Paintwork Protection Film vs Coating Systems
There seems to be a lot of chatter on the web with regards to the differences between paintwork protection film or PPF and car coating systems. Numerous vendors are advertising their coating systems as a permanent protective solution for vehicles. This is both unethical and false. To understand what the differences between these two systems are, here’s the truth:

Car Coating Systems
1) Chemically formed over the vehicle paintwork but can be removed by polishing. This is considered to be a semi-permanent protection for the paintwork.
2) Objective - if you’re looking for a protective coating to maintain the shine on your car’s paintwork and to enable fuss-free maintenance, then a quality coating system is what you need. Glass/Ceramic/Crystal etc are all marketing terminologies for various coating systems. A Silicon Dioxide or SiO2 coating system will consist in-part of the following components Silicon, Siloxane, Silane and Silazane. Their chemical properties and features can however be enhanced. So not all coating systems are created equal. Look for one which has recognised certification, possesses the highest clarity and is able to resist watermarks in our tropical weather. Our Sonax® Nano Pro Paintwork coating systems are manufactured to Technischer Überwachungsverein(TÜV) certification standards.
3) Thickness - because it is a chemical coating, the coating itself is less than 2% of the density of your car’s clear-coat. It relies instead on it’s surface bonding and it’s ability to posses a low-surface energy. This allows dirt and oxidation to not bond itself onto the car’s paintwork.
4) Durability - in our humid tropical weather, no coating systems will effectively last longer than a year. Since the coating system is designed to be a sacrificial barrier between the weather and your car’s paintwork, it also means that contaminant damage such as bird-lime, tar, oxidation among others will result in a deteriorated appearance not to mention the swirls and scratches from improper washing techniques. Maintenance programs on the whole are in most cases re-application of said coating. Don’t buy into the marketing hype that a coating system can outlast the ownership of a car. It doesn’t. Look for a quality coating system that will last for a year in our environment that is paired with an annual detailing program.

Paint Protection Films
1) High-density, clear elastomeric film that is at least 3-times thicker than your vehicle’s clear-coat offering maximum protection and the ability to absorb the impact of stone-chips and significantly reduce damage to paintwork. This is considered a permanent protection for the paintwork.
2) Objective - if you’re looking for an actual permanent protective solution for your car and would like to stop stone-chip damages and such, a paint protection film is your best bet. Our elastomeric films have been designed for serious motorsports applications and have been approved for usage on automotive paintwork.
3) Thickness - Our range of high-quality paint protection films have a minimum density of 165 microns which is at least 3-times thicker than your vehicle’s original clear-coat. This clear elastomeric material provides a significant amount of energy or shock absorption from stone-chips which in turn preserves your original paintwork, reducing the need for time and cost-intensive repainting cycles.
4) Durability - These fully-imported elastomeric paint protection films can last anywhere between 3-years to 7-years depending on usage conditions, exposure and maintenance. Our PPF’s are always paired with a hydrophobic coating system to enable minimal maintenance and ease-of-use.

Fundamental Fact
Clear-coat is less than 50 microns on most vehicles. A quality paint protection film would be at least 6-Mils or the equivalent of 150 microns, whereas a coating system(glass/ceramic/fluorine/PTFE) is less than 2% of the thickness of standard automotive clear coat. If you’re looking for maximum protection, then a PPF that is 300% thicker than your car’s clear-coat is what you’re probably looking for. On the contrary, if you’re seeking for a coating system to seal in the shine and for cleaning convenience, a coating system would suffice as it will protect the car’s paintwork from oxidation and the elements for up to an entire year.

Can they be used together?
Yes they can! With astounding results. Nothing beats a high-quality paint protection film solution paired with a specially-formulated hydrophobic coating system that allows minimal maintenance via a simple weekly wash.