PPF v Ceramic Coating...

GBLC250

GBLC250

New member
Jul 29, 2025
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Cincinnati, OH
Vehicles
2025 LC250 1958
Hi, everyone!

Does anyone out there have any practical experience between the advantages of PPF over Ceramic Coating or vice versa? At this very moment, my '25 LC250 1958 is in the shop getting a ceramic coating applied. I'm heading to CO next week for a 2 week odyssey between Denver and Aspen (point of origin is OH!!!). I think I made an informed decision but would love to hear what others have experienced on the trail. My main concern is pin striping.

THANKS in advance for your feedback. Love this forum so far.
 
Ceramic coating isn't for scratch/physical protection, it (primarily) makes the vehicle easier to clean. You will need PPF (or some other sort of physical barrier/protection) if you want protection from physical damage (like scratches/pin striping).
 
The shop I went to and trust, said apply PPF first, then ceramic coat over the PPF. They actually said not to ceramic coat before applying the PPF as it would cause the PPF not to adhere to the surface of the vehicle properly. So, PPF to protect the paint from scratching and ceramic coat over the PPF to make it harder for dirt to stick to the vehicle, making it easier to keep clean.
 
Hey, folks.

Interesting to read your takes on the subject. My guy at West Chester Paint Protection | Ceramic Coating & PPF has convinced me that the PPF manufacturers have users brainwashed that PPF is the way to go. I chose the ceramic because of the UV protection, durability against abrasions and the way it repels dirt and keeps the car looking "cleaner" longer.

Another advantage is when there is abrasion, it can be buffed out and re-coated with the ceramic for much less cost of replacing a panel of PPF.

Overall, the price of ceramic v ppf was much more reasonable.

Keep the opinions coming. I'm very interested to hear more. Btw, I'm picking my LC up tomorrow. Can't wait to see it. I'm going through withdrawal since dropping it off 5PM yesterday.
 
They are two different things entirely. You say you made "an informed decision," but... got to be honest here. If that was the case, you'd have at least googled the differences.

Ceramic won't help protect against pinstriping or abrasions. Ceramic is just like an advanced wax. PPF is actually a relatively soft film that protects against abrasions.

These aren't "opinions." Good grief.
 
I did make an informed decision. My shop's owner is a veteran of the automotive paint and coatings industry and not just a detail shop. I trust his opinion and guidance that led me to my decision. The ceramic coating being applied to my vehicle will protect my paint just as well as ppf. I'm getting 2 base layers and 2 top coats applied. And, as I mentioned before, any repair can be accomplished by buffing out and recoating the area v applying whole sheets over the span of 2 doors or the entire side of the vehicle. Whether you like it or not, you provided an opinion. Thanks.
 
From a practical point of view, most ceramic coatings are incredibly thin (a few microns), and act by bonding with the surface itself. They do not provide physical protection. An abrasion being "buffed out and re-coated" is exactly the same paint correction process that would be required without a ceramic coating.

Your ceramic coating will not protect your vehicle's paint in the same way or as well as PPF.

Also, in practice, ceramic coatings (and PPF for that matter) do not provide any meaningful UV protection.

PPF is expensive, and usually more expensive than a coating – no dispute there. But PPF is a convenience - usually when making the decision you weight it against whether you'd rather pay for paint correction, and potentially a repaint, down the road.

PPF repair can also be much more straightforward than you've described (including the ability to be polished in some cases), it all depends on the damage done and the skill of the installer (and/or detailer).

That sucks that your guy is either not informed on current products, didn't fully understand what you wanted for your vehicle, or decided to take you for a ride. I would suggest you discuss it with him, maybe there is a middle ground or understanding you can come to.
 
NJB3 said:
The shop I went to and trust, said apply PPF first, then ceramic coat over the PPF. They actually said not to ceramic coat before applying the PPF as it would cause the PPF not to adhere to the surface of the vehicle properly. So, PPF to protect the paint from scratching and ceramic coat over the PPF to make it harder for dirt to stick to the vehicle, making it easier to keep clean.
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I did the same.
 
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The website for the shop you used spells out the difference.
 
