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Ppf

Drozboyz

Seasoned Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2021
Messages
461
Location
Woodstock georgia
Im a big fan of ppf and ceramic coating. I am hoping to get my 5 from a local dealer, but have an order in from a dealer about 4 hours from my house. If i have to drive the car home the 4 hours on highways, i will be bringing a couple of rolls of painters tape along to put on the front clip, hood and mirrors. So getting to my point, the first round of cars start to be built next month, and im sure many if not all will be getting ppf along with ceramic. I have contacted xpel and 3m and both told me until they get an actual car to work on, template kits will not be available. Dont think shops will want to free form ppf .... thoughts?
 
I was wondering about this. I have several local shops that I am getting ready to call in the next few weeks to start pricing, but do not know how they will get laser cut by then.
 
Im a big fan of ppf and ceramic coating. I am hoping to get my 5 from a local dealer, but have an order in from a dealer about 4 hours from my house. If i have to drive the car home the 4 hours on highways, i will be bringing a couple of rolls of painters tape along to put on the front clip, hood and mirrors. So getting to my point, the first round of cars start to be built next month, and im sure many if not all will be getting ppf along with ceramic. I have contacted xpel and 3m and both told me until they get an actual car to work on, template kits will not be available. Dont think shops will want to free form ppf .... thoughts?
My ZL1 1LE was a very early car and in the 1st West Coast shipment. It went right to PPF and there wasn't a problem. If templates are a must for a particular shop, I'm sure that there are templates already created for the other versions of the 4s & 5s which are mostly the same as the Blackwings.
 
They wont.... if the top 2 xpel and 3m dont have it in the works, it will have to be free form or everyone will have to wait until they get a customers car in to work on templating..... ceramic goes over ppf, or xpel has a ppf w ceramic on it.... but no templates, may be a while
 
No
My ZL1 1LE was a very early car and in the 1st West Coast shipment. It went right to PPF and there wasn't a problem. If templates are a must for a particular shop, I'm sure that there are templates already created for the other versions of the 4s & 5s which are mostly the same as the Blackwings.
Not saying top shops cant free form them, but most shops wont touch it without templates Imoa
 
No

Not saying top shops cant free form them, but most shops wont touch it without templates Imoa
I did use a top shop. Protective Film Solutions.
 
I guess I'm confused because the shop I'm using is doing it "free form" and said they will have no problems at all...
If a dentist can take a 2 minutes of 3D pictures of someone's mouth and produce a near perfect retainer, these shops should be able to do the same, and 'custom' cut a set of sheets for a car that's mostly flat bits, right?
 
No personal experience with PPF but I would think that any reputable shop should be able to do it without die cuts. Anyone that says they need the precuts probably isn't someone you want working on the car to begin with.
 
If a dentist can take a 2 minutes of 3D pictures of someone's mouth and produce a near perfect retainer, these shops should be able to do the same, and 'custom' cut a set of sheets for a car that's mostly flat bits, right?
I just got off the phone with my guy and he explained it to me about the pre formed panels and how his shop does it. He got all technical explaining the difference, but in the end he said he would take care of me and my car would be ok....He has done a few Cadillac CT5-V's and knows the BW is different but said he would have no problems....I'm not worried no more....Except paying for it, lol, this car is going to drain my checkbook!
 
Also i am going to my shop this coming Wednesday to ha e my daughters windows tinted as well as show him Steve’s pictures so he knows exactly what he’ll be wrapping. I’ll forward his answers next week.
 
like I've said before OP....a good detail shop doesn't need a "template" to apply PPF film. you laughed it off last time stating, or rather insinuating that it would be expensive.....but you're protecting a $100,000 car....choice is yours but my shop Elite Finish Detailing in San Diego...and opening soon in Alpharetta, GA because the owner is moving to Woodstock, is going to apply STEK Matte PPF on my car without "templates". If you check out their instagram account you may start to think differently about shops that need "templates" to do the work...they do nothing with said "templates". It is literally just the same as wrapping a car with vinyl an no wrap shop uses a "template" to wrap a car, at least if they did, since those "templates" never fully cover the car, you would end up seeing the original paint color at ever seam. Thats also why those "templates" are a terrible idea for PPF because you will still have exposed paint near any body line or seam.

