When is the right time to film a car?

A new car: the first weeks

For a new car the answer is simple: as early as possible, ideally before the first longer highway trip. Factory paint has fully cured at the factory and there is no need to wait. The first stone chips arrive within the first 1000–2000 kilometres, and every chip that is there before the film stays visible under it. If you buy from a dealer, ask for film straight away: many dealers work with installers and the film can go into the lease payment. STEK installers also take cars directly from the dealership.

Preparation is cheaper on a new car too. The paint is clean, no polishing is needed and the job takes less time. That is part of why filming a new car costs less than filming the same car three years later.

A used car: polish before film

A used car can be filmed just as well, but the preparation is bigger. Everything on the paint before the film stays under it: wash scratches, swirls, stone chips and insect marks. So the paint is polished in one or two stages before the film and deeper chips are filled. That adds 200–600 € to the price, but the result is better than new, because the film locks in the polished paint.

If the car has repainted panels, tell the installer. Repair paint must have cured for at least 30 days, and its bond is the owner's risk when the film is removed later. More on that on the film removal page.

Does the season matter

Film is installed in a warm, dust-free room, so it can be done all year round. The difference is in curing. In summer the car can be driven the next day; in winter a good installer keeps the car warm for a day so the adhesive bonds before cold and salt. If you drive straight into freezing temperatures and snow after installation, the edges are at greater risk.

Demand peaks in spring. Searches and requests grow from March to May, when new cars arrive and people get ready for summer. In spring waiting times at installers are longer and prices firmer. Autumn and winter are the quiet season for installers: slots are freer and there is more room to negotiate. If the car is already there, there is no reason to wait for spring.

When it no longer makes sense

Film should not go on paint that is already cracked, whose clear coat is peeling, or that has been polished through. Film does not repair paint, it locks it in. If the car is old and the paint is poor, the more sensible protection is a ceramic coating or simply proper care. The comparison is on PPF, ceramic coating or wax.

How much at once

If the budget does not allow everything at once, the right order is the risk zone first: bumper, bonnet, front wings, mirrors. That is where most stone chips land and these are also the most expensive panels to repaint. Next the door sills, handle cups and B-pillars, which wear from hands and feet. The doors and rear can be added later, provided the paint is still clean by then. Price ranges are on the wrapping prices page and model-specific ranges on the vehicle pages.

Leased cars and dealer-fitted film

A leased car can be filmed. Film does not change the car permanently and can come off at the end of the lease if needed, but it is usually left on, because a filmed car is in better condition for the leasing company than an unfilmed one. It is sensible to tell the leasing company about the film and to keep the warranty card.

If a dealer offers film with a new car, ask the same questions you would ask any installer: which film, what thickness, who installs it and in whose name the warranty is registered. The dealer package is convenient, but the film class and coverage can differ from what you get ordering directly from an installer. For comparison, get an offer for the same car from STEK installers.

How long the work takes

1. Front package: 1–2 days.
2. Full coverage: 3–5 days, depending on the car and the wrapped edges.
3. Curing: 24 hours in the warm before driving, in winter closer to 48.
4. First wash: 5–7 days after installation.

Frequently asked questions