To PPF or not to PPF

[Andjons]

Hi. New to the forum, as a new owner. I have a 1 year old, but pristine Seneca blue. I am planning on having the front PPFd, as I don't want to get stone chips like I did with my Cayman. Someone has suggested that it could mess up the warranty, though. Any views?

 

[alxcrlsn]

I don’t think it would mess with your warranty, as my dealer offered it as an optional package.

That said, I’m in the US. We have some legal protections regarding warranties that don’t exist elsewhere. If you have any doubts I’d just contact your dealer, but I’d be very surprised if you got any pushback.

I was also debating PPF but ultimately decided not to. Time will tell if I made the right call, but basically it came down to price, the risk of paint damage during removal, and the ‘dirt lines’ you get around the edges of the wrap which never look clean. PPFing my whole car was in the neighborhood of $7-$8k, which can cover a lot of paint touch ups.

Yellowing can also be a concern, especially for me as my car is white, probably less of a concern on the blue.

The body panels on the Emira are composite, so you don’t need to worry about rust from stone chips.

 

[seriously]

Many people PPF their Emiras. Should have no bearing on the warranty.

Only SMALL niggle is new reports of possible paint peeling on the black accent pieces. I am assuming it is a fluke and not worried. Repainting a gloss black piece is also easy compared to color matching something like Seneca blue.

 

[EZcheezy]

I did full car PPF and im happy with the results.

however in retrospect i probably would have just done the front, thats the most important location. also the existence of PPF on the roof means I cant use a seasucker bike mount which is a shame. also dirt gets into the edges which might bother some.

really depends on the area. the places like the front trunk where the edges can be wrapped under it looks fantastic. places around the back and sides where lots of relieve cuts were made doesnt look as good.

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

One of the best benefits of PPF is self-healing PPF. Your car will have no swirl marks and look freshly waxed after every drive.

 

[Pdl2thmdl]

I originally had my car only ceramic coated through the dealer. Everytime I drive I get nervous about rock chips which took some of the fun out of the drive (personal problem). There were some issues with water spots on the front end and since the dealer had to remove and recoat anyways, I instead had them do a front PPF instead. Really glad I did because I don't worry about chips when I drive now. Can't even tell it's on and the car looks pristine (I have an Atlantis Blue which is much darker). The big question for me was how easy or difficult it would be to repair chipped paint and match colors on this car. I hear Lotus doesn't sell touch up paint?

 

[m30rpg]

If can get the windows protected I would do that instead . On my 2nd windscreen due to stones chips, car so dam low stones miss the bonnet and hit dam window instead

 

[Bimmernate]

PPF is great for peace of mind. I did the entire car and it just makes me more comfortable driving it and less of concern of rocks chips. That being said, I do worry when you try to remove the ppf in 10 years. If it ends up damaging enough of the paint to require a respray, then the ppf did more harm than good. Supposedly, they should be able to remove without paint damage....but who knows

 

[netsinah]

Whether to PPF or not, is a personal preference. There's no right answer. Some prefer to take the rock chips and say it's cheaper to repaint after a few years.

There's pretty well "zero" chance of yellowing now, with PPF. Twenty + (?) years ago, 3M PPF would yellow after some 5 or so years and this was noticeable on lighter exterior colors. I had a silver BMW 7 Series and saw the yellow on the front end PPF, around year 6. I'd used the 3M brand. Most people switched and refused to use 3M once that became known, but the formulations have now been improved so I'm told that even 3M won't yellow and it's been that way for years with all the PPF brands.

Keep in mind that PPF can be removed, if done slowly with heat, so some people will take it off before selling a car, with the paint underneath typically looking "brand new" and helping with resale value. I'd suggest you get a professional to remove PPF; it could create paint damage if not done right.

That said, I had my Emira "fully wrapped" which is a first for me. I see it as a "keeper" so decided to go all out. There's no PPF on the windows (so not on the roof glass either); but rather just a chemical coating. I don't worry so much now about paint swirls nor setting things down on the car, with the PPF almost everywhere.

Finally and dealing with the OP initial question about PPF affecting warranty, like others who responded, I don't see that as a problem. However I did have one negative experience with PPF: I had an accident many years ago with a different vehicle, and had a portion of the car repainted. Replacement PPF was put over the new paint too soon (it hadn't cured enough, IMO). When that same PPF was being removed later, it took off some of the new paint. The body shop who did the repairs and repainting, blamed it on "improperly applied PPF" whereas the PPF detailer, said the body shop didn't use a proper paint formulation. So I was stuck between the 2 of them. Eventually, the body shop repainted that area n/c as a PR gesture (I was a good customer) and 6 months after that, the PPF was replaced.

