Why Your Tesla Deserves Paint Protection Film (PPF)

Should you invest in paint protection for your new Tesla? Yes. Of course you should.

But if you’ve read any of our other guides, you already know we operate a little differently—we are actually honest enough to decline selling you Paint Protection Film (PPF) if it isn’t right for you. If you are only leasing the car for a short time, the return on investment just isn’t there. In that case, we will tell you to save your money and buy a Ceramic Coating instead.

However, if you are buying this car to keep, keep reading. We have been protecting Teslas here in the Lehigh Valley since 2018, and we have heard every single argument against PPF. We’ve heard “it’s too expensive,” we’ve heard “the car isn’t worth it,” and we’ve heard “I’ll just touch up the rock chips.” (Spoiler: as we’ve learned, touching up Tesla paint is rarely a simple fix).

This is so much more than an open-and-shut case of price versus value. Honestly, the only argument we haven’t heard yet is, “I want to spend way more money than necessary.” Then again, maybe we don’t hear that because all of our prices are 100% transparent and posted right here on our website.

Let’s skip the generic sales pitch. Here are the real, honest insights we’ve learned from years of working on Tesla factory paint, and why a physical barrier is the only true solution to keeping it looking brand new.

What is Paint Protection Film (PPF)?

PPF is a shield for your Tesla. It’s made up of three layers: an adhesive layer, an impact layer, and a self-healing clearcoat. It’s a clear polyurethane film that has a six mil (six thousandths of an inch) impact, which absorbs kicked-up rocks and stones and prevents them from chipping your Tesla’s paint.

Video: This is a powerful cautionary tale for every new car owner. Meet Steve and his 2015 Tesla Model S. After 112,000 miles, his car’s front end was covered in rock chips he wished he had prevented. After an unfortunate deer hit required the front end to be completely repainted, Steve saw it as a “blessing in disguise”—a second chance to protect a perfect finish. In this video, he explains why he immediately invested in Tesla PPF to ensure the damage cycle wouldn’t repeat itself. His story is a must-watch for anyone weighing the initial PPF cost against the long-term regret of leaving paint unprotected.

The Benefits of Professional PPF

Video: This video shows the technology at the heart of a safe and precise Tesla PPF installation: our in-house computer-cutting plotter. Our investment in this system is a key part of the paint protection film cost, as it allows us to create perfectly fitting patterns without ever taking a blade to your paint. For a Tesla, this is especially critical as it means we never disassemble sensitive cameras or sensors vital to systems like Autopilot and Full Self-Driving. When choosing between paint protection film installers, seeing this technology in action is your assurance of a quality, non-invasive process.

PPF is computer cut using state-of-the-art technology in our climate-controlled, immaculately clean facility. Applying PPF is an art that takes years to master. At Immaculate Paint Protection, it’s applied by our skilled craftsmen, who have undergone countless hours of hands-on training and been certified by the major PPF manufacturers.

PPF is semi-permanent protection that’s warrantied for up to 12 years. It offers the following benefits:

• Protection: PPF is an additional clearcoat layer on top of your Tesla’s paint, protecting it from road hazards.
• Self-healing: After light marring, when the vehicle is exposed to the sun, it self-heals and looks like it’s been freshly polished.
• Easier washing: Our top-of-the-line PPF film has a ceramic coating built into it, which means washing will be easier, and your Tesla will stay cleaner, longer.

There are many PPF brands available. At Immaculate Paint Protection, we buy the best products for our clients. Always. I believe that always finding the best products for my clients will win in the long term.

Why We Choose SunTek Paint Protection Film

Here’s why I use SunTek Paint Protection Film:

• It’s the newest, most cutting-edge technology.
• It offers the best shine.
• It has ceramic coating built right into the PPF.
• It’s the most durable.
• It’s 100 percent American made, fabricated in nearby Lawrenceville, Virginia.

SunTek’s leaders and I put our customers and their needs first.

