[scorpian]

We had a similar experience on the skoda rapid that we did PPF from 3m Baner store. After about 4.5 years the entire PPF was cracked and very very difficult to remove.
Painters had to use a sanding machine to sand the entire PPF down and we had to repaint the bonnet and both front fenders.
In the end it was a waste to have the PPF done, we ended up paying money for repainting what was suppose to be protected in the first place.
Now no PPF for any of our cars in our garage.

[commander]

Being an auto enthusiast and running detailing centers (branded and independent), there are pros and cons with PPF.

Pros:
>I would strongly recommend PPF for bumpers and bonnet to customers (above 20 lakhs) as I have seen the benefit of them on many cars. The cost of laminating a door panel is about 7000 odd rupees which is much cheaper than repair for scrapes and repaint (especially the premium segment).

>The market has so many options now that you have unlimited choice of brands. Some offer 5yr warranty as well.

>Self healing properties and less glue mark (compared to older films).

Cons:
> Some minor peeling will happen especially at bumper edges if pressure washer hits directly at the bumper edges. If care is taken this issue will not arise.

>Now all sorts of PPF available from Rs.70 onwards. Only get trusted brands and trusted vendors to do it. There are a few who might take advantage of naïve customers.

Coming to the another point in the thread that the installer might have used fake ppf is a bit harsh as such issues are there in film itself. If the film was fake you would have had severe issues on your metals parts which would have merged with the clear coat. They are impossible to remove and repaint is the only option.

There have been cases of yellowing, cracking inside the ppf and total of blurriness of the film. Mostly cars after 4-5 years of application face this issue. I personally have removed them on many vehicles. It will take minimum 2-3 days to do that and can be done without paint damage (no heat gun also). But it is a real pain.

Has it happened to all cars? No (paint peeling). Why it happens, we havent got an answer yet. This has let the customer and the outlet in a limbo.

In another couple of years brands like LLumar, Hexis, Stek and Garware will have customers in large over a five year period with ppf application. Only time will tell if their products stand the test of time. Then we will have better info about the quality of the brands for our market.

Again this is largely my opinion as a bhpian and I dont know any of the stores mentioned above.

[kiredd1005]

Such a terrible sight to see! I'm sorry for your experience! A friend of mine also had a shabby experience by a so called expert ceramic coating guy in Bangalore. Don't want to take names because I don't know what transpired between them but when I see the car and the bike, I felt he was short changed! It is so important to do due diligence before spending I guess!

[Tuisha110HP]

This is another example where the user have had terrible experience with 3M PPF film. You can see the paint peeling off from surface.

P.S. I am no way connected to another parties.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nATiwKFrGY0

[sheelapratosh]

Originally Posted by Adam

I had a similar experience on my polo, used 3M PPF, not quite even sure now if it was genuine and when I tried to remove it after 6 years the clear coat came along with it. I ended up repainting my car exterior due to this.
So basically the item which was supposed to protect the paint ended up ruining it completely. Nowadays I stay far away from PPF no matter how reputed the manufacturer is.

Well I had some bad experience with them too. Wrote some of my experience in a google review & the folks got Google to remove my review from the web.

Only option is do our bit of research and look for good quality film and installers. There are many such folks. DM for references.. (I am not connected to any of them)

[Tanmay007]

The cracking and paint peeling off is a known issue with PVC/TPH based PPFs. Newer PPFs (those with self healing) are TPU and have a solvent-based acrylic adhesive. Paint peeling issue is solved to an extent with improved adhesives and film cracking issue is solved by using a TPU material that is more resistant to hardening.

That being said, it's still best to avoid PPF if you primarily park your car under the sun. For covered parking, PPF is relatively safe.

[clevermax]

Good that I stayed away from PPF. This is what I do to protect my car's paint :

I,
- wash it myself, and the first iteration will be contact-less. (Bosch pressure washer)
- wipe off the excess water after a wash with a microfibre cloth.
- wax it once in 3 months or so.

This is how it looks after 4 years:



BTW, the water is not at all hard, at my place.

[rahulb]

Originally Posted by motoholic31

Hi All,

I had a horrible experience with 3M PPF which I had got done 5 years ago in 3M Thane. Over the period of time, PPF had become brittle and got converted from glossy to matt as you can see below:

Attachment 2260504

Decided to get it removed which was a nightmare. PPF had a strong adhesive and because it became brittle it was coming out in pieces. Below are some pictures for reference.

