Is It Worth Wrapping the Side Skirts on a New Car?

[Stril]

Hey everyone,

I just took delivery of my new BMW G61 with the M Sport Pro package. I’m currently considering paint protection film and received an offer to wrap the hood and front fenders. Additionally, I was quoted another €600 to include the side skirts as well.

I’m trying to figure out if wrapping the side skirts is actually worth the extra cost. That area does get hit by debris and dirt from the wheels, but €600 feels like a substantial add-on.

Does anyone here have experience with PPF on the side skirts of a BMW G61/G60 or similar models? Is it something you’d recommend, or is the benefit too small compared to the price?

Appreciate any advice or real-world experience!

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by Stril

Hey everyone,

I just took delivery of my new BMW G61 with the M Sport Pro package. I’m currently considering paint protection film and received an offer to wrap the hood and front fenders. Additionally, I was quoted another €600 to include the side skirts as well.

I’m trying to figure out if wrapping the side skirts is actually worth the extra cost. That area does get hit by debris and dirt from the wheels, but €600 feels like a substantial add-on.

Does anyone here have experience with PPF on the side skirts of a BMW G61/G60 or similar models? Is it something you’d recommend, or is the benefit too small compared to the price?

Appreciate any advice or real-world experience!

Why aren't you protecting the front bumper and splitter which frequently come in contact with road debris?

IMHO, if you are putting PPF on the hood and front fenders you should also protect the side skirts that are attached to the rocker panels, the A pillars, side mirror caps and the headlights.

Shop around for pricing. Visit the shops in your area and look at the type of cars they are working on and the quality of their work and check their online reviews.

Ask if they are using computerized precuts which are sometimes problematic.

Finally make sure that the shop you select is an official dealer and can give you a warranty for the brand of PPF that they are installing.

[jg4c]

Are they OEM carbon fiber? If so, then PPF them.

But, like Westside says, entire front bumper and
headlights are a much higher priority.

Rockers and side skirts are good to PPF
but low on the list of things to PPF.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by jg4c

Are they OEM carbon fiber? If so, then PPF them.

But, like Westside says, entire front bumper and
headlights are a much higher priority.

Rockers and side skirts are good to PPF
but low on the list of things to PPF.

Many shops ignore the headlights which to me is a no brainer!

[TimmyTurbos]

Ask for the highway package. Front bumper, fenders, headlights, hood, mirror caps and side skirts Don't cheap out. PPF is expensive, especially good PPF installed right. I'd advise on STEK film if you have a certified installer anywhere close.

[Stril]

Front-bumper is included, but headlight-PPF is not allowed in my country...

I added it - perhaps some wasted money.

So SunTek on: front bumper, fenders, hood, mirror caps, a-pillar and side skirts, door handle recesses, door sills, loading edge and center console...

[N1rve]

I have full car PPF and the pieces that are the most beaten up are actually the side skirts and front bumper. My side skirts look a lot worse than my front bumper though especially near the front of my rear wheel.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by Stril

Front-bumper is included, but headlight-PPF is not allowed in my country...

This regulation makes no sense, according to Chat GPT:

Light output & visibility
High-quality clear PPF (XPEL, SunTek, STEK, 3M Pro Series, etc.) typically reduces light output by ~1–3%.
That level of loss is not perceptible to the human eye and won’t affect how well you see the road at night.
Modern projector and LED headlights have plenty of output headroom, so this tiny reduction is a non-issue.

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

This regulation makes no sense, according to Chat GPT:

Light output & visibility
High-quality clear PPF (XPEL, SunTek, STEK, 3M Pro Series, etc.) typically reduces light output by ~1–3%.
That level of loss is not perceptible to the human eye and won’t affect how well you see the road at night.
Modern projector and LED headlights have plenty of output headroom, so this tiny reduction is a non-issue.

Advancements in technology often outpace regulations, unfortunately. For instance, in the US we still can't have anti-dazzle headlights even though they're clearly superior. I'm sure banning PPF on headlights dates back to when the material was crappy and it did adversely affect performance. I'm sure it made sense at the time. Regulations move slowly, which isn't always a bad thing, but it can be frustrating.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by Phillies8008

Advancements in technology often outpace regulations, unfortunately. For instance, in the US we still can't have anti-dazzle headlights even though they're clearly superior. I'm sure banning PPF on headlights dates back to when the material was crappy and it did adversely affect performance. I'm sure it made sense at the time. Regulations move slowly, which isn't always a bad thing, but it can be frustrating.

I have it on mine and you cannot tell the difference.

The odds are that if Stril put clear PPF on his headlights nobody would ever notice.

[jg4c]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

I have it on mine and you cannot tell the difference.

The odds are that if Stril put clear PPF on his headlights nobody would ever notice.

That’s the point. Regulations aside,
just put it on, no one would ever notice,
headlights would be protected, and if
ever detected, like in a traffic stop,
just take the violation assuming it’s
not much, like an illegal tint value ticket.

Unless, shops are forbidden from PPFing
the headlights and can be seriously fined,
and just refuse to do it. I’d diy it myself.

[Stril]

That’s always a tricky issue. You don’t notice it until an accident happens. If high costs are involved, an assessor will come in and look for a reason not to pay — that’s too risky for me.

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by Stril

That’s always a tricky issue. You don’t notice it until an accident happens. If high costs are involved, an assessor will come in and look for a reason not to pay — that’s too risky for me.

Not only that, but lawyers. God forbid you hit someone at night, any lawyer worth his salt is going to argue that the illegally-installed PPF was a factor, whether it was or not. And since it's illegal, you're unlikely to get the benefit of the doubt.

For something as minor as headlight PPF I probably wouldn't take the gamble, but everyone's risk tolerance is different.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by Phillies8008

Not only that, but lawyers. God forbid you hit someone at night, any lawyer worth his salt is going to argue that the illegally-installed PPF was a factor, whether it was or not. And since it's illegal, you're unlikely to get the benefit of the doubt.

For something as minor as headlight PPF I probably wouldn't take the gamble, but everyone's risk tolerance is different.

I already had to replace one when a car hit it; the LED headlights on my Z4 cost over $3,000 in the US which my insurance covered so I am glad we don't have this stupid regulation here.

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

I already had to replace one when a car hit it; the LED headlights on my Z4 cost over $3,000 in the US which my insurance covered so I am glad we don't have this stupid regulation here.

Agreed! Seems like a silly restriction.

[MADBMWX5MC]

Originally Posted by N1rve

I have full car PPF and the pieces that are the most beaten up are actually the side skirts and front bumper. My side skirts look a lot worse than my front bumper though especially near the front of my rear wheel.

Yes! So true it's ridiculous...