How soft is Rivian Paint?

[SwampNut]

How long do you all recommend to wait after delivery for XPEL PPF and ceramic coating *for paint to cure dry)?

Modern paints take little to no time to cure. I'm about to have some collision repairs done and the shop said it will be baked/cured before they give it back to me.

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[AlanR2]

Modern paints take little to no time to cure. I'm about to have some collision repairs done and the shop said it will be baked/cured before they give it back to me.

Thanks, @SwampNut. With the investment I am putting into this wrap, I am sure you understand how I've been torturing myself over this. I assumed they put driers in the paint like they do with exterior house paint in summer. Thanks, again.

 

[SwampNut]

Thanks, @SwampNut. With the investment I am putting into this wrap, I am sure you understand how I've been torturing myself over this. I assumed they put driers in the paint like they do with exterior house paint in summer. Thanks, again.

All automotive paints have been catalyzed for decades. They don't dry on their own, they cure with the catalyst. Baking hastens the curing. Lately, it seems like the curing is faster than ever. I did some motorcycle touchups a year ago with an isoacrylate that they state is cured in 48 hours even without baking.

 

[Jeremy3292]

Years of frequent automatic washes and traveling in an area full of rocks and sand...no particular marks were visible before I wrapped it for a color change. I had ceramic on it, and that was enough protection.

You paid $1,000+ for ceramic coating and then ran it through auto car washes all the time? Seems counterproductive.

 

[r2d2-norcal]

How long do you all recommend to wait after delivery for XPEL PPF and ceramic coating *for paint to cure dry)?

I picked R2 yesterday. I was not aware of XPEL PPF /ceramic coating options. Is this an add-on? Thanks

 

[AlanR2]

I picked R2 yesterday. I was not aware of XPEL PPF /ceramic coating options. Is this an add-on? Thanks

Rivian recommends it, and they also recommend the XPEL product @r2dt-norcal. You can look it up. We used to call PPF a "vinyl wrap" as that is what it was. You literally wrap your vehicle, and when a shopping cart inevitably hits your "pavement princess," it doesn't harm your paint. It harms the wrap. They say the wraps today have self-correcting properties, so some door dings resolve themselves. You can go gloss or stealth, your choice. If you ever have it removed, your vehicle is supposed to look like it did on the showroom floor. My nephew did it on his R1T and R1S. Beautiful thing. If done right, it is hard to know it is there (on his Rivians, Teslas lines are different). I am going to do what my nephew did not do by adding a ceramic coating over the PPF. Supposed to add to the gloss, and, most importantly, I don't have to wax the car forever, or five years, whichever comes first, lol. I was quoted $6,000 to $8,000 for window tinting, XPEL gloss PPF wrap and the ceramic tinting. (My shop advised not to do the panoramic roof). Two more things: if you are going to do this, DO IT NOW. Every day you drive your R2, you risk the benefits of the wrap. My shop is making me bring my R2 directly from my service center at delivery ("no passing go, do not collect $200"). Also, advise your insurance company of the PPF, and keep your receipt, so it is covered with the car. Good luck!

 

[rinconryder]

On my R1T the paint is fine - it’s the bodywork that is insanely soft. The bodywork dents if you look at it wrong.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Imo mine still looks great after 3.5 years (and I have cats jumping on it routinely). All except for the spot where my wife tried to slide a potted plant across the hood is the only noticeable scratch. Oops!

 

[emroch]

Rivian recommends it, and they also recommend the XPEL product @r2dt-norcal. You can look it up. We used to call PPF a "vinyl wrap" as that is what it was. You literally wrap your vehicle, and when a shopping cart inevitably hits your "pavement princess," it doesn't harm your paint. It harms the wrap. They say the wraps today have self-correcting properties, so some door dings resolve themselves. You can go gloss or stealth, your choice. If you ever have it removed, your vehicle is supposed to look like it did on the showroom floor. My nephew did it on his R1T and R1S. Beautiful thing. If done right, it is hard to know it is there (on his Rivians, Teslas lines are different). I am going to do what my nephew did not do by adding a ceramic coating over the PPF. Supposed to add to the gloss, and, most importantly, I don't have to wax the car forever, or five years, whichever comes first, lol. I was quoted $6,000 to $8,000 for window tinting, XPEL gloss PPF wrap and the ceramic tinting. (My shop advised not to do the panoramic roof). Two more things: if you are going to do this, DO IT NOW. Every day you drive your R2, you risk the benefits of the wrap. My shop is making me bring my R2 directly from my service center at delivery ("no passing go, do not collect $200"). Also, advise your insurance company of the PPF, and keep your receipt, so it is covered with the car. Good luck!

