Paint Protection Film

[PD Luke]

As best as I could search i did not see a thread specific to paint protection film. I am considering adding PPF to my 2022 3500 when it comes in. I have not done this on any of my vehicles in the past so I have no experience on this topic. Best I know at this point is from a couple hours of reading Google search results. I am primarily looking to protect against minor scratches and stone chips. I typically keep my truck 5-7 years and it get used for hauling and towing. So I am looking to this group for real world experiences good or bad. What brands of film do you recommend? Does it work for preventing scratches as well as promised? Do you apply to the whole truck or just certain sections such as hood and fender areas?Or should I pass on PPF altogether? Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

 

[rampulse]

As best as I could search i did not see a thread specific to paint protection film. I am considering adding PPF to my 2022 3500 when it comes in. I have not done this on any of my vehicles in the past so I have no experience on this topic. Best I know at this point is from a couple hours of reading Google search results. I am primarily looking to protect against minor scratches and stone chips. I typically keep my truck 5-7 years and it get used for hauling and towing. So I am looking to this group for real world experiences good or bad. What brands of film do you recommend? Does it work for preventing scratches as well as promised? Do you apply to the whole truck or just certain sections such as hood and fender areas?Or should I pass on PPF altogether? Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

I’ve used XPEL on two vehicles previously and did so after selling my last truck. My truck’s front end had painted bumpers and there were so many pits and rust spots, and bad paint chipping on the front edge of the hood. The tailgate also looked terrible from all the leaning in I did with gear over the years. Either way I wanted to try to erase that problem from the start.

I did the PPF on a sedan and an SUV and I’ve been super impressed. I had a full wrap and a partial (full front end up to the windshield, rocker panels, rear bumper) done. I never had any scratches to the paint where the PPF is/was, but I do have marks where a rock or something cut the PPF and showed that it did it’s job.

When my 3500 comes in, I’m definitely going with another PPF application. I probably wouldn’t do a full wrap on a truck as it generally costs a boat load more. My partial wrap has been impressive and hasn’t let me down so far. Being higher up has its advantages as well. I’m personally debating this myself and going with either a full front or just the partial front a few inches up the hood. Painted bumpers don’t do well with rock chips, small dings, and rust spots. Whichever direction I go, I will be ceramic coating the entire vehicle too since the clean up is easier, and being that I will go back to black this time, I’ll need the added protection to keep it up especially after going to the desert or the mountains. I wash my own vehicles and this is a huge helper and time saver personally.

Good luck but I would as least get something on the front end.

 

[jeffn]

As best as I could search i did not see a thread specific to paint protection film. I am considering adding PPF to my 2022 3500 when it comes in. I have not done this on any of my vehicles in the past so I have no experience on this topic. Best I know at this point is from a couple hours of reading Google search results. I am primarily looking to protect against minor scratches and stone chips. I typically keep my truck 5-7 years and it get used for hauling and towing. So I am looking to this group for real world experiences good or bad. What brands of film do you recommend? Does it work for preventing scratches as well as promised? Do you apply to the whole truck or just certain sections such as hood and fender areas?Or should I pass on PPF altogether? Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

I have several cars with Xpel ultimate. I prefer it on my track cars and do the front clip, A pillars and shark fins side rocker protection. I always go with full custom install from rolls, not the precut kits because I don’t want to see the edges. I have 1 other car that I just had fully wrapped in Suntek Platinum and I’m very impressed. It is glossier and more hydrophobic than 3M and Xpel. Suntek and Llumar are the same product and for UV protection it is the best. I have been using the clear Llumar on my windshield (interior application) with great results, and tinted on side and back glass.

I stopped using 3M because it yellows over time but they are constantly updating these products and it could be better now. The Xpel self-healing is no joke, great stuff. You can ceramic coat over PPF and it looks as good as any paint ever will.

