Clear protection film (PPF) on the Taycan?

[XLR82XS]

Ive never done PPF. I swear I can see the difference and I like the look without it better. Secondly, I have a top secret trick to avoid 99% of all stone chips: just don’t ride up the ass of the car/truck in front of you.

That doesn't work period. Chips are inevitable even at slower speeds.

Sponsored

 

[jenzfc]

That doesn't work period. Chips are inevitable even at slower speeds.

100%.

 

[Tsingtao]

That doesn't work period. Chips are inevitable even at slower speeds.

I agree, no matter the speed or the following distance, some chips are inevitable. But as a general rule of thumb, pebbles and other road debris don’t defy the laws of gravity. They are either dropped from the back of a truck or kicked up by another motorist. My wife drives like a F1 pilot with respect to her proximity to the vehicle in front of her, and the very, very high hood line on her SUV is full of rock chips. Regardless of speed, I endeavor to maintain a nice buffer between myself and other cars; after over 7,000 miles my paint is still factory fresh.

 

[HypeR]

My Taycan is completely ppf and I highly recommend it.

 

[XLR82XS]

I agree, no matter the speed or the following distance, some chips are inevitable. But as a general rule of thumb, pebbles and other road debris don’t defy the laws of gravity. They are either dropped from the back of a truck or kicked up by another motorist. My wife drives like a F1 pilot with respect to her proximity to the vehicle in front of her, and the very, very high hood line on her SUV is full of rock chips. Regardless of speed, I endeavor to maintain a nice buffer between myself and other cars; after over 7,000 miles my paint is still factory fresh.

1) Rock flew up from a truck and damaged my Tesla 1/4 panel. I was stopped making a left turn.
2) Panamera got damaged while on a transport truck - debris flew up and hit the doors.
3) Had pano roof glass chip from shit flying around somewhere

Debris comes from everywhere at anytime.

 

[Skilly]

We keep talking about debris and chips resulting etc. They really suck, and stand out, but we are also overlooking the constant culprit - our cars get a light sandblast at every drive. Even if you are lucky enough to avoid a stone chip, you can't drive in a vacuum.

The dust and sand gets kicked up constantly and will stay there long after a stone. In extreme cases, like after a road has been sanded for weather or mountain driving, you can sometimes here it like sand being thrown at your front end.

Look and run your hand over any car with a few thousand miles on it. Forget about the chips; that rough surface is your clear coat chipping away.

 

[smohr33]

I agree, no matter the speed or the following distance, some chips are inevitable. But as a general rule of thumb, pebbles and other road debris don’t defy the laws of gravity. They are either dropped from the back of a truck or kicked up by another motorist. My wife drives like a F1 pilot with respect to her proximity to the vehicle in front of her, and the very, very high hood line on her SUV is full of rock chips. Regardless of speed, I endeavor to maintain a nice buffer between myself and other cars; after over 7,000 miles my paint is still factory fresh.

Whether or not the fine chips and sandblasting bother you is personal, but you are fooling yourself if you think the paint on a car without PPF is "factory fresh" after 7k miles.

My wife's X5 has no PPF and is covered in fine chips and sandblasting after 10k miles. My Taycan is smooth as glass with PPF at 10k miles. Run your hand across the bumper and it's instantly obvious.

As @Skilly said, the fine sandblasting is where you can really see/feel a difference.

 

[Tsingtao]

We keep talking about debris and chips resulting etc. They really suck, and stand out, but we are also overlooking the constant culprit - our cars get a light sandblast at every drive. Even if you are lucky enough to avoid a stone chip, you can't drive in a vacuum.

The dust and sand gets kicked up constantly and will stay there long after a stone. In extreme cases, like after a road has been sanded for weather or mountain driving, you can sometimes here it like sand being thrown at your front end.

Look and run your hand over any car with a few thousand miles on it. Forget about the chips; that rough surface is your clear coat chipping away.

OK, I am going to go fondle my front bumper and determine w

Whether or not the fine chips and sandblasting bother you is personal, but you are fooling yourself if you think the paint on a car without PPF is "factory fresh" after 7k miles.

My wife's X5 has no PPF and is covered in fine chips and sandblasting after 10k miles. My Taycan is smooth as glass with PPF at 10k miles. Run your hand across the bumper and it's instantly obvious.