NYCLC said:
From a practical point of view, most ceramic coatings are incredibly thin (a few microns), and act by bonding with the surface itself. They do not provide physical protection. An abrasion being "buffed out and re-coated" is exactly the same paint correction process that would be required without a ceramic coating.

Your ceramic coating will not protect your vehicle's paint in the same way or as well as PPF.

Also, in practice, ceramic coatings (and PPF for that matter) do not provide any meaningful UV protection.

PPF is expensive, and usually more expensive than a coating – no dispute there. But PPF is a convenience - usually when making the decision you weight it against whether you'd rather pay for paint correction, and potentially a repaint, down the road.

PPF repair can also be much more straightforward than you've described (including the ability to be polished in some cases), it all depends on the damage done and the skill of the installer (and/or detailer).

That sucks that your guy is either not informed on current products, didn't fully understand what you wanted for your vehicle, or decided to take you for a ride. I would suggest you discuss it with him, maybe there is a middle ground or understanding you can come to.
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I am aware of the difference between the two products. And he is aware of why I came to him in the first place. We had a long conversation about the advantages/disadvantages of both.

From a practical point of view, most ceramic coatings are incredibly thin (a few microns), and act by bonding with the surface itself. They do not provide physical protection. An abrasion being "buffed out and re-coated" is exactly the same paint correction process that would be required without a ceramic coating.
I am getting a double base coating as well as a double top coat. This will provide nearly as much protection as ppf. Agreed about the paint correction process you described, but the ceramic will protect the paint and the buffing I refer to is to the ceramic coating and not the paint. But the paint correction can be done if necessary by the shop.

Your ceramic coating will not protect your vehicle's paint in the same way or as well as PPF.
I am okay with the level of protection I've been promised.

That sucks that your guy is either not informed on current products, didn't fully understand what you wanted for your vehicle, or decided to take you for a ride. I would suggest you discuss it with him, maybe there is a middle ground or understanding you can come to.
I'm a little offended that you assume I've been "taken for a ride". I trust my judgment and the informed decision I made.
 
GBLC250 said:
I did make an informed decision. My shop's owner is a veteran of the automotive paint and coatings industry and not just a detail shop. I trust his opinion and guidance that led me to my decision. The ceramic coating being applied to my vehicle will protect my paint just as well as ppf. I'm getting 2 base layers and 2 top coats applied. And, as I mentioned before, any repair can be accomplished by buffing out and recoating the area v applying whole sheets over the span of 2 doors or the entire side of the vehicle. Whether you like it or not, you provided an opinion. Thanks.
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I have both PPF (front clip, mirror caps, headlights, and door handles) and ceramic coating on my LC. I detail cars as a hobby, including doing full paint corrections and applying ceramic coatings. I do not install PPF. If you believe that a ceramic coating will provide the same protection as PPF, you're either misinformed or you were misled.

The PPF on my truck is XPel with a ceramic coating applied post-installation (GTechniq Halo.) After 20,000 miles and almost a year(mostly on road, but also a hefty dose of off road), the PPF is still in very good condition. The PPF has absorbed many hits and I have no paint damage to any areas of the LC. Having said that, I can tell the difference between the areas of my truck that are ceramic coated and PPF'd. I prefer the look of the ceramic coated portions of the truck but I am also grateful for the protection that the PPF has provided to the front clip. No rock chips, no scratches, and close to a "new" look.

On the other hand, I did get hit with something above the windshield that created very minor damage to the paint in a non-ppf area that is ceramic coated. No ceramic coating exists that can provide the level of impact damage that PPF can provide. And, no ceramic coating will provide the level of paint protection that PPF provides. Yes, I can buff out minor scratches and pinstriping, but the clear coat on the truck is only so thick. Every time you do a paint correction you remove some of the clear coat, so it should not be done frequently.

PPF will not adhere properly to a ceramic coated vehicle. So, since you've chosen that route, it would be more costly to go back and put on PPF.

