355 PPF after paint correction

If you plan to drive the car often, PPF is worth every penny (assuming you have a reputable shop for install). There are no pre-cut PPF kits for the 355 meaning whoever is installing is hand cutting each piece of film so the skill/precision matters much more than most modern car applications. Skill always matters but it's an entirely different level of skill needed for hand cut applications.

If your car mostly sits or is a weather-dependent, occasional weekend car, it may not be necessary. Also depends on the condition of the roads where you drive. Lots of variables that should aid in your decision. It is certainly not a yes or no question. Ceramic coating is the bare minimum if you care about your paint. But if you detail your own cars and are not familiar with proper detailing techniques, your ceramic won't last as long or help as much.

Mine is getting full PPF right now, as I drive the car almost every day and there's debris on the roads where I am.

 

I am all for ppf but be sure to use a film with minimal adhesive or it will pull your paint when/if it needs to removed. This is mostly for older F cars, the paint is not very good.

 

Just a matter of preference. I hate the look of it and would never put it on my car.

 

I just added PPF to my 07/F430 - right after paint correction - is NIGHT AND DAY looking better and will stay there for quite a while now.

I agree with MK355 to use a quality shop - I didn’t go with the cheapest, but the best.

Kevin

 

I did EXPEL on the front of my 348 and 612. It’s a necessity unless you don’t care about rock chips and it looks as good as the original paint.

 

Paint is only original once...
PPF is much cheaper than paint/equity lost on repaint
And with PPF - go with the best custom job you can afford

Just my two cents...

 

As Glickenhaus said:: "wear it like a badge of honor"...........

 

If you can see it, you need a better installer

 

I can spot it a mile away on any car it's on.

 

Impressive! Is your daily attire perhaps a blue suit with a red cape?

 

Nope! I'm just not blind.

 

I hate PPF. I would never let it anywhere near any of my cars.

The only thing that looks worse than 2 year old PPF is 15 year old PPF.

 

Same.

 

There are PPF “kits” for specific cars. You can usually see the edges on these and dirt builds up on the edges making the PPF even easier to spot.

Custom PPF are installed like wraps. Wrapped around the corners best they can. Easier to do for fenders and hood. More difficult on bumpers.

Previous owner of my Scud did a PPF kit on my front bumper. I hated it. Problem was the paint on the Scud is very sensitive. High chance removing the PPF was going to remove some paint resulting in a respray. I just left it alone.

I did custom PPF on the hood and fenders and loved it. You can see signs of PPF edges if you’re really looking for it, but passed the eye test for me personally.

PPF “kits” are a no-go for me. I’d do custom PPF wrap by a skilled installer if you’re going that route. Hood, fenders, headlight covers, and the front strip above the bumper. I have my doubts about the front bumper. I’d just ceramic coat it.

 

SK - virtual beer to you, brother!

I had PPF installed on my F430 (after paint correction and a full repaint of the front bumper) - with the option to go with a kit or with custom.

Of course custom was more expensive - but I know what you know and went with that and it’s immaculate. No eyeballs are able to see it without lifting the hood and looking underneath.

For the doubters in the crowd, PPF has come a long ways in the last 15 or 20 years and doesn’t “age” nearly as quickly.

This should look excellent for 5+ years - 10 if it stays out of the sun as much as I expect - and then the paint will still be in good shape underneath - ready for a polish and rewrap.

Kevin

 

The thing about PPF is, what's it going to look like in 40 years or more. My 308 will be 39 years old next month. Every time I take it to C&C i hear a lot of comments about "The Paint" because it still look like it was painted yesterday. I just don't see the point of PPF. It probably makes more sense to put it on the glass.

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I went with Suntek. Very clear, minimal orange peel.

I’m not sure how PPF reacts with your 95’s single stage paint over time. Will it stick more permanently making it difficult to remove once it ages? I was advised to have a light coat of ceramic coat in between paint and PPF for easier future removal, but never actually went that route.

 

PPF is more for preventing rock chips and light scratches. More ideal for front ends and sideskirts. The new stuff is also self-healing.

 

absolutely do not PPF a 95 car with original paint

 

jk - my expectation is that in 40 years the PPF will have been redone a half dozen times - and have PERFECT paint underneath of it.

I don’t think PPF is a “once and done”. As described above, put a good ceramic or wax coat down on good looking paint, put PPF on top, and then it maintains that look for several years - no sun fade and reduced chips/scratches and, yes, even self-healing.

Paint’s not forever and PPF isn’t forever, but between the two you can stretch that paint to many decades and look fantastic the whole time.

Of course, if a car is very lightly driven and (almost) never parked in the sun, PPF might not add much. All good, brother!

Kevin

 

Yes, of course. But guys I know are putting it on the entire car.

My 308 has some chips behind the rear wheels. When I get around to it I'll take and an afternoon off and respray that area.

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My '98 GTB has the original factory PPF in various places (behind the wheels, etc), and it's thick and yellowed and appears to have protected the car well. At some point I'd like to get it changed out and add PPF to the front of the car and mirrors. I hate painting cars.

 

I spend a lot of time around PPF and detail shops.

Those in here who claim they can see it (especially from afar) or that it looks bad have not seen a properly installed, hand cut kit by a skilled installer. If it's done right (wrapped edges + skilled installer), you cannot see it. Bad PPF looks terrible, and there's a lot of it out there.