Many people ppf thier new vehicles (myself included) however a fair number of people don't. People selling it will extoll its virtues however:
-you have to be careful who does the ppf work. It's definitely an "art" which takes skill to do it properly. If your ppf is curling up on the edges or has bubbles in it, you may regret spending the dough and sometimes taking it back for warranty work, isn't useful if whoever put it on, does the same poor quality repair job
-if a rock is big enough...or has a sharp enough edge(s), it can puncture the ppf and sometimes damage the paint below the ppf layer. So don't think a layer of ppf makes your vehicle "bullet-proof" against rock chips
-you can purchase thicker ppf which resists rock chips even more, however I'm told by my detailer that it's more difficult to work with since it doesn't (for example) wrap or curl over edges easily, which is why they don't recommend it
-in my experience, ppf will resist most rock chips however they may still leave a mark on the ppf, which is noticeable
-ppf sellers will tell you that the latest ppf material is "self-healing" meaning that when there's a mark/puncture in the ppf, it will "disappear" when heated in the sun, with the ppf material "melting/bonding" and closing off any opening/gouge. However in spite of that, I still see quite a few marks from rocks on the ppf of my vehicles, after several years
-many sellers will tell you that the ppf can be easily removed (ie. using a hair blower to heat then peel it off) when you decide to sell your vehicle, leaving it looking "like new" below. So in that fashion, you get rid of any unsightly "pock-marks" on the ppf itself. However, some say the ppf may inhibit fading from the sun, so removing it, will give your vehicle a "motley look" with different shades of colors on ppf'd versus non-ppf'd areas. I've always sold my vehicles with the ppf still on them, so I've never tried to remove the ppf. But some (like
B r I a n above) say removing it is a pain in the **s. I've heard it can be a challenge, especially after it's been on a vehicle for several years
-some insist there's no need to ppf since it's cheaper to simply hire a skilled body shop, to repaint and blend in the paint color, for any areas that have rock chips
All that said, I'm OCD with my nicer vehicles and like to ppf them to do what I can up-front, to prevent rock chips, followed by ceramic coating to improve appearance and make them easier to wash. Where I live/drive, there is a fair amount of rocks or "traction grit" left on the roads, making it more likely I'll get road debris thrown up on my car, moreso in the spring and fall seasons and if there's a lack of rain to wash it all away. You decide how to spend your money and what makes you happy. There is no right/wrong answer for what to do; it's personal preference.