Attachment 2260507

Attachment 2260506

Due to the strong adhesive, the paint also came out along with PPF at some places, especially plastic panels.

Attachment 2260505

I have learnt a lesson and I'm never going to opt for PPF for any of my cars in future. May be ceramic coating is a better bet than PPF after having such a horrible experience.


Cheers

Terrible to see what happened :(

There have been vast improvements in PPF films over the past few years. Earlier films would lose sheen, discolour and become brittle. This is all largely due to the adhesives and top coatings.

If anyone is in this situation the best way to get baked ppf film off is to steam the film as it loosens the adhesive and will prevent paint damage but it will still take time and patience.

Todays TPU films from genuine companies will definitely not have these issues hence the longer warranties you get. I’ve been using PPF for years.

Any genuine TPU will cost upwards of approx Rs 400 per SQ FT and avoid dealers who sell the unbranded cheap and cheerful stuff it’s probably not TPU and probably TPH which is a modified PVC. Other possibility if it’s a TPU is that it is “B grade” film which can have multiple failures.

It’s not easy to identify a genuine PPF but you can at least go by a warranty program and company website your on the right track.

[Bailey]

Originally Posted by GTO

I keep my cars for long (typically 10 years), so thank you for this thread. Was always worried about how PPF would age over a decade. We did ponder over PPF, but eventually decided against it.

For all my cars till date, I have never done anything other than a twice a year detailing.
But a few points that the dealer SA made today when I visited the showroom today were that even if I was not interested in going for a complete PPF or Ceramic Coating the least I should seriously consider was PPF coating of
1. The hood (to protect against stones chipping off paint etc from vehicles in front)
2. The side mirrors
3. The small area behind the door handles
4. The door sills to avoid scuff marks.

Now confused primarily because of point no 1. 3 & 4 always get sorted after a detailing session.

[rahulb]

Its terrible to see so many cars treated with poor quality PPF and being essentially ripped off.

I’ve worked in and around this industry for a few years and I can share the following points;

1. Genuine TPU with self healing top coats from reliable suppliers will stand the test of time and not Crack up or cake. There are improvements every year.

2. It’s very hard for a layman to distinguish between a genuine TPU film over a TPH (modified vinyl) and Vinyl films. I struggle sometimes too if it’s just a surface inspection.

3. TPH / Vinyl film is available as low as Rs 45 per square foot from importers without bill. you have no clue what you are buying and neither do the importers selling it and probably dealers who buy it. People use the TPU name very casually.

Watch videos on how to distinguish between TPU and TPH / Vinyl them there are many on the net.


4. All TPU will slightly deteriorate over time (everything does due to the suns uv) some films can go the 3-5 year distance and it’s a minimal change , the warranties of anything over 5 years is based on the assumption of users not returning with their vehicles due to damaged film which are not covered so it’s more marketing trickery. I’ve never seen a car 3 years old or more coming back.

If an independent applicator (they buy grey market films) sells you film with a personal guarantee walk away as he will be incapable of sourcing you the same grade of film again if he has to replace a panel. Most independents sell TPH or b grade TPU (adhesive defects or weak adhesives). If he says he has a warranty check with the importer / distributor.

5. Look after your TPU when installed, simple waxing every once in a while helps the surface stay clean and glossy. If you’ve paid a lot your job is to protect your film investment.

6. PPF and ceramic coatings are completely different products. Ceramic is a micro thin layer of glass (sio2) of a few microns thick that is harder than original paint coatings but wears off over time and can only protect against very minor scratches that happen when cleaning really but it does make the surface super glossy. It’s like sun screen and has a place and purpose.

Get Ceramic it if you want to make your car shine and look good for a while but not if your looking for long term protection or something to resist physical impacts

The average high quality imported liquid ceramic concentrate (not the china type) needed for a car is 20-30ml and this costs dealers of this about 3-4K. Dealers often push towards ceramic coatings over PPF as it’s easy for anyone to apply, quick and earns a fast buck and lots of dealers push it hard. Ceramic concentrate is also available as low as Rs 750 for a 30ml so I’m not sure there is any way to know what your getting..perhaps see the ceramic bottle being opened and applied.

Dealers often talk and make a big deal about “paint correction” that is just a bit of labour to rub and remove marks / swirls from existing paint. If your car is brand new it doesn’t need paint correction - just a good wash before application.

They often recommend ceramic over ppf which is liken to comparing a bird with a rhino I wish they would stop this each has its own merits.

