Does Anybody PPF Their Whole NSX?

Mr. Fuji

Mr. Fuji

Experienced Member
Joined
26 June 2009
Messages
323
Location
Calgary- Canada
I am getting my entire exterior repainted and/or replaced except for the canopy and mirrors, details are here: http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showt...-quot-Just-Another-Sebring-Silver-quot-Thread. I always intended to use xpel ultimate for the bumper, hood, mirrors, and other typical areas, but am thinking about just doing the whole car now. Any thoughts?

I have searched and read a lot on Prime but can't find an instance of anyone PPF'ing their entire NSX, especially with xpel ultimate. Why is that? With some of the high $$ people spend on other things I am sure it just can't be about the money. Honestly the incremental cost isn't that much more than the typical PPF'd areas, so I figure why not get maximum protection?

What do you think, should I do it? Would you do it? Opinions, advice, and insight would be appreciated.

Fuji
 
For those who don't know. Xpel ultimate is a type of clearfilm bra.

My only concern on that is that typically - after painting - you have to let it 'air out' for some period of time being applying some sort of additional coating. Your painter will let you know the specific care details.

For those that actually want to do their entire cars - I know the Tesla guys do Opticoat. Same general idea - but isn't meant for rock chips and etc from driving.
 
Zero is correct. You would want to be sure that a repaint is "cured" as hard as its going to be prior to applying any PPF.
Here a couple of reasons that folks might avoid doing the entire car: cost, custom cutting(risk of knife edge going into paint), detailing limitations (which some might see as an advantage)
I have seen Expel Ultimate used on door edges, leading edge of wing, intake leading edges, around door handles, A pillars, top of windshield
Also saw a Ferrari and a few other high-end exotics that were 100% covered
If you have the cash... sure why not
-
 
Thanks for the input guys.
I am aware of the need for a cure time, and I know it can vary from a week or 2 to 3 months depending on paint formulation.

My bodyshop guy bakes all painted surfaces at 140F and say this negates the need for curing. Thoughts?
 
After a re spray of the front end of my car due to rock chips, I had the complete front end, front fenders, hood, mirrors, around the door handles and the rockers covered with 3M PPF. Its good; but, it is not invisible, particularly on large flat horizontal surfaces like the front hood. It does not have the same level of shine as the clear coat. So I suggest that on the basis of appearance, you put it on the high risk areas and leave it off the areas where there is a low probability of damage (if you have to park in a lot next to a door banger, then maybe the whole car is at risk!).

I have never seen the Expel PPF. Perhaps it goes on much smoother than the 3M and is indistinguishable from clear coat. If that is the case, then you have no down side from an appearance perspective and its just a matter of how much cash you have to throw at it!

Baking the car speeds the curing process; however, I don't think that your painter can guarantee that there will be zero outgassing from the paint. Unless the paint shop is doing both the paint and the ppf and is prepared to guarantee in writing that there will be no issues, I would let it cure for a while before applying the film. I had my car re sprayed in October, put it into storage and then had the ppf applied in April the next year.
 
I just had my car done, and there was fresh paint and they didn't have to wait at all due to the nature of the paint they used and the curing process..........they guarantee it. Check out their site and you will see what they do and realize they know their stuff. Was about $1800 for everything.

http://site.legendarymotorcar.com/ or www.legendarymotorcar.com

LMC is not your backdoor place you go to for a cheap fix.............my car was just under $46k to fix this winter when it got hit from behind and the lights,spoiler and trunk got crunched..........I put the clear bra on the front bumper, hood, lights, entire front bottom portion, pillars, mirrors, rocker panels, door handles, intake edges, rear lower fender, front fenders, and I think that's it.............my car is Midnight Pearl and it's difficult to see the clear bra on. Most of this is cut on the machine but there are parts that are not available with the kits, and since there is a lot left over once the cuts are made the installer can easily hand cut the smaller areas and it's just more labour and no material charges since it's waste.

Well worth it if you plan on keeping the car.
 
