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Old 2nd July 2021, 00:27   #211
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Re: Paint Protection Film (PPF)

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Originally Posted by motomonk View Post
I went ahead with Aegis for full-body protection. Aegis is US brand used by Carzspa across India. Its self healing and pre ceramic quoted PPF so gives decent shine. For Jeep it should cost around a 1-1.2L.
Just a clarification. There is no brand such as Aegis in USA. The brand simply does not exist.

Carzspa has partnered with somebody and rebranded some unknown film from China or wherever and created a brand called Aegis. They have registered the website in USA and kept a dummy US postal code address to make buyers think it's an american brand. There is absolutely nothing american about it and it is an indian brand sold only in india and the film is unbranded but packaged with Aegis logos. In effect Aegis is the PPF brand of Carzspa and also used by a few other detailers.

However I personally have no experience with the film and cannot say its good or bad. It maybe a decent film and offer good protection but what it isn't is American.

Last edited by Vid6639 : 2nd July 2021 at 00:28.
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Old 2nd July 2021, 00:52   #212
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Re: Paint Protection Film (PPF)

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Originally Posted by Vid6639 View Post
Just a clarification. There is no brand such as Aegis in USA. The brand simply does not exist.
Yes I did not find any footprint of Aegis brand in US when I researched online. Address they setup seems not legit. It does seem like they have partnered with Chinese brand. I still went with it considering cost factor and service promised for years to come. So far its going fine, fingers crossed!
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Old 2nd July 2021, 17:31   #213
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Re: Paint Protection Film (PPF)

Now that 3M shut shop in Gurgaon, is there any recommendation of alternate shops providing this? The next nearest 3M shop is in Adchani, any other guys closer?

TIA
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Old 4th July 2021, 02:54   #214
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Re: Paint Protection Film (PPF)

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Originally Posted by dexter78 View Post
Now that 3M shut shop in Gurgaon, is there any recommendation of alternate shops providing this? The next nearest 3M shop is in Adchani, any other guys closer?

TIA
AK Customs, Motoring 65, Dazzle West Delhi. Literally everybody does PPF now.
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Old 31st August 2021, 21:11   #215
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Re: Paint Protection Film (PPF)

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Originally Posted by Vid6639 View Post
Just a clarification. There is no brand such as Aegis in USA. The brand simply does not exist.

Carzspa has partnered with somebody and rebranded some unknown film from China or wherever and created a brand called Aegis.
I have doing some research with local providers for my yet to be delivered Jeep Compass & it looks like this trend has caught on with most detailers in Bangalore. Everyone seems to be offering something of their own branding, while promoting it to be equally good or better at slightly cheaper prices. They are also promising 3-5 year warranty, although none have been tested for as long for sure. Some have discontinued branded PPF installation altogether. Tricky situation indeed!

@Vid6639 Need some expert advice. would you recommend going with global brands like Xpel, 3M or try out the dealer level options?

Secondly, PPF for the whole car works out to be quite an expensive affair. Can a combination of ceramic coating for low risk areas such as doors & roof in combination with PPF for high risk areas like bumpers, hood & mirrors work in the long term? I usually keep cars for 7 years or longer. It truly hurts when cars develop scratches over time but this excessive cost is a deterrent.

I’m not sure if you’ve had an experience with how to deal with PPF once it reaches end of life, say 7-10 years? Would long term adhesive have an impact on painted surfaces while peeling them away.

I would really appreciate inputs from fellow BHPians who’ve had a recent experience, please share your thoughts.
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Old 31st August 2021, 21:33   #216
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Re: Paint Protection Film (PPF)

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Originally Posted by suhas_raj View Post
Secondly, PPF for the whole car works out to be quite an expensive affair. Can a combination of ceramic coating for low risk areas such as doors & roof in combination with PPF for high risk areas like bumpers, hood & mirrors work in the long term? I usually keep cars for 7 years or longer. It truly hurts when cars develop scratches over time but this excessive cost is a deterrent.

I’m not sure if you’ve had an experience with how to deal with PPF once it reaches end of life, say 7-10 years? Would long term adhesive have an impact on painted surfaces while peeling them away.

I would really appreciate inputs from fellow BHPians who’ve had a recent experience, please share your thoughts.
Unless you’re doing a lot of highway driving where stone chips are a major issue, wouldn’t recommend PPF to begin with, here’s why-

1) Adds a lot of orange peel to the factory finish, some brands are worse than others but all will increase the optical distortion of reflections on the paint.

2) Yellowing, again after 1-2 years the film will turn yellowish/lose clarity irrespective of brand, many detailers will insist otherwise but that’s just to sell.

