kingofire

I agree. Especially all these people getting PPF and then getting rid of their cars in 3 years.

lesz

Whether paint protection film is "worth it" or not depends on how particular one is to the fits and finishes of the car and how much one is bothered by stone chips and other paint imperfections.

In the last couple of decades, car designs have changed, and, now, there are many more painted surfaces on the front portion of the car. Without protection, it is inevitable that the paint will get chipped many times. Besides protecting against rock chips, the paint protection film will also provide good protection against things like polishing swirls and surface scratches. And it also provides protection against environmental contaminants, like bird droppings, tree sap, and dead bugs. With the paint protection film, those contaminants just wipe off easily before they can do any damage to the paint.

So, for those who aren't particularly concerned about the finish of their cars, paint protection film probably isn't worth it. But for those who are particular, not only does it offer real protection, but it also means that the car's finish will be in better condition and increase the value of the car at trade-in or re-sale time.

TechNut

I imagine this decision is also heavily influenced by whether we purchase our cars or lease. If I was leasing, I probably wouldn’t bother with the expense knowing it would be replaced in three years anyway. The lease allows for a certain amount of paint imperfection as normal wear and tear so I just don’t think I would be as concerned.

Dallas250

most of the time I can’t even tell where the PPF ends unless I walk around the car and look at different angles to try and find the line. So I’m not sure how bad the products were that you seen but on my car there is no paint color difference.

FreddyG

We had the entire front end done (front end, entire hood and full fenders, mirrors, a-pillars) and they tucked the X-Pel behind the wheel well liners and up into the engine compartment , so there were no visible lines that can be seen. I'm going to apply some GTechniq Halo Ceramic coating (made for PPF because it is flexible and can expand and contract with the PPF) to it and then some GTechniq CSL along with some ExoV4 over the top of it over the rest of the car to help keep things easier to clean and seal up what edges do show.

Whether you think that it's worth it or not is up to you, but if you decide to have it installed, try to find the best installer that you can. You might pay a bit more (and you might not) but it's worth it in the long run.

tolian21

not only that, PPF is not guaranteed to save your paint from bigger rock. Sure, it reduces the chances, but not a guarantee. Second, all the money spent installing PPF, then replacing it when damaged or old, you might as well drive with small chips or repaint your hood if it bothers you so much. Its Lexus, not a Ferrari, nobody cares

Freds430

Nobody cares is silly. I care. Lexus paint with many colors a pearl finish is impossible to match. Before I got the PPF I would rather not touch-up because it looked worse than the chips. My RX and ES are four years old with lots of interstate driving and do not have one paint chip anywhere. No one evens knows it is on the vehicles. My seventh vehicle with PPF and never replaced one because of damage or discoloration.

dezymond

Highly disagree and through my experience, I regret not getting PPF on my last car. The amount of rock chips that were unrepairable without full on paint correction or part replacement drove me nuts. I agree with you that PPF isn't a guarantee from bigger rocks or debris, but nothing is a guarantee. I opted for PPF this time to protect my investment even further and have extra peace of mind. Just the windshield protection film saved me from a rock chip or what could've been the start of a crack in the windshield.

It's a Lexus, not a beater economy car, so some of us do care. Also the installation cost of PPF isn't going to break the bank, if it does then maybe choosing Lexus wasn't the wisest financial decision.

tolian21

Car is an investment, really?? ES350 is an entry level Lexus, its a daily car for me, I dont walk around looking for micro chips on my hood, it looks good after 5 years. When its time to sell, you will never recoup cost of PPF.

r1supersta

You have proved your opinion. Now move on. If others want PPF, let them have it installed, if you don't; hey that's great! Happy December 1st!

Shaboom

Just one more comment on this, apropos to PPF.
I spent a big buck professionally putting X-Pel on one of my previous cars. When I went to trade it in, the Audi dealership actually took money off the trade-in allowance, arguing a lot of potential buyers would be put off by a 5 year old PPFapplication for fear of imminent discoloration/deterioration of the PPF or not knowing what the hell the stuff was! I said just take the PPF off then. They said color of paint would no longer match! I tried unsuccessfully, to argue the opposite. They wouldn't budge and were willing to let me walk, as they simply didn't want to have to be trying to sell a pre-owned car having PPF on it. In any event, I decided right then and there to never have to deal with PPF at sale or trade-in time on another car going forward.

mikemu30

Couldn't agree more. My ES is on the highway every day and now at four years old, not a single a paint chip anywhere. But for those that would be kept up at night due to a stone chip, I guess PPF is a great investment. Maybe if I had an LFA?

tolian21

The best way to minimize your hood paint chips is to keep plenty of distance behind other cars on highway and also stop studying your paint under microscope

FreddyG

One Man's Lexus is another Man's Ferrari and too say nobody cares is just an ignorant statement because while it's Definitely not a Ferrari, I still take pride of ownership in it. I'd take the same care of a Ferrari if we had one of those too, If you don't want to spend the money on PPF, then don't, but to say that nobody cares would be a false statement in my opinion.

I do see your point though!

PEACE!