[vardhann5]

Paint protection for my new Jeep Compass Limited + Petrol

The thoughts about paint protection started around mid-December when I was almost certain of getting the car by month-end and was in the market (in Hyderabad and Bangalore) looking out for paint protection options and reading a lot of reviews online.
Since my first preference was a red Compass NightEagle and I wanted to make sure it looked new for as long as possible, I wanted the absolute best and was not willing to take any chances. After all, I was spending almost 27 hard-earned Lakhs on a car and dint want to compromise on looks to save few thousand's.

For all the people who literally say/said (not just here but various other platforms too) "PPF = Waste of money"; here is my analogy and reasons what made me go with PPF.

My swift (2012 model) got back bumper painted twice (in 2013 and 2015) at Maruti.

In early 2017, I was planning to upgrade my ride. During price negotiation, I casually enquired with the SA about trading swift. He immediately arranged for a vehicle check-up. The checkup person comes and we walk towards the place where my car was parked outside. Without me uttering a word, he points out and said "Sir, the bumper is painted". I was shocked to hear. Then as we discussed further, he explained how a repainted panel (No matter who does it and where) is never going to be the same as an original one from the factory. He further explained how the paint jobs are done in garages (Including the authorized service centers). Many brands authorized service centers in our country actually outsource paint jobs to local garages to save money and space. A factory-painted car is the best and one should always make efforts to save it if they really care for car looks.
That day, I decided, my next ride must and should have bumper guards (since self-healing PPF was an unknown concept to me then and Teflon's don't really protect the paint) and all possible accessories to protect from crazy 2 wheel drivers (Who always try to sneak through between gaps in traffic)

People comparing the cost of PPF with repaint costs. Please understand, both are never the same.

While a lot of thinking was happening at the back of my head, the car color changed from red to silver (aka minimal grey) due to stock availability as Jeep was launching a new model next month and looking on-road and hearing from people who own the color (Red probably is the most difficult one to maintain after black). Red would also catch a lot of attention on the roads and I prefer to maintain a low profile.

Now that the color is silver(My swift is silver too and is the easiest to maintain), my initial plan was to get PPF only on the scratch-prone areas. And normal DIY 3M wax polishing (Monthly/ quarterly)
Ceramic was not even considered due to the heavy maintenance after application.
Read few reviews which talked about how patches don't really look good and how the dust settles at the edges and makes a car look ugly. (Ever got a phone, computer screen, or anything else covered with plastic?, look at the edges and you would know what I am talking about). Dust settles down quickly and gets stuck. As time progress, it even spoils the original color by leaving marks.
A self-healing PPF is the best choice. This not only takes all the impact of the harsh roads we drive on, but also the crazy stunt masters in city traffic. And not to forget the acidic rains and pollution. The PPF takes up all the hit and the marks almost disappear as exposed to the sun. (reminds me of Jadoo from koi mil gaya movie)

Conclusion: Get PPF done on all 4 sides of the car. The top can be ceramic or left untouched.

Below are the options considered
1. (first in mind choice) 3M PPF (Standard)
2. 3M Ventureshield (Next level protection from the first in mind choice)
3. Lumar Platinum (remember seeing some ads on Instagram)
4. (Google suggested and close to my house) Opticoat
5. (Little research and lot of positive reviews) Xpel Supreme PPL
6. Xpel Ultimate (The undoubted kind and the best option)
7. (This is a weird one) Spend a fraction of the budget and get a strong and good looking bumper guard
8. (Friends and so-called experts suggested) Get the car detailed at a regular interval (Whenever I feel the car is looking dull)

Reduced the list to 2 options finally and it was 3M vs Xpel. (Popular choice vs best in the business)

Expert advice: Any PPF is as good as the people who are applying it. So it's important to have the right people do the work.
Also, the film should not be cut at the edges/ ends (This attracts dirt and chances of peeling off). The film should be folded towards the inside. Look at the 1st attachment and you would notice extra film which will be folded inside.

