autogeeks, autopia & detail image are a few places online where you can get a ton of info. you basically can't go wrong with products sold there such as wolfgangs, meguiars and the whole lot of products as mentioned above.
one of the first aftermarket purchases i did was aftermarket paint protection film(ppf). the oem nose mask is still unavailable and i wasn't keen on getting a clear bra, which is typically half of the hood up in front where a seam is noticeable and where wax can build up. instead, i opted for a full hood with the edges wrapped from a third party certified installer. no outright seams for my vehicle.
i chose ventureshield because it's supposed to be one of the clearest that doesn't get orange peel over a longer period of time compared to 3m and other products. from what i hear they used to have a lifetime warranty but after they were bought by 3m, it's now a five year one. standard 3m is great in scratch resistance -each has their advantages.
if anyone recommends using plexus, their info is out of date because it has been found to worsen the appearance of orange peel over time due to staining. but regular waxes and sealants are fine as long as they don't contain any petroleum distillates, other harsh ingredients or staining dyes. it's more noticeable on white colour.
while it's far more expensive to have a professional do it versus buying a roll of ppf yourself, what's great is that they have it pre-cut for the vehicle so that all the lines and edges match up neatly well. i haven't seen a pre-cut kit for consumers that covers an entire hood with edges wrapped or other components.
inodes has it made with a fully wrapped vehicle. but for us on a budget, it's nice to know that via a professional installer we can do a bit at a time. for those considering, i'd recommend getting the most crucial areas first. in my case it's the full hood and bumper areas. for others it might be the roof because of possible roof rack scratches or the result of parking under trees.
a few other things on my ppf research:
- the surface you apply the film must be clean in order for the film to adhere. the ideal time to apply it is when the car is brand new otherwise claying it is a good idea.
- as long as the products you use on your car doesn't have petroleum or other harsh ingredients or dyes/stains, it should be fine on the covered areas.
- it's possible to use a machine polisher to remove swirls on ppf but not recommended unless you know what you are doing... lowest setting w/ no pressure. for most people it's unnecessary.
- a clay bar is fine.
- a wax without dyes is fine.
- a sealant is recommended. i heard good things about optiseal on ppf.
- it's a good idea to find a good reputable installer.
- while it takes around 48 hours upon installation to cure, keep an eye on any air bubbles and adhesion of the ppf edges so if there are trouble spots you can notify them to have it corrected.
some pictures:
note the seams. bumper (lower right), headlights covered, front hood edge, black front piece covered. you can ask the installer to cover that black piece.
edges of the headlight & full hood covered. can't afford the full fenders yet but they get less of the brunt when driving.
