Opinions on PPF (XPEL) and Ceramic Coating

[UFO CTR]

Unless you are using deionized water, I'd personally leave it alone and not touch it for the duration that he told you (just incase there are issues). Coating makes the surface tension so slick that it beads off water but it does not make it waterspot proof if you do leave water on there. A simple rinsing with the hose is not going to clean your car correctly

damn! I need to rinse off some dead skunk flesh tho...I guys I'll use the waterless wash solution that he gave me then.

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[boosted180sx]

damn! I need to rinse off some dead skunk flesh tho...I guys I'll use the waterless wash solution that he gave me then.

ouch.
Maybe, you can presoak it with Ech2O or something that has SiO2, rinse it off, and then rinse it off again with some distilled water.

Better yet, why not give your detailer a call and ask him.

 

[CEPA_Si]

ouch.
Maybe, you can presoak it with Ech2O or something that has SiO2, rinse it off, and then rinse it off again with some distilled water.

Better yet, why not give your detailer a call and ask him.

I agree this would be your best bet. I would text or call your detailer and see what he says, as if you have issues he is gonna be the one having to deal with them.

 

[UFO CTR]

ouch.
Maybe, you can presoak it with Ech2O or something that has SiO2, rinse it off, and then rinse it off again with some distilled water.

Better yet, why not give your detailer a call and ask him.

I will call him later when he gets in...he's on detailing hours, which is 11 am to 7 pm

 

[shihabp79]

The paint on these cars is really not that bad. Most cars are far from perfect from the factory, especially some very high end cars. To repaint a car prior to getting rid of it your going to spend far more then you would to properly protect it and keep it looking nice. Protection is only one part of picture, the biggest benefit of ceramic coatings is the ease of maintenance. Cleaning a car that is coated is EXTREMELY easy. In many cases a repaint will only throw red flags to buyers when trying to sell a fairly new car.

I think my opinion is colored by the drawbacks of PPF I've experienced in the past. I had a Lotus Elise with PPF and experienced dirt collecting at the seams, yellowing, bubbling and peeling around the edges. I'll look into just ceramic coating as that's a fairly new thing from my understanding.

 

[boosted180sx]

I think my opinion is colored by the drawbacks of PPF I've experienced in the past. I had a Lotus Elise with PPF and experienced dirt collecting at the seams, yellowing, bubbling and peeling around the edges. I'll look into just ceramic coating as that's a fairly new thing from my understanding.

the new PPFs nowadays don't really yellow but dirt does still collect if there are edges. Only thing I PPFed was the b and c pillars because they are so scratch prone. I cringe a little bit inside when my passenger gets off and uses the B pillar to close the door...

 

[shihabp79]

I would think the B and C pillars would be the least scratch prone? They're not in the line of debris coming at the vehicle while in motion... unless your car is always sideways in which kudos to you, sir, for Initial D'ing a FWD car How are your passengers scratching the pillar? Do they have talons?

 

[boosted180sx]

I would think the B and C pillars would be the least scratch prone? They're not in the line of debris coming at the vehicle while in motion... unless your car is always sideways in which kudos to you, sir, for Initial D'ing a FWD car How are your passengers scratching the pillar? Do they have talons?

I am not sure if you are trolling or not but have you seen the gloss black trims? they will scratch just by breathing on it. I put PPF on that cause I don't want to see a swirled up trim every single time I go to open the door.

 

[shihabp79]

I am not sure if you are trolling or not but have you seen the gloss black trims? they will scratch just by breathing on it. I put PPF on that cause I don't want to see a swirled up trim every single time I go to open the door.

No, I'm not trolling. I've just never heard of trim being that fragile even on $12k econoboxes. I guess I'll have to see for myself when mine comes in. I've yet to even see a CTR in person.

 

[boosted180sx]

No, I'm not trolling. I've just never heard of trim being that fragile even on $12k econoboxes. I guess I'll have to see for myself when mine comes in. I've yet to even see a CTR in person.

ah ok. Yeah the so called piano black gloss trims are super easy to scratch. It's not an issue on just this car but on piano black pillars in general.
A polish thats used to remove swirls can cause swirls lol.