Went with Xpel. 3M was costly and the google reviews of their service centers were all mixed and pointed out how they literally loot money on brand name and not justify the cost with bad quality work. Xpel on the other hand had few reviews but all positive and so I decide on them.
Googled for Xpel in Bangalore and we only have 1 location in the entire of Bangalore (It's in Koramangala)

Connected the next morning and spoke. Negotiated the cost on all the work I wanted to get done.

My Car delivery was on the 31st evening and I requested Xpel for a pickup from the Jeep showroom on Kanakapura road to Xpel Koramangala. The driver though who came was a young lad, drove the car very well as I was watching him closely in my rear and side-view mirror. Reached Xpel soon and below are the costs and works that were quoted.

Xpel supreme 675 per sft plus GST (Selected this) (Compass would need about 190 sft)
Xpel ultimate 875 per sft plus GST
Both the above films are self-healing and anti-yellowing.

All 6 glass to get a water-repellant coat (got done as complimentary)
Windshield protection - 25K (Dint take it.
All Alloys to get protection coat - 3K
While discussing, I went ahead and added the sunroof too for the PPF as it was about 8K more.
Total bill = 1.54L (paid 1.5L at delivery)

The major difference between the supreme and ultimate is the 5MM and 7MM thickness. And hence the warranty is for 5yrs and 7yrs on the films.
The SA further explained that yearly maintenance is required to keep the shiny look and they would removing 1mm a year to keep the good look.

Work got completed and took back the car on the 3rd evening. Was asked to come for an inspection after 10 days and meanwhile, I shouldn't wash the car. If the sun comes out (Bangaloreans can relate as it is bound to be cold and cloudy all day mostly at this time of the year), then I was asked to leave the car under direct sun for few hours so the PPF can stick well. The more the heat, the better it is for the film.
Observed some bubbles on the door panels at the time of delivery which I was told would go in few days after getting exposed to the sun.

Some maintenance tips:
Always use a microfibre cloth (at least 240 GSM)
Don't use shampoos or chemicals to clean the car
Don't use a jet spray
Don't rub in circles to clear the car. Always do an up-down motion and squeeze the cloth fully after each use.
Use different cloths for Glass, body, and bottom.
Keep a box of wet tissues in the car always and clean bird dropping as quickly as possible to avoid decolorization on the paint in the dropping area.

Enough of stories, picture time now.
Pic at Jeep showroom:

[GTO]

Many thanks for the thread! My kid brother just bought a new car and I am sitting on the fence about applying PPF over it. A part of me (and Viddy) insists on it for the protection, including from light brushes & vandals keying the car, but the other part of me feels good parking + detailing twice a year (as I have been doing for all my cars) is the best.

A bit conflicted right now. Let's see how the plan unfolds.

Congrats on buying a wonderful car! Take her out on the open road. The Compass is all about driving pleasure on the highway.

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by vardhann5

Enough of stories, picture time now.
Pic at Jeep showroom:
Attachment 2111918

Congratulations on your new car. The car looks beautiful. And the PPF looks great too.

Originally Posted by GTO

Many thanks for the thread! My kid brother just bought a new car and I am sitting on the fence about applying PPF over it. A part of me (and Viddy) insists on it for the protection, including from light brushes & vandals keying the car, but the other part of me feels good parking + detailing twice a year (as I have been doing for all my cars) is the best.

My 320d has a complete PPF and from my experiences with PPF for almost 3 years and all kinds of driving (lot of rural, dusty drives, including some narrow roads in hills with bushes/thorns scratching against the car), may be I can share my thoughts: For peace of mind, the PPF is priceless. I take my car out in all those challenging conditions without having to worry about scratches on the paint. And when the car gets really dirty (and that happens soon with my kind of rural drives), I can even afford to do a car wash at any reasonable place (you can't do that with original paint since unless they take utmost care, you will have swirl marks on the paint). So from those points, PPF is absolutely great and saves a lot of headache and worry when you tour remote areas.

