Had the car ceramic coated over the weekend 😁

[Porter]

I’ve watched some YouTube videos and thought it looked pretty easy (I’m fairly dexterous)

Famous last words!

 

[Magicman]

I’ve watched some YouTube videos and thought it looked pretty easy (I’m fairly dexterous)

A good friend of mine owns PW Pro and I've watched him ppf all manner of super cars effortlessly, however if I try it it looks like Ferrero Roche wrapper

 

[Captain.Kirk]

A good friend of mine owns PW Pro and I've watched him ppf all manner of super cars effortlessly, however if I try it it looks like Ferrero Roche wrapper

I’m just going to install a dyno in my garage, a mega screen on my garage door and drive. The ultimate simulator and no worries about stone chips!

 

[Lotus64]

It's been covered on a few threads. Lotus said back in January they were looking into offering it as a factory-fit option. Pros and cons to that.

Your local dealer will probably have a couple of specialist fitters they use, so worth taking their advice.

To get some ideas on options and pricing, this is one of the specialists I've used - they do a lot of sports and supercars so are familiar with tackling more complex curves:

XPEL Paint Protection Film - Konnings

Car paint protection film Prices from £839.00 Book PPF Installation Paint Protection Film by XPEL What is Paint Protection Film (PPF) PPF is a seamless, thermoplastic, self-healing urethane film applied to a car’s painted surfaces, protecting the paintwork from stone chips, bug splatters, and...

www.konings.co.uk

And this is pricing from the Kent Lotus dealer:
View attachment 5397

I think an OEM / port installed full PPF package for around £3,625 sounds reasonable.... Ceramic is cool too

 

[frazzer]

I’ve watched some YouTube videos and thought it looked pretty easy (I’m fairly dexterous)

I've applied PPF to a bike frame (Orbea Rise), took hours and was a nightmare. 80% goes on quickly, the remaining 20% takes all the time and frustration!

I'm used to woodwork, electronics, doing artwork, analogue photography etc., ie..using my hands for precision work, but this takes experience to do well throughout. Also needs a very clean environment to avoid getting dust under the surface.

 

[VL3X]

I've applied PPF to a bike frame (Orbea Rise), took hours and was a nightmare. 80% goes on quickly, the remaining 20% takes all the time and frustration!

I'm used to woodwork, electronics, doing artwork, analogue photography etc., ie..using my hands for precision work, but this takes experience to do well throughout. Also needs a very clean environment to avoid getting dust under the surface.

Same. I can wrench on my own vehicles, but I get anxiety when it comes to installing even the most basic vinyl decals. I wouldn't put myself through the inevitable frustration that'd come with installing my own PPF or tint. I'm a perfectionist and the slightest bubble or dirt and I'll end up ripping it off and trying again. Remember the days of phone screen protectors? I still have PTSD.

 

[frazzer]

Same. I can wrench on my own vehicles, but I get anxiety when it comes to installing even the most basic vinyl decals. I wouldn't put myself through the inevitable frustration that'd come with installing my own PPF or tint. I'm a perfectionist and the slightest bubble or dirt and I'll end up ripping it off and trying again. Remember the days of phone screen protectors? I still have PTSD.

done a few screen protectors in my time . This is the UK, the mountain bike is covered in mud anyway every time it's ridden!

 

[benjh1028]

I think an OEM / port installed full PPF package for around £3,625 sounds reasonable.... Ceramic is cool too

Agree, but curious as to whether they include paint correction prior to application like the aftermarket guys do?

 

[Porter]

I've applied PPF to a bike frame (Orbea Rise), took hours and was a nightmare. 80% goes on quickly, the remaining 20% takes all the time and frustration!

The number of tightly curved surfaces on a bike frame has me shuddering at even the idea of attempting this. It would be easier to disassemble the thing and spray (or dip ) the whole bike frame in some kind of protective coating!

 

[kitkat]

Highly unlikely... also the OEM/Port version will be plotter cut with no wrapped edges. It will be about ease/time efficient of application vs. fine craftsmanship. Porsche is the same for the 992 911 PPF.

Agreed -- precisely why I'll get PPF done at a trusted local shop if I get it at all.

To be perfectly honest, PPF has its own set of headaches for long term ownership. It makes sense for highly sought after cars that may appreciate in value that you don't personally plan on keeping more than a few years.

 

[Magma]

I would opt for PPF over a respray every time. Paint shops will never be as good as factory. Period. It's just a different process. Also, you run into color match issues quite frequently, especially on plastic bumpers. Then there's the dirt nibs, fish eyes and runs that inevitably happen with body shop jobs, unless you're paying a TON for the best of the best who will sand in between coats, etc.

 

[kitkat]

I would opt for PPF over a respray every time. Paint shops will never be as good as factory. Period. It's just a different process. Also, you run into color match issues quite frequently, especially on plastic bumpers. Then there's the dirt nibs, fish eyes and runs that inevitably happen with body shop jobs, unless you're paying a TON for the best of the best who will sand in between coats, etc.