3) Never do a part PPF job, as any adjacent panels will stick out as paint won’t fade at the same rate as the film, specially for white and lighter coloured vehicles.

4) 98% of the shops offering PPF don’t have a machine which gives pre cut pieces unique to your make and model, this results in them using a sharp blade very close to your paint to cut film for each panel, and 9 times out of 10 they will nick the paint in at least some area.

5) Any logo/badging cannot be removed prior to film application as is won’t stick well on top of it, this leads to the installers cutting little windows around the badges and over time as mud gets trapped in them it looks bad.

6) PPF is not a replacement for ceramic coating as it cannot provide the chemical protection and water repellency the coating provides (some films claim to be pre coated but that coating isn’t nearly as durable) this leads some people to apply a coating on top of PPF, which can get expensive, upwards of 2-2.5L for most cars, and you still have orange peel.

7) Cost, a quality PPF is around 3x the cost of a quality coating.

Wouldn’t recommend you wait 7-10 years before removing any film, it can potentially fuse with the paint and cause paint stripping issues during removal, generally under 4 years won’t be an issue, provided a quality film was used. Adhesive residue will require light polishing to fully remove, in some cases an IPA wipe is sufficient. Cheers.

Last edited by AJ56 : 31st August 2021 at 21:45.
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Old 31st August 2021, 22:09   #217
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Re: Paint Protection Film (PPF)

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Originally Posted by AJ56 View Post
2) Yellowing, again after 1-2 years the film will turn yellowish/lose clarity irrespective of brand, many detailers will insist otherwise but that’s just to sell.

3) Never do a part PPF job, as any adjacent panels will stick out as paint won’t fade at the same rate as the film, specially for white and lighter coloured vehicles.

4) 98% of the shops offering PPF don’t have a machine which gives pre cut pieces unique to your make and model, this results in them using a sharp blade very close to your paint to cut film for each panel, and 9 times out of 10 they will nick the paint in at least some area.

5) Any logo/badging cannot be removed prior to film application as is won’t stick well on top of it, this leads to the installers cutting little windows around the badges and over time as mud gets trapped in them it looks bad.
Some really interesting comments there AJ56, thank you! Considering you are professionally involved in car detailing makes me really reconsider my options.

Claims on yellowing seem to be countered by saying the new age TPU films are much better & do not oxidise like the PVC ones used to earlier, not sure if these claims are real or marketing speak.

Part PPF can be safely ruled out, wouldn’t want fading to be inconsistent on adjacent panels.

Some of the installers say they need to remove panels on door (internal) to allow for folding of PPF along with removal of ORVM covers too! I was a bit apprehensive considering it will meddle with factory fit & finish of interior panels. No matter how carefully they are reinstalled it can never be factory condition, last thing anyone would want is rattling on a new car

Blades running too close to paint is a scary prospect too. Are there any specific ceramic coat providers that are recommended, how is the graphite coating compared to ceramic? I believe countries such as the US have moved on from ceramic to graphite for better durability.
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Old 31st August 2021, 22:52   #218
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Re: Paint Protection Film (PPF)

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Originally Posted by suhas_raj View Post
Some really interesting comments there AJ56, thank you! Considering you are professionally involved in car detailing makes me really reconsider my options.

Claims on yellowing seem to be countered by saying the new age TPU films are much better & do not oxidise like the PVC ones used to earlier, not sure if these claims are real or marketing speak.

Part PPF can be safely ruled out, wouldn’t want fading to be inconsistent on adjacent panels.

Some of the installers say they need to remove panels on door (internal) to allow for folding of PPF along with removal of ORVM covers too! I was a bit apprehensive considering it will meddle with factory fit & finish of interior panels. No matter how carefully they are reinstalled it can never be factory condition, last thing anyone would want is rattling on a new car

Blades running too close to paint is a scary prospect too. Are there any specific ceramic coat providers that are recommended, how is the graphite coating compared to ceramic? I believe countries such as the US have moved on from ceramic to graphite for better durability.
Yes TPU is much better than old school PVC, but it is not immune to yellowing unfortunately, discolouration is the main reason in most cases customers want us to remove the old film, only to find razor blade nicks in their paint left by the installers (film can hide these many times).

Do not let anyone remove your panels as factory fit will be lost and the plastic door pad clips can get damaged in many cases. There are ways to tuck around the edges without removal.

I don’t know any good shops in Bangalore but you can check out Ceramic Pro as I’m sure they’ll have an outlet there. But since it’s franchised heavily like 3M, look for individual reviews before deciding as their quality and workmanship varies by region.

