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Location: Everett, WA, Snohomish County
Client: Pivotal Construction (Matt)
Vehicle: Ford Expedition
Paint before: flawless factory finish, unprotected
Lead installer: Justin
PPF system: STEK DYNOshield, 8-mil gloss TPU paint protection film with a hydrophobic, self-healing topcoat
Two-tone film: black automotive vinyl wrap applied to the upper roof section
Warranty: 10-year limited manufacturer warranty against delamination, yellowing, bubbling, and cracking
Work completed: STEK DYNOshield PPF across the hood, bumpers, fenders, rear hatch, and body panels below the window line, including the doors and rocker panels, plus a black vinyl two-tone treatment on the upper roof section
Service date: April 2026
Project total: $9,000 (protective film plus the blacked-out two-tone conversion)
Client: Pivotal Construction (Matt)
Vehicle: Ford Expedition
Paint before: flawless factory finish, unprotected
Lead installer: Justin
PPF system: STEK DYNOshield, 8-mil gloss TPU paint protection film with a hydrophobic, self-healing topcoat
Two-tone film: black automotive vinyl wrap applied to the upper roof section
Warranty: 10-year limited manufacturer warranty against delamination, yellowing, bubbling, and cracking
Work completed: STEK DYNOshield PPF across the hood, bumpers, fenders, rear hatch, and body panels below the window line, including the doors and rocker panels, plus a black vinyl two-tone treatment on the upper roof section
Service date: April 2026
Project total: $9,000 (protective film plus the blacked-out two-tone conversion)
Matt, owner of Pivotal Construction, brought his new Ford Expedition to our Everett shop with the temporary tags still taped inside the window, wearing that look guys get when the paint is perfect and they mean to keep it that way. And it really was perfect, a deep factory finish without a mark on it, the kind that turns heads in a parking lot for about one summer before I-5 quietly goes to work on the front end. Matt had already learned that lesson the hard way. His last vehicle showed him how fast good paint disappears under highway rock and grit, and he was not about to stand there and watch it happen to this one.
A Full-Size SUV Headed for a Highway Life
Matt's Expedition is about as big as a family SUV gets. It has a full-size body with a tall front end and long lower panels, which on a truck this size means a lot of surface for the road to go after. The larger the SUV, the more painted surface there is to protect.
Puget Sound is hard on paint in a way people from drier places never see coming. I-5 and I-405 throw up rock and grit at freeway speed all year, and the log trucks and gravel haulers on our routes fling debris straight back into whatever is driving behind them. An ordinary freeway commute creates repeated exposure to small rocks, grit, and road debris, much of it hitting the same front-end panels.
Winter adds another maintenance problem. WSDOT uses chloride-based anti-icing and deicing products during winter operations, and the residue can remain on the vehicle until it is washed away. WSDOT recommends washing vehicles to remove accumulated road-treatment materials. PPF provides a sacrificial layer over the covered paint, but the vehicle still needs regular cleaning.
Puget Sound is hard on paint in a way people from drier places never see coming. I-5 and I-405 throw up rock and grit at freeway speed all year, and the log trucks and gravel haulers on our routes fling debris straight back into whatever is driving behind them. An ordinary freeway commute creates repeated exposure to small rocks, grit, and road debris, much of it hitting the same front-end panels.
Winter adds another maintenance problem. WSDOT uses chloride-based anti-icing and deicing products during winter operations, and the residue can remain on the vehicle until it is washed away. WSDOT recommends washing vehicles to remove accumulated road-treatment materials. PPF provides a sacrificial layer over the covered paint, but the vehicle still needs regular cleaning.
What Paint Protection Film Is, and Why We Chose Extensive Partial Coverage
Paint protection film is a clear urethane layer applied over the vehicle’s finish. It helps absorb light impacts and reduce the risk of rock chips, scratches, and road-debris damage to the covered paint. On films with a self-healing topcoat, minor scratches and swirl marks in the film may diminish with heat. Deeper impacts can still damage the film or the paint underneath.
The chips are never scattered at random. They gather down low and up front, because that is where a rock thrown up by the vehicle ahead of you lands when both vehicles are traveling at 65 mph. The bumper and the leading edge of the hood catch the worst of it, with the mirrors and rockers close behind. One pebble does not amount to much, but a few thousand miles of commuting can turn a clean front end into the tired, sandblasted nose seen on neglected trucks all along I-5.
Matt did not choose full-vehicle PPF, but the coverage went well beyond a standard front-end package. We installed STEK DYNOshield across the hood, bumpers, fenders, rear hatch, and body panels below the window line, including the doors and rocker panels. The upper roof section received black vinyl, creating the two-tone finish while the most exposed painted areas remained protected by PPF.
