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Polishing before ceramic: what about the factory applied PPF?

TheIglu

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Going the DIY route for wash/claybar/polish/ceramic.

Only question I have is what to do with the factory installed PPF on the gear tunnel doors and directly behind the front wheels. Do I just not polish them? Avoid with ceramic?

What is the PPF is lifting a little on the edge of the gear tunnel? Trim the lifted part off first?
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njech7

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I don't have the answer on the PPF but I'd probably just go over it. It's not going to hurt anything. You have a film and now polish/wax/ceramic protecting it.

Curious what polish and ceramic you're going to use and types of pads. I have an orbital but it's been a minute since I used it so I'm researching.
 
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TheIglu

TheIglu

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Using this for Ceramic:


Polish is the Chemical Guys kit, I'll likely try just the polish first, then use the C4 if I find it needs something slightly more aggressive:

https://www.chemicalguys.com/s/chemicalguys/torqx-polish-and-correction-kit/VIR753.html

All in, with everything (foam gun, polisher/compounds, wash, clay bar kit, mitt, microfiber towels, ceramic, etc) I'm still under $500. That and an afternoon or two of my time and I'll have a full ceramic job, and the ability to do it to the rest of my vehicles or again later on for the Rivian.

The quotes locally were $1500-$2500. That's nuts.
 

doit82

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Using this for Ceramic:


Polish is the Chemical Guys kit, I'll likely try just the polish first, then use the C4 if I find it needs something slightly more aggressive:

https://www.chemicalguys.com/s/chemicalguys/torqx-polish-and-correction-kit/VIR753.html

All in, with everything (foam gun, polisher/compounds, wash, clay bar kit, mitt, microfiber towels, ceramic, etc) I'm still under $500. That and an afternoon or two of my time and I'll have a full ceramic job, and the ability to do it to the rest of my vehicles or again later on for the Rivian.

The quotes locally were $1500-$2500. That's nuts.
That is nuts. I got my R1T ceramic coated for $560.
 

888tom888

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Picking up my R1S today. Made an appt with a guy that has a stellar rep and has worked on my M cars. To do the whole R1S including wheels and rims and windows. Basically the whole car $1500.
Does sound $TEEP, but after reading and watching You Tube videos of the process, I can see all of the man hours and procedures. That created value for me. So I signed up to have it done.
 

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yescerebrum

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Without knowing the PPF answer, I would probably just review it. Nothing will be harmed by this at all. You've applied film, and now you're protecting it with polish, wax, or ceramic.
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Donald Stanfield

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Picking up my R1S today. Made an appt with a guy that has a stellar rep and has worked on my M cars. To do the whole R1S including wheels and rims and windows. Basically the whole car $1500.
Does sound $TEEP, but after reading and watching You Tube videos of the process, I can see all of the man hours and procedures. That created value for me. So I signed up to have it done.
I'd say that's pretty much in line.
 

connoisseurr

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Picking up my R1S today. Made an appt with a guy that has a stellar rep and has worked on my M cars. To do the whole R1S including wheels and rims and windows. Basically the whole car $1500.
Does sound $TEEP, but after reading and watching You Tube videos of the process, I can see all of the man hours and procedures. That created value for me. So I signed up to have it done.
$1500 is very reasonable for the size of the R1S. Especially if that includes all the glass and trim.
 

connoisseurr

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Going the DIY route for wash/claybar/polish/ceramic.

Only question I have is what to do with the factory installed PPF on the gear tunnel doors and directly behind the front wheels. Do I just not polish them? Avoid with ceramic?

What is the PPF is lifting a little on the edge of the gear tunnel? Trim the lifted part off first?
Skip polishing on the PPF. Wash it, decon it, clay it, and IPA it. If you see any surface scratches that you want to get rid of, get a heat gun on medium heat, or a hair dryer on high, and heat up the surface to heal the film. Additionally, very small inconspicuous scratches would be filled by the ceramic.

As far as ceramics go, I highly recommend Gtechniq Crystal Serum Ultra, and Opti-Coat Pro. Both are available to authorized detailers, but some do sell privately. Ask around. Otherwise, Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light is publicly available.
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