Flipside:
- Paint from factory isn't usually as good as you're imagining it.
- Port installed PPF isn't likely going to be to the same caliber as a quality shop.
- PPF does need to be re-done, if you're waiting 7-10 years (warranty life) to remove and re-do the PPF you're looking at lot of labor for removal even using steaming and adhesive removal and subsequent detailing.
- Any sort of damages increase cost and time of repair (needs new PPF) regardless of wether it's your fault or not.
- PPF in my metro is roughly 75% the cost of a full car prep and respray in the same color at a qualified shop.

At some point you can just calculate the break even cost of full ppf, partial ppf vs. naked and what it means to resale value if that's important to you.

I personally don't see it worth it, but that value is going to change from individual to individual.

 

[Lotus64]

My only decision is whether to get partial ppf or full coverage. I'd love the convenience of having the car delivered with it. I've had shoddy ppf jobs hold up for 10 years, so I'm not too concerned about the quality of an OEM job, especially if the price undercuts other shops. And then a layer of ceramic coating on top of that should do it.

 

[KCMO68_510]

All true, but getting a perfect respray of the front fender is a few hundred bucks… PPF just seems silly to me for that kind of money.

I get that PPF won't save you from larger rocks, but what about let's say if you accidentally hit a cone on a slalom. Will it help improve the rigidity of the body panels a bit more?

I have a friend who had an Elise and he had to replace the clam shell b/c a slalom cone just cracked the entire thing.

 

[Magma]

Flipside:
- Paint from factory isn't usually as good as you're imagining it.
- Port installed PPF isn't likely going to be to the same caliber as a quality shop.
- PPF does need to be re-done, if you're waiting 7-10 years (warranty life) to remove and re-do the PPF you're looking at lot of labor for removal even using steaming and adhesive removal and subsequent detailing.
- Any sort of damages increase cost and time of repair (needs new PPF) regardless of wether it's your fault or not.
- PPF in my metro is roughly 75% the cost of a full car prep and respray in the same color at a qualified shop.

At some point you can just calculate the break even cost of full ppf, partial ppf vs. naked and what it means to resale value if that's important to you.

I personally don't see it worth it, but that value is going to change from individual to individual.

Lol ya I guess it depends on the factory doing the painting, but I'm sure you can agree that most body shop jobs are not Dave Kindig precision. It takes that kind of level to produce a paint job as good as factory, imo.
I would always buy the used car with ppf over one that's had the front bumper repainted and mismatched, blended, runs, etc.
I've had ppf removed and replaced before..really not a big deal and definitely my preference over a repaint. I've never been 100% happy with anything I've had repainted. And that includes Porsche certified shops too! But I'm super picky about my paint and even if the factory paint has some blemishes, it's still factory.
And I would absolutely NEVER do port installed PPF. The paint needs to be corrected before application and I just wouldn't trust it to be done correctly at the port.
I agree full ppf is not worth it, unless we're talking an extremely rare/expensive car. Usually the front hood, fenders to the doors and A pillars are enough to make me happy.

 

[Evotion]

Hold on.. Lotus are taking it to a pro-shop for PPF install aren't they? That is what I last heard.
Surely too labour intensive for their own staff to do it.

If the latter is true then so long as your car is not the first few, you will be fine!

GVE London are doing mine. I went along t do due diligence on them and they are thorough.

• Full paint correction first
• Template cuts for accuracy not guesswork
• A higher quality PPF (not the cheapest ones)
• Ceramic coated after
• Do the wheels too

Other shops will surely do but double check and then compare prices.

 

[CDM1855]

Hold on.. Lotus are taking it to a pro-shop for PPF install aren't they? That is what I last heard.
Surely too labour intensive for their own staff to do it.

If the latter is true then so long as your car is not the first few, you will be fine!

GVE London are doing mine. I went along t do due diligence on them and they are thorough.

• Full paint correction first
• Template cuts for accuracy not guesswork
• A higher quality PPF (not the cheapest ones)
• Ceramic coated after
• Do the wheels too

Other shops will surely do but double check and then compare prices.

I didn’t think Lotus were offering PPF, or this on the cards for future customers

 

[Evotion]

Ah, maybe it is indeed for the future then. I heard it from the horse's mouth but I cannot recall the timing.

The common sense of it is that if Lotus can hand a car over to from the factory and everything is done, it makes more sense than a customer taking it from the factory and then getting it PPFd later.

 

[CDM1855]

Ah, maybe it is indeed for the future then. I heard it from the horse's mouth but I cannot recall the timing.

The common sense of it is that if Lotus can hand a car over to from the factory and everything is done, it makes more sense than a customer taking it from the factory and then getting it PPFd later.

Would be nice to have the option

 

[BeHappy]

I've applied PPF to a bike frame (Orbea Rise), took hours and was a nightmare. 80% goes on quickly, the remaining 20% takes all the time and frustration!

I'm used to woodwork, electronics, doing artwork, analogue photography etc., ie..using my hands for precision work, but this takes experience to do well throughout. Also needs a very clean environment to avoid getting dust under the surface.

I also My Orbea Rise and paid bike shop to install as I did it on my Levo and it took me days lol