Paint Protection Film (PPF): Everything You Need to Know

What's it really like to have paint protection film (PPF) and ceramic coating on your car? I've spent the past few months finding that out. Thanks to ‪@XPELinc‬ for sponsoring this video and supporting our channel!

This video is all about car protection with PPF and ceramic coating. What is the use of PPF on a car? Which PPF is best, and which is better: PPF or ceramic coating? (What’s the difference?) What is the cost and application process? What are the benefits, disadvantages, and maintenance guidelines?

XPEL taught us all of those things this year, in addition to doing PPF and ceramic coating installation on our 2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata. We got a full training and demonstration session on car protection, as well as an installation tutorial for professional PPF and ceramic coating jobs. Learning how to PPF a car and how to apply ceramic coating (as well as the removal process when you’re done with the produce) was almost as incredible as seeing the before and after of our Mazda.

We used to think you could easily prep and PPF your car at home, but we quickly learned that installation is not for beginners (and worth the price of a professional installer who can make it look good). Just knowing the step-by-step procedure isn’t enough — you have to master PPF installs. It’s an art. (After learning how to remove the PPF after its long life, we’ll also leave the strip job to the professionals.)

A lot of people ask which is better: PPF or ceramic coating. The answer is: They’re way different products. PPF protects from surface scratches and dents, like a phone case, while ceramic coating shines the car up and makes the surface hydrophobic (not waterproof, but water-repellant). PPF is porous while ceramic coating is like a shiny, hard layer on top of it. Is ceramic coating worth it, and does it really work? Yes. When you wash a car with it, the water rolls right off. It rocks.

The best time to get PPF and ceramic coating is when your car is new. The second-best time is when the paint is still good. The third-best time is when you’ve just had a full, fancy paint-correction job. PPF can hide swirl marks, but if your paint isn’t correct, it won’t fully fix it.

After the install, you still have to wash and maintain your car with PPF on it. The way it was explained to me was: Don’t just let it sit because it’s protected. Wash it like you would a regular car, so dirt doesn’t cake onto the coating.

XPEL as a business has all types of PPF products: matte, shiny, self-healing, and more. We have XPEL Ultimate Plus on our Mazdaspeed, which is a shiny finish that can heal surface scratches with heat. You can also change the surface of your car to matte if you want a new paint scheme.

XPEL also has window tint, cleaning products and more. Our PPF has a 10-year warranty, so it’s guaranteed to be long-lasting.

Thanks for watching my YouTube channel. Enjoy the video! If you want to watch other things — like a car review or deep-dive into automotive topics — feel free to subscribe and stay around.

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