PPF, Ceramic coating and wraps... or not.

[Leonard]

Is that using sticky back plastic?

Nope your std ppf lol He has a wrapping business.
I did headlamps, rear 3/4's and some high gloss black trim on the boot that you always touch when dirty
Probably 2 square metres worth

 

[Leonard]

I had Gtechniq ceramic treatment on my Exige, arranged by Bell & Colvill.

2 years or so on and I haven't polished it once, water still beads and drops right off and no swirls. Lives on the street in London.

Has definitely worked well for me. I will be doing the same for the Emira.

I'd defo ceramic coat if ordering a dark colour

 

[Mctaff]

I had Gtechniq ceramic treatment on my Exige, arranged by Bell & Colvill.

2 years or so on and I haven't polished it once, water still beads and drops right off and no swirls. Lives on the street in London.

Has definitely worked well for me. I will be doing the same for the Emira.

Actually that sounds good!!

 

[~el~jefe~]

two bucket wash with grit guards. use an acrylic "wax" such as Klasse, Sonus Glanz spritz, and just drive it without spending stupid amounts of money.
These paints are really simple. This is not a 1950's corvette. much cheaper to repaint and will look better than ppf or worse, a ceramic gimmick.

 

[Lankan]

Well, after having a good look around I decided to go with GVE in London, for the PPF and other work, and will have my car delivered there and then delivered back to me.
This is my first new car for over a decade and it means a lot to me.

My rationale on using GVW is based on the incredible service I have received as a browser in their showroom.

What I did find REALLY interesting is a thing called Carbon PPF!!! Wow. I will hopefully add this to the black plastic throughout and update my order with GVE. I will need to see it first. Never been a fan of carbon wrap over plastics but this is supposed to be a higher level of quality and has that added protection of being actual PPF.

I managed to get 10% of my total order and Luke was happy to pass this on to anybody else, whatever the size of order. As I am going for the whole shebang and more it saved me about £600. Helps my channel too.

Other suppliers are available! Conduct your own due diligence and make sure they offer the full prep service. Hope this helps though.

Good to hear this. GVE are local to me, so will be interested to hear your feedback once you have had yours done.

I have provisionally opted to go with the outfit recommended by B&C, and since the Emira will be delivered to B&C to have some work done prior to PPF & Ceramic Coating, it did seem like the most convenient of options.

 

[Lankan]

Well don't they have a windshield protection film? What's it called?

The product that has been recommended to me is STEK Dynoflex. I have had plenty of chipped and pitted windscreens that I am glad that there now is a product to help reduce such issues.

The last such experience was where the Exige S RGB was rendered undrivable due to its replacement windscreen taking over a week to source and fit!

 

[Lankan]

I’m still skeptical of ceramic coating on PPF. I can’t understand how a hard coating sits on a flexible plastic layer. Surely the “self healing” aspect of PPF would be negated if you’ve got a hard glass-like layer on top?

Gtechniq HALO is a flexible coating, or so they say, and, so far, it has been perfect for over 18 months, but that was when applied on top of Liquid PPF: HALO Flexible Film Coating

 

[robrmon]

I’ve a detailer that I’ve been using for years, he is the only one I let touch my Evora. He prepares cars (hyper/super) for shows worldwide, the top of his field. He is based in New York, but travels.

He does all the various types of PPF (clear/black), ceramic, windows, wheels, alcantara care you name it… my Evora is truthfully as mint as the day I got it new.

Anyhow, I’ve been asking him a ton of questions inspired by this thread, so I’m thinking of getting him on here, or doing an “Ask Me Anything” video if you think it would be useful. If there is sufficient interest I’ll start a thread on “Caring for your Emira - a detailers perspective” and ask him to join.

Needless to say, he will be doing the PPF on my car… here is my like-new Evora.

 

[kratedisease]

PPF, HALO, Ceramic coatings and garages are for sissies.

 

[virtualmacho]

PPF, HALO, Ceramic coatings and garages are for sissies.

Those pictures suggest cryopreservation !

 

[~el~jefe~]

PPF, HALO, Ceramic coatings and garages are for sissies.

agreed

 

[eclat2emira]

Call me old-fashioned (you wouldn't be the first!) I don't get the cost-benefit argument for PPF, etc.