PPF is a layer of 200 micron plastic that provides a physical barrier to damage. It’s like wearing protective clothing. It’s expensive and more of a risk to dealers supplying it. Ceramic is a no brainier as there is no product to see or instantly validate.

PPF is a pain to apply and most dealers use contractors. I call them the “installation mafia” as they have the apparent skills to cut the film on car that others don’t possess - most dealers do not have in house applicators. The mafia charge upwards of Rs 15,000 per car often 25k if its a premium car. Some of them charge based on the car price it’s ridiculous but dealers have to use and pay these guys 🙈😂

Be sure to inspect your car for cuts on paint at all the edges. Takes a lot of skill to cut film for a 5 hours period on a car without making mistakes or a slip of the hand and not many Appicator’s have this level of skill and patience.


Genuine self healing PPF should cost at least 400/500 upwards per square foot to customers and the import costs are high and several times that of vinyl and TPH that look the same. I think paying rates of anything 600+ is excessive but a premium branded does pass many hands to reach a customer and there are prices as high as 750+…but at least your assured a genuine film at the end of the day.

I can’t say more on this without bias as we import films too.

Some TPH also demonstrates self healing that deteriorate rapidly 🙈 so be careful and don’t be fooled.

7. Go by warranties dealers give but do know that some dealers also dilute their genuine film with cheap film to earn more when they can get away with it so as a buyer tell him “I will be back” if there is a problem and insist on a warranty.

In conclusion PPF is a long term product whilst ceramic is just a surface coat that will wear off and there is no control over this.

I think ceramic great for European, US markets and others where cars are not exposed to our road conditions / traffic and where owners take care to wash and detail their cars themselves.

PFF is better for our roads and the way we maintain cars , it takes abuse and will go the distance if you buy a genuine film from a genuine dealer.

The majority of TPU filmed sold is not TPU so be sure of what you are buying even from reputed dealers.

Oh the last thing I didn’t cover is application where ceramic always looks good even if it is applied improperly. Simple wiping and polishing off anyone with right sponges and cloths can do it really.

PPF visual quality depends on the applicator inspect your car before delivery and get pieces replaced if your not happy and remind the dealer of his warranty assurance. If you can keep a piece of the original film (there will be lots of wastage) you can compare when he replaces it.

Hope this helps.

[actuallyankur]

Originally Posted by rahulb

I’ve worked in and around this industry for a few years and I can share the following points;

I can’t say more on this without bias as we import films too.

Hi Rahul!
yours is perhaps one of the most detailed post I have come across regarding PPF. If you don't mind answering there are a few things I would like to ask you, since I am considering starting a car detailing studio, here in Allahabad UP.

Firstly, do you think it is a long term, reliable and profitable business model, provided the fact that I am getting into it as an auto enthusiast, and do not intend to use cheap, duplicate or adulterated products.

I am looking at some franchise options like Detailing Mafia, Ceramic Pro, Detailing Devils, etc. (all of whom claim to be the best). Would you happen to have any idea about these brands, and which of them might be better than other.

Thanks!

[ishan12]

I personally never found any value in PPF, which is essentially laminating /plastic wrapping your car. It is after all a car and not a sandwich. Its is supposed to age and have some marks/ scars here and there with time. I just take good care of the car from the outside, wash it or get it washed routinely, use wax polish post wash, detailed once in 1-2 years and that's all it takes. If at all there is a dent or a large scratch and if it really bothers me, I get it repaired with repainting. Works out a lot cheaper then spending big money on the PPF.

Detailers charge crazy amounts like a lakh plus for PPF. You can get a hatchback fully repainted twice over with that kind of money. And since I believe in keeping my cars for good 7-8 years, a couple of repainted panels hardly make any difference to the resale value. I fail to understand why a buyer would not go for a higher variant or higher down payment at the time of buying the car rather than spending a lakh on PPF

I guess this is just one of those fads promoted by brands/ dealers like "teflon coating" was a few years ago. Makes me recall how people used to get their phones laminated during the Nokia 3310 days, even TV remotes . People not removing the plastic from their seat covers for years in their M800 and Alto. We Indian's and our love for keeping things under wraps.

