Does anyone else with full PPF have a seam like this?

[Dave T]

I had my Taycan covered with full PPF and ceramic coating. It wasn't cheap, and I am generally very happy with the job done. But now that the car has accumulated some dust on it, I'm seeing a very noticeable seam on either side of the trunk. See the picture, I don't know the terminology to describe the spots:

Before I complain to the installer I want to know if others have had a superior job. Maybe there's some reason why it had to be done this way?

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[Vim Schrotnock]

I had my Taycan covered with full PPF and ceramic coating. It wasn't cheap, and I am generally very happy with the job done. But now that the car has accumulated some dust on it, I'm seeing a very noticeable seam on either side of the trunk. See the picture, I don't know the terminology to describe the spots:

Before I complain to the installer I want to know if others have had a superior job. Maybe there's some reason why it had to be done this way?

That is a terrible job. A really good shop that does wraps will do it in a way that you can't see anything - no seams, no wrinkles, nothing. When I was tracking my car at COTA I saw a really good team do an entire Ferrari 488 challenge in yellow race livery in about 8 hours. The car started out in stock white paint. Can you imagine what it would look like if they 'missed a spot'? Did you check out this shop beforehand with reviews etc.? Definitely they need to redo this entire section. There are seams visible both below and above the taillights.

 

[Dave T]

That is a terrible job. A really good shop that does wraps will do it in a way that you can't see anything - no seams, no wrinkles, nothing. Did you check out this shop beforehand with reviews etc.? Definitely they need to redo this entire section. There are seams visible both below and above the taillights.

I did. I called about 10 places, and these guys really stood out as the best, both from my interviewing them and from reviews. I see what you mean about the seams above the tail lights, but they aren't really visible to the naked eye. But I suppose they shouldn't be there either. The one in the picture is very visible to the naked eye because it's so far from the tail light. I suppose they should have removed the tail lights and had the PPF go up under it. That is possible, isn't it?

 

[TAYC4S]

I had my Taycan covered with full PPF and ceramic coating. It wasn't cheap, and I am generally very happy with the job done. But now that the car has accumulated some dust on it, I'm seeing a very noticeable seam on either side of the trunk. See the picture, I don't know the terminology to describe the spots:

Before I complain to the installer I want to know if others have had a superior job. Maybe there's some reason why it had to be done this way?

I agree generally with the other comments but I would not want a shop removing items needlessly. What they could/should have done is ensure the seam line was a lot closer to the light cluster. I must admit I am surprised as If this was a templated piece it would have been closer by default, which might suggest they cut on the car. I would be really annoyed if that’s the case, as unless they they used cutting tape, any blade work on the car will have likely hit the paint no matter how good they tell you they are...

 

[Dave T]

I don’t think it was templated, are templates available for the taycan? I don’t know how they did it or should do it, but presumably they did it the right way. So if that’s using cutting tape then I’d think that’s what they did. Could someone else who had full PPF done please post a picture of that spot on their car, to the side of the trunk, for comparison?

 

[TAYC4S]

I don’t think it was templated, are templates available for the taycan? I don’t know how they did it or should do it, but presumably they did it the right way. So if that’s using cutting tape then I’d think that’s what they did. Could someone else who had full PPF done please post a picture of that spot on their car, to the side of the trunk, for comparison?

There are both llumar and Xpel templates for the Taycan available. Mine hasn’t arrived as yet but is going in straight away for PPF (llumar) and its all templated. Even Porsche UK have Xpel templates and can do the work. In fact all their press cars always have their track pack PPF applied (for obvious reasons- the press thrash the cars and don’t give a dam where they take the cars or how they treat them)

 

[Scandinavian]

I had my Taycan covered with full PPF and ceramic coating. It wasn't cheap, and I am generally very happy with the job done. But now that the car has accumulated some dust on it, I'm seeing a very noticeable seam on either side of the trunk. See the picture, I don't know the terminology to describe the spots:

Before I complain to the installer I want to know if others have had a superior job. Maybe there's some reason why it had to be done this way?

Hi @Dave T , I have full PPF in the same colour as yours. Mine was precautionary film XPel . I have seen that they hd to cur a few panels extra.
My install was done by one of the best guys here in France according to XPel. I do NOT have that line that is vertical in your picture. None whatsoever, but I have a similar line under the rear lights. I also have a ” horizontal” line along the ridge, see pictures.And as you say once you have gathered some dust these lines show up a bit but easily washed off. Sorry about your vertical line, but I hope this helps!

 

[Gogs]

Xpel wraps are cut from templates. You should not be able to see any edges or wrinkles etc. If not expel, then not sure.

 

[Scandinavian]

Xpel wraps are cut from templates. You should not be able to see any edges or wrinkles etc. If not expel, then not sure.

The Xpel film that I have on my car has been cut with a computer programme. so I guess they could adjust these a little bit if the fit is not the best.

 

[awharton]

This is the advantage of a PPS wrap. There are no seams at all to be seen and offers the same if not better level of protection.

 

[Gogs]

The Xpel film that I have on my car has been cut with a computer programme. so I guess they could adjust these a little bit if the fit is not the best.

The Xpel guys sent to the factory and measured/templates the Taycan do yes, computer cut, then stretched with a little heat etc. Perfect in my car now after second fitting. First, I could see an edge and I was not fully happy.

 

[Dave T]

Hi @Dave T , I have full PPF in the same colour as yours. Mine was precautionary film XPel . I have seen that they hd to cur a few panels extra.
My install was done by one of the best guys here in France according to XPel. I do NOT have that line that is vertical in your picture. None whatsoever, but I have a similar line under the rear lights. I also have a ” horizontal” line along the ridge, see pictures.And as you say once you have gathered some dust these lines show up a bit but easily washed off. Sorry about your vertical line, but I hope this helps!

That vertical line is just from running a finger thru the dust. So it looks like yours is similar. I guess the template is the problem?

 

[Dave T]

This is the advantage of a PPS wrap. There are no seams at all to be seen and offers the same if not better level of protection.

Pps is awesome but I couldn’t find a place that does that.

 

[awharton]

Pps is awesome but I couldn’t find a place that does that.

Yes that’s one of the problems. Only a few in the UK.

 

[DragonRR]

I have had several cars wrapped from a "bra" to a full PPF by several reputable film installers. In all cases there were seams visible in places but they should not be as visible as they are in the pic from Dave T. Generally you should see no more than a couple of mm of exposed paint. However, there are exceptions where the template has strain relief cut outs to get around tight curves.

This is NOT the case with colour change wraps which are a lot thinner and especially when body panels, light clusters, door cards etc.. are removed to do a thorough job.

Having watched PPF and normal vinyl wrap being installed. PPF is much, much more difficult.

I haven't seen PPS at all but I'm puzzled by the claim about the level of protection. Xpel/PPF is difficult to apply mainly because it is quite thick. PPS looks like a very thin coat?

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