However, one price I have to pay (and I do feel bad about it) is that my car never looks shiny red in the photos. The photos always have a "plasticy feel" because the PPF reflects light in a very plasticy manner (light reflection properties of plastic and metal are different and you can not avoid that with PPF). When I see photos of some other shiny red BMWs, I realize what is missing in my photos. But this is a small price to pay for the advantages of the PPF I mentioned above.

So my suggestion would be: If you always drive in clean city, and you care about the appearance of the true color on your car (PPF will alter this), then you can ignore the PPF. But if you do a lot of rural drives and are willing to ignore the color accuracy, then PPF is a no-brainer!

[smnrock]

Originally Posted by vardhann5

The major difference between the supreme and ultimate is the 5MM and 7MM thickness. And hence the warranty is for 5yrs and 7yrs on the films.
The SA further explained that yearly maintenance is required to keep the shiny look and they would removing 1mm a year to keep the good look.

Congrats!

Just a query, do you mean thickness is 5 millimeter?

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by GTO

My kid brother just bought a new car and I am sitting on the fence about applying PPF over it. A part of me (and Viddy) insists on it for the protection, including from light brushes & vandals keying the car, but the other part of me feels good parking + detailing twice a year (as I have been doing for all my cars) is the best.

The debate will rage on and on for doing PPF v not doing it. My take; purely from a cosmetic perspective, detailing and good parking is more than enough. However, I have come around to believing that PPF is very useful for high contact areas, like both bumpers and hood. Brings your cost down tremendously, and covers your bases on most counts.

[Shome]

Congrats on your new car, it looks great!!!

Is PPF good at preventing stone chips on the bonnet? I have been regularly detailing my car every 2-3 months, but after 8 years of usage, the stone chips have gone deeper and no amount of detailing is taking care of it. In fact, the car actually looks bad after a polish as the chips are now more prominent and looks bad...I have a black car. I'm planning to buy a new car and 3M suggested PPF, will that help in the long run?

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by Shome

Is PPF good at preventing stone chips on the bonnet? I have been regularly detailing my car every 2-3 months, but after 8 years of usage, the stone chips have gone deeper and no amount of detailing is taking care of it.

Yes, that is one of the purposes of the PPF. It will prevent stone chips, at least to a large extent (if you get a very big stone hit then it might penetrate through the PPF and damage your paint, but most casual stone chips will not penetrate to your paint).

In fact, my car has plenty of stone chips on the bonnet, and they are clearly visible on the PPF. I do a lot of highway driving and the stone chips are unavoidable. The PPF takes plenty of hits.

However, an important point to note is that the stone chips are still visible on the PPF and they do look ugly. PPF does not save you from the ugly looking stone chips. And they are not easy to repair (maybe not possible at all) on the PPF. So you live with those marks on the PPF. PPF is not a solution to make those marks invisible.

The only saving grace is that I feel some day I can take out the PPF and the paint behind it will be almost like brand new, without much damage. That is the only point of PPF. Else when you live with PPF, you have to live with all the scratches and chips on the PPF.

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by Shome

Is PPF good at preventing stone chips on the bonnet? I have been regularly detailing my car every 2-3 months, but after 8 years of usage, the stone chips have gone deeper and no amount of detailing is taking care of it. In fact, the car actually looks bad after a polish as the chips are now more prominent and looks bad...I have a black car. I'm planning to buy a new car and 3M suggested PPF, will that help in the long run?

This is exactly what I alluded to in my post above yours! My 3 series has a lot of small paint chips on the hood, an unfortunate byproduct of lots of highway driving. You are correct in stating that outside of repainting it, nothing can be done about it. I had a black Jetta before this, and the chips just looked horrid as the paint chips became even more prominent after I detailed and ceramic coated the car.