Graphene coatings are a marketing fad, if you look up their SDS (safety data sheets) you’ll see it’s basically a ceramic coating with a very small graphene additive that gives it a dark colour. In real world tests they perform exactly at the same level (sometimes worse) as quality ceramic coatings, Ammo NYC (Larry) did a great in depth video about it a few months ago. It’s just like 10H or 12H marketing claims with ceramic coatings (pencil scale of hardness ends at 9H).

With any coating, always remember maintenance and proper wash technique is everything when it comes to how long the protection, water beading and gloss will last. Cheers.
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Old 31st August 2021, 23:51   #219
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Re: Paint Protection Film (PPF)

Quote:
Originally Posted by suhas_raj View Post
I have doing some research with local providers for my yet to be delivered Jeep Compass & it looks like this trend has caught on with most detailers in Bangalore.............

Secondly, PPF for the whole car works out to be quite an expensive affair....

I’m not sure if you’ve had an experience with how to deal with PPF once it reaches end of life, say 7-10 years? Would long term adhesive have an impact on painted surfaces while peeling them away.

I would really appreciate inputs from fellow BHPians who’ve had a recent experience, please share your thoughts.
Recently, I opted for PPF of complete car for our Lexus ES. While doing some ground work and asking around (inquired with detailers and customers), I came to the conclusion about a few things:

1. Prefer to contact the distributors(preferably of international brands) and get the contact details of the installers/their own shop directly from them.

2. Prefer the self healing ones with max warranty. These brands also give a warranty against yellowing, which IMO should not be a concern for darker shades.

3. Pricing for a luxury sedan varies from 80k - 2.5L for complete cover.

4. If you go for pre-cut pieces, it is more expensive, however, it also comes with a disadvantage of no flexibility (you cannot cover additional area, if you so desire, while the film is being applied). With sharp blade, some paint nicks are inevitable, but they are very minor, and I feel that I can make peace with it.

5. The peace of mind which a PPF will give is unparalleled. I have tried really good ceramic coats in different cars of mine, and for my use, I have always come back disappointed. You definitely need to take more care in case of ceramic coating.

6. Ultimately, though, it all boils down to the price of PPF at which it makes value. This is a very individual call.

For me, LLumar film hit the perfect balance for warranty, shine, protection, and cost. I got the full car done at a cost that I was comfortable paying up front. I have also come across EMI schemes offered by installers in case the upfront cost seems prohibitive for the clients.

Thanks,
Simple_car
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Old 1st September 2021, 21:15   #220
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Re: Paint Protection Film (PPF)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Simple_car View Post

1. Prefer to contact the distributors(preferably of international brands) and get the contact details of the installers/their own shop directly from them.

4. If you go for pre-cut pieces, it is more expensive, however, it also comes with a disadvantage of no flexibility (you cannot cover additional area, if you so desire, while the film is being applied). With sharp blade, some paint nicks are inevitable, but they are very minor, and I feel that I can make peace with it.

5. The peace of mind which a PPF will give is unparalleled. I have tried really good ceramic coats in different cars of mine, and for my use, I have always come back disappointed. You definitely need to take more care in case of ceramic coating.

6. Ultimately, though, it all boils down to the price of PPF at which it makes value. This is a very individual call.

For me, LLumar film hit the perfect balance for warranty, shine, protection, and cost. I got the full car done at a cost that I was comfortable paying up front. I have also come across EMI schemes offered by installers in case the upfront cost seems prohibitive for the clients.

Thanks,
Simple_car
Thanks for sharing your experience. As there are so many products in PPF these days, it’s probably best to go through authorised resellers of reputed brands as you mention. Pre-cut would make sense if not for pricing difference. I hadn’t considering Llumar among available options, but will look them up if they are in Bangalore. Cheers
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Old 5th September 2021, 16:11   #221
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Re: Paint Protection Film (PPF)

I am completely confused on PPF I want to do it but there are so many options and the differences in price are significant. I am going to get delivery of a BMW 330i some time later this month.

Need help and advice.

