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02-16-2021, 03:19 PM | #1 |
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ceramic coating/clear bra worth it for track car?
I have a 2011 BMW that's currently my daily driver (don't commute much though)/track toy. It has a couple paint chips/marks from tracking that I plan to fix. Is it worth it to ceramic coat & clear bra (high impact areas only), give that the paint is already damaged?
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02-17-2021, 09:22 PM | #2 | |
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Before ceramic coating you'll definitely want to properly prep the paint so that it's flawless before you coat it with something semi-permanent. You would then touch up the paint chips after compound/polish and before coating. I don't think anyone would recommend ceramic coating only the front clip of your car - but what do I know. If you want to apply a PPF because the best protection is your ultimate goal, you would prep, touch up paint chips, PPF, and then ceramic coat. |
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02-21-2021, 01:15 PM | #3 |
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PPF over damaged paint from chips won't look great. If you only have a handful and repair then it's still worth it but if you have a lot like your front bumper probably does then you won't want ppf on it or you'll want to respray first, wait 3 months then ppf.
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02-21-2021, 07:16 PM | #4 |
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Hi there, I'm also in San Francisco.
My car had PPF from new. After 10+ years of driving and lots of track days, I had it replaced with new PPF. The old PPF looked really nasty after all these years and miles. The paint was pristine under the PPF and looked brand new. After new PPF, the car looked showroom fresh again and protection renewed - the new PPF films are way better than the old ones. Be aware that track rubber is a bitch to remove from clear bra and sometimes bond permanently to the clear bra. Most track rubber removers will damage clear bra. PPF the car if you care about the appearance. But if your paint is already chipped up, definitely look into getting it resprayed before PPF otherwise you just lock in all the existing damage. Ceramic coating is just a durable wax/sealant. It will do nothing against rock chips and scratches. It will keep your car looking nicer between car washes though. Not hard to DIY a coating. Note in the picture, the clear bra is not dirty. That is actual damage on the clear bra from driving. The clear bra took a beating but saved the paint underneath.
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Last edited by Z K; 02-21-2021 at 07:34 PM.. |
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02-23-2021, 11:34 AM | #5 |
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Damn my car was so beat up from track. So resprayed, new ppf, corrected, and graphene coated.
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02-25-2021, 12:22 PM | #6 | |
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03-01-2021, 12:53 PM | #7 |
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03-02-2021, 02:58 AM | #8 | |
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03-02-2021, 06:23 PM | #9 | |
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The clear bra film is very delicate and you need to care for it differently than paint.
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03-02-2021, 06:34 PM | #10 | |
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03-04-2021, 04:19 PM | #11 | |
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Ceramic coating really has no effect on keeping the car cleaner from track debris. I find it helps keep the paint cleaner from normal every day stuff like bird bombs and dirt flies off which makes it worth it. There isn't much that you can do about extreme use like track driving. You replace the clear bra every now and then and try not worry about it.
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03-04-2021, 04:23 PM | #12 | ||
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03-15-2021, 12:22 AM | #13 | |
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After the car is clean, put a small dab of sealant (I used Meguiar's liquid wax-its a sealant) on the mark and lightly work it with the cloth. It disappears like magic after a few seconds and bonus, you put some paint protection on the spot. Works great on PPF and clearcoat and using something you probably already have in the garage.
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03-23-2021, 03:40 PM | #14 | |
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The clear bra is soft - it is softer than paint. When you rub something, you're using an abrasive (physical rubbing with a towel/applicator) and it'll scratch the clear bra. The harder you press, the more scratched the bra becomes. So the tire marks can come off but it comes at a cost. A clear bra's "self healing" abilities only work for a few years when new. After it ages and gets harder, it won't heal anymore.
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03-23-2021, 03:48 PM | #15 |
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I just want to chime in and say if you ever plan to sell the car after you track it, just do the PPF in the first place so you don't have to pay to respray it later
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03-29-2021, 12:06 PM | #16 | |
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03-29-2021, 12:31 PM | #17 |
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This is the video I'm referencing:
Goto 4:22 for the start of the rubber removal on paint and PPF. I'm in Miami so didn't need to heat anything on the non-PPF sections of the car. Worked great on the wheels too. |
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03-29-2021, 01:03 PM | #18 | |
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Like I said earlier, the results of using any product to clean tire marks on clear bra will vary. On newer clear bra, it comes off easier and it can self heal. I can just use my wash mitt with a car wash solution to rub off tire marks on my Suntek Ultra as the material is new and the tire marks don't embed as much. If you do this on old clear bra - it will not work. My Ventureshield clear bra has tire marks that nothing will remove.
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03-29-2021, 01:24 PM | #19 |
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Just cleaned up my car after a track day this weekend, used the ammo trick. My car is ppf and coated. Not sure how much that did, but it came off pretty easy.
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04-01-2021, 12:36 PM | #20 |
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For rubber removal from tracking, I use Mothers R3. Works like a charm. I dont have PPF but reviews say it works just as well.
You can order it from Pepboys and pick up in store. https://www.amazon.com/Mothers-09224.../dp/B005R5WGCS
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06-14-2021, 05:01 PM | #21 | |
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On paint it is fine.
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12-12-2023, 11:15 AM | #22 | |
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