I get some information I will share on this thread.

In the meantime, would be nice to here experience from others!

 

[Brad1331]

Don't mean to hijack the thread... But what are your guys favorite products for interior care? Looking for something to protect the leather and carbon fiber.. Last truck my detailer used ceramic pro interior and it look / worked great but $450.00 is steep for interior for me.

you can get an entire brand new custom leather interior, new carpets, and a new headliner in a truck for less than $3,000 why anyone spend $4500 on a "product" to be applied to a brand new interior is beyond me. All they are selling you is an overpriced warranty and a $10 can of scotch guard

 

[TRXJouster]

Ok, if you use your truck offroad, you will get pinstripes and pitting with ceramic..
It’s a show car product, not an offroad product.
Are we talking about paint protection or making it easy to clean?

 

[InvoicedTRX]

I’m getting xpel (complete wrap), ceramic, and the underneath lined for corrosion prevention.

My guy quoted 10k+, but I’m definitely getting a second or third quote. He wrapped my mustang and does a great job, but Im starting to think he’s over priced