Why Today’s Teslas Need Extra Protection

As fantastic and protective as SunTek Paint Protection Film is, you can only protect a new-car finish if you have a new car finish. You should plan to buy paint protection film before you buy your brand-new vehicle and select your paint protection film installer before you pick up your Tesla. Make an appointment to drive your brand-new Tesla straight from the dealership to Immaculate Paint Protection. Don’t put your Tesla’s paint at risk.

Today’s vehicles are much more vulnerable to damage than ever before for several reasons:

• Paint on brand-new vehicles is much thinner today.
• The sports-car-like geometry of Tesla makes them especially prone to rock and stone chips.
• We drive much faster today, and so more rocks and stones are kicked up on your Tesla.

You don’t have to accept this. The solution is PPF.

• You can protect your new car’s thinner paint.
• You can use PPF to protect the most delicate areas of your Tesla.
• PPF will protect your Tesla from rocks and stones.
• You can apply PPF to only the most vulnerable areas of your Tesla—such as the front end and rocker panels—or you can apply it to the whole vehicle for bumper-to-bumper protection.

Matte / Stealth PPF Transformations

Video: Considering a custom satin finish for your Tesla? Many owners ask for the popular ‘stealth’ look, a term made famous by the XPEL Stealth™ brand. This in-depth guide covers everything you need to know about a full body matte Tesla Paint Protection Film installation, regardless of the brand you choose. Learn how this service provides the ultimate in rock chip protection while completely transforming your vehicle’s appearance. We also discuss the PPF cost considerations for a full wrap and why this premium option is the ultimate investment for both protection and style. Watch this first to see the process on a Tesla Model Y and decide if this stunning transformation is right for you.

Our Step-by-Step PPF Installation Process

Here’s our step-by-step PPF application process, detailing what we’ll do for your vehicle, which will be kept inside our climate-controlled, immaculately clean shop at all times. We’ll even charge your Tesla while it’s in our shop on one of our two Tesla chargers.

1. We use technology to computer cut the pattern for your Tesla. (This is really important because we avoid removing cameras and other components that are vital to Tesla Full-Self Driving systems.)
2. Thoroughly wash and decontaminate your Tesla.
3. Wash the rims and tires.
4. Foam-cannon the vehicle.
5. Rinse it off.
6. Do an iron-decontamination process to remove any embedded iron, such as rail dust, brake dust, and industrial fallout.
7. Inspect visually and by feel if the vehicle needs a clay bar treatment.
8. If the vehicle needs a clay bar treatment, we’ll do that.
9. Use the two-bucket method wash.
10. Dry the vehicle with our luxurious microfiber towels.
11. Install the PPF, using a safe, environmentally friendly, soap-and-water solution.
12. Post heat all of the edges, wrapping every edge possible.
13. Let the vehicle dry overnight.
14. The following day, do a final, triple, or quadruple quality check.

Our PPF comes with a 10- or 12-year warranty.

This entire PPF installation process takes two to three days. That investment will protect your Tesla for the next 10 or 12 years. We think that’s a great trade off.

Protecting Your Investment for the Next Decade

We understand that you don’t want to give up your Tesla for two or three days, but we recommend driving directly here from the Tesla dealership in Devon, Pennsylvania, or West Chester, Pennsylvania, and that you call and make an appointment to install PPF as soon as you place the order for your vehicle.

Once your Tesla is protected with PPF, you can drive down a highway or even a dirt road with confidence. Even if you hear rocks and stone hitting your Tesla, you’ll know your vehicle is protected by an invisible shield.

If you don’t invest in PPF, in no time at all, your Tesla’s paint will be chipped and damaged, looking old long before its time. To have it properly fixed will cost thousands of dollars and days at a body shop. Investing in PPF now is much more economical than repainting your Tesla later.

Imagine driving your Tesla in one year, two years, three years, four years, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 years and still having your paint look brand new. People will still ask you, “Is that a brand-new Tesla?”

No, but that’s your secret. And your secret is safe with us. As is your brand-new Tesla.

Related Reading for Tesla Owners

• How to Choose a Top PPF Shop: 8 Insider Tips
• Is It Too Late? The Best Time to Apply Paint Protection Film vs. Ceramic Coating
• The “Starting At” Game: Exposing the Truth About PPF & Coating Quotes