I've had lots of cars, they all got washed and polished and the occasional stone chip carefully touched up and, if it was large or deep, sanded smooth and polished.

I can't see any vinyl film (PPF or the like) giving the same level of shine as polished paint or lacquer (stick it under a microscope and you'll see why) so I'd rather suffer the odd stone chip.

I'd actually be happier spending a few £k on a front-end refresh in 5 or 10 years' time than PPFing it all now.

And can anyone enlighten me on ceramic coating? Am I right in thinking it's just marketing term for a tough coating - is "ceramic" even an accurate (and therefore legal?) description of this type of product???

Am I open to being enlightened, so if you think you can then please give it a go!

 

[vision]

Call me old-fashioned (you wouldn't be the first!) I don't get the cost-benefit argument for PPF, etc.

I've had lots of cars, they all got washed and polished and the occasional stone chip carefully touched up and, if it was large or deep, sanded smooth and polished.

I can't see any vinyl film (PPF or the like) giving the same level of shine as polished paint or lacquer (stick it under a microscope and you'll see why) so I'd rather suffer the odd stone chip.

I'd actually be happier spending a few £k on a front-end refresh in 5 or 10 years' time than PPFing it all now.

And can anyone enlighten me on ceramic coating? Am I right in thinking it's just marketing term for a tough coating - is "ceramic" even an accurate (and therefore legal?) description of this type of product???

Am I open to be enlightened, so if you think you can then please give it a go!

I think the same, its going to get dinged at some point

 

[BeHappy]

I’ve a detailer that I’ve been using for years, he is the only one I let touch my Evora. He prepares cars (hyper/super) for shows worldwide, the top of his field. He is based in New York, but travels.

He does all the various types of PPF (clear/black), ceramic, windows, wheels, alcantara care you name it… my Evora is truthfully as mint as the day I got it new.

Anyhow, I’ve been asking him a ton of questions inspired by this thread, so I’m thinking of getting him on here, or doing an “Ask Me Anything” video if you think it would be useful. If there is sufficient interest I’ll start a thread on “Caring for your Emira - a detailers perspective” and ask him to join.

Needless to say, he will be doing the PPF on my car… here is my like-new Evora.

View attachment 7361

View attachment 7360

Lovely interior

 

[Pegasi]

PPF, HALO, Ceramic coatings and garages are for sissies.

I think I can see the shoe imprints in the snow from your New Balance!

 

[Lots_Of_Trouble]

No protection at all for me, had PPF self healing on previous car and this got damaged by stone chips which can go through the PPF and into the paint and it does not self heal if it is a big chip, had to take off the PPF and get the paint sorted, so i will keep the car as intended and save the money to have the car repaired as and when required.

I am not bothered about the car being a concours garage queen as i intend to use it as much as possible.

Someone who talks sense!
Sacrificial to keep these machines locked up

 

[Johnson]

Interesting review. If I was getting a Hethel or Nimbus car I’d seriously consider *not* getting PPF:

 

[kitkat]

I'm not doing anything.

Are you sure it wasnt free based on you promoting it on your channel and on here
You forgot, zero protection in the poll

This -- it's just a car, it's just paint.

 

[Evotion]

I'm not doing anything.


This -- it's just a car, it's just paint.

I don't agree with the 'just' at all.

It will be a very rare (for a long time) beautiful exotic that most people will be busting a gut to afford it and the paint is unique to Lotus. Given the delays, issues, resources, etc, I have no intention of my pride and joy being held up by waiting for small chips and scratches to be sorted out.

Nor do I want to see my brand new gleaming dream car with scratches, swirls and marks on it as I approach it and clean it. THAT would lessen the whole experience for me.
I am not going to let all these small blemishes add up and then consider doing them all at once every couple of years. I want the new look preserved.

Of course, a proper ding, dent or bad scuff is another matter.

I say this on the understanding that I would have the car for many, many years.
For those who are not planning to retain it for a shorter time then I see less value in doing it. Let it be somebody else's issue.

 

[vantage]

On my sports cars I do a frontal area PPF because I go to the track and don't want to respray the front end every few years.

I then do my own ceramic coating at home for a very reasonable cost. It doesn't last as long as the pro versions of ceramic coating, but good enough for me. As a weekend car, I can get 18 to 24 months of solid ceramic protection before it wears off.