Ceramic Coating & PPF Guide: Compare
PPF Coverage Options: Partial Front, Full Front, Track Pack and Full Car
Paint protection film is priced by how much of the car it covers, so the first real decision is not which film but which panels. The industry uses loose names for the common packages: partial front, full front, track pack and full car. Shops draw the lines in slightly different places, so the names only help if you know what is actually inside each one.
This guide explains each level, where the edges of the film fall, and which kind of driving each one suits. It also maps them to the packages we install so you can compare like with like.
The short answer
Partial front PPF covers the leading part of the hood and fenders, the front bumper and mirrors, where most chips land. Full front covers the entire hood and fenders so there is no visible film line, usually with headlights and mirrors. A track pack adds areas hit by debris thrown from tires, such as rocker panels and lower doors. Full car covers every painted panel. More coverage means fewer exposed edges, more protection and a higher price.
Key points
- Most rock chips land on the front bumper, the leading edge of the hood, the mirrors and the headlights.
- Partial hood coverage leaves a straight film edge across the hood; full hood coverage moves edges to panel gaps where they hide.
- Rocker panels and lower doors take tire-thrown gravel and clay, which front-only packages ignore.
- Package names vary between shops, so always compare the actual panel list.
Where chips land
Start With the Damage Map
On almost any car, the surfaces facing forward take the most hits. The bumper cover and grille area sit lowest and catch gravel kicked up by the vehicle ahead. The leading foot or so of the hood, the front of the fenders, the mirror caps and the headlights take the rest. Further back, the chip count drops quickly, until you reach the area behind the front wheels, where your own tires throw debris against the rocker panels and lower doors.
LLumar describes the choice the same way: you can protect all painted surfaces, or only the areas that take the most punishment, such as the front bumper, hood and rocker panels, and that choice drives the price. Coverage levels are just different answers to how far back from that front edge you want to go.
The four levels
Each Coverage Level Explained
- Partial frontAlso called bikini, standard or clear bra
- Front bumper, mirrors, and the leading portion of the hood and fenders, with the cut line set by each shop. Covers the highest-impact zone for the lowest price. Leaves a visible film edge across the hood and fenders. Partial vs full hood
- Full frontSometimes called full clear bra
- Entire hood and front fenders, mirrors and usually headlights, often the front bumper too. Film edges wrap or end at panel gaps, so there is no line across the hood. The most popular choice for people who keep their cars.
- Track packFull front plus
- Full front coverage plus areas that take debris at speed or from tires: rocker panels, the lower doors, sometimes A-pillars, the roof's front edge and the area behind the rear wheels. Rocker panel PPF
- Full carEvery painted panel
- Every painted exterior panel, including doors, quarter panels, roof, trunk or tailgate and rear bumper. Protects against door dings in the paint layer, parking lot scuffs and bird droppings everywhere, not just the front. Is full car worth it?
Add-ons
High-Value Extras Outside the Main Packages
- Door edges: thin strips that take chips when doors meet walls and other cars in tight parking.
- Door cups: the painted pocket behind each handle, scratched by rings and fingernails.
- Rear bumper top: protects the load area where bags, coolers and gear get dragged.
- Headlights: shields lenses from pitting and chips.
- A-pillars and roof edge: useful on tall SUVs and fast highway commuters.
- Luggage or tailgate edges on trucks: anywhere cargo, boots or tools rub repeatedly.
Choosing
Match Coverage to How You Drive
Mostly town and short trips
Partial front covers the bumper and leading edges that take most of what chips there are. Consider door edges and cups if you park in tight lots.
Daily I-85 or US-76 commuting
Highway speeds behind trucks send more debris higher up the hood. Full front avoids a visible line where chips gather just past a partial edge.
Gravel roads, job sites or lake ramps
Add rocker panels and lower doors. Tire-thrown gravel and red clay sandblast those areas, and front-only coverage leaves them exposed.
Keeping the car many years or a special car
Full front at minimum; full car if you want every panel to look the same in ten years and do not want to think about where the film ends.
New color or finish with protection
Full car is required to change the look evenly, for example with matte or black film.
