If you’re even remotely interested in cars, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve heard about paint protection film, or PPF. Even if you aren’t an enthusiast, you might be familiar with it – many car dealerships have started offering it as soon as you take delivery of a new car. It’s usually presented alongside a variety of other products, like window tint and ceramic coating.
Over the last two decades, a company now known as XPEL, Inc. has emerged as one of the foremost sources for products like these. But, how do you know if you’ll really get value out of them? None of these services are cheap – and if they are, you might not be getting quality work performed. With the help of XPEL’s own Chris Hardy, Senior Director of Sales, we’re here to help figure out if XPEL’s library of products – particularly PPF and window tint – is suitable for you. We will also work in the near future with Illinois-based Tinting Chicago shop to test the benefits of PPF, ceramic coating and tinting (a full video series is coming up).
Who Needs PPF?
Don’t overthink it – paint protection film is for anyone who truly values their vehicle’s paint. It’s simple: PPF makes it easier to clean your vehicle and allows your vehicle’s OEM paint to hold up longer and better. It takes all the damage your paint typically endures – from the sun, road debris, precipitation, or anything else. XPEL – and others – can even self-heal, so more minor scratches and dings are a thing of the past. When combined with a ceramic coating – which can be applied to wheels and brake calipers – maintaining your vehicle’s appearance is usually a simple matter of a quick spot detail.
Thanks to a vast variety of different films, there’s one for every kind of driver, too. XPEL’s TRACWRAP offering is an 8mil-thick (0.008″) urethane film that goes on and comes off easily—perfect for dodging bugs, rocks, and debris on long highway drives or track time. XPEL Stealth is designed explicitly for Frozen (matte) paint jobs to provide added protection without compromising the unique paint.
When choosing an XPEL PPF product, you’ll find true versatility. Go with the virtually invisible Ultimate Plus or thick, 23-mil Armor for off-road installation. No matter what kind of vehicle you drive or how you plan to use it, PPF is the only way to ensure easy paint maintenance and a factory finish, even after years of driving.
Who Needs Tint or Window Film?
Of course, XPEL offers many other products, from ceramic coating to window tint. While we’ll touch on the differences – there are many – between PPF and coatings in a separate article, tint is an easy one. Simply put: it’s a must. To quote another friend from XPEL: “With how far tint technology has come, truly everyone needs a quality window tint.” As a current resident of Arizona, I couldn’t agree more.
While the term’ window tint’ may conjure up images of blacked-out windshields driving through the sketchy parts of town, that’s not exactly accurate. In fact, window tint doesn’t even need to be dark to block out IR heat – something XPEL’s nano-ceramic tint offers. Notably, XPEL tint doesn’t interfere with radio, cellular, or Bluetooth signals – something lower-end trims might be unable to tout.
It definitely pays to be educated when it’s time to tint your vehicle. When you’re researching, remember that VLT – Visible Light Transmission – indicates how much visible light comes through the tint, so lower VLT numbers are darker. XPEL’s window film offers up to SPF 1,000 levels of protection, effectively blocking 99 percent of UVB and UVC rays – and that’s why we simply recommend everyone consider window tint.
What The Pros Recommend
“Whether it’s a $20,000, $250,000, or $2 million car, it’s the full front end of the vehicle,” Chris says. He thinks the “full front end” treatment is necessary for anyone who wants their vehicle to stay well-preserved. “This is where you’ll sustain 90 percent or more of what we call the visible wear and tear over the span of ownership of the vehicle,” he says.
“Full front end” is a lay term, comprising the entirety of the front bumper and fenders, and hood of the vehicle – and usually, the back of the side mirrors. Chris also specifies that this is an excellent pick for people who want to track their vehicle, as it’s cost-effective and, again, where most track residue will end up. A bonafide “Track Package” is also available, which adds the rocker panels and rear impact area. He also admits that doing a full-vehicle PPF can be very expensive – and sometimes, it simply isn’t necessary for many drivers.
Why XPEL?
The information here is specific to XPEL, and there’s a reason for that. Not all paint protection is created equally. Like window tint, there is a huge disparity in quality – and any job worth doing is worth doing correctly the first time. XPEL is our choice – and the choice of countless other enthusiasts – for several reasons. According to our friend Chris, XPEL was the first to develop a non-yellowing and self-healing film in 2011. While that’s become more of the usual today, that’s what initially brought XPEL to the forefront – and why it’s a household name in the industry today.
XPEL is highly selective about who installs and carries its products and requires vendors to train and remain current with the brand’s standards. Furthermore, it offers a 10-year warranty on its PPF—another industry first that’s becoming a standard. It’s also one of very few covered across multiple owners. The same goes for window tint, which is covered by a lifetime warranty.
With so many historic firsts under their belt and continuous innovation in the field, we think it’s clear why XPEL has earned the trust of enthusiasts, collectors, and others. If you genuinely value the condition of your vehicle, there’s no better option than XPEL.
Here is a photo gallery, courtesy of Tinting Chicago.