Is It Necessary to Apply a Paint Protection Film for a New Car?
2 Answers
Generally, it is not necessary for ordinary household new cars to apply a paint protection film as the cost-performance ratio is not high. Composition of Paint Protection Film: A paint protection film is a thermoplastic polyurethane film (TPU) containing anti-UV polymers. It has anti-yellowing properties and super toughness. It is wear-resistant, does not yellow, is easy to apply, and resists collisions and scratches. After application, it isolates the car's paint from the air, protecting against acid rain, oxidation, and scratches, providing long-lasting paint protection. Advantages of Paint Protection Film: Crystal-clear transparency, seamlessly blending with the original car paint without affecting the color, and can enhance the paint's gloss by 5% to 20%. It can resist damage from petroleum, grease, weak alkalis, gravel, acid rain, etc. Its super flexibility and memory properties can withstand general scratches and friction. It has excellent UV resistance, preventing long-term damage to the paint and maintaining the gloss of the original factory paint.
I also struggled with whether to apply a paint protection film (PPF) when I first got my new car. After driving for over two years now, I think it really depends on your daily driving environment. In my case, the neighborhood I live in has narrow roads with lots of trees. Once, a tree branch left a scratch on the film while I was turning, but the scratch disappeared on its own after some sun exposure. Parking outdoors regularly, I don't have to worry about acid rain or bird droppings damaging the paint. However, to be honest, PPF isn't cheap—I spent over 8,000 yuan on imported film for my 100,000+ yuan car, which might not be cost-effective for cheaper domestic cars. If you frequently drive on highways or construction sites where there are lots of road debris, PPF can indeed protect against minor scratches and save you from repainting. But be careful not to cheap out on low-quality film, as it can yellow and bubble over time.
