With the increasing awareness of car maintenance and beautification, more and more car owners start to pay attention to the use of Paint Protection Film (PPF). Paint protection film can not only effectively protect the car paint from scratches, acid rain and ultraviolet rays, but also keep the body shiny as new, extending the life of the car paint.
However, there is a wide variety of paint protection film brands and materials on the market, and choosing the right film has become a major problem for many car owners. Many people will encounter a problem: a wide variety of film materials on the market, TPU, PVC, TPE in the end what is the difference? Which material is the most worthwhile investment?
Today we will use plain language to help you understand the three mainstream materials of the paint protection film, especially the advantages of the highly acclaimed TPU material on the market.
1】PVC paint protection film: low price, but limited performance
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) can be said to be one of the earliest materials used in paint protection film, the biggest advantage is the low cost, the price is friendly. For car owners with limited budget, it is an entry-level choice.
However, the disadvantages of PVC material are also obvious:
Poor ductility: it is not easy to serve when applying the film, and the corner parts are easy to warp.
Not resistant to yellowing: after the sun and rain is easy to yellow, affecting the aesthetic.
Poor self-repairing ability: once the scratches can not be automatically recovered, can only be replaced.
Short service life: the general service life is about 1-2 years.
Overall, PVC film is more suited to scenarios where you don't require a lot of cosmetic protection and for short-term use. If you plan to use it for a long period of time and want the paint to always look shiny and new, then PVC may not be a good fit.
2】TPE paint protection film: general performance, cost-effective moderate
As a material between PVC and TPU, TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) is in the middle of the pack in terms of performance and price. Its ductility and weather resistance are slightly better than PVC, but still difficult to match TPU.
The advantages are as follows:
Better flexibility and easier installation;
Moderately priced for the mid-range market.
However, it still has the following shortcomings:
Average resistance to yellowing;
Limited scratch resistance;
Poor self-repairing performance.
TPE film is suitable for car owners who are on a limited budget but want some protection, which is a transitional choice. But if you are pursuing a higher standard of protection experience, then TPU material is the real first choice.
3】TPU Paint Protection Film: The Best Choice Today
TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) is currently the high-end material in the paint protection film market. It combines the advantages of high elasticity, high transparency, strong anti-scratch, corrosion resistance and self-repair, and is the first choice of many car owners.
Why TPU is the most worthwhile investment for paint protection film nowadays?
1. Self-repairing
One of the characteristics of TPU film is that it has heat-sensitive self-repairing function, minor scratches can be repaired automatically after sun exposure or hot water rinsing, no need to deal with it. This is far more than PVC and TPE film.
2. High transparency, does not affect the body color
High-quality TPU film has a very high degree of transparency, almost imperceptible, will not affect the texture and color of the original paint, especially for the pursuit of visual unity of the user. Like Motec paint protection film (PPF) using imported TPU raw materials, affixed almost “invisible”, to enhance the texture of the car.
3. Anti-yellowing
TPU material itself has excellent UV resistance, with high-end coating, can effectively resist yellowing caused by sunlight. Taking Motec paint protection film as an example, its surface coating has been specially treated, and it remains as clear as the original after a long time of use.
4. High elasticity, good adhesiveness
TPU film is highly flexible, superior fit, even for complex curved models can be completely wrapped to reduce the risk of warping.
5. Up to 5-10 years service life
Compared with PVC and TPE, TPU has a longer service life, and proper maintenance can continue to protect the car paint for 5 to 10 years, which is a real investment for long-term peace of mind.
Choose TPU paint protection film, choose the right brand is also key!
Although there are many TPU paint protection film brands on the market, but the quality varies. Real quality products, raw materials, coating technology, process precision and other aspects of the full effort.
For example, Motec paint protection film, only focus on TPU high-end car coat field. Its products use aliphatic TPU substrate, with excellent ductility and stability, with polymer self-repair coating, with excellent dirt resistance and durability, won the praise of many car owners and tuning stores.
All in all, if you care about both long-lasting protection and aesthetics, then choose the TPU paint protection film.
Briefly summarize the characteristics of the three materials:
Although TPU film is relatively expensive, its performance advantages, longevity and protection, far exceed those of PVC and TPE, making it the most cost-effective long-term investment option on the market today.
If you are also considering adding a layer of peace of mind to your car, you may want to learn about Motec Paint Protection Film (PPF), a brand that truly considers car owners and specializes in TPU high-end films, so that your car will shine like new every day in the future.