 

[TonyT]

As best as I could search i did not see a thread specific to paint protection film. I am considering adding PPF to my 2022 3500 when it comes in. I have not done this on any of my vehicles in the past so I have no experience on this topic. Best I know at this point is from a couple hours of reading Google search results. I am primarily looking to protect against minor scratches and stone chips. I typically keep my truck 5-7 years and it get used for hauling and towing. So I am looking to this group for real world experiences good or bad. What brands of film do you recommend? Does it work for preventing scratches as well as promised? Do you apply to the whole truck or just certain sections such as hood and fender areas?Or should I pass on PPF altogether? Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

I had mine done for exactly the same reasons. I don't have the time to do it myself, so I had a shop do the work. They use SunTek PPF and Ceramic Pro products. Being a new truck they did a 2-step paint protection. Then PPF on the front bumper, grill, headlights, front fenders, and entire hood. Basically everything forward of the windshield except for the center grill. Then ceramic coated the exterior, wheels, and undercarriage. All-in it was about $4800. It is a lot, but I think its been worth it. The truck not only looks oddly glossy all the time, but its easier to clean and keep clean - if that makes any sense.

I did get behind a construction truck raining gravel on the highway a couple weeks after the work was done. I have a few rock chips on the bumper that have gone through the PDF to the paint that will require removal, repair, and reapplication eventually. However, I think that's just gonna happen, and could have been worse.

 

[relbus]

I did the XPEL ppf almost immediately on my 2500. Worth every penny!! There would be a million rock chips on my front end had I not done it. I believe I have one that has made it through the film after 25k and almost one year. I am on the highway daily for about 60-75 miles.
The rockers got chipped almost immediately despite the PPF. The PPF got torn/damaged in several areas when I was visiting a ski resort with gravel/chip drives and roads throughout. I tried to drive slow an be careful but no luck.

 

[CharlieL]

I did the XPEL ppf almost immediately on my 2500. Worth every penny!! There would be a million rock chips on my front end had I not done it. I believe I have one that has made it through the film after 25k and almost one year. I am on the highway daily for about 60-75 miles.
The rockers got chipped almost immediately despite the PPF. The PPF got torn/damaged in several areas when I was visiting a ski resort with gravel/chip drives and roads throughout. I tried to drive slow an be careful but no luck.

Did you do the application yourself, or have it done professionally? I'm researching what to do to best protect the paint on my brand-new truck.

 

[TonyT]

Did you do the application yourself, or have it done professionally? I'm researching what to do to best protect the paint on my brand-new truck.

Most of these specialty products are not sold to the public. You have to have a business account and proof of certification from an authorized training facility.

Theres a lot of techniques that must be mastered. Such as stretching and cutting. There's a lot of YouTube videos from shops that share or show their skills.

Here's a video from the guys that did mine.

 

[CharlieL]

Most of these specialty products are not sold to the public. You have to have a business account and proof of certification from an authorized training facility.

Theres a lot of techniques that must be mastered. Such as stretching and cutting. There's a lot of YouTube videos from shops that share or show their skills.

Here's a video from the guys that did mine.

Very good to know. Thank you. When you wrote "I did the XPEL ppf" I wasn't sure if you'd done it yourself or not. Appreciate the info.

 

[1651Naismith]

Another vote for Xpel Ultimate and ceramic coat. For the PPF, I had a shop install a partial on the hood and fenders, front bumper, rocker panels, mirrors, A pillars, and first 18” of the roof. Note, the full hood is a big step up in price due to the contours. I did the ceramic coat myself With CarPro.

If you enjoy detailing and have a garage to work in and keep the truck tucked away for a few days, it’s a good option. To do it right requires 3 really long days. If you don’t, look for a shop. It is labor intensive and if you do it while the truck is still very new, you can probably get away with very light paint correction and save a bunch.

Either way, the results are impressive. This is my 2nd vehicle with the PPF plus ceramic and expect I’ll do the same with new vehicles in the future.

 

[relbus]

The PPF was installed by a professional shop. I think I have about $1600 into it