PPF protection.
The protection you never see, but that shows at resale. Clear polyurethane film applied to the exposed areas (bonnet, bumpers, wings, pillars) to take the stone chips and the fine scratches instead of your paint.
PPF is a thick, self-healing film: fine scratches disappear with heat; stone chips stop in the film instead of chipping the paint. It changes neither the colour nor the gloss, which makes it invisible to anyone who is not looking for it.
Fitting calls for precise templates for each model and dust-free conditions: the smallest speck shows under a clear film. We work in an enclosed workshop and remove the parts that need removing, so that the edges disappear into the panel gaps.
Two common options: protecting the most exposed areas, or the whole vehicle. The first covers most of the stone chips for a fraction of the cost of the second. We will tell you plainly which one makes sense for your use.
from diagnosis to handover.
questions we are asked.
What's the difference between PPF and a wrap?
A wrap changes how the car looks; paint protection film changes nothing you can see. PPF is a clear, thicker polyurethane film, fitted so that it takes the stone chips, the rubbing and the fine wash marks in place of the paint. A wrap covers the original colour with a new one. Both come off without damaging the paint underneath, and both leave the manufacturer's warranty intact.
Can you see the film once it's fitted?
Head on, no. The film is clear and takes the colour of the paint beneath it. What can show are the edges: where the panel allows, the cut is tucked into the body gaps and the film disappears altogether. Where it cannot, the film stops flush with the panel edge and leaves a fine line, visible close up and a little more so on a dark colour.
Do the scratches really disappear on their own?
Fine wash marks, yes: that is what self-healing film means. The polyurethane returns to its shape with heat (sunshine, warm water, a pass under the lamps in the workshop) and the mark closes. It holds for scratches that stay within the thickness of the film. A cut that goes right through does not heal, and the film on that panel is replaced rather than the whole car.
Should the whole car be protected, or just the front?
The front first: bonnet, bumper, wings, mirrors, windscreen pillars, headlights. That is what takes the stones thrown up from the road. Then the areas that get rubbed day to day: door sills, around the handles, behind the wheel arches, the boot sill. Full coverage takes in the rest, roof and doors included. There is no need to cover everything: we settle the coverage with you, standing at the car.
Can I wash the car normally once PPF is fitted?
Yes, much as you would a car without film, with two provisos. Wash by hand where you can; a pressure washer is fine, but never held close to a film edge, because that is where it lifts. And keep abrasive polishes and harsh cleaners away from it. Insects, bird droppings and road salt come off as they do on paint. The sooner they are rinsed, the better, film or no film. Blackbee is an XPEL Signature Partner.
Does PPF make any difference when I sell the car on?
The original paint comes through untouched: the film lifts off without damaging it, and what reappears is the bodywork as it was on the day of fitting, without the chips and fine scratches the film took in its place. Original paint counts for something at resale, where a resprayed wing shows up under inspection. You do not have to remove it either. It can stay on the car you sell.