Edges
Why the Film Edge Matters as Much as the Area
Every piece of film has an edge, and every edge is a place dirt can collect, light can catch, or film can lift if it was not laid down well. Partial coverage places a straight edge across the hood and fenders, a spot where a thin dirt line can build and where chips sometimes land just behind the film. Full panel coverage puts the edges in panel gaps or wraps them around the panel edge, where they are almost invisible.
Ask any installer whether they wrap edges or leave them just short of the panel edge, and look at examples in person. A clean install shows even edges, no stretch marks, and no lifting at corners. LLumar notes that its gloss film is designed to blend with the paint when applied partially, which helps, but the edge placement still decides how noticeable it is.
At The Auto Show
How Our LLumar Packages Map to These Levels
We are authorized LLumar installers and use LLumar Platinum PPF, a clear, self-healing film with a high-gloss top coat, also available in black, matte and extra-thick versions. Our packages line up with the coverage levels above like this. Starting prices are listed, and the final price is confirmed before install.
- InterstatePartial front, from $1,199.99
- Front half of the hood, front half of the fenders, front bumper and mirrors. PPF packages
- Long Distance DriverFull front style, from $2,199.99
- Full hood, full fenders, headlights, fog lights, mirrors and door edges.
- Off RoaderTrack pack style, call for a quote
- Full hood, full fenders, headlights, fog lights, mirrors, plus front and rear rocker panels.
- Full CarFrom $5,499.99
- Whole-vehicle coverage, with the exact panels confirmed at inspection.
Package contents are as published on our PPF page. Ask us to confirm panels for your specific vehicle.
| Level | Typical panels | Visible film line | Best for | Our closest package |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Partial front | Bumper, mirrors, leading part of hood and fenders | Yes, across hood and fenders | Town driving, tighter budgets | Interstate |
| Full front | Full hood and fenders, headlights, mirrors | No, edges at panel gaps | Commuters and keepers | Long Distance Driver |
| Track pack | Full front plus rockers, lower doors and more | No on hood; edges on lower body | Gravel, trucks, track days | Off Roader |
| Full car | Every painted panel | Only at panel gaps | Special cars, color change, long ownership | Full Car |
Package names and panel lists vary between shops; compare the actual panels.
Not Sure Where Your Film Should End?
Tell us how and where you drive. We will look at the car, show you where chips are already landing, and quote the coverage that fits.
Common questions
What is a clear bra?
Clear bra is an older name for paint protection film on the front of a car, borrowed from the vinyl front-end covers people used to buy. Today it usually means partial or full front PPF. It is the same clear urethane film as any other PPF, just named for where it goes.
Can I add more PPF coverage later?
Yes. Film can be added panel by panel at any time, for example extending a partial hood to full hood or adding rocker panels. The new film and older film may age slightly differently, and the paint under the new section will already have whatever chips it picked up, so adding coverage early is better.
Does PPF go on the front bumper in every package?
Not always, which is why the panel list matters more than the name. Many full front packages include the bumper; some list it separately. Bumpers are complex shapes with sensors, grilles and tow hook covers, so ask exactly what is covered and how sensors are handled for your vehicle.
Is a track pack only for cars that go on a track?
No. The name comes from track days, where tire debris and rubber pellets hit the lower body hard, but the same coverage suits anyone on gravel roads, construction routes or long highway runs. Trucks and lifted vehicles with wide tires often benefit most from the rocker and lower-door coverage.
How do I know how far back partial coverage goes?
Ask for the measurement or a photo of the same model with that package. Shops use different cut lines, and some follow a body line while others use a fixed distance. A cut line that follows a natural crease is less noticeable than a straight line across a flat hood.
Sources
- Paint Protection Film Frequently Asked Questions, LLumar / Eastman Performance Films (https://llumar.com/en/resources/paint-protection-film-frequently-asked-questions/), accessed October 2026
- Platinum Gloss Paint Protection Film, LLumar (https://llumar.com/en/paint-protection-film/platinum-gloss/), accessed October 2026
- Gloss and Matte Paint Protection Film, LLumar (https://llumar.com/en/paint-protection-film/gloss-matte/), accessed October 2026
- Platinum Extra Paint Protection Film, LLumar (https://llumar.com/en/paint-protection-film/platinum-extra/), accessed October 2026
Prices on this page are The Auto Show’s published starting prices and are confirmed after we inspect the vehicle. Product ratings and warranty terms come from the manufacturers.