The list
- No impact protection. Rocks, sand blast, door dings and keys reach the paint. Film is the answer for those.
- Permanent, including mistakes. Applied over swirls or water spots, it seals them in. Applied badly, high spots have to be polished out. This is a prep and installer disadvantage, and it is why paint correction comes first, always.
- Not maintenance-free. Easier to wash, not self-washing. Contamination still needs to come off, brush washes still wear it, and the warranty needs an annual maintenance detail.
- Cost. From $499 for a professional package because the correction and the bay are most of the price.
What it is not
It is not fragile. A cured professional coating is harder than clear coat, chemically inert, and shrugs off rain, sun, salt and pH-neutral soap for years.
How to neutralize the disadvantages
Correct the paint first (we do). Cure it in a controlled bay (we do). Put film on the impact zones if the car sees the highway; every Full Front and Full Body PPF install includes a $549 Ceramic Pro coating. Wash by hand or touchless.
