PPF, or Paint Protection Film, is a clear polyurethane film applied over the bodywork. Its job comes down to one sentence: take the hit instead of the paint. Between the A9 motorway, gritted roads in winter and de-icing salt, original paint has a hard life on the Vaud Riviera. Here is what PPF really protects, where to fit it first, and what to expect from it.
What PPF protects, and what it does not
The film takes what would otherwise land on the clear coat:
- Stone chips, above all on the front end at motorway speed.
- Everyday micro-scratches from washing, clothing brushing past panels, seatbelts snapping back onto the door.
- Chemical fallout: bird droppings, tree sap, insects, road salt.
- UV, which dulls dark paint and tires the clear coat. The films we fit have built-in UV protection.
What it does not do: it will not repair paint that is already damaged, and it will not protect against an impact. A door swung into your car can dent the panel through the film. PPF works on surface damage, not on deformation.
That is also what separates it from a wax or a ceramic coating. Those change the surface of the clear coat, improve slickness and make washing easier, but they add no thickness. PPF puts a physical layer between the stone chip and your paint.
Where to fit it first
Full coverage is not always necessary. If the budget has to be prioritised, the exposed areas are what count.
- The front end. Bumper, bonnet, front wings, headlights. This is where the debris concentrates. A front-end kit is the logical starting point.
- Rocker panels and the area behind the front wheels. The front wheels throw grit and salt straight at them.
- The mirrors. Small area, heavily exposed, and expensive to repaint.
- A-pillars and the leading edge of the roof. Often forgotten, often pitted.
- Contact areas. Handles, sills, boot lip: the scratches of daily use.
We fit partial kits, extended kits or full coverage, cut to measure on our digital cutting system. The steps involved are set out on our PPF service page.
PPF or a colour wrap: two different products
They get confused because both involve applying a film. The logic is the opposite.
A wrap is a coloured film: it changes how the car looks. PPF is clear: it leaves the appearance alone and protects instead. PPF is also considerably thicker, which is what lets it absorb impacts a wrap film would pass straight through.
The two work well together: PPF on the exposed areas, wrap on the rest. If the look is what interests you, price, lifespan and declaring a colour change to the cantonal vehicle authority are covered in our article on car wrapping.
Self-healing, and its limits
Current films are described as self-healing. The top layer of the polyurethane has shape memory: under heat, whether sunshine, warm water or controlled heat in the workshop, it returns to its original position and micro-scratches fade away.
The mechanism works, but it has limits.
- It acts on surface scratches, not on a cut that goes through the film.
- It does nothing about an ingrained chemical stain. A bird dropping left for several days in full sun can mark the film lastingly.
- It is no substitute for washing. A dirty film does not heal any better.
How long it lasts
Lifespan depends on the film, on the installation and on how the car lives. A vehicle garaged overnight ages more slowly than one left outside all year. Cut edges and sharp creases mark first: that is where the quality of the fitting shows.
Depending on the product chosen, the films we fit carry a manufacturer warranty of up to ten years. The certificate is handed to you after the final inspection, and sets out what the warranty covers.
One point that matters at resale: under the film, the paint has stayed original. That is a concrete argument in front of a buyer inspecting the front end.
Looking after a filmed car
Nothing complicated, but a few habits help.
- Wait until the film has settled before the first wash. The workshop will tell you how long.
- Wash by hand. Rollers attack the cut edges.
- Do not aim a pressure washer at close range at the edges of the film.
- Remove droppings, sap and insects quickly. The longer they sit, the more they mark.
- No abrasive polish on the film. There are care products made for PPF.
Getting PPF fitted on the Vaud Riviera
Our workshop is in Villeneuve, between Montreux and Aigle. Fitting takes place in a clean room, after washing, decontamination and paint correction. A film laid over marked clear coat locks the defects underneath: preparation is not optional.
We look at the vehicle before quoting: the price depends on its condition and on the surface to be covered. You can look at our PPF in Villeneuve page or get in touch to arrange an appointment.