I wouldn't say Rivian recommends it, but they do have a partnership with XPEL and have certain preferred/partner shops that have locked-in pricing and some level of certification from Rivian. That's not to say other XPEL or non-XPEL shops won't be just as good or even possibly cheaper though. My PPF guy said he's technically not allowed to go lower than the Rivian agreed price, but he can throw various pieces in for free to compete with cheaper shops. Also, the shop can apply the PPF to whatever parts you want, not just the Front/Full/Rocker/Sills/Bumper combinations shown on the website, so if you want to save some money and want to remove some panels or add others, your shop should be able to customize your quote.

Also note that vinyl wraps and PPF are different, though similar in principle. PPF typically comes in clear or matte, while vinyl is available in a range of colors/patterns. Vinyl tends to be much thinner and is really only good for splash protection (eg bird poop) as any bump or scrape is probably going to tear the vinyl. PPF is thicker and made of self-healing polymers that flatten themselves out with heat (eg if left in the sun). The thicker and softer PPF material is able to absorb light scuffs and protect the underlying paint, but a sufficient bump or sliding impact is still likely to tear through the film and damage the paint and/or bodywork.

One important thing about clear PPF is that the paint underneath must be pristine or you are just locking in the imperfections. So good PPF shops will carefully wash the car and perform paint correction/polishing to remove any existing scrapes, nicks, bumps, chips, drips, swirls, bugs etc that may be in the paint. These imperfections are common even from the factory, so the advice to apply PPF quickly is really just to minimize the additional risk of damage from daily driving. But either way they should be detailing the car to make the paint perfect before applying the PPF.

 

[Tim-in-CA]

Almost as soft as Mr Bill! Oh No!

 

[AlanR2]

I wouldn't say Rivian recommends it, but they do have a partnership with XPEL and have certain preferred/partner shops that have locked-in pricing and some level of certification from Rivian. That's not to say other XPEL or non-XPEL shops won't be just as good or even possibly cheaper though. My PPF guy said he's technically not allowed to go lower than the Rivian agreed price, but he can throw various pieces in for free to compete with cheaper shops. Also, the shop can apply the PPF to whatever parts you want, not just the Front/Full/Rocker/Sills/Bumper combinations shown on the website, so if you want to save some money and want to remove some panels or add others, your shop should be able to customize your quote.

Also note that vinyl wraps and PPF are different, though similar in principle. PPF typically comes in clear or matte, while vinyl is available in a range of colors/patterns. Vinyl tends to be much thinner and is really only good for splash protection (eg bird poop) as any bump or scrape is probably going to tear the vinyl. PPF is thicker and made of self-healing polymers that flatten themselves out with heat (eg if left in the sun). The thicker and softer PPF material is able to absorb light scuffs and protect the underlying paint, but a sufficient bump or sliding impact is still likely to tear through the film and damage the paint and/or bodywork.

One important thing about clear PPF is that the paint underneath must be pristine or you are just locking in the imperfections. So good PPF shops will carefully wash the car and perform paint correction/polishing to remove any existing scrapes, nicks, bumps, chips, drips, swirls, bugs etc that may be in the paint. These imperfections are common even from the factory, so the advice to apply PPF quickly is really just to minimize the additional risk of damage from daily driving. But either way they should be detailing the car to make the paint perfect before applying the PPF.

Thanks for the more perfected detail on this process @emroch. I appreciate the gentleness of your critique of my response to @R2D2. Well done! I learned a lot.

 

[SwampNut]

You paid $1,000+ for ceramic coating

No, I'm not stupid. I paid $100 for supplies to do it myself.

and then ran it through auto car washes all the time?

Yes, of course, since it has no effect other than always having a clean car. No swirls, nothing. Again, I'm not stupid, I'm not going to baby it after spending the day putting ceramic on it.

Hundreds of washes later...

 

[Jeremy3292]

No swirls, nothing.
Hundreds of washes later...

There's no such thing as an auto car wash that doesn't cause scratches or swirls...glad you're pleased with it though. That's all that matters at the EOD.

 

[SwampNut]

There's no such thing as an auto car wash that doesn't cause scratches or swirls...glad you're pleased with it though. That's all that matters at the EOD.

Ceramic protects against that.

 

[cthelan]

I own a Tesla Model 3 and a Toyota Tacoma. The Model 3 paint scratches if I look at it. The Tacoma can handle a car wash, but scratches down to the primer easily. How does the Rivian paint compare? TIA

It's average. Better (harder) than Tesla's paint. On par with Jeeps, Toyota's, Subaru's that we've owned.

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