Collecting my CT this week - is ceramic / PPF really worth it?

[nerraw]

Another giddy-with-excitement new Porsche owner here. Got the good news that my CT4 (ordered in May) is now at the dealership, and that pickup will be this week.

I've seen many of your immediately go with ceramic and PPF. Is it really worth the £5k+ (or more?)

I've always treated my cars as just that - cars - and whilst I do my best to take care of them inevitably there will be a kerbed alloy, a minor ding, and a scratch or two, especially with a wife and kid.

The first chip is always the most painful, but after that I learn to live with it and just enjoy the car. After 2-3 years I sell the car, WeBuyAnyCar or the dealer knocks off a bit for the minor damage, and I move on.

I'm happy to invest into protecting my Taycan, but I don't see how spending 5k+ on PPF and ceramic works out financially? For that money I can send my car to a detailer regularly and probably repair whatever damage when / if it happens?

Keen to understand!

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[Jhenson29]

If you only plan to keep it 2-3 years, then PPF probably isn’t worth it. Maybe just the front bumper at most if you were going to do anything.

Ceramic is really nice if you wash yourself. It only takes me 6-7 minutes to wash the car. Then I drive it for about 2 or 3 miles and it’s dry.

 

[VOLT4GE]

I had the front end—up to the A-pillars—covered in PPF. The rest is ceramic coated. It helps to keep it looking clean, both from dirt and rock chips. And keep in mind that you’re going to pick up a lot of those chips because the car sits so low to the ground.

 

[Evpower]

From what you say I would forgo the ceramic and PPF.

 

[TurboBear]

Mine is base black so I had full PPF done. I would probably not have bothered for most other colors.

 

[Klepper]

If you want to minimize rock chips, minor scratches, etc. for your own piece of mind, then it's worth it.

Sounds like you are like me though. I buy the car to drive and don't mind a few "battle scars". I did not do anything to my car (PPF or Ceramic). I don't think it's financially worth it. I don't think I will take a $5k+ hit on resale due to some chips/scratches.

 

[Nipri]

Another giddy-with-excitement new Porsche owner here. Got the good news that my CT4 (ordered in May) is now at the dealership, and that pickup will be this week.

I've seen many of your immediately go with ceramic and PPF. Is it really worth the £5k+ (or more?)

I've always treated my cars as just that - cars - and whilst I do my best to take care of them inevitably there will be a kerbed alloy, a minor ding, and a scratch or two, especially with a wife and kid.

The first chip is always the most painful, but after that I learn to live with it and just enjoy the car. After 2-3 years I sell the car, WeBuyAnyCar or the dealer knocks off a bit for the minor damage, and I move on.

I'm happy to invest into protecting my Taycan, but I don't see how spending 5k+ on PPF and ceramic works out financially? For that money I can send my car to a detailer regularly and probably repair whatever damage when / if it happens?

Keen to understand!

I have full PPF on my Taycan.
When I sold my Jaguar I Pace which also had full PPF, what attracted the buyers was PPF. Got bit more than would have which helped cover the cost of PPF.
Cleaning wise it is so easy plus & helps tremendously against chips & scrapes.

 

[nerraw]

Many thanks for the replies!

I think there are two clear camps - those who don't mind battle scars, and those who want their cars in pristine shape all the time.

The problem for me is that I'd usually be in the latter camp for a few months, spending time to send it for a proper wash and detailing. But I suspect that after 6 months and/or its first couple of dings the excitement gradually goes away, life kicks in, and poor Taycan would be lucky to get a wash every two months.

I know you all have said that cleaning is far easier, but will PPF / ceramic will help me if I barely have time for a wash and normally would send it to a car wash anyway?

I guess the comparison is a 2-month unwashed car vs a 2-month unwashed car that has PPF / ceramic.

Jhenson29 - thanks - what does your 6-7 minute routine entail? I presume just a spray of water and some shampoo?

 

[Kayone73]

Most people who buy new luxury/performance cars tend to do it now is as preventative maintenance to protect the paint and plan to keep the car more than a few years.

Especially if you keep your car parked outdoors.

 

[nerraw]

Most people who buy new luxury/performance cars tend to do it now is as preventative maintenance to protect the paint and plan to keep the car more than a few years.

Especially if you keep your car parked outdoors.

Yes, that's a good point. This is my first Porsche and my first car at this price range. It's always so hard to say how long I will keep a car - I bought a new E46 BMW that I thought I would keep forever. Then came along a Golf GTI and a DSG fart that had me happily trading "down" to a VW!

It does look like most Porsche owners keep their cars for far longer, so maybe there's a chance Taycan might stay a little longer and make the protection worthwhile.... decisions!

 

[Jhenson29]

@Jhenson29 - thanks - what does your 6-7 minute routine entail? I presume just a spray of water and some shampoo?

I go to a pull-in self service car wash across the street from my subdivision.

I just do the following:

1. high pressure soap, except I don’t pull the trigger so it ends up being low pressure soap as a pre-rinse
2. High pressure soap (with trigger pulled). I use this to get any dirt off
3. High pressure rinse
4. Low pressure spot-free rinse

The water is just beading up and falling off the car the whole time. I usually wash it once a week, except a few weekends I’ve been out of town. It doesn’t get as dirty between washes either.

​

It’s takes me 4x as long to wash my Macan and it doesn’t dry nearly as fast. I always have to use a towel if I don’t want water spots. It doesn’t have anything done to it.

Our Panamera we traded in had nothing and the bumper and hood were just peppered after 75k miles.

So, we did full front PPF on the Taycan and then full ceramic including wheels.

​

FWIW, the bumper has already taken one big hit that the PPF protected (but did cut the PPF). I’m sure there would be a rather large chip (plus tons of smaller ones) without it.

​

 

[Kayone73]

Yes, that's a good point. This is my first Porsche and my first car at this price range. It's always so hard to say how long I will keep a car - I bought a new E46 BMW that I thought I would keep forever. Then came along a Golf GTI and a DSG fart that had me happily trading "down" to a VW!

It does look like most Porsche owners keep their cars for far longer, so maybe there's a chance Taycan might stay a little longer and make the protection worthwhile.... decisions!

Many also do it as a hedge to improve their resale value that much more when the time comes to sell, especially privately. A lot of discerning buyers prefer a car that was PPFed from the start. Gives them less to think about when it comes to paint finish and condition.

 

[jontybutts]

My detailer pushes ceramic for those that he wont see again and simple wax coating for weekly/fortnight maintenance customers.

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