I've been ceramic coating cars for several years. The ceramic coating does add a level of protection, but it will not prevent swirling, pin striping, or other mechanical damage to your paint. About two months ago I spent the better part of a week doing a full paint correction and ceramic coating of our Acura RDX which had made several trips to Colorado. The paint was swirled in areas, the sides were lightly pinstriped, and the amount of damage to the hood and bumper due to impacts was more than a little. The RDX had been fully corrected and ceramic coated from the day we bought it (another week in my garage :) So, no, a ceramic coating doesn't protect like PPF. I keep my cars spotless and the only car wash they see is me in my driveway or garage.

PPF provides significantly more protection to the paint on a car than ceramic coating and it's not particularly close. If PPF is level 10 on a 1-10 scale, I'd put ceramic coatings around a 4-5 based on my experience.

So, why not just PPF everything? Two reasons for me - 1. The cost to fully PPF an LC is from 5-10 times more than doing a ceramic coating. For me, the cost difference is even greater because I can do my own paint correction and ceramic coating. 2. I don't like the look of a PPF coated car as much as one without it. So, personal preference is also a reason. That's why I did the front clip with PPF, but not the entire vehicle. I've provided the most protection in the most needed areas and used ceramic coating everywhere else.
 
GBLC250 said:
I did make an informed decision. My shop's owner is a veteran of the automotive paint and coatings industry and not just a detail shop. I trust his opinion and guidance that led me to my decision. The ceramic coating being applied to my vehicle will protect my paint just as well as ppf. I'm getting 2 base layers and 2 top coats applied. And, as I mentioned before, any repair can be accomplished by buffing out and recoating the area v applying whole sheets over the span of 2 doors or the entire side of the vehicle. Whether you like it or not, you provided an opinion. Thanks.
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Interesting that your shop is applying two base layers of ceramic coating. Everything thing I've read on ceramic coatings indicates that doing multiple layers is ineffective as the coating will not bond to itself (in other words, doing a second coat doesn't increase the thickness or effectiveness of the ceramic coating.) Unlike ceramic coatings, the top coatings I'm familiar with can be applied in multiple coats.
 
GBLC250 said:
I did make an informed decision. My shop's owner is a veteran of the automotive paint and coatings industry and not just a detail shop. I trust his opinion and guidance that led me to my decision. The ceramic coating being applied to my vehicle will protect my paint just as well as ppf. I'm getting 2 base layers and 2 top coats applied. And, as I mentioned before, any repair can be accomplished by buffing out and recoating the area v applying whole sheets over the span of 2 doors or the entire side of the vehicle. Whether you like it or not, you provided an opinion. Thanks.
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I think you need to talk with another shop. PPF and ceramic are entirely different and do different things. Ceramic will do nothing to protect against scratches. If all you want is to protect the paint from the sun and make it easier to clean, then go with ceramic. If you want any chance of protecting against scratches and pin striping then you need PPF. And you can ceramic coat over PPF.
 
Neither will 100% protect your vehicle from damage. Bigger and edged rock chips will still get through PPF like Xpel.

But between the 2, the PPF will provide an actual physical barrier. You can get gaslit by whichever marketing source of your choice, and get separated from your money if you wish, but it’s simple physics.
 
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NJB3 said:
The shop I went to and trust, said apply PPF first, then ceramic coat over the PPF. They actually said not to ceramic coat before applying the PPF as it would cause the PPF not to adhere to the surface of the vehicle properly. So, PPF to protect the paint from scratching and ceramic coat over the PPF to make it harder for dirt to stick to the vehicle, making it easier to keep clean.
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Correct. I got PPF as 1st layer then ceramic coating on top
 
NJB3 said:
The shop I went to and trust, said apply PPF first, then ceramic coat over the PPF. They actually said not to ceramic coat before applying the PPF as it would cause the PPF not to adhere to the surface of the vehicle properly. So, PPF to protect the paint from scratching and ceramic coat over the PPF to make it harder for dirt to stick to the vehicle, making it easier to keep clean.
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Basically this. Mine is fully wrapped with Xpel and ceramic coated. I have two vehicles done this way and I hand wash both of them. A leaf blower makes quick work of drying with only a few areas I need to wipe down with a microfiber. The other benefit of films like Xpel is they are self healing to an extent, so no swirl marks or micro scratching. Bird droppings may cause a haze in the film, but after it's cleaned off, set it out in the sun for an hour and it's clear again.
 
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