So be careful, when looking to PPF over brand new paint.

 

[harleyujoe]

I was going to PPF the Emira but I only drive approx 1500 miles a year and drive mostly during off peak hours.
My wife has a 2019 Mazda Machine dark gray with 30k miles on it.. Had approx 8 stone chips and just purchased
Dr Color Chip paint with squeegee..Filled in squeegeed and waited 1 day and sanded 1000 grit and
buffed and I am very happy with repair / look of finish..
This is what I will do with Emira..
It is a game of chance of how big a stone hits vehicle no matter what protects it..

 

[seriously]

I was going to PPF the Emira but I only drive approx 1500 miles a year and drive mostly during off peak hours.
My wife has a 2019 Mazda Machine dark gray with 30k miles on it.. Had approx 8 stone chips and just purchased
Dr Color Chip paint with squeegee..Filled in squeegeed and waited 1 day and sanded 1000 grit and
buffed and I am very happy with repair / look of finish..
This is what I will do with Emira..
It is a game of chance of how big a stone hits vehicle no matter what protects it..

If you're comfortable repairing chips yourself, I think that's a good option given the low miles. I would seriously avoid following trucks or other cars on the freeway where their tires are exposed. This and "dirt" trucks generate the most rock chips in my opinion.

 

[meenboli]

I've just taken delivery of a Seneca Blue Emira (7 days old now) and decided not to PPF (has been ceramic'd).

Its stablemate is a nearly 14 year old Audi S5 Cab (Sprint Blue) - that I've had since new. Now done just over 40k miles.

It was never PPF'd or ceramic coated and has only a couple of tiny chips in all that time.

It's lived a good life - and I'm pretty sure if I'd had it PPF's it would either look tatty, or need replacing by now - but it looks pristine.

Having said that - I've not entirely ruled out just having the nose done... (not mine!)

Biggest dilemma is which one to take out on a sunny day!

I clearly have a favourite colour - never really though about it, but in between I also bough an Audi S6 (V8 TT) which was lovely (now gone I'm afraid) and was ceramic coated, and seemed really worth doing because after 3 years it looked like new - (that was Sepang Blue - I think I have issues!)

 

[grezex]

Rock chips, swirls, and ease of washing is my main reasons doing PPF on cars. Then again I'm very OCD... I wasted $ doing a full front PPF on a leased car I wasn't going to keep just to avoid seeing rock ships ... what ended up happening is the plastic bits got dinged up and those places aren't PPF-ed so that sucks, but I don't think Emira has much in front that won't be covered. My other car PPF-ed front+back in 2015 looks like new today, save for some dirt on the edges that accumulated.

That being said, I had already decided I was going to go full PPF on my Emira the same day I take delivery, but now what's making me re-think is all the paint issues (bubbles, flaking). Does PPF just delay the inevitable? Will bubbles show through regardless of PPF? If PPF needs to remove later (sacrificial layer) will paint just go with it (not due to installer but due to Lotus quality)? Basically if there are paint-related issues due to Lotus, will it show through? Will it be covered? If replacing say a door will Lotus cover the cost of the PPF?

Haha sorry to create FUD, but personally I'd at the very least PPF full front + rockers. Seems like paint issues reported mainly on doors and some pars of the rear.

 

[meenboli]

Rock chips, swirls, and ease of washing is my main reasons doing PPF on cars. Then again I'm very OCD... I wasted $ doing a full front PPF on a leased car I wasn't going to keep just to avoid seeing rock ships ... what ended up happening is the plastic bits got dinged up and those places aren't PPF-ed so that sucks, but I don't think Emira has much in front that won't be covered. My other car PPF-ed front+back in 2015 looks like new today, save for some dirt on the edges that accumulated.

That being said, I had already decided I was going to go full PPF on my Emira the same day I take delivery, but now what's making me re-think is all the paint issues (bubbles, flaking). Does PPF just delay the inevitable? Will bubbles show through regardless of PPF? If PPF needs to remove later (sacrificial layer) will paint just go with it (not due to installer but due to Lotus quality)? Basically if there are paint-related issues due to Lotus, will it show through? Will it be covered? If replacing say a door will Lotus cover the cost of the PPF?

Haha sorry to create FUD, but personally I'd PPF full front + rockers. Seems like paint issues reported mainly on doors and some pars of the rear.

Hmm - thanks - I'm very OCD too, and you're not helping...

The paint concerns me - I had a factory tour back in February - and the guy explaining the painting process was describing how thin they'd managed to get the paint - it was around 30 microns from memory, which is about half what you'd normally get from what I can tell (google). I actually think he said 14 microns, but I can't actually believe that!

