How to Choose the Best Paint Protection Film for Cars

If you want to take care of the way your vehicle looks, you'll need the best paint protection film for cars. Here's how to choose the right product.

It costs between $1,000 to $4,500 for a standard car repaint job in the USA, reports Bank Rate. For showroom-quality paint jobs, expect to pay upwards of $5,000.

If you're like us, you take pride in how your car looks as you cruise along. But driving exposes your paintwork to UV, chips, scratches, and weather damage. The costs add up, chip by chip.

The best paint protection film for cars keeps your paint looking its best. Your car will be protected from the elements, and you will save money.

But how do you choose paint protection film? What types of paint protection film can you buy? Where do you start?

We have a guide with everything you need to know. Read on to keep your paintwork gleaming.

How to Choose Paint Protection Film

High-quality materials and production methods are key. The best paint protection films have four layers. These keep your paintwork looking great.

Film layers work in tandem to protect your car. From bottom to top, the materials are:

• a polyester-release liner
• an acrylic adhesive
• a protective polyurethane layer
• a clear coating.

The bottom polyester layer sticks to your car's exterior. The acrylic adhesive bonds the polyurethane, which provides the bulk of protection and is the thickest layer.

The clear coating adds shine and keeps things looking elegant.

What Level of Protection Do You Need?

Look for the highest level of protection you can afford. You need to be protected against strong UV light in summer, hail in winter, and grit from the road's surface.

Paint protection film around 6mm thick will be enough in most cases. But this excludes the adhesive, release liner, and clear coating.

Thinner paint protection films may be cheaper, but you will pay more for repairs later. Applying paint protection film is easy, but you want to do it as seldom as possible.

How Transparent Is It?

You take pride in your car's gleaming paintwork. You want to show it off, so why would you cover it in poor-quality translucent paint protection film?

Like with protection, you get what you pay for with transparency. It should be near-impossible to spot your paint protection film. Its job is to protect, not to cover things up.

Poor-quality paint protection film adhesive can turn yellow with exposure to the elements. This can look even worse than damaged paintwork. You won't impress anyone with that!

The best paint protection film brands use top-notch adhesives. They are immune to discoloration.

How Well Does It Handle Minor Damage?

The best paint protection film for cars will have some self-healing ability. No this isn't a superhero spin-off. It means your paint protection can recover from scratches, chips, and scuffs without the need for reapplication.

How does it work?

Well, you need to apply a little heat to the film. This makes the film smooth and pliable again. You can remove imperfections before it cools.

When you're done, your paint protection film will look like new.

How Long Will It Last?

Premium paint protection will last for years. Choose one that goes the distance.

Look for brands that offer warranties for their films. For top-quality products, look for a 10-year warranty or more. Expect to pay for this longevity upfront, but you will save in the long run.

Check online reviews to read other customers' experiences. Use longevity, peeling, or replacement as keywords. 

Types of Paint Protection Films

Paint protection film goes by a few different names, but they all serve the same purpose. These include:

• Clear bra films
• Clear film
• Helicopter tape
• PPF - an acronym for paint protection film

The clear bra design is one of the original forms of paint protection. It prevents damage to body panels during road tests post-manufacture. Their front shape resembles that of their moniker.

Bill Cogan, a Californian car dealer, is credited with the term.

Helicopter tape has interesting historical significance. Like polyurethane, it helped protect helicopters in the Vietnam War. This tape would line the important parts of the rotors and help keep troops safe.

Paint Protection Film vs Vinyl

Vinyl is also a common paint coating, but it serves a different purpose to paint protection film. Vinyl changes the color of a car. You can add advertising graphics or branding to vinyl.

Vinyl does offer some protection and can last a long time. But paint protection films protect. That is their main purpose, not aesthetics.

What Are the Benefits of Paint Protection Film?

Have you ever seen those old cars by the roadside? Rusted, faded, and with peeling paint. Well, the main benefit of a paint protection film is to stop this from becoming your car.

Elite car clubs, like the Porsche Club of America, swear by paint protection films. They are vital for all cars, but more so for vintage models. Preserving their appearance is crucial to their appeal.

You will preserve the resale value of your car. The specific protection your car will benefit from includes the following:

• Extreme weather damage - hail, sleet, snow, and wind debris
• UV damage - faded roof paint and peeling
• Chips, scuffs, grit damage, and superficial scratches
• Cleaning abrasion and paint swirling

You can replace paint protection film when it is damaged, but repainting your whole car will cost you. What are you waiting for? Keep your car in top condition.

Where to Buy the Best Paint Protection Film for Cars

We hope our guide helped you choose the best paint protection film for cars. This simple product can save you stacks of cash down the line. Your car will look brand new, and even when your film wears, you can refresh it easily.

Our team at East Coast Tint Enterprise has fitted paint protection films Based in Roswell, GA, we offer protection films, ceramic coatings, and tints for your car.

Cars are our passion, and we would be thrilled to help you keep yours in tip-top shape.

Get in touch for your free estimate today!