PPF Cost in Los Angeles

PPF pricing is primarily determined by how much of the vehicle you choose to protect. Here are the standard coverage tiers and their 2026 pricing in the Los Angeles market:

Partial Front — $1,500 to $2,500

A partial front package covers the most vulnerable areas: the front bumper, partial hood (typically 18 to 24 inches from the leading edge), front fenders (partial coverage), and mirror caps. This protects the surfaces that catch the most road debris at highway speeds. It is the minimum coverage we recommend for any vehicle that sees regular freeway driving — and in LA, that means nearly every vehicle.

This package is ideal for daily drivers where budget is a primary concern. You protect the highest-impact areas while keeping costs manageable. Most sedans and crossovers fall at the lower end of this range, while trucks and larger SUVs are at the higher end.

Full Front — $3,500 to $5,000

A full front package extends the protection to include the entire hood, full fenders, the front bumper, headlights, mirror caps, and the A-pillars. This is our most popular package because it covers every surface that faces the direction of travel — which is where 90 percent of paint damage occurs.

The full hood coverage is what distinguishes this from the partial front. Larger rocks and debris can launch over the partial coverage line and chip the exposed hood behind it. Full coverage eliminates that risk entirely. For a vehicle worth $40,000 or more, the $3,500 to $5,000 investment protects paint that would cost $3,000 to $8,000 to repaint correctly.

Full Front + Rocker Panels — $4,500 to $6,000

Adding rocker panels (the lower side panels below the doors) to a full front package addresses the second most common damage area. Road debris kicked up by your own tires constantly peppers the rocker panels, especially on lowered vehicles or those with wider tires. This package is popular with performance car owners — think BMW M series, Porsche 911s, and Corvettes.

Full Body — $5,500 to $8,000+

A full body wrap covers every painted surface on the vehicle: front, sides, roof, rear, door edges, door cups — everything. This is the ultimate level of protection and is most common on high-end vehicles (Porsche, Mercedes AMG, Ferrari, Lamborghini) and new car purchases where the owner wants to preserve the paint in showroom condition indefinitely.

Full body pricing varies significantly based on vehicle size and complexity. A Porsche 911 with relatively simple body lines might come in around $5,500 to $6,500. A large luxury SUV like a Range Rover or BMW X7 with complex curves and many panels can reach $7,000 to $8,000 or more.

The film brand is the second biggest pricing factor. The three dominant brands in the professional PPF market each have different price points and performance characteristics. For an in-depth comparison, see our guide to the best PPF brands in 2026.

STEK — Mid-Premium ($$$)

STEK is our primary film at CreaTint LA. Their DYNOshield product line offers excellent self-healing, strong clarity, and a 10-year warranty. STEK's pricing falls between 3M and XPEL, making it an outstanding value. Their matte and satin finish options are particularly impressive — they transform gloss paint into a factory-matte look while adding full protection.

XPEL — Premium ($$$$)

XPEL Ultimate Plus is often considered the industry standard. It has excellent self-healing properties, a strong brand reputation, and a 10-year warranty. XPEL tends to cost 10 to 20 percent more than comparable STEK products, partly due to marketing costs and partly due to their software-driven installation system that requires certified installers.

3M — Mid-Range ($$–$$$)

3M offers several PPF product lines. Their Pro Series is a solid film at a competitive price point, while their Scotchgard Pro series has been around for decades. 3M pricing is typically the most accessible, but their self-healing technology is not as advanced as STEK or XPEL. For budget-conscious customers who still want a name-brand film, 3M is a reliable choice.

SunTek — Mid-Range ($$–$$$)

SunTek Ultra is another popular choice with good clarity and self-healing properties. Pricing is similar to 3M, making it a competitive mid-range option. Their warranty program is solid, and the film performs well in the LA climate.

Let us run the numbers on a real scenario. You buy a new BMW 3 Series for $50,000. Over five years of driving in Los Angeles, here is what happens to the paint without PPF:

• Rock chips on the hood and bumper: dozens, some deep enough to expose bare metal
• Minor scratches from parking lots, car washes, and road debris
• Bug and tar staining that etches into the clear coat
• Potential rust starting at rock chip sites within 3 to 5 years

Repainting the bumper costs $800 to $1,500. Repainting the hood costs $1,000 to $2,000. Repainting a fender: $600 to $1,200. Touch-up work for chips runs $200 to $500. Over five years, you could easily spend $2,000 to $5,000 on paint repairs — and the car still will not look as good as the day you bought it.

A full front PPF installation costs $3,500 to $4,500 one time and prevents all of that damage for 7 to 10 years. When you remove the film at end of life, the paint underneath is factory-perfect. The math overwhelmingly favors PPF, especially on vehicles worth $40,000 or more.

There is also the resale angle. A vehicle with documented PPF protection and pristine paint commands a premium on the used market. Buyers pay more for cars that look new — and PPF is the only way to guarantee that.

Vehicle Condition

PPF should be applied to clean, defect-free paint. If your car has existing scratches, swirl marks, or oxidation, it needs paint correction first. A single-stage polish runs $300 to $500. A full multi-stage correction can cost $800 to $1,500. This prep work is essential — PPF locks in whatever condition the paint is in, so you want it to be perfect before application.

Body Complexity and Panel Count

Vehicles with aggressive body lines, deep curves, and complex panel shapes take longer to wrap. A flat-sided truck is faster and cheaper than a Porsche with compound curves. Some vehicles have unique features — like carbon fiber trim, vents, or intake scoops — that require custom hand-cut patterns instead of pre-cut templates, adding to the cost.

Finish Options

Standard PPF is a glossy, transparent film. But manufacturers now offer matte, satin, and even colored PPF options. Matte PPF is particularly popular in LA — it converts your gloss paint to a factory-matte look while adding full chip and scratch protection. Specialty finishes typically add 15 to 25 percent to the base price.

Maintenance Requirements

PPF is low-maintenance but not zero-maintenance. Hand washing is recommended over automated car washes with brushes. You should avoid parking under trees where sap can sit on the film for extended periods. And applying a ceramic coating on top of the PPF every 1 to 2 years extends its life and makes cleaning easier. Budget $150 to $300 per year for PPF maintenance if you want to be thorough.

For more context on tinting costs that often accompany a PPF job, check out our window tinting cost guide for Los Angeles.