Install Partial Car Paint Protection Film Quickly and Affordably

Why only partially install PPF?

Paint protection films act as a sacrificial layer for a car’s paint. It can be applied to any part of a vehicle to ensure that its paintwork remains as pristine as the day it rolled out of the car showroom. Certain parts of vehicles are more prone to damage from road debris, scratches, and environmental factors.

If you’re budget-restricted and reluctant to invest in whole vehicle protection, why not just cover the front end or the most vulnerable areas of your car? 

PPF or clear bra lasts for up to 7 years and can be applied to the painted surface of a gloss or a matte paint finish vehicle. It’s more than reasonable only to cover the most vulnerable areas, such as the bumper, the fenders, the hood, side mirrors, or rocker panels. 

Common damage that partial PPF will protect your car from

• Light scratches 
• Acids
• Bug splatter
• Tree sap
• UV exposure (sun damage)
• Bird droppings

How much does partial PPF cost?

A partial car paint protection film costs between $500 and $2,500.  The exact cost depends on the following variables:

• Parts of the car covered
• The brand of PPF used
• Complexity of vehicle
• Skill of installer

Parts of a vehicle most commonly covered in partial PPF

• Hood
• Bumpers
• Fenders
• Side mirrors
• Door trips
• Wheel arches

Types of partial car paint protection

Front car paint protection

• Full hood
• Side mirrors
• Front bumper
• Fenders
• The front edge of the roof

High impact coverage

• Full front
• Rocker panels
• Door edges
• Wheel arches

Selected vulnerable areas

You may want to just select one of two high-impact areas of your car to cover in PPF, such as the bumpers, door trims, or wheel arches.

Installation timeframes for partial paint protection films

One of the benefits of paint protection films is that they’re surprisingly quick to install if the job is undertaken by professionals. It takes 1-2 days to cover a whole car in a clear bra. Therefore, it takes a couple of hours and half a day to cover selected areas of a vehicle.

The lifespan of a partial clear bra

When correctly looked after, high-quality paint protection films last as long as 7 years. Car protection film requires no specific maintenance, but it is advisable only to hand wash a PPF-covered vehicle and to avoid using abrasive cloths or brushes on the film. Only top brands in the industry can guarantee the quality of their PPFs. At Tinting Chicago, we work with XPEL, which manufactures one of the strongest, most durable films with ultimate protective properties.

“Self-healing” property of the PPF

Clear bras are extremely durable and offer excellent rock chip protection for factory paint. However, flying rock chips and other debris will still create unsightly dents and marks in the top layer of your protective film. 

These days, many high-end protective films include ‘self-healing’ technology which means with the application of hot water or heat from a heat gun, the elastomeric polymers in the film help it remold back into its smooth, flat surface.