This is true. PPF will not stick to ceramic if it’s a true ceramic coating. Then it will bond to the PPF and just add that additional strength. Plus water will bead right off.
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PPF or ceramic coating - Did you have either done, and how much did it cost?
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Had Esoteric in Columbus, OH do Xpel PPF (full hood, front bumper, full front fenders, mirrors, rocker panels, bottom of doors and rear wheel impact area), full ceramic coating (including top), wheel coating, windshield treatment, and interior surfaces and fabric protection. Total was $5900. Took them 4 days.
Esoteric is fairly pricey, but they do outstanding work (this isn't a job I wanted half-assed) and their customer service is the best I've experienced in a long time. EXAMPLE: When I dropped the car off, I asked if they would install my Gatorback front mudflaps while they had the wheels off. They said sure. A couple days later I took the mudflaps to their shop. I was greeted at the door by a guy I'd never seen before. He said "Hey--you must be Todd with those mudflaps for that Bronco." I was pretty stunned. In addition, they sent me a full file of professionally-shot photos of the entire process. If you're in Central Ohio and don't mind paying a bit for outstanding customer service, I highly recommend these guys.
By the way, I love the mudflaps. They are crazy expensive (even the non-logo'd rubber ones were $300--front only) but extremely well made. If you're on the fence--and particularly if your Squatched (my Bronco is a non-Squatched Badlands) I'd say go ahead and pull the trigger.
Esoteric is fairly pricey, but they do outstanding work (this isn't a job I wanted half-assed) and their customer service is the best I've experienced in a long time. EXAMPLE: When I dropped the car off, I asked if they would install my Gatorback front mudflaps while they had the wheels off. They said sure. A couple days later I took the mudflaps to their shop. I was greeted at the door by a guy I'd never seen before. He said "Hey--you must be Todd with those mudflaps for that Bronco." I was pretty stunned. In addition, they sent me a full file of professionally-shot photos of the entire process. If you're in Central Ohio and don't mind paying a bit for outstanding customer service, I highly recommend these guys.
By the way, I love the mudflaps. They are crazy expensive (even the non-logo'd rubber ones were $300--front only) but extremely well made. If you're on the fence--and particularly if your Squatched (my Bronco is a non-Squatched Badlands) I'd say go ahead and pull the trigger.
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Just do the film. Ceramic coating is great at beading the water off, super fast to dry a truck. But it's not going to protect against rock chips, scrapes from branches, junk drive through car washes. Ceramics are good for bird droppings, tree sapp, iron / rust fall out. But it you plan on doing any type of actual driving, or off roading I'd use the film.
From an installers view it’s more tedious to install Stealth because you have to wrap all your edges so the gloss does not show through. It’s sharp! This is my Black Diamond
I guess I’ll never understand why someone would spend $5k to “protect” the paint in their Bronco for 3 years. Hell, you could probably get it repainted for that price!
plus, it’s an off-road truck, not an Italian super car.
plus, it’s an off-road truck, not an Italian super car.
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I clay bared, polished and applied Adam Polishes Advanced ceramic coat myself. Entire kit was like $130 on Amazon. I had a professional installer ppf headlights front clip of fenders, entire hood including areas under grill, A pillar, rockers, door cups for $1300. We will see how it holds up. With the 35” tires the rockers are going to get hammered and no good options for mud flaps so bit the bullet and ordered the gator mud flaps. I think they are ugly but not as ugly as rock chips on the side side of your Bronco
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did Xpel stealth on the Cactus grey parts, clear Xpel on the grill, headlights, side mirrors. Looks fantastic, and lasts Longer than 3 years as quoted by @ramblinwreck. My installer showed me his tundra, which is parked outside all year in the pnw, and is going on it’s 10th year after application. Yes it’s expensive, but to some it’s worth it. 10 years+ of paint protection is worth it to me. Peel the shit off in 10 years, the paint will look like it did the day I bought it. I definitely wouldn’t take advice from the peanut gallery who has zero experience with the stuff. Use an authorized installer and get a fully backed 10 year warranty. Stealth is thicker than clear and is self healing also. Buy once, cry once!