just my $.02, I'm not trying to upset anyone folks...just something to think about.
 
like I've said before OP....a good detail shop doesn't need a "template" to apply PPF film. you laughed it off last time stating, or rather insinuating that it would be expensive.....but you're protecting a $100,000 car....choice is yours but my shop Elite Finish Detailing in San Diego...and opening soon in Alpharetta, GA because the owner is moving to Woodstock, is going to apply STEK Matte PPF on my car without "templates". If you check out their instagram account you may start to think differently about shops that need "templates" to do the work...they do nothing with said "templates". It is literally just the same as wrapping a car with vinyl an no wrap shop uses a "template" to wrap a car, at least if they did, since those "templates" never fully cover the car, you would end up seeing the original paint color at ever seam. Thats also why those "templates" are a terrible idea for PPF because you will still have exposed paint near any body line or seam.

just my $.02, I'm not trying to upset anyone folks...just something to think about.
You saying i laughed something off?
 
like I've said before OP....a good detail shop doesn't need a "template" to apply PPF film. you laughed it off last time stating, or rather insinuating that it would be expensive.....but you're protecting a $100,000 car....choice is yours but my shop Elite Finish Detailing in San Diego...and opening soon in Alpharetta, GA because the owner is moving to Woodstock, is going to apply STEK Matte PPF on my car without "templates". If you check out their instagram account you may start to think differently about shops that need "templates" to do the work...they do nothing with said "templates". It is literally just the same as wrapping a car with vinyl an no wrap shop uses a "template" to wrap a car, at least if they did, since those "templates" never fully cover the car, you would end up seeing the original paint color at ever seam. Thats also why those "templates" are a terrible idea for PPF because you will still have exposed paint near any body line or seam.

just my $.02, I'm not trying to upset anyone folks...just something to think about.
I would think that most shops would use templates as much as possible, as they reduce waste and therefore COGS. Never wrapped a car, so maybe I'm wrong. Seems like you could free-hand it easy enough, you just end up with a lot more waste. Either way, it's still just flat sheet film, just a question of whether the pieces are pre-cut with as few gaps as possible.

Of course, most of the cost looks to be in labor, not film- so maybe saving 10' or even more per car isn't enough of a difference to be worth worrying about?
 
Using a template helps eliminate them from cutting a lot. Which regardless of how good they are they could hit the paint. So templates arent a bad thing. However you want as much wrap as possible tucked so no seams/lines which is where a shop needs to use sheets when the template either isn’t available or too small.
 
like I've said before OP....a good detail shop doesn't need a "template" to apply PPF film. you laughed it off last time stating, or rather insinuating that it would be expensive.....but you're protecting a $100,000 car....choice is yours but my shop Elite Finish Detailing in San Diego...and opening soon in Alpharetta, GA because the owner is moving to Woodstock, is going to apply STEK Matte PPF on my car without "templates". If you check out their instagram account you may start to think differently about shops that need "templates" to do the work...they do nothing with said "templates". It is literally just the same as wrapping a car with vinyl an no wrap shop uses a "template" to wrap a car, at least if they did, since those "templates" never fully cover the car, you would end up seeing the original paint color at ever seam. Thats also why those "templates" are a terrible idea for PPF because you will still have exposed paint near any body line or seam.

just my $.02, I'm not trying to upset anyone folks...just something to think about.
My guy said a lot of the things you just stated, and I think he even said they use heat to apply in certain areas.. My guy is going for no seams or paint that's not covered..... I think we are all getting a little crazy about this car and process and need to chill a little....
 

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