As Dr. AD highlighted, PPF will definitely help in the long run, and stop the development of those chips you mentioned. But evaluate whether it's worth going the full distance and wrapping the entire car. I think that's overkill. Hood, and bumpers, yes, I'd agree. Not sure you need it for the fenders, doors, boot, etc.

It's a subjective call really, one only you are positioned to take.

[vardhann5]

Originally Posted by GTO

Many thanks for the thread! My kid brother just bought a new car and I am sitting on the fence about applying PPF over it. A part of me (and Viddy) insists on it for the protection, including from light brushes & vandals keying the car, but the other part of me feels good parking + detailing twice a year (as I have been doing for all my cars) is the best.

A bit conflicted right now. Let's see how the plan unfolds.

Congrats on buying a wonderful car! Take her out on the open road. The Compass is all about driving pleasure on the highway.

Thank you, GTO. Hopefully, this post was able to gain some points towards PPF in your knowledge bank
Just did a Bangalore - Chennai - Bangalore (Via the old madras road) over the weekend. I must admit, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. It's a powerhouse & a beast on highways and particularly when I challenge it with Bad road. Every time I bad road comes, I get a feeling the baby smiles from inside and says "Bring me more"

Originally Posted by smnrock

Congrats!

Just a query, do you mean thickness is 5 millimeter?

My apologies. I got carried away and mixed the Ceramic with PPF. The entire layered process is for Ceramic and not valid for PPF. I will get it fixed right away.


@admins OR anyone else: Could you please help me with editing my post? I am a newbie here and not sure how to edit.
Thank you so much in advance.

Originally Posted by Shome

Congrats on your new car, it looks great!!!

Is PPF good at preventing stone chips on the bonnet? I have been regularly detailing my car every 2-3 months, but after 8 years of usage, the stone chips have gone deeper and no amount of detailing is taking care of it. In fact, the car actually looks bad after a polish as the chips are now more prominent and looks bad...I have a black car. I'm planning to buy a new car and 3M suggested PPF, will that help in the long run?

Stone chipping is one of the biggest problems on our highways and these PPF's do an excellent job of keeping our cars from those small little scratches and holes created by the flying stones.
I have been told, the self-healing property of the PPF actually takes the majority of the hits (Unless they are really big). Leave the car under bright sunlight and the PPF heals. The longevity of the self-healing component is something that I am unsure at this point of time and guess only time will give me an answer for that.

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

It's a subjective call really, one only you are positioned to take.

Totally agree. Actually I have started to feel that PPF is just a psychological protection :-)

As I mentioned above, the PPF does not make the stone chips or scratches invisible. They are very much visible on the PPF too, and you have to live with those unless you take out the PPF (which is a costly deal to take out and reapply every time).

So, instead of driving around with chips on the paint, I am driving around with chips on the PPF. How does it matter? It only matters psychologically that I "believe" my paint underneath is perfect!

Is this psychological benefit worth the price of the full PPF? Maybe or maybe not. This is where the personal call comes in.

In my case, I bought a preowned car came with a full PPF. Thus, I did not have to face the above question and did not have to take a personal call on whether PPF is worth it or not :-)

[aastiksaluja]

Originally Posted by GTO

Many thanks for the thread! My kid brother just bought a new car and I am sitting on the fence about applying PPF over it. A part of me (and Viddy) insists on it for the protection, including from light brushes & vandals keying the car, but the other part of me feels good parking + detailing twice a year (as I have been doing for all my cars) is the best.

A bit conflicted right now. Let's see how the plan unfolds.

Congrats on buying a wonderful car! Take her out on the open road. The Compass is all about driving pleasure on the highway.

Could you please share the package you prefer for detailing. There are a plethora of options in the detailing shops here and am confused to as in what is essential and what's not while choosing the package.

