If you’re reading this, you probably already know you want paint protection film. The harder question is how much of the car to cover. We install XPEL paint protection film kits in four sizes, from the bumper alone to the entire car, and the right one depends far more on how you drive than on what you drive.
Before you pick a kit, it helps to be clear about what film can and can’t do.
What PPF stops
- Stone chips from everyday driving, highway included
- Sand and grit blasting the lower panels
- Light scratches and swirls in the film’s top coat, which fade with heat
- Road salt, bug splatter, bird droppings and tree sap sitting on the paint
- Scuffs from bags, boots and the odd brush against the car
What PPF doesn’t stop
- Dents. Hail, door dings and shopping carts dent the metal, and film can’t prevent that.
- Every rock. Film absorbs the small stuff, but a big enough stone can still break through.
- Deep gouges. A key or a sharp edge can cut through the film.
- Chips you already have. They get sealed in, but you’ll still see them.
- Rust from underneath. Film covers painted panels, not the frame or the underside.
One more honest point. Film is clear, but it isn’t invisible up close. Look for the edge of the film and you can find it, and that matters more on some kits than others.
The four kits
Bumper kit
The bumper is the lowest painted panel on the front of the car and the one that catches the most gravel and slush spray. The bumper kit covers it and protects it from rock chips, road salt and dirt. It’s a good place to start if you mostly drive around town, you’re working to a budget, or you simply want the worst-hit panel covered.
The trade-off is plain. The hood, fenders, mirrors and headlights stay bare.
Partial kit
Our XPEL partial front kit covers the bumper, the headlights, the front third of the hood, the front third of both front fenders and the front of the side mirrors. Those are the spots that take most of the hits on a mixed daily commute. Film on the headlights also keeps the lenses from getting pitted by sand and small stones.
The catch is the edge. The film stops partway up the hood and fenders, so there’s a line across those panels. From a few feet away it’s hard to see, but you can find it up close, wax and dirt can collect along it, and stones still land beyond it. Over many years, the covered strip and the open paint can also age a little differently.
Full front kit
The XPEL full front kit covers the entire hood, the full fenders with wrapped edges, the bumper, the front of the side mirrors and the headlights. With the hood and fenders covered in full, there’s no line across the middle of a panel.
If you spend real time on I-75 or I-69, drive a new car, or have dark paint where every chip shows, this is the kit to look at first.
Full car
Our full car PPF package puts film over the entire car, with the same protection from rock chips, road salt and dirt and the same self-healing top coat. It makes the most sense on gravel roads, where stones hit the doors, rockers and rear as much as the front, and on cars you plan to keep for a long time or want in show condition.
It’s also the biggest job of the four. Plenty of drivers don’t need it, and we’ll say so if you’re one of them.
Questions that point you to the right kit
- How many highway miles do you drive? More highway means more chips up front, which points toward the full front kit.
- Do you drive gravel roads? Daily gravel is the strongest reason to cover the sides and rear.
- How long will you keep the car? The longer you keep it, the more chips it would collect without film.
- What color is it? Chips stand out on dark paint and hide better on white and silver.
- Is the paint already chipped or swirled? Film seals in whatever is there, so touch-up or polishing comes first.
- Where does the car live? A car parked outside under trees collects more sap and bird droppings, and film gives you more time to clean them off.
Can you start small and add more later?
Yes. You can start with a bumper or partial kit and add coverage once you see how the car is wearing. Just know how an upgrade works. Going from a partial kit to the full front usually means replacing the partial pieces on the hood and fenders with full ones, not adding a strip next to them, because a strip would leave a second seam across the panel. If you already suspect you’ll want the full front, it often makes sense to do it once.
Film and ceramic coating do different jobs
People often ask which is better, film or ceramic coating. They aren’t really competing. A ceramic coating is a thin, hard layer that adds gloss and makes washing easier, but it won’t stop a rock chip. Film is the physical barrier. A common setup is film on the front of the car and a coating on the rest, or a coating over the film itself. We also offer FeynLab ceramic coating, so we can talk through both at the same time.
The film matters, and so does the install
We install XPEL film. It’s clear, it has a self-healing top coat, and XPEL backs its Ultimate Plus film with its own 10-year manufacturer warranty. That warranty is XPEL’s, on XPEL’s terms, and it’s worth reading before you buy.
The install matters just as much as the film. Look for clean, straight edges, no trapped dirt, no stretch marks, and edges wrapped where the kit calls for it. A rushed job with a poor edge starts to lift and collect dirt, and then even good film looks cheap. Whoever you choose, ask to see cars they’ve done.
Find the kit that fits
Tell us what you drive and how you drive it, and we’ll help you pick coverage that makes sense for you. Call (810) 529-0019 for a free quote. Midwest Paint Protection is in Otisville, northeast of Flint, and serves drivers from Davison, Lapeer, Grand Blanc, Fenton and nearby towns. We’re open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, by appointment.