As @Skilly said, the fine sandblasting is where you can really see/feel a difference.

OK, you guys have now caused me to question my very existence, not to mention my theories on avoiding paint damage. I am now going to go gently fondle/caress my front bumper and check for any indication of Grapes-of-Wrath-esque dust damage. If there is in fact damage, I hope you feel really bad because I will now lose sleep/obsess over this issue and have to take my car in for some paint correction/PPF treatment!

 

[smohr33]

OK, I am going to go fondle my front bumper and determine w

OK, you guys have now caused me to question my very existence, not to mention my theories on avoiding paint damage. I am now going to go gently fondle/caress my front bumper and check for any indication of Grapes-of-Wrath-esque dust damage. If there is in fact damage, I hope you feel really bad because I will now lose sleep/obsess over this issue and have to take my car in for some paint correction/PPF treatment!

Like I said, it’s personal preference. I have a car in my garage without it. I could care less what others do, but it’s not snake oil, and it does work.

 

[Tsingtao]

Like I said, it’s personal preference. I have a car in my garage without it. I could care less what others do, but it’s not snake oil, and it does work.

As a follow up, I rinsed off the front of the car last night to get dirt off prior to conducting my midnight surface examination (wife is now thoroughly convinced that I should be institutionalized -- whatever). My results are preliminary, but the PPF proponents are correct, there are indeed some very minor, yet detectable, surface imperfections. Nothing that can be seen with the naked eye, but for sure they can be felt. When I take my ride into the shop for my annual ceramic coating "booster" I will for sure have them present me with options for some strategically placed PPF. I will not however consider doing the whole car as I have come to realize that maintaining a car in pristine condition is an exercise in futility -- over the past thirty years, I have not once owned a car that someone did not crash into. And, given the frequency with which I observe drivers texting, checking FB, e-mails, etc. on their phones, I am a little surprised that I have actually gone several months without someone careening into my shiny little Taycan!

 

[Mr.Smith]

As a follow up, I rinsed off the front of the car last night to get dirt off prior to conducting my midnight surface examination (wife is now thoroughly convinced that I should be institutionalized -- whatever). My results are preliminary, but the PPF proponents are correct, there are indeed some very minor, yet detectable, surface imperfections. Nothing that can be seen with the naked eye, but for sure they can be felt. When I take my ride into the shop for my annual ceramic coating "booster" I will for sure have them present me with options for some strategically placed PPF. I will not however consider doing the whole car as I have come to realize that maintaining a car in pristine condition is an exercise in futility -- over the past thirty years, I have not once owned a car that someone did not crash into. And, given the frequency with which I observe drivers texting, checking FB, e-mails, etc. on their phones, I am a little surprised that I have actually gone several months without someone careening into my shiny little Taycan!

Because it's Ceramic Coated, the proper way would be for the shop to remove the coating in the areas you want to PPF, correct the paint, apply the PPF, reapply Ceramic Coating over the PPF.

Removing ceramic coating takes more time which will cost more.

To expand an exercise in futility, use your same method on your windshield. There will always be a some tiny rock chips/pits

Here is what I always suggest to PPF as the high vulnerability areas

Front bumper

Full hood, fenders, mirrors

Headlights

Full rear door so there are no seems

I always suggest the windshield too, though many feel it's overkill.

Cost estimate give or take a few hundred dollars:
$2600 full front, $200 rear doors, $800 windshield (this comes with insurance from the manufacture).
Consider the cost to reapply ceral coating.

 

[XLR82XS]

I always suggest the windshield too, though many feel it's overkill.

I have windshield film. It already has a few chips within ~2K miles. Cayenne has no shield film and within 1 year it has a very small chip in the left rear corner.

 

[Mr.Smith]

I have windshield film. It already has a few chips within ~2K miles. Cayenne has no shield film and within 1 year it has a very small chip in the left rear corner.

You're saying you still got rock chips on the windshield even though you have the film?

 

[XLR82XS]

You're saying you still got rock chips on the windshield even though you have the film?

The FILM has marks in it. Without it being there the glass would have the damage. 1 mark is pretty significant.

 

[Mr.Smith]

The FILM has marks in it. Without it being there the glass would have the damage. 1 mark is pretty significant.

That's awesome!
What brand did you get for your windshield, how would you rate the clarity,any draw back?

Sponsored