PPF vs ceramic coating
They do different jobs. Paint protection film is a clear urethane layer that physically stops rock chips and scratches. A ceramic coating bonds to the paint, adds gloss and makes the car far easier to keep clean, but it won't stop a rock. If chips are the worry, get film. If you mostly want shine and quick washes, a coating is enough. A lot of Miami owners do both: film on the front, and a coating over the film and the rest of the car.
Side by side
| PPF | Ceramic coating | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A thick, clear urethane film | A thin liquid layer that hardens on the paint |
| Rock chips | Takes the hit instead of your paint | Won't stop them |
| Light scratches | Top coat heals with heat | Helps a little, doesn't heal |
| Look | Clear keeps the factory finish, satin turns gloss flat | Deeper gloss, water beads off |
| Bugs, droppings, water spots | Sit on the film, not the paint | Wipe off before they etch |
| Starting price here | Full front $2,500, full body $6,000 | Body $1,100, or $750 on top of film |
| Time at the shop | Full front about 3 days, full body about 7 | 1 to 3 days |
| How long it lasts | Many years with care, warranty depends on the film | About 2 to 7 years, depending on the coating |
Prices are starting points at our Miami studio. Your number depends on the car and the finish, and we confirm it before any work starts.
When PPF is the right call
- You spend real time on I-95, the Palmetto or the causeways, and the front end is collecting chips.
- The car is new or still on its original paint, and you want to keep it that way.
- You plan to sell or trade it in and want clean paint when it gets appraised.
- You want a satin look on a gloss car. Satin PPF changes the finish and protects it at the same time.
For a daily driver, the full front covers the panels that take almost every chip: hood, front bumper, fenders, headlights and mirror caps. More on our PPF work.
When a ceramic coating is enough
- The car mostly does short trips around town rather than highway miles.
- What you care about most is gloss and how fast it washes.
- You're working with a smaller budget. A coating starts at less than half the price of full-front film.
In Miami the coating earns its keep in the heat. Lovebugs, bird droppings and rain spots that bake in the sun can etch bare clear coat. On a coated car they come off with a hand wash. More on ceramic coating.
Why so many owners get both
Film handles the impacts and the coating handles everything else. With a coating on top, the film stays glossier, resists stains and washes up faster. The order matters: the paint gets decontaminated and corrected first, the film goes on next, and the coating goes last. Film doesn't bond well to a coated surface, so we never do it the other way around.
Our Daily Protection package is built this way: full front PPF plus a ceramic coating on the film, the paint and the wheels, with a 1-step paint correction included. It starts from $3,499. New Car Protection pairs full-body film with nano-ceramic tint and a coating on top, from $7,499.
Looking after either one
The care is the same. Wash by hand with a pH-neutral shampoo and stay away from automatic brush washes, which scratch film and wear coatings down. Our maintenance wash is set up for coated and filmed cars.
Common questions
Should I get PPF or a ceramic coating?
They do different jobs. PPF is a physical film that stops rock chips and scratches. A ceramic coating is a hard, slick layer that makes the car easier to clean and protects against water spots and bird droppings, but it won't stop a rock. Many owners do both: film on the front or the whole car, and a coating on top.
Can you put a ceramic coating on PPF?
Yes, and it's worth doing. The coating keeps the film glossy, helps it resist stains and makes it quicker to wash. At OTOHAUZ a coating on top of film starts from $750. The film always goes on first, because film doesn't bond well to a coated surface.
Is PPF worth it in Miami?
If you drive I-95, the Palmetto or the causeways, your front end takes a steady hit from sand and gravel. PPF takes those chips instead of your paint, and its top coat heals light scratches with heat. On a car you plan to keep, or sell in good shape, that's the whole point: the factory paint stays factory.
How much does paint protection film cost in Miami?
At OTOHAUZ, full-front PPF starts from $2,500 and covers the hood, front bumper, fenders, headlights and mirror caps. Full-body PPF starts from $6,000. Our track package starts from $3,500 and adds the A-pillars, a roof strip, the rockers and the impact areas on the rear quarters. Your exact price depends on the car and the finish.
How much is a ceramic coating?
A ceramic coating on the body starts from $1,100, and wheels and calipers start from $400. If the car already has PPF, coating on top of the film starts from $750. Paint correction needs can change the price, and we confirm it before we start.
How long does a ceramic coating last?
It depends on the coating and how the car is looked after. Professional ceramic coatings generally last from about 2 to 7 years with regular hand washes. When we quote you, we'll tell you what to expect from the option you pick.
Do I need paint correction before a ceramic coating?
Almost always. A coating locks in whatever is under it, swirls included. Every coating we do starts with a decontamination wash and the level of correction your paint needs, from a one-step polish up to a three-step correction.
How should I wash a coated or filmed car?
By hand, with a pH-neutral shampoo, and never through an automatic brush wash. The brushes scratch the finish and wear down coatings. Our maintenance wash uses a snow-foam pre-wash and a hand wash that's safe on coatings and PPF.
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