What decides the cost of paint protection film on your car?

The cost of paint protection film depends on five things: the size of the vehicle, the coverage you pick, the film, the condition of the paint, and what else you add in the same visit. We don't post a flat price, because one number would be wrong for most cars. Below is what moves it, so you can read any quote, ours or another shop's, and see what you are comparing.

• The quote is set by the car, the coverage, the film, the paint and the add-ons.
• The more panels the film covers, the higher the price.
• To compare quotes, ask for the panels listed one by one, the name of the film, and where and how it will be installed.
• The year, make and model gets you a quote. How you use the car makes the recommendation better.

Why isn't there a price list?

A number on a web page would be wrong for most cars. One owner wants the front end done and another wants every painted panel. One car has perfect paint and another has swirls that have to come out first.

What goes into the cost of paint protection film?

Vehicle size

A bigger vehicle takes more film and more time, so size sits in every quote.

Coverage

There are three sizes. Full Front covers the full hood, full front fenders, the complete front bumper and the mirror caps. The Track Package adds the rocker panels and side skirts, the lower door extensions and the strips behind the wheels. Full Body covers every painted exterior panel.

More coverage means more film, more time in the shop and a higher price. A Full Front install takes about 3 days, the Track Package 3 to 4 and Full Body 5 to 7. Read what each package covers to see who each one suits, or look at the packages page.

The film

Gloss, matte and color PPF are different films, and the film is its own line in the quote. Every package comes in gloss or matte.

The condition of your paint

Film locks in whatever is under it. If the paint has swirl marks, haze or light scratches, they should come out before the film goes on, and that is paint correction work on top of the film. We start with a paint inspection and take off only as much clear coat as the defects need. Sometimes the right call is correction now and film later.

What else you add

The combination we do most is Full Front film, a ceramic coating on the rest of the car and ceramic window tint, all in one visit. Ask for each piece as its own line in the quote so you can see what each one adds.

How does the price change from car to car?

The same five factors play out differently on different cars.

• A new car. The paint has seen the least wear, but even new cars often arrive with minor swirls from dealer prep and the lot, so we look before we install. If the paint is clean, the quote is mostly coverage and film.
• A daily driver with a few years behind it. Paint condition matters most here. Years of washes and Michigan winters leave swirls and light scratches, and correction before film becomes a real part of the job.
• A lease. You are protecting the car for a fixed number of years, so the question is how much coverage earns its keep. Full Front is the usual choice. PPF on a leased car goes through the math.

The quote is built the same way every time. What changes is which lines are big.

How do you compare two PPF quotes?

One number tells you little. Ask every shop, us included:

1. Which panels, exactly? "Front end" can mean a strip on the leading edge of the hood or the whole hood. Our Full Front covers the full hood, so no cut line crosses the middle of it. Get the panel list in writing.
2. Which film? Get the name of the film on the quote, not just "clear film."
3. Where is it installed, and how is the film cut? At our shop in Livonia we map each panel digitally and pre-cut the film to your car. Where the design allows, we wrap the edges instead of stretching the film flat.
4. What does prep include? Does the quote assume the paint is ready for film, or does it include correction if the paint needs it?
5. How long will the car be there? The timeline shows how much work is in the job.
6. What happens at pickup? We walk you through the finished work, and the first wash waits until the film has cured, typically 48 to 72 hours.

Is a smaller package enough?

Often, yes. The hood, fenders, front bumper and mirror caps take most of the rock chips on a highway car, which is why Full Front is the package we install most. How much coverage makes sense depends on where your car takes damage. Tell us how you use the vehicle and we will say what we would do.

What should you send for a number?

The year, make and model, and how you use the car: a daily highway commute, gravel roads, track days, parked outside or in a garage. If the paint already has chips or swirls, say so.

What should you think about before you call?

These answers make the quote faster and the recommendation better:

• How long you plan to keep the car
• Does it live outside or in a garage?
• Do you drive mostly on the highway, on gravel or in town?
• Does the paint already have chips, swirls or a repaint?
• Do you want the whole car to stay original, or only the parts that take the hits?

Exact answers are not needed. Tell us what you know and we will fill in the rest.

Common questions

What does paint protection film cost? It depends on the vehicle's size, the package, the film and how much paint correction the car needs, so we price each car separately.

How fast will I get a quote? Most quotes come back the same day. Send the year, make and model through the form or call us.

Does the package I choose change the price? Yes. Full Front, Track Package and Full Body cover different amounts of paint, and more coverage means more film, more shop time and a higher price.

Is paint correction extra? It depends on the paint. Film seals in whatever is on the paint, so we inspect it before installing and tell you what it needs before you decide.

Can I add a ceramic coating or tint in the same visit? Yes. Ask for each piece as its own line in the quote.

Can I get PPF on just the bumper? Our smallest package is Full Front. Ask us about anything smaller when you request the quote.

Get your number

For a paint protection film quote, call (313) 301-3342 and tell us what you drive, or send the year, make and model through the form.