[bajoseph04]

I just came across this thread and looks like I'm not alone! I wrapped my WRV's front and rear fenders and the ORVMs with 3M PPF as soon as I purchased my car back in July 2017 at Chennai OMR 3M Carcare. The PPF was redone on the front fenders after about 3 years since it started to peel off in few tightly stretched areas. PPFs in the rear fenders have started to look bad and cracks started developing. Also the ppfs itself became a little sticky and started attract more dusts. So decided to take it to a CarZspa in Nagercoil. I relocated from Chennai to my hometown close to Nagercoil 2 years ago and we don't have a 3M facility nearby. I left the vehicle at carzspa and told them I'll pickup tomorrow after they replace the ppf with new one. Later today evening, the Carzspa owner shared me this video and called me saying that it is very hard for them to remove the 3M ppf and as part of the removal process, little paint also peeled off in one of the fenders. So I told him to stop the activity and I'll do a repaint for both the fenders at the ASC which may cost me arond 6K!
The ppf which was intended to protect the paint, has become an evil to do just the opposite after 5 years. I strongly advise everyone to stay away from ppf with whatever assurance given to you. Things can take a different route after 5 years.
Note: My car is always parked in a proper parking at home. It sees direct sunlight only when it is on road and during the long highway trips.
I'm in the process of contacting 3M to get their feedback / assistance on the quality issue related to ppf. I'm also worried about the ppfs I later installed on the bonnet and the roof. May be I'll have to get them removed sooner before they end up in a similar sad state. Your inputs on my next steps are welcome

https://youtube.com/watch?v=jhXRbnJ2sRo?feature=share

[bajoseph04]

Originally Posted by bajoseph04

I just came across this thread and looks like I'm not alone! I wrapped my WRV's front and rear fenders and the ORVMs with 3M PPF as soon as I purchased my car back in July 2017 at Chennai OMR 3M Carcare. The PPF was redone on the front fenders after about 3 years since it started to peel off in few tightly stretched areas. PPFs in the rear fenders have started to look bad and cracks started developing. Also the ppfs itself became a little sticky and started attract more dusts. So decided to take it to a CarZspa in Nagercoil. I relocated from Chennai to my hometown close to Nagercoil 2 years ago and we don't have a 3M facility nearby. I left the vehicle at carzspa and told them I'll pickup tomorrow after they replace the ppf with new one. Later today evening, the Carzspa owner shared me this video and called me saying that it is very hard for them to remove the 3M ppf and as part of the removal process, little paint also peeled off in one of the fenders. So I told him to stop the activity and I'll do a repaint for both the fenders at the ASC which may cost me arond 6K!
The ppf which was intended to protect the paint, has become an evil to do just the opposite after 5 years. I strongly advise everyone to stay away from ppf with whatever assurance given to you. Things can take a different route after 5 years.
Note: My car is always parked in a proper parking at home. It sees direct sunlight only when it is on road and during the long highway trips.
I'm in the process of contacting 3M to get their feedback / assistance on the quality issue related to ppf. I'm also worried about the ppfs I later installed on the bonnet and the roof. May be I'll have to get them removed sooner before they end up in a similar sad state. Your inputs on my next steps are welcome

Update: I had emailed 3M India's country head Mr.Ramesh Ramadurai and also messaged a copy of the same email to 3M India & 3M Carcare India's twitter handles. I also got the customer care email ID from the 3M franchise owner and emailed them as well. After a day, there was no response from anyone. So I tweeted Mr. Ramesh that I had emailed him and was expecting a response from his side. In my email, I had also shared this team-bhp thread and said my email was to represent a larger team-bhp community facing similar issues with 3M PPF. Today morning, I got a call from Mr.Nandakumar (3M regional technical manager Tamilnadu & Kerala) that his country head had asked him to contact me and discuss on this issue.

After sharing my concerns, he told me to bring the car to the Chennai 3M Carcare center and he will make sure the PPF is removed on places wherever it has deteriorated and told me that 99& of times there are no possibility of paint getting removed and even if paint peels off, he will repaint it and handover the car to me at zero cost. But the issue is, I'll have to travel 675 KMs from my where I live and leave the car at 3M for about a week to 10 days since the process is time consuming. But then I had no better solution so agreed to take my car to the 3M facility whenever I find time.

[subbarao]

I had bitter experiance of this 3M PPF on my creta, a nice small touch made creta bonnet dented in center portion & i left for dent removal & painting at Hyundai Authorised Service they ruined the bonnet finish while removing the film, they used sand paper machine to remove the film, it was good see that small dent along with film covered earlier, but now i am seeing differed shade of color between bonnet & side fenders, after this i decide to get rid of this film, started to see how to remove ideas & came across this thread, i really worried after reading some of these posts here.

Planning to visit the same 3M outlet who has installed it. Is their any better option to remove this or is that good to leave as it is for 1 or 2 yrs after that to repaint the whole body?!