Paint jobs can be very expensive – just ask those Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing owners who opted for the limited-edition Maverick Noir Frost Matte Black finish. Naturally, most folks want to protect their investment and keep it looking as good as possible for as long as possible, and to that end, many are turning to the aftermarket for PPF, or paint protection film. The question, then, becomes this – should GM offer PPF as a factory option?
For those readers who may be unaware, paint protection film is essentially a clear polyurethane material that is applied to the exterior of a vehicle to protect the paint finish from things like bugs, UV light, bird droppings, stone chips, and abrasions. The film is laid on top of the vehicle paint, and can even alter the paint appearance, if desired (such as with a matte finish).
PPF is becoming increasingly popular in the aftermarket, especially among high-end vehicle owners that see it as a means of preserving their investment. It’s usually offered by independent shops, but some dealers offer PPF services as well.
However, as we’ve seen before with performance exhaust systems and upgraded alloy wheels, some aftermarket items can be done at the factory, often times better than what’s offered by the aftermarket (dual-mode exhaust systems certainly come to mind). So – why should aftermarket companies and / or dealers have all the fun and reap all the profits? Is there money to be made by GM when it comes to paint protection film?
Of course, it should be mentioned that GM has offered PPF from the factory on a selection of Corvette trims in the past, where the material is used to protect high-contact points, such as in front of the rear wheels, where certain pieces can stick out a bit from the body.
Of course, there’s quite a bit to consider here, with three obvious barriers to GM applying paint protection film at the factory. First, car paint is usually still curing at these early stages (hence the temporary white film usually seen on vehicles fresh off the line), and even with factory heat booths, it’s likely a bad time to apply PPF. Additionally, the time it would take to apply PPF in a factory setting would likely hurt efficiency, and as we all know, bottlenecks are the bane of profitability. Finally, PPF is becoming a significant source of profits for dealers. Given the pushback from dealers over the difficulty of turning a reasonable profit these days, moving the labor-intensive, low-margin (for the factory) service of PPF to the factory could get quite a bit of pushback.
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Comments
GM should offer higher quality paint and clear coat before they offer a protective film.
Better quality paint is a must. The hood and front bumper of my Trail Boss looked like hell after one winter. If they offer paint protection film, it will be overpriced and low quality as usual. You are better off to get it done yourself!
I think the protective film is a scam. The dealers here add it along with glass etching and fabric protection to the new vehicles and tack it on to MSRP. I tell them right out of the box that I don’t want it and won’t pay for it.
Glass etching is a scam. Business Manager told a customer they would get a discount on their insurance. The customer called his insurance company from his office and they said, NO! The liar immediately got busted. 🤣🤣🤣
Get it done by a professional that will focus on your vehicle and you as a customer, not an overpaid union worker who is only focused on quantity over quality.
If GM were to offer it, they would try find a way to make PPF a subscription-based option…ugh.
UAW employee here. What you accuse us of makes no sense. The UAW gets paid by the hour not the car produced, so we would rather build 100 high quality vehicles in an 8 hour shift than 400 vehicles in 8 hours with questionable quality. It GM management you should be pointing your finger at. Their motto is, “Ship defects down the line and hope someone in the UAW catches it and fixes it”. All shop managers care about are numbers never quality.
One crazy idea they could do….stay with me here….improve their paint quality 🤷♂️
Some on here are talking about automakers offer better paint quality. So how many of us put a car cover over a vehicle every time parked outside, wash their car every time after it rains themselves without taking it to the car wash and clay down the car with a clay bar and wax once to twice a year? Most people don’t and don’t take proper care for a vehicle and usually the enthusiasts will take the time to do this. Understandably, life passes by and more things are important.
It makes sense to offer it at the factory if they have the manpower and time which in most cases they do not and the process will take longer after the paint is settled to do PPF. Even though this is time wasting to go to an aftermarket to get it done, you know it was actually done for you.
So, on any car you cherish is worth the investment if you are planning on keeping it for a long time or keep it for a few years and sell it like an exotic or vehicles in very high demand usually low volume for example and buy something better of that caliber.
I’d prefer a ceramic coating from factory instead
That does nothing substantial to protect from rock chips.
The TrueCoat sealant is installed at the factory !
No. GM should not offer it.
They will probably do a horrible job and charge more than the professionals that do a good job.
Leave it to the aftermarket if you want it done right.
GM never uses high quality anything. It will be the worst quality you can find sourced from the lowest bidder. GM needs to learn from the Japanese and Germans on better fit and finish methods.