Paint Protection Film Yes or No

We had the dealer apply the 3M protection film on the front including the air dam, rear bumper, side view mirrors, and door edges. We checked with third party suppliers and though their price was a bit cheaper I did not feel their guarantee of a warranty for three years would be valid (i.e. I did not feel they would be around long enough)As we live in Washington DC (parking by inhabitants done by Braille, potholes, snow grit, etc.) we decided to protect our new 2010 Prius IV. The cost was about $1,400. The work and dealer support were excellent. Though you can see a thin line on the hood where the film is, you have to look hard. All in all we are very happy with the investment, have already had close calls with rocks, curbs, and parking mishaps. As we intend to keep the car for at least 10 years we felt this has helped to keep the car looking good. Now if only we could prevent parking lot door dings in the strangest places - maybe we should have coated the whole car - or just left it in the garage. We vote for getting the film.

 

A applaud you for installing a clear bra. I want to clear up some issues in your write-up. 3M Paint Protection Film Warranty is a nation wide warranty - which is 5 years. Not so with the Toyota/Lexus 3M Product All you do is contact the number on the 3M warranty card and they will direct you to a certified installer. Your issue on the warranty. If you have a warranty issue with the Toyota/lexus PPF you will contact your dealership and if they do not have an installer onsite - which 99% of the dealers do NOT. They will contact a local certified installer to handle the warranty claim - this person would probably be the same person you could have gone to have additional coverage and more coverage options. You can see the actual warranty card at Clearshield Protection Warranty Clear Bra Treasure Coast Stuart, Port St. Lucie, Palm Beach, Okeechobee, Ft Lauderdale, Vero Beach,Broward.

As for the issue on yellowing - The latest advancements in top coats have just about eliminated yellowing. Today premium coated Paint Protection films come with a warranty against yellowing. With the new technology in polyurethane films it is possible to produce films that resist yellowing. The length of time your film will stay crystal clear depends on how you maintain the film. Which cleaning products are used on the film, as well as environmental factors such as sunlight and air pollution also play a key roll in the aesthetic longevity of the film.
The two (2) main causes for yellowing that you should be aware of.

1.) Inclusions in the film. Tiny particles of diesel smoke, air pollution, road grime, pollen and the like can become trapped in the pores of the film and cause the urethane to look as if it has changed colors. In fact, the urethane is still the same as it always was, you are just seeing the color of the trapped particles. The best preventative is to seal the Paint Protectin Film with approved products. Avoid waxes or polishes which contain dyes or petroleum distillates. These products can stain the film or, in the case of the petroleum distillates, cause a chemical reaction that will discolor the film. Contrary to the information on the forums and pre 3M Ventureshield product - do not use Plexus on the paint protection film. This product has proven to yellow the film over time.

2.) Chemical reaction with the urethane. Certain types of petroleum distillates that are present in some car polishes, cleaning agents and such can cause urethane to discolor. Similarly, some waxes, polishes and bug and tar removers may contain chemicals that will discolor the film.

As more and more vehicles are utilizing PPF the Major manufacturers ( Avery, 3M and XPEL are performing more testing and R&D on the films. Do not get me wrong there are still films still are STILL technologically deficient.

 

Have a quick question for those had paint protect film installed, after few years when you remove your film will your hood and bumper gonna be 2 different color compare the paint without the film??

BR

Robert

 

I would do something , the first winter on my 2010, I had lots of scrapes along the sides from snowbanks !! Lousy thin paint that scrapes off too easily...

 

My 2005 has had 3m protection film on total front end, mirrors and door edges, almost 7 years and the car still looks like new, no yellow or anything. Big Yes!

 

I have a new 2011 Prius and am going to have VentureShield installed. I and thinking of getting the hood (1st 18 inches), fender and mirror kit as well as the roof and A-pillar kit - total cost about $450. Due to the cost of the front bumper kit ($400 just for the front bumper), I am thinking of passing on the front bumper. I'd be interested in your thoughts. Mine are that $450 is affordable, but for $850 it might not make sense. You can have the front bumper painted.