All very clever, but not necessarily what a customer wants to hear - I'd like it nice and thick!

I've had visions of the PPF being removed, and the entire paint layer coming off with it.

I'll give it more thought!

 

[Tomwa]

Hmm - thanks - I'm very OCD too, and you're not helping...

The paint concerns me - I had a factory tour back in February - and the guy explaining the painting process was describing how thin they'd managed to get the paint - it was around 30 microns from memory, which is about half what you'd normally get from what I can tell (google). I actually think he said 14 microns, but I can't actually believe that!

All very clever, but not necessarily what a customer wants to hear - I'd like it nice and thick!

I've had visions of the PPF being removed, and the entire paint layer coming off with it.

I'll give it more thought!

Actually a bit concerning to hear that Lotus was innovating on methods to thin out the paint layers. Might be better for their bottom-line but it doesn't improve the customer experience as you end up with more orange peel, more 'chip' damage going all the way through the paint, and might explain some of the bubbling/adhesion problems people have been seeing.

 

[seriously]

adding more lightness I see

 

[Whitey]

I’ve done 7k miles in mine now and no ppf. The worst area of stone chips I have is drivers side rear wing area which seems to catch stones from oncoming vehicles on b roads an also from the front wheels.
Mine is Nimbus, so they don’t show up too much but on Magma, Verdant etc you would see it a lot more.
I wouldn’t bother with the front as mine is pretty unscathed so far.
I have also fitted gloss black front mud flaps which are helping to reduce stuff being thrown up the side of the car.
I’ve also got a cracked screen, from a stone thrown up whilst over taking. I’m not convinced it has anything to do with the rake as I have done 45k miles in my Evora with no issues, other than 1 chip which I repaired. Maybe the Emira screen is thinner, or under more stress, but it does seem strange so many have had replacement screens.

 

[seriously]

I’ve done 7k miles in mine now and no ppf. The worst area of stone chips I have is drivers side rear wing area which seems to catch stones from oncoming vehicles on b roads an also from the front wheels.
Mine is Nimbus, so they don’t show up too much but on Magma, Verdant etc you would see it a lot more.
I wouldn’t bother with the front as mine is pretty unscathed so far.
I have also fitted gloss black front mud flaps which are helping to reduce stuff being thrown up the side of the car.
I’ve also got a cracked screen, from a stone thrown up whilst over taking. I’m not convinced it has anything to do with the rake as I have done 45k miles in my Evora with no issues, other than 1 chip which I repaired. Maybe the Emira screen is thinner, or under more stress, but it does seem strange so many have had replacement screens.

This is exactly why I PPF'd the whole car. Typically I just do the nose, but the Emira functional aero and sticky cup 2 tires send debris everywhere. I just didn't want to deal with it.

 

[harleyujoe]

I’ve done 7k miles in mine now and no ppf. The worst area of stone chips I have is drivers side rear wing area which seems to catch stones from oncoming vehicles on b roads an also from the front wheels.
Mine is Nimbus, so they don’t show up too much but on Magma, Verdant etc you would see it a lot more.
I wouldn’t bother with the front as mine is pretty unscathed so far.
I have also fitted gloss black front mud flaps which are helping to reduce stuff being thrown up the side of the car.
I’ve also got a cracked screen, from a stone thrown up whilst over taking. I’m not convinced it has anything to do with the rake as I have done 45k miles in my Evora with no issues, other than 1 chip which I repaired. Maybe the Emira screen is thinner, or under more stress, but it does seem strange so many have had replacement screens.

Can you show photos of the area that is getting hit with stones ???

 

[Jimothy]

I originally had my car only ceramic coated through the dealer. Everytime I drive I get nervous about rock chips which took some of the fun out of the drive (personal problem). There were some issues with water spots on the front end and since the dealer had to remove and recoat anyways, I instead had them do a front PPF instead. Really glad I did because I don't worry about chips when I drive now. Can't even tell it's on and the car looks pristine (I have an Atlantis Blue which is much darker). The big question for me was how easy or difficult it would be to repair chipped paint and match colors on this car. I hear Lotus doesn't sell touch up paint?

Dr. Colorchip has seneca blue for the Lotus. Don't know about other colors. Any shop worth their salt can color match any paint. I had it done on my solar orange audi, miami blue porsche, etc. at a third party shop a couple of times. And yea you can generally get an entire panel or a hood touched up/repainted for $300-$800 (depending on size of the panel/area) if you shop around a little. Between that and touching up my own rock chips with Dr. Colorchip, PPF did not seem worth it for me.

Edit: Dr. Colorchip lists the colors in the attached screenshot