Choose PPF if…
the car lives on the Logan or Gateway motorways, has dark or soft paint, is new and you intend to keep it, or you simply do not want the first stone chip. Film is the only thing that stops impact.
PPF BrisbaneThe short answer
Choose by what you are afraid of
Choose ceramic if…
the paint is already swirled and dull, you wash the car yourself, you want water to sheet off and the gloss to stay, and chips are not the worry. Coating is the lower entry point for whole-car protection.
Ceramic Coating BrisbaneChoose both if…
you want the car to stay as it is today. Correction, film on the panels that get hit, coating over everything — one booking at the Acacia Ridge studio.
PPF + Ceramic comboSide by side
Where each one wins.
| What matters | Paint protection film | Ceramic coating | Both |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stone chips and road debris | Absorbs the impact — the film takes the chip, the paint does not | No protection — a coating is microns thick and cannot stop a stone | Film on the panels that get hit; coating over everything |
| Swirls and wash marks | Light swirls in the film self-heal with heat | Harder surface resists marring but does not heal | Self-healing film under a slick coating |
| Bird droppings, sap, chemicals | Resists, but the film topcoat still needs prompt cleaning | Strong chemical resistance; contaminants release easily | Coating handles the chemistry on top of the film |
| Gloss and appearance | Invisible on gloss paint above 80 GU; matte films change the finish entirely | Deeper gloss after correction; water beads above 90° | Corrected paint, protected, then coated for depth |
| Washing and maintenance | Hand wash, pH-neutral, no wax over the film | Hydrophobic — dirt releases with a rinse; annual booster | The easiest car to keep clean |
| Coverage | By panel — front end, track package or full wrap | Whole car, including glass and wheels on higher tiers | Panels by exposure, coating over all of it |
| Warranty | STEK 10 years · SunTek Reaction 12 years | NXTZEN 5, 7 or 9 years by tier | Both warranties apply; ceramic over PPF does not void the film warranty |
| Investment | The larger spend, scaled by how many panels | The lower entry point for whole-car protection | Quoted together, scheduled as one job |
Warranty and film figures from our warranties and Product TDS pages. Pricing is quoted per vehicle — send us the car and we will itemise it.
If you do both
The order is not optional
- Decontamination and correction. Wash, clay bar, stage 1–3 paint correction — included in every PPF and ceramic package.
- PPF. Film on the panels by exposure: front end, track package or full wrap.
- Ceramic coating. Over the film and the remaining paint. Coating over STEK or SunTek film does not void the film warranty. Never film over an existing coating.
Paint correction first, then PPF, then ceramic coating over the top. Never install film over an existing coating — the film will not bond. Coating over STEK or SunTek film does not void the film warranty.
If the car lives on motorways and you dread the first stone chip, PPF on the front end. If the paint is already marked, you wash the car yourself and you want it to stay glossy and easy to clean, ceramic coating over corrected paint.
No. A coating is a chemical layer a few microns thick — it resists UV, contaminants and light marring, not impact. Only film stops chips.
It keeps the paint under it exactly as it was. STEK DYNOshield and FORCESHIELDgloss are optically clear with gloss above 80 and 90 GU respectively, and DYNOshield carries a hydrophobic top coat. A coating over the film adds further gloss and easier washing.
PPF carries a 10-year (STEK) or 12-year (SunTek Reaction) manufacturer warranty. NXTZEN ceramic is warranted for 5, 7 or 9 years depending on the tier. Both depend on the aftercare being followed.
Yes, and it is the most common way we do it: correction, film on the exposed panels, coating over everything, one drop-off at the Acacia Ridge studio.