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Being from the film industry I have to ask this to help you best answer this.
Coatings are only a surface protectant. For things like wash marks and maintenance. PPF is going to be more protective from impacts. If you just want to drive the streets id say protect impact areas and ceramic coat it. If you are off roading it get PPF ceramic coating will only be good for cleaning easier.
Chris
Coatings are only a surface protectant. For things like wash marks and maintenance. PPF is going to be more protective from impacts. If you just want to drive the streets id say protect impact areas and ceramic coat it. If you are off roading it get PPF ceramic coating will only be good for cleaning easier.
Chris
Most films are 10 years to lifetime. It’s not for everyone’s needs and some people keep their vehicles longer and they stay looking nicer for a longer period. This is to help preserve that paint so you don’t have to repaint it. There’s a lot more information about the PPF industry that has shown the improvements of this industry. It’s technology has changed several times in the last six years I’ve been an installer. And will only get better. I agree it’s not cheap. But you don’t lose any value in the end.
That looks fantastic -- this picture may be enough to convince me to have that done when I get my Bronco.did Xpel stealth on the Cactus grey parts, clear Xpel on the grill, headlights, side mirrors. Looks fantastic, and lasts Longer than 3 years as quoted by @ramblinwreck. My installer showed me his tundra, which is parked outside all year in the pnw, and is going on it’s 10th year after application. Yes it’s expensive, but to some it’s worth it. 10 years+ of paint protection is worth it to me. Peel the shit off in 10 years, the paint will look like it did the day I bought it. I definitely wouldn’t take advice from the peanut gallery who has zero experience with the stuff. Use an authorized installer and get a fully backed 10 year warranty. Stealth is thicker than clear and is self healing also. Buy once, cry once!
How do you find the color in other lighting conditions? I'm getting Avalanche Gray vibes in this photo, which is one of my favorite colors Ford offers, but Cactus Gray seems to be quite a dynamic color.
If you've got any other photos in different lighting I'd love to see them!
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I don’t have a ton in varying lighting conditions unfortunately. The last one is mid install and you can see the difference between factory and stealth.
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I went all in and got both PPF xpel stealth then ceramic on top and also had them do a windshield protectant was 5200 for stealth, 600 for ceramic, 250 for windshield. As De Brus said.. Buy once cry once!
Also for context the further out you go of a metro area the better, it is labor intensive. Was getting 8k quotes from shops closer to "town" driving 40 minutes out saved 3k on wrap.
Also for context the further out you go of a metro area the better, it is labor intensive. Was getting 8k quotes from shops closer to "town" driving 40 minutes out saved 3k on wrap.
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I think the facade of the Bronco lends itself to selective PPF application very well. The leading edges of the hood and fenders, windshield frame, and mirrors probably get the job done with the vertical and boxy nature of the vehicle. If you need something on the sides, that would be a different story obviously.
The aforementioned Adams products are supposed to be an excellent option for the DIY. If you don't mind doing it every 9-12 months, there are a number of spray on ceramic sealant products that are extremely user friendly, Griots, Turtlewax Hybrid Solutions, etc.
The aforementioned Adams products are supposed to be an excellent option for the DIY. If you don't mind doing it every 9-12 months, there are a number of spray on ceramic sealant products that are extremely user friendly, Griots, Turtlewax Hybrid Solutions, etc.
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Twins!I went all in and got both PPF xpel stealth then ceramic on top and also had them do a windshield protectant was 5200 for stealth, 600 for ceramic, 250 for windshield. As De Brus said.. Buy once cry once!
Also for context the further out you go of a metro area the better, it is labor intensive. Was getting 8k quotes from shops closer to "town" driving 40 minutes out saved 3k on wrap.
yes, smaller town = cheaper price. I was getting quotes all the way up to 8k and got it for little over half that.PS how was removing the FE graphics? Lol my installer was pissed, wanted to charge more, and had me come help remove them instead. What a complete pain in the ass! Once those get weathered after 10 years they will be impossible to remove without sanding them down. I am very thankful I got rid of that shit!
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