I too am in a dilemma. The car's two years old in Feb, though it has clocked only 15K so very less driven. We keep it covered for a month sometimes when not in use. I recently took it for wash and there the guy told me the paint is getting damaged. Also, I saw marks on chrome lining on windows.

So, will the detailing take out all these minor niggles and restore it like new, or do you think ceramic coating would be a better option.

Thank you!

[Predator_ONE]

I was almost rendered lifeless by the plethora of Paint Protection options being bombarded in the market today without any faculty of mine to discern b/w the tall claims & real performers. Finally I decided to take the dive & figure stuff for myself. Notwithstanding the comprehensiveness of the 600 Pages+ TeamBHP thread on the topic, I preferred to avoid the temptation to slide down the rabbit hole & instead stuck to concise sources which I could find. Here’s a quick, concise recap of what I figured out so far on Paint Protection options for my Harrier BS6:

1) CAR WAX (Carnuba Based Car Waxes):
> Cheap
> Lasts 1-3 Months
> Requires a lot of maintenance as it has to be applied every 2-3 months

2) PAINT SEALENT:
> Cheap
> Lasts 3-9 Months depending on brand & quality

3) "HYBRID" SPRAY COATINGS:
> Cheap (1.5 - 2.5 K)
> Last for 9-12 months
> East to apply
> Comes infused with Ceramic (SiO2) or Graphene
> Good option!

4) CERAMIC COATING:
> Based on nanotechnology, contain Ceramics (SiO2) in a solvent base
> Great Protection. 1-2 Yrs Warranty offered. Can last upto 3-5 yrs depending on brand & maintenance
> Two types:

a) PROFESSIONAL CERAMIC COATING:
> Has to be applied by a professional detailer at a car detailing workshop
> Requires temperature & humidity controlled environment & infrared lamps to cure
> Expensive. 35K - 80K for a Harrier sized car, depending on the package chosen. Actually, the product itself is cheap (2.5K - 5K) but they are charging absurd amount for labour, cashing in on the hype & marketing. Less information about Ceramic Coatings amongst car owners is helping these workshops further.

b) DO IT YOURSELF (DIY) CERAMIC COATING:
> Technology has advanced & they are as good as professional ceramic coatings today. Some even offer longer warranties than Professional Ceramic Coatings!
> Great Value for Money. Doing a double coat on Harrier will cost around 2K - 3K max!
> Very easy to apply (just like applying wax to your car!!). No need for climate controlled garage or infrared lamps & ovens etc, but prepping the car before application is very important.
> If you're not confident, you can even give it to your nearest car paint/polish guy & he will apply it for you for a nominal charge (1 - 1.5 K)
> Best Product: Avalon King Armor Shield IX DIY Ceramic Coating ↓
https://avalonking.com/shop/ceramic-...ld-ix-diy-kit/

5) GRAPHENE COATING:
> My favourite
> Latest product/technology. It is rapidly becoming popular in the US but India me popularise hone me atleast 3-5 yrs lagenge (yaha to abhi Ceramic Coating dheere dheere popular ho raha hai, which is considered an outdated product in the US)
> Actually, Graphene Coating is nothing but simply a Ceramic Coating which has Graphene infused into it.
> Therefore it offers better protection than plain Ceramic Coating & carries 3-5 Years Warranty (can last upto 5-7 years, if maintained properly)
> Super Value For Money. Price is exactly the same as Ceramic Coatings!!
> Like Ceramic Coatings, it also comes in two options:

a) PROFESSIONAL GRAPHENE COATING:
> Everything same as mentioned under Professional Ceramic Coatings above.

b) DO IT YOURSELF (DIY) GRAPHENE COATING:
> Everything same as mentioned under DIY Ceramic Coatings above.
> Best Product: Adams Polishes DIY Graphene Coating ↓
https://adamspolishes.com/collection...32542356308065

