Did You Fall For These PPF Myths?
These 5 myths are believed by way too many people. Here is the truth.
If you’ve ever owned a car, especially a new one, you will know that the paint finish never stays looking new for very long. Every day, it seems like you find a new blemish or scuff. This is because the top layer of your car’s paint, the clear coat, is easily scratched and scuffed by almost anything. The worst culprit is flying road debris kicked up by your tires and the tires of other cars. Even something seemingly harmless, like washing your car with a slightly dirty sponge or cloth can seriously damage the paint.
Fortunately, engineers created paint protection film (often called a “clear bra”) to deal with these problems and protect your paint. As with any topic that is routinely discussed on the internet, there are many myths and mistruths floating around about PPF. Here are five myths that you might believe are true.
Your car’s paint needs UV protection
Some manufacturers and installers out there will tout the UV blocking merits of their film. This myth is easily believable, because we all know how much UV rays can damage paint, but isn’t true. Your car’s clear coat already protects the paint from UV rays. Good quality PPF is resistant to UV rays, so it can protect itself from damage and discolouration.
Also, imagine if PPF did block UV rays, and clear coat did not. That means that over time, the areas of your car with PPF wouldn’t fade at the same rate as the rest of your car, causing an undesired look. All you want from PPF is to protect your car from abrasion and chemical damage.
The adhesive backing of PPF will damage car paint
This is flat out wrong. The whole point of PPF is to protect the paint, so if it actually damaged the paint, no one would ever buy it. At the end of its life, PPF can be peeled off with no residue or damage. Your paint will be perfect, and ready for another application of PPF.
PPF reduces the value of your car
This is far from the truth! PPF is one of the best ways to protect the value of your car, so you can get more when you go to sell. High quality PPF will keep the factory paint in great condition, and can be peeled off when it comes time to sell, if necessary.
You can’t wax PPF
PPF can be waxed with any natural or synthetic wax, polish, or sealant, and can be used in conjunction with ceramic coatings. In this case, the confusion arises from people confusing PPF with vinyl car wraps. Wraps are made of a different, more delicate, material and are incredibly thin. Waxing a wrapped car will ruin the wrap and destroy the finish, but waxing PPF is actually good for it!
After a few years, PPF will turn yellow and crack
This myth can’t be debunked entirely because there are so many manufacturers of PPF out there. This one really comes down to quality. Bargain PPF is cheap for a reason – they use poor quality materials and adhesives that quickly degrade when exposed to UV light. When it comes to PPF, you don’t necessarily need to get the absolutely most expensive stuff, but you really want to avoid cheaping out.
Invest in the Best
When you choose to invest in protecting your vehicle with PPF, you want to make sure you get a product that is up to your standard. Getting cheap PPF will not only fail to protect your car, but will be less durable, look terrible, and be more difficult to remove at the end of its life. To make sure you are getting the best, choose an installer that has over 20 years of experience and is trusted by the most reputable brands on the market. Get in touch today to get your vehicle the protection it deserves.