I've had VentureShield on other cars and do like the product. It is clear and seems to do a good job protecting the paint.

 

My advice about PPF is that the installer matters more than the film. The best film, in the wrong hands, will look like crap.

Also, PPF is a very high maintenance product (unless you get the 3M scotchgard film) if you want it to look brand new at all times. You'll need to wash it at least weekly and seal it with a PPF specific sealant (such as XPEL ppf sealant or Premier PF-1 Crystalline) at every wash or else you will get light staining or etching from bugs. If you are not an avid car detailer, I recommend against the product-- or get the 3M stuff.

 

I totally agree with your comment on the installer. I noticed that you don't have 3M on your car, but have the Prestige Clear Guard Clear Bra by Premier Protective Films Intl. If you had to do it again would you get the 3M or go without a PPF? The only maintenance I did on my previous Venture Shield was wax it along with the rest of the car.

Here is an interesting comparison I found VentureShield or 3M clearbra? - BMW M3 Forum (E90 E92)

I'd be interested in your thoughts.

Thanks.

 

Prior to hiring Premier to install their brand of PPF, I had Ventureshield Ultra on this car. Despite weekly washes and occasional sealant applications, the film developed lots of permanent bug staining after only 2 months. I think this an issue with the soft top coat on the Ventureshield Ultra.

With my current film, I have become very religious about washing the film and applying the XPEL PPF sealant on a weekly basis to maintain its condition. If I had done that with Ventureshield Ultra I may have avoided the issues, but even then, I'm not 100% sure. Besides, this level of maintenance cannot be expected of most consumers.

Premier's film is holding up fine, but it has only been 2 weeks. If I were to do it again, and was looking for a near maintenance-free film between the two choices, I'd lean towards the 3M product due to its true acrylic clear coat. I doubt that 3M's film is as durable as regular paint, but I would hope that it is much better than Ventureshield. However, if Avery-Dennison's NanoFusion or XPEL's Ultimate film are available from reputable installers in your area, I would go with either of those two. There are a lot of installers who say 3M's film has a lot of orange peel that becomes visible on a dark colored car, and NanoFusion or Ultimate don't have this issue. NanoFusion also has a lifetime warranty and XPEL has a 7 yr warranty, which is better than the 5 yr warranty offered by 3M and Ventureshield.

 

Would it be worth it to get PPF apply to the whole car (all painted parts) or just the crucial parts (hood, bumpers, mirror, and fender)?

 

I believe they came a long way since I brought my 1998 Infiniti i80. After about 8 years on that car, it started to peel. The 3M stuff I heard is awesome!! Pretty expensive though.

 

My installer has done full wraps.

Aston Martin Full Vehicle Clear Guard by Premier - BMW M3 Forum (E90 E92)
http://www.luxury4play.com/ferrari/73852-premier-16m-clear-guard-laser-diffuser.html

But at 5k+ for a full car wrap, the cost is not practical for a low-end car such as the Prius. Neither is the 2k they charge for a custom front-end wrap. I would just go with a custom hood with wrapped edges, the longest pre-cut fenders available, custom mirrors and a pre-cut bumper. Make sure the installer uses the xpel patterns for the pre-cut pieces, as those are the best available. I would also consider wrapping the first 12†of the roof that is nearest the windshield because I am starting to find chips in that area.

The film is also quite high-maintenance if you want it to stay perfect in appearance (as I described in detail, in an earlier post) so having the whole car wrapped would be a nightmare for maintenance, IMO.

 

Have any of you had success removing the PPF after 10 years or so? Without damaging the paint?

 

Original paint or aftermarket paint? Do you know if any adhesion promoter was used on the edges?

The risk of paint pulling is fairly low if the film was installed onto factory paint, but it does happen. Especially if adhesion promoter was used.

If the film was installed onto aftermarket paint, the chances of paint being pulled is significantly higher.