1) Do you have a recommended place to get it done (Bangalore folks please help)
2) Does anyone know how many Sqft is a BMW 330i is? I've called a few places and got numbers ranging from 190sqft to 260sqft. How can it be different?
3) Hexis vs 3m vs xxx which brand is ideal?
4) What should be the right evaluation criterion?
- Chose the place first and then the brand or the other way round
- 3M is it worth it? their premium film is expensive.
-

as of now hexis seems to be the choice @ http://esperto.in/ but he is a lot more expensive for hexis film both 150 micron elsewhere. almost 20% higher.

is clear shield windshield protection film worth it?

my current car has almost clear heat reduction film on the side glass is that still a thing? most of the places ive called don't even have it?
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Old 5th September 2021, 16:59   #222
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Re: Paint Protection Film (PPF)

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Originally Posted by xavierk View Post
I am completely confused on PPF I want to do it but there are so many options and the differences in price are significant. I am going to get delivery of a BMW 330i some time later this month.

Need help and advice.

1) Do you have a recommended place to get it done (Bangalore folks please help)
2) Does anyone know how many Sqft is a BMW 330i is? I've called a few places and got numbers ranging from 190sqft to 260sqft. How can it be different?
3) Hexis vs 3m vs xxx which brand is ideal?
4) What should be the right evaluation criterion?
- Chose the place first and then the brand or the other way round
- 3M is it worth it? their premium film is expensive.
-

as of now hexis seems to be the choice @ http://esperto.in/ but he is a lot more expensive for hexis film both 150 micron elsewhere. almost 20% higher.

is clear shield windshield protection film worth it?

my current car has almost clear heat reduction film on the side glass is that still a thing? most of the places ive called don't even have it?

Please avoid 3M as their workmanship is mediocre at best, I’ve seen dozens of PPF installations done by them (in Gurgaon, Delhi and Mumbai) and I’ve yet to see high quality work, while I’ve no experience with Bangalore 3M’s if it’s bad in these cities I’m sure it’ll be no different there. Check out Ceramic Pro, Detailing Mafia (Optimum authorized detailers) or any other detailer recommended by Bangalore Team-BHP members.

For a midsize car like Accord it’s approx 200 sq.ft., 330i being smaller will be less. I’ve not heard of Hexis so can’t comment, 3M self healing film is good quality (Optimum is slightly better). In detailing, PPF specially, it’s all about the quality of labour that’ll work on your car, first make sure you’ve got competent people who won’t nick the paint with their blade used for cutting, then focus on the brand being used, the following are all decent brands-

1) Optimum
2) 3M
3) Expel
4) Llumar

Also keep in mind, the thicker the film, the higher the optical distortion (also called orange peel), you want to avoid very thick films (>175 microns).

Unless you’re doing a lot of highway driving where stone chips are an issue, avoid the windshield film, just put a quality ceramic coating on it and you’ll be good. Cheers.

Last edited by AJ56 : 5th September 2021 at 17:01.
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Old 7th September 2021, 07:59   #223
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Re: Paint Protection Film (PPF)

Hi,

I was doing some research into the PPF films for protection in Indian traffic conditions for a used car I picked up recently and came across this.





There are more videos from the same person Scott who has done and extensive test. There’s an excel sheet in this video for detailed comparison.


It really shows how the PPF varies overtime. While I believe application matters and choice of your detailer affects your quality, to me it gave me an idea of what’s the cost vs benefit of investing in higher quality brands.

Hope this is useful to the team.
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Old 17th September 2021, 18:06   #224
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Any detailers who do Matte PPF in Pune?

Pune BHPians, looking for detailers who undertake Matte PPF in Pune. Had a chat with Lallett at Aquatint, who confirmed that they don't do Matte PPF yet. Any recommendations?
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Old 23rd September 2021, 00:21   #225
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Re: Paint Protection Film (PPF)

I got a 3M PPF done in Sept 2018 on my brand new Apache RR310. Full body wrap. Its been 3 years. No yellow shade nothing. Bike looks brand new. Infact you cannot tell if the bike is laminated.

What did I achieve?
RR310 being an attention magnet, had a high risk of people fiddling and touching when parked. Now I can park my bike anywhere.
  • No worries of scratches. I can park my bike anywhere
  • Paint is protected. Cleaning is really easy. Just wipe with moist cloth and you are done.
  • Absolutely zero Maintenance

Same thing with my Interceptor as well. Got 3M PPF done on fuel tank and side panels. Its been 2 years.

Look at the pictures (please excuse the clothes in the background)
Attached Thumbnails
Paint Protection Film (PPF)-img20210909wa0008.jpeg  

Paint Protection Film (PPF)-img20210909wa0002.jpeg  

Paint Protection Film (PPF)-img20210909wa0003.jpeg  

Paint Protection Film (PPF)-img20210909wa0006.jpeg  

Paint Protection Film (PPF)-img20210909wa0010.jpeg  


Last edited by dsuman : 23rd September 2021 at 00:24. Reason: Spelling corrections
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