Happened to log back in today and came across a previous post thread of mine on the subject of PPF and Ceramic coatings....

Happy to report that today, after 18-months of ownership and 21k miles later that thanks to the performance of both a full frontal and side skirt panel installation of XPEL"s Paint Protection Film together with application of Ceramic Gold Package coating, my truck still looks new and shines as it did the day these protection add-ons were completed (Feb 2019). With 21k miles to date, the Truck has 0-Zero paint chips anywhere including the full front painted bumper, hood, A pillars and mirror caps and no scratches at all (including simple surface scratches) even on gloss black plastic B-pillar trim between the front and rear side windows thanks to the PPF. Not to mention my truck is parked outdoors 24/7, is used to pull my 31ft. Airstream trailer cross-country frequently as well as other types of daily driving and use and it's never been waxed/polished. Great investment (i.e. XPEL Clear Bra PPF and Ceramic Coating).

 

Beautiful truck. Did you do the Xpel and the ceramic coating yourself? Im interested. TIA

 

No, both were done by Mario and his small crew at Zenith Auto Works in N. Houston TX wherein the day after I purchased it from my Ford dealer in SW-Louisiana, I drove it 161 miles and delivered it to Zenith for the PPF and Ceramic Gold work. They kept the truck for 2-weeks to do the necessary paint correction and to allow proper curing times between coats of the ceramic coating under infrared lighting. Since then, I take it back annually (ever March) for free inspection and detailing which is in part with the XPEL and Ceramic Gold lifetime warranties.

Money well spent. This truck has never been waxed or polished and is maintained by hand washing only.

 

That's good to hear. I'm in the Baytown area. My Platinum front bumper looks like swiss cheese after 40000 miles running down HWY 225 for 2 years. Want to have it repainted then have some type of protection applied. Does the XPEL truly keep rock chips off the front bumper?

 

Absolutely, As stated I have zero-rock chips or scratches on my Silver Spruce 2019 F250 Limited which includes the painted front bumper and mirror caps after what has now been 17 months and 21000 miles since the XPEL (and Ceramic Gold) was installed on the truck and we pull a Airstream travel trailer all over the country to include both interstate and intrastate highways.

Mario is the best in Houston, His shop, Zenith Auto Works is up off of 290 @ FM1960, NW Houston. If you go there, you'll find he and his 3-4 man crew only accept 3-4 vehicles at a time and you'll find anything there from a Bugatti to a VW. He is a "hands on guy, does most the work himself, and has a strong customer base. For being a young guy, i.e. maybe early 30's he has a huge following of high line car/auto enthusiast who use him and refer others to him like myself. He has done 3 of my vehicles for me.

Now, his work is not cheap and there is a reason for that. 1) he only uses the best products, 2) he is OCD when it comes to paint correction and proper preparation of the surfaces to be treated, 3) he does not accept anything less than perfect work, and 4) he stands behind is work 100%. The cost of doing my entire F250 including full frontal XPEL Ultimate PPF on the front bumper, headlamps, full coverage on the entire hood and both front fenders then down along both sides from the front edge of the front doors all the way to the rear bumper up about 12" to the body contour sides of the Super Duty(s) plus the A and B Pillar post and roof top line from above the windshield to behind the cab lights then Ceramic Gold treated all the remaining exposed body panels, and even the brake calipers. It only does "wheels off" detail and has lifts in his shop to do so. Impressive work. Not sure what He'll charge you to do just the front bumper but if you go to him he also has an outside paint & body guy that can repaint your bumper for him/you before he installs the ZPEL PPF on it.

Tell him Rick Williams from Lake Charles, LA referred you.

 

Made one attempt, but the light was not ideal and signal is crap so... Here is an attempt at King Ranch interior with Silver Spruce exterior, which IMHO is perfection.

 

You guys have me dithering on my color choices...

I have a Star White 450 on order but it’s not too late to change...

how do these Silver Spruce trucks look dirty? Like nasty dirty? What about just merely dusty?

 

Seriously (and I'm OCD about it), Silver Spruce does not show dirt, dust settlement or pollen like any other color automobile I've ever owned (I'm 65 and have owned more than the average #). In terms or normal use, i.e. daily driving the only true tell-tale (even reasonably close up) is dirt/dust settlement on the black plastic trim of the rear bumper, bed rails and/or brake rotor dust on alloy wheels. That said, all bets are off when it comes to off-roading, driving through mud, and the likes then it just becomes another dirty truck.

A quick glance at the Ford.Com, 2020 Super Duty Build Your Own seems to indicate that the subject color is both limited to only certain trim levels, i.e. KR, Plat. and Limited and is also indicated as being subject to late availability.

 

Equally looks great with the Camelback interior in the Limited series (albeit I'm a bit biased owning one)

 

I had never heard of Silver Spruce until shortly before I bought the one I have now. 2019 Platinum, love this color!

 

Well the day has come... I'm trading in my 2019 F-250 Limited in Silver Spruce. Moving up to a 2024 F-350 Limited, just plain old white...

 

Can you scrape the Silver Spruce paint off of your '19 before you trade it in, and mount the saved paint on your new truck?

The only color I have liked better is 2003-2004 Mineral Gray... the color of dirt. The more recent, but now also discontinued Stone Gray was close to Mineral Gray, but not quite as good as Mineral Gray. Stone Gray was more tan. Silver Spruce was more green. Mineral Gray was in between.