You should take a tour of the facility if you are ever here...........some of the best car restorations around and they have a new TV show this year which is better then the last one IMO.
 
First hand experience with Xpel - I had a car come in and his film was peeling up in a few spots, he asked me to remove it - I called our local Xpel dealer and he warned me that it could peel the paint - and it did.
 
angus said:
First hand experience with Xpel - I had a car come in and his film was peeling up in a few spots, he asked me to remove it - I called our local Xpel dealer and he warned me that it could peel the paint - and it did.
Click to expand...
:eek:

I'm not a paint expert but I do like the idea,
I've seen these clear style covers on tons of customer cars but haven't yet had it done to my own cars.

I'm having one of my cars fully repainted next month and it would be nice if there was a safe and effective way of further protecting it.
 
paint protection film......or poopy poopy fart....
 
Poopy-poopy fart, lol.

I did some meditation on this and have decided to just cover the obvious (bumper, hood, mirrors, A pillars) and perhaps a couple other places prone to damage, like the side scoops.

Just my preference.
 
Last edited:
Does anybody have specific recommendations for places to apply PPF, besides the obvious? Photos like the one below make me think I should be protecting more than just bumper/hood/mirrors/a pillars, even if I am not tracking the car.


NSXtape_zps1b19a696.jpg


(thanks to junior40er for the photo)
 
My car has 95% coverage with 3M.

Uncovered areas are:

1. Underside of the rear wing spoiler
2. Black Door Trim
3. Inside leading edge surfaces of the side vents
4. 1" of the leading edge of the rear trunklid under spoiler
5. Extreme outside edges of the side view mirrors

Since it was done in 2006, the experience to do these areas wasn't widely available as it is today. Today, I'm sure I could get these covered too if I wanted.
 
Last edited:
Mr. Fuji said:
Does anybody have specific recommendations for places to apply PPF, besides the obvious? Photos like the one below make me think I should be protecting more than just bumper/hood/mirrors/a pillars, even if I am not tracking the car.


NSXtape_zps1b19a696.jpg


(thanks to junior40er for the photo)
Click to expand...

Yes, even factory vehicles use it in similar areas - and for good reason.
 
Rocker panels, door opening slots where your hand goes, behind the rear wheel lower fenders, front fenders.........
 
GECKO said:
http://site.legendarymotorcar.com/ or www.legendarymotorcar.com

LMC is not your backdoor place you go to for a cheap fix.............Well worth it if you plan on keeping the car.
Click to expand...
That place is amazing, I could spen a couple of days just looking around there!

- - - Updated - - -

angus said:
Yes, even factory vehicles use it in similar areas - and for good reason.
Click to expand...

Agreed. At the Calgary Auto show recently I saw a few cars with protection in areas similar to above. One of the p-cars even had what looked like body-coloured viny on the rear fender flares.
 
A post to close the loop.

I settled on covering the high-risk areas, and ended up filming the following in Xpel ultimate:
front bumper (upper & lower)
Hood
Side mirrors
Front quarter panels
A pillars
Roof
B pillars
Side skirts
Side air intakes
Rear valence (sides only)
stock rear spoiler
DF NSX-R spoiler
Tommy Kaira gurney flap
Headlights
 
angus said:
First hand experience with Xpel - I had a car come in and his film was peeling up in a few spots, he asked me to remove it - I called our local Xpel dealer and he warned me that it could peel the paint - and it did.
Click to expand...


Do you know if the paint that peeled from the Xpel was original/factory paint?
 
jcbadcura said:
Do you know if the paint that peeled from the Xpel was original/factory paint?
Click to expand...

Not factory paint but at least a year old before the film was on, I think he said the Xpel was on for about 6mos.
 
3M PPF saved the paint on my front this summer as I had a semi truck either picked up part of a tire or lost one right in front of me. (it happened really fast)
The 3M peeled back, the tire piece depressed the plastic bumper right beside the front marker lamp a bit, but the paint survived.
Now I have to remove the bumper, heat the bumper skin from the inside to remove the depression. Then get the 3M reapplied.
 

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