Automotive Elegance

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Automotive Elegance

The Why, Where, When and How of PPF!

Why does my car need Paint Protection Film (PPF)?

PPF creates an invisible barrier on the car to protect your paint. The film adheres to the surface of your vehicle and helps to protect it from paint defects or chips caused by debris, weather, animals, chemicals, bugs, or other accidental damage to the painted surfaces of your vehicle. On top of this protective aspect, PPF can also help to resist color fade and improve the overall look of the vehicle by leaving the surfaces smooth and glossy, or by using the STEALTH XPEL film, looking matte and velvety. Keeping the paint finish intact and looking clean can increase the resale value of your vehicle down the line if you choose to trade in or sell the vehicle.

A red surface, split vertically. The left side, labeled Protected with XPEL film, is smooth. The right, Unprotected, is heavily scratched.

Where should I get PPF?

This can be answered in two ways. On your vehicle, the places we’d recommend putting PPF are the hood, side mirrors, headlights, front fenders, and front bumper. Those places generally see the most wear and tear to the paint. However, you can add additional panels to the car, like the rear bumper, A-pillars, rocker panels, or lower doors. You could even cover the entire vehicle! A full vehicle wrap would ensure that every painted surface of the vehicle is covered in PPF. While a full car wrap may be a bit outside of everyone’s budget, there are paint protection options for every car at every price point.

As for a location to get it done, go to a reputable professional to get PPF installed. A shop that doesn’t have the correct training or facilities to properly apply PPF could end up damaging your paint with an improper installation or subpar materials or leaving contamination under the film. Going to a qualified installer will likely save you money in the long run with proper installation methods and materials.

Technician applying protective film to the front fender of a black car.

When should I get PPF on my car?

While bringing your car in brand new directly from the dealership is ideal for the most flawless application, there’s no time limit on whether you can or can’t get PPF on your vehicle. Some shops may recommend what you should and shouldn’t do in PPF based on existing paint damage, but there is no specific time limit on when you have to get it by. If you have an older car, like an import or muscle car, that gets a new paint job or a clear coat respray, that’s also an excellent time to bring the car in for PPF.

Person in a cap and dark shirt applying a clear protective film to the hood of a red Tesla car.

How do I get it done?

Call and set up an appointment with a local shop. Just as we said before, contact a reputable shop and set up an appointment or consultation. The shop can give you the best estimate on price, timing, and what will work best for your vehicle. This is a difficult skill to learn, even for professional installers, and is definitely not a DIY sort of activity.

Who should I call?

Call us! Here at Automotive Elegance, we specialize in Paint Protection Film, Ceramic Coatings, and Window Tints using products from XPEL. Recipients of the XPEL US Dealer of the Year Award in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, we’ve protected it all! Visit us to schedule a booking.