6) PPF (PAINT PROTECTION FILM)
> Offers the best & longest duration of protection
> But not the best for White cars as the Plastic film may start yellowing after 2-3 years.
> Prohibitively expensive, a good PPF (eg. 3M etc) for a Harrier sized car costs around 2 - 2.5 Lakhs!!
> Not worth it IMO when you can easily do a DIY Graphene/Ceramic coating on your car.
> Not the most relevant choice from financial point of view for low budget (A & B segment) cars


FINAL THOUGHTS:
> FIRST CHOICE: Adams Polishes DIY Graphene Coating (3-5 Yrs Protection) ↓
https://adamspolishes.com/collection...32542356308065
> It is the best option but you’ll have to pay $100 (~ 7.5 K) for shipping to India. If you don’t mind that, you can go ahead. It’s a great product.

Product Cost: $80 (60 ml)
Shipping: $ 102
Total: $182 (₹ 14K)

1 coat for Harrier requires ~ 5 ml so you can do a double coat on 6 Harriers from a single 60 ml bottle!!

> SECOND CHOICE: Avalon King Armor Shield IX DIY Ceramic Coating (2-3 Yrs Protection) ↓
https://avalonking.com/shop/ceramic-...ld-ix-diy-kit/

Product Cost: $105 (2 × 30 ml units = 60 ml)
Discount: $25 (with coupon code)
Shipping: Free (if you buy 2 × 30 ml units)
Total: $80 (₹ 6K)

1 coat for Harrier requires ~ 5 ml so you can do a double coat on 3 Harriers from a single 30 ml bottle!! Plus you will have one 30 ml bottle still left which you can use after 2-3 years (shelf life of unopened product is 2 yrs), so you’re good to go for 5+ years in ₹ 6K.

Super Easy Application process:

https://youtu.be/sOUCj1LFb5o

Disclaimer: The opinion expressed above is based on my limited research on the topic. Take what you will, my post was just to briefly elucidate key differences b/w the various categories of products available today so as to help others zero on the the appropriate category of products based on their needs.

Mods: In all probability my post is just a repetition of redundant info already mentioned somewhere in the 600 page+ TeamBHP thread on the topic, so merge if deemed necessary.

[pawank]

Originally Posted by Dr.AD

Totally agree. Actually I have started to feel that PPF is just a psychological protection :-)

As I mentioned above, the PPF does not make the stone chips or scratches invisible. They are very much visible on the PPF too, and you have to live with those unless you take out the PPF (which is a costly deal to take out and reapply every time).

Wait for some years and these PPF guys will start pitching a PPF for the protection of already applied PPF.

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by vardhann5

Paint protection for my new Jeep Compass Limited + Petrol

Congratulations on the Compass With the detailing and the resultant gloss...it looks gorgeous

The major difference between the supreme and ultimate is the 5MM and 7MM thickness. And hence the warranty is for 5yrs and 7yrs on the films.
The SA further explained that yearly maintenance is required to keep the shiny look and they would removing 1mm a year to keep the good look.

Originally Posted by smnrock

Just a query, do you mean thickness is 5 millimeter?

Originally Posted by vardhann5

My apologies. I got carried away and mixed the Ceramic with PPF. The entire layered process is for Ceramic and not valid for PPF. I will get it fixed right away.

Ceramic coating or PPF, it just cannot be 5mm to 7mm. Forget the coating or the PPF, even the paint or for that matter of fact, even the sheet metal used on cars will not be so thick!

I saw the Xpel website and saw that thickness for all products are mentioned in mils (understandably so...it is a US company). So I think the sales executive has got it wrong with mils and mm. 1mil=0.0254mm=1000th of an inch

[Sahil]

I have PPF Ultimate on my F-pace and its been about a year since I got it done. No swirls at all. However, I was trying to get the Xpel paint sealant which is their polish of sort to keep up the maintenance. Haven't been able to find this. Any idea if they have it in stock there? And if not, what do they suggest to do to keep the shine?
I am a bit skeptical to get the car polished by my detailer.