How do you choose a car protection centre? 10 questions to ask before you pay
Every centre will tell you it is the best. These ten questions separate talk from workmanship: the film, the warranty, the coverage and the check-ups. At the end you get our own answers to them.
Paint protection film (PPF) isn't something you buy every year. You pay a large sum once and live with the result for ten years. The problem is that you can't tell a genuine film from a fake one by eye, or a clean installation from one that will lift after two months.
What you can do is ask. These ten questions work with any car protection centre, and with us too.
The ten questions
1. What brand is the film? And will I see the box?
A confident centre names the brand and shows you the box before installation. If the answer is "an excellent American film" with no name, ask again.
2. How many years is the warranty? And how do I verify it?
The warranty length is not enough. Ask: where is the warranty recorded? And if the centre closes or the paper is lost, how will you prove it? A warranty you can verify yourself at any time is better than a paper with a stamp on it.
3. Who will work on your car?
Ask who will install the film, how experienced they are, and whether you can see work they have done before. A centre that is confident in its work introduces you to the people who will work on your car.
4. What exactly will the film cover?
"The whole car" at one centre is not "the whole car" at another. Ask for a list of the parts that will be covered, and get it written in a message.
5. How long will the job take?
The time tells you something about the work. Ask how long it will take, and what is done in that time, step by step.
6. What is done before the film goes on?
The film seals in whatever is underneath it. If the paint has scratches or dust, they will stay under the film for years. Ask about washing and polishing before installation, and which products are used.
7. Can I follow my car while it is with you?
Your car will be away from home for a day or two. You have a right to know which stage it is at without calling every hour.
8. Is there a check-up after installation? And what does it cost?
Any film needs someone to look at its edges once it has settled. Ask: is there a check-up? After how long? And is it paid for or not?
9. Is the price published? And what does it include?
A price that changes with how you look is not a price. Ask for the price of the film on its own, what gets added to it, and whether the inspection is charged for.
10. If I sell the car, what happens to the warranty?
If you sell the car in a few years, the buyer will ask about the warranty. Ask: does it transfer? And how?
Signs that should make you think twice
If you come across one of these, keep asking before you pay:
- The centre won't name the brand, or changes it every time.
- There is no box to see, or "the roll was opened yesterday".
- The warranty is verbal, or on a paper with no number you can trace.
- The price changes from one call to the next for no clear reason.
- They rush you to pay a deposit before you have had the inspection.
None of them is conclusive proof on its own. But each one is a question you need an answer to.
EGY X's answers to the same questions
These are our answers, and every one is something you can check:
- The film: five brands are available: 3M, XPEL, HEXIS, STEK Dyno and Covestro. And you see the box.
- The warranty: 10 years on 3M, XPEL and HEXIS, and 12 years on STEK Dyno and Covestro. The warranty is digital: the box carries a serial and a secret code, you activate it yourself, and the certificate is saved in your account. The details are on the digital warranty page.
- Who works on your car: our team is on the team page by name, and their work is in our gallery.
- Coverage: the whole car or parts of it, and every option is listed with its price on the PPF service page.
- Duration: one to two days, depending on the package.
- Before installation: the job has 7 stages, starting with a wash, a polish and a second wash before the film goes on. The polishing and inspection products come from Koch-Chemie, Rupes and Scangrip.
- Following it while it is with us: you follow your car live from drop-off to handover. The stages are explained in detail in your car's day at EGY X.
- After installation: the first check-up is after 10–15 days, then every 6 months, and all of them are free.
- The price: the price of the film on its own is published: from EGP 25,000 to EGP 45,000 for the whole car, depending on the type of film. We send package prices on WhatsApp. The inspection is free, and instalments are available through ValU and Sympl.
- If you sell the car: the warranty transfers to the new owner through customer service.
To complete the picture: we have one branch, in Mansoura, we have been working since 2014, and we have protected more than 10,000 cars. We serve all of Dakahlia and Damietta.
Which is the best car protection centre?
No neutral body ranks protection centres in Egypt, so anyone who calls himself "the best" is giving his opinion. What you can do is ask the same ten questions at two or three centres and compare the written answers.
A centre that dodges a question, or answers in generalities, is one to walk away from. A centre that shows you the box, writes down the coverage and tells you how to verify the warranty is the one worth going ahead with.
If you want to start with the brands themselves, read types of paint protection film in Egypt. And if you're worried about fakes, read how to tell that paint protection film is genuine.
