{"id":75079,"date":"2024-07-31T12:47:33","date_gmt":"2024-07-31T16:47:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=75079"},"modified":"2024-07-31T12:47:33","modified_gmt":"2024-07-31T16:47:33","slug":"pros-and-cons-of-ppf-and-ceramic-coating-your-bmw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=75079","title":{"rendered":"Pros and Cons of PPF and Ceramic Coating Your BMW"},"content":{"rendered":"

You might be just starting to learn about paint protection film (PPF) or ceramic coating. Maybe you\u2019re wondering if it\u2019s worth getting PPF on your BMW<\/a>. Whatever research stage you\u2019re at, you probably think PPF and ceramic coating sound pretty great. In fact, almost too good to be true. Rest assured that PPF and ceramic coating are generally extremely wise decisions if you care about how your BMW or other vehicle looks. But each product has some differences and downsides. We teamed up with Chicago-based shop Tinting Chicago<\/a> and XPEL<\/a> to share the pros and cons of PPF and ceramic coating so you can make a better-informed decision.<\/p>\n

PPF and Ceramic Coating: What\u2019s the Difference?<\/h3>\n

Paint protection film (PPF) and ceramic coating are two completely different products that do similar things. PPF is a transparent urethane layer applied over the vehicle\u2019s paint. It is a physical barrier between the vehicle\u2019s paint and outside elements. On the other hand, ceramic coating is a liquid polymer applied to the vehicle. It bonds with the vehicle\u2019s paint, enhancing its gloss and repelling contaminants.<\/p>\n

Pros of PPF<\/h3>\n

The added protection is the biggest \u2013 and most obvious \u2013 pro to PPF. Your paint looks better for longer when it has a layer of PPF over it, regardless of the style or kind of PPF. It protects against the obvious things like dirt, bugs, and rocks. But it also allows your factory paint to shine like new forever, thanks to protection from the sun, rain, and everything else. Accompanied by a competent paint correction and detail before installation, your paint will be swirl-less and could even look better than factory paint indefinitely.<\/p>\n

Overall, PPF makes caring for your car easier, too. Grime, dust, dirt, and other detritus seem to melt away when you wash your car. Scrubbing is largely a thing of the past. Self-healing abilities\u2014like those found with XPEL PPF\u2014add another layer of peace of mind. Additionally, PPF typically helps increase the resale value of your vehicle if you decide to change things up.<\/p>\n

Finally, PPF also has some less tangible benefits. You can drive your vehicle a little bit harder, knowing you don\u2019t have to look at a nose panel chock full of rock chips. You can drive your weekend car more frequently and park a little less carefully at your favorite cars and coffee. With the healing capabilities that XPEL PPF (and some other brands offer), there\u2019s even more peace of mind.<\/p>\n

Cons of PPF<\/h3>\n

There\u2019s only one obvious con to PPF: it\u2019s expensive. While most drivers won\u2019t need full-vehicle PPF\u2014which can run as much as $10,000\u2014even just a full front end can get pricey quickly. And it\u2019s tough to shop for \u2018the best price\u2019 because you don\u2019t want to skimp on quality. We recommend using your preferred film brand\u2019s locator on their website\u2014like the XPEL installer locator<\/a>\u2014and comparing prices between a few shops before committing.<\/p>\n

Some minor notes that could be considered cons. PPF does require regular maintenance, but you\u2019d be doing that anyway if you care about your car\u2019s paint. Serious scratches can still damage the PPF \u2013 permanently \u2013 but, again, it\u2019s better than damaging the vehicle\u2019s paint. Lastly, there is an aesthetic downside to PPF. Without dismantling your vehicle, seams and lines will be visible \u2013 there\u2019s no way around it. Minor \u2013 and I think the protective qualities are worth the trade \u2013 but something to note.<\/p>\n

Pros of Ceramic Coating<\/h3>\n

Ceramic coating is a great way to preserve your factory paint and keep it looking better than factory. Like PPF, it helps protect your paint against the elements and even the sun. It also makes washing and caring for your vehicle easier. Ceramic coating can even help bring faded paint back to life, adding a lot more shine and sparkle than just a paint correction and detail would.<\/p>\n

Cons of Ceramic Coating<\/h3>\n

While less expensive than PPF, ceramic coating is still several hundred (sometimes more) dollars that could be used elsewhere. It lacks the physical protection that PPF does and offers zero ability to self-heal. Ceramic coating is also still prone to swirls, so you need to be careful when washing your vehicle. Similarly, if the ceramic coating isn\u2019t installed after a good wash and detail, you will be disappointed by the results. A general rule: the ceramic coating is only ever going to be as good as the installer. Ceramic coating has a generally shorter lifespan than PPF, too. So, you\u2019ll definitely have to plan on a re-install, even if you\u2019re following the best maintenance practices.<\/p>\n

Both ceramic coating and PPF have plenty of positive attributes. Typically, the experts \u2013 like our friends at XPEL and Tinting Chicago \u2013 recommend PPF and ceramic coating for the best and longest-lasting results. Ceramic coating over PPF \u2013 while far from a budget-minded option \u2013 gets you the best of both worlds. Weigh the pros and cons \u2013 and how much you value your vehicle\u2019s finish \u2013 and make an informed decision.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re interested in PPF and ceramic coating, Tinting Chicago<\/a> offers the following deal for our readers: 15% off ceramic window tint, 20% off ceramic coating, and with any purchase of PPF get ceramic coating on top of the PPF application for free. Use the code BMWBLOG. Offer valid until December 31, 2024.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You might be just starting to learn about paint protection film (PPF) or ceramic coating. Maybe you\u2019re wondering if it\u2019s worth getting PPF on your BMW. Whatever research stage you\u2019re at, you probably think PPF and ceramic coating sound pretty great. In fact, almost too good to be true. Rest assured that PPF and ceramic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":75080,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75079","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75079","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=75079"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75079\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/75080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=75079"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=75079"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=75079"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}