That and the black plastic trims above the headlights /grilles also. Those can be scratched very easily. I just didn't care to protect that part.

 

[UFO CTR]

ah ok. Yeah the so called piano black gloss trims are super easy to scratch. It's not an issue on just this car but on piano black pillars in general.
A polish thats used to remove swirls can cause swirls lol.

That and the black plastic trims above the headlights /grilles also. Those can be scratched very easily. I just didn't care to protect that part.

yea, and detailers are COD about those black trims...my detailer spent a lot of time polishing the black trims.

 

[17CivicTypeR_Brian]

Unless you are using deionized water, I'd personally leave it alone and not touch it for the duration that he told you (just incase there are issues). Coating makes the surface tension so slick that it beads off water but it does not make it waterspot proof if you do leave water on there. A simple rinsing with the hose is not going to clean your car correctly

Deionized water FTW!
If you don't have good water at your house, you can usually get a good rinse from about 4-5 gallons of distilled water from WalMart or whatever you have local to you. If you're like a mile or 2 from a GOOD self-serve car wash that has enthusiast-grade spot-free rinse water, you could wash the car at home, drive over there and do the final rinse.
I'm waiting to see if there is a Black Friday deal on a water deionizer like the one at WalMart but I'd entertain some other solution that isn't $250.

I'd also add that you can get 'pretty clean' by just rinsing off the loose dust and bugs but if you're using crap water, it'll just spot up anyway, especially on these black cars. If the car has been rained on, driven in rain, or shat on, it will probably need more than a rinse!

https://www.walmart.com/ip/DI-120/5...75035&wl11=online&wl12=51822877&wl13=&veh=sem

 

[CEPA_Si]

Deionized water FTW!
If you don't have good water at your house, you can usually get a good rinse from about 4-5 gallons of distilled water from WalMart or whatever you have local to you. If you're like a mile or 2 from a GOOD self-serve car wash that has enthusiast-grade spot-free rinse water, you could wash the car at home, drive over there and do the final rinse.
I'm waiting to see if there is a Black Friday deal on a water deionizer like the one at WalMart but I'd entertain some other solution that isn't $250.

I'd also add that you can get 'pretty clean' by just rinsing off the loose dust and bugs but if you're using crap water, it'll just spot up anyway, especially on these black cars. If the car has been rained on, driven in rain, or shat on, it will probably need more than a rinse!

https://www.walmart.com/ip/DI-120/5...75035&wl11=online&wl12=51822877&wl13=&veh=sem

That is the CR Spotless set up I have right now. I am likely going to take that one to my house here soon and get the 300 gallon wall mount set up. If anyone is interested in one of the 100 gallon or the 300 gallon units I can get them at a discount through Detailed Image and will gladly pass on the savings to members.

 

[UFO CTR]

Deionized water FTW!
If you don't have good water at your house, you can usually get a good rinse from about 4-5 gallons of distilled water from WalMart or whatever you have local to you. If you're like a mile or 2 from a GOOD self-serve car wash that has enthusiast-grade spot-free rinse water, you could wash the car at home, drive over there and do the final rinse.
I'm waiting to see if there is a Black Friday deal on a water deionizer like the one at WalMart but I'd entertain some other solution that isn't $250.

I'd also add that you can get 'pretty clean' by just rinsing off the loose dust and bugs but if you're using crap water, it'll just spot up anyway, especially on these black cars. If the car has been rained on, driven in rain, or shat on, it will probably need more than a rinse!

https://www.walmart.com/ip/DI-120/5...75035&wl11=online&wl12=51822877&wl13=&veh=sem

Dang! this is nice...really want one now!

 

[boosted180sx]

That is the CR Spotless set up I have right now. I am likely going to take that one to my house here soon and get the 300 gallon wall mount set up. If anyone is interested in one of the 100 gallon or the 300 gallon units I can get them at a discount through Detailed Image and will gladly pass on the savings to members.

That's exactly what I am thinking about getting next. I have some super hard water at my house.

Looking into the CR Spotless DIC-10.

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