The chips are never scattered at random. They gather down low and up front, because that is where a rock thrown up by the vehicle ahead of you lands when both vehicles are traveling at 65 mph. The bumper and the leading edge of the hood catch the worst of it, with the mirrors and rockers close behind. One pebble does not amount to much, but a few thousand miles of commuting can turn a clean front end into the tired, sandblasted nose seen on neglected trucks all along I-5.
Matt did not choose full-vehicle PPF, but the coverage went well beyond a standard front-end package. We installed STEK DYNOshield across the hood, bumpers, fenders, rear hatch, and body panels below the window line, including the doors and rocker panels. The upper roof section received black vinyl, creating the two-tone finish while the most exposed painted areas remained protected by PPF.
What the First Conversation Told Us
Matt found us the way most people do now. He spent a few evenings reading online until he knew paint protection film was what he wanted, then went looking for a shop he could trust to put it on. His commute is long and mostly on the freeway, and he means to keep this SUV for years instead of turning it in on a lease. An SUV that spends most of its time on the highway and will be kept for years is one of the clearest cases for targeted paint protection film. I want two answers before I quote anyone a number: how they drive and how long they plan to keep the truck. Those two tell me what to film and what to leave alone.
How Long a Build Like This Takes
A build with extensive lower-body PPF and a vinyl two-tone conversion typically runs 2 to 3 days in the shop. The truck gets washed and decontaminated first, because any grit trapped under the film is there for good. We work in a clean, climate-controlled bay so dust and temperature do not fight the adhesive. The film is left to settle and build adhesion after installation, and the blacked-out conversion up top adds its own day. We ask owners to keep the SUV out of the car wash for the first week, or for the interval specified by the film manufacturer.
What This Build Included
The job protected the paint that actually takes the hits and left the rest of the truck alone:
- STEK DYNOshield PPF installed across the hood, front bumper, fenders, and other forward-facing impact areas
- PPF continued across the doors and lower body up to the window line
- Rear hatch and rear bumper protected to extend coverage around the back of the SUV
- Upper roof section wrapped in black automotive vinyl to create the two-tone appearance
- Edges and cutouts finished around handles, lights, trim, and body openings
The Result: New Paint With a Future
Matt drove off with the Expedition’s hood, bumpers, fenders, rear hatch, and painted body panels below the window line protected by STEK DYNOshield, while the black vinyl upper section gave the SUV its two-tone appearance. The PPF helps reduce damage from rock chips, grit, and light scratches on the front end and lower panels, although a hard impact can still damage the film or the paint underneath. Keeping the factory paint in better condition may also help the SUV present better when it is eventually sold or traded. The black top puts his signature on the whole thing.
What a Build Like This Costs in Everett, WA
The $9,000 total covers extensive PPF across the lower body and major impact areas, plus the black vinyl two-tone conversion on the upper roof section. It is not the price of PPF alone. When customers ask what a larger custom protection build may cost, these are the working price ranges Promo Box uses for comparable projects:
The final price depends on the vehicle size, the panels covered, the film selected, disassembly, sensor cutouts, and installation complexity. Matt’s total was higher than a standard front-end PPF package because the film extended across most of the lower body and the project also included the black vinyl upper-roof conversion. We inspect the vehicle and confirm the exact coverage before providing a final quote.
What Matt Said When He Picked It Up
Matt was very happy with the finished Expedition and the quality of the installation. The project also led to a broader working relationship with Pivotal Construction, which began using Promo Box for its company signage and other branded graphics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Drivers often ask me these questions before they film a new vehicle.
It is a clear urethane layer applied over the factory paint to help reduce damage from rock chips, scratches, and road debris. Films with a self-healing topcoat can reduce minor scratches and swirl marks in the film, but PPF cannot prevent every type of impact damage.
No. Rock damage clusters on the front end and the lower body, so filming just the impact zone protects the paint that is actually at risk without paying to cover panels a rock will never reach. Full coverage is an option, not a requirement.
The STEK DYNOshield used on this Expedition carries a 10-year limited manufacturer warranty against delamination, yellowing, bubbling, and cracking. The warranty does not mean the film can prevent every impact, and actual condition still depends on use, washing, storage, and maintenance.
Clear gloss PPF is designed to preserve the factory appearance, although it may slightly change gloss or surface texture. Matte PPF creates a satin finish and can change how the paint color appears under different lighting.
The best time is while the paint is still perfect, ideally on a new vehicle before the first chip lands. Film cannot undo damage that already happened, so the earlier it goes on, the more paint it saves.
Price tracks how much of the vehicle you cover and how complex the panels are. A targeted front-end PPF installation costs less than full-vehicle PPF, and we quote after inspecting the vehicle.