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Self-install of XPEL pre-cut kits

derand

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Great! I’m not telling you anything you don’t know, but it’s a lot of work and takes patience to get it right. That said, it was a rewarding project. Thank you again for the high quality product!
Your welcome if you want more let me know.
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SVTinAR

SVTinAR

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PM Derand. He’s on here.

Also, the xpel gel worked well for me. SvtinAR has some serious patience as evidenced by his excellent post. Gettting the film down without any flaws is an art form.
I skipped on the gel - do you think it's worth it to order it and use it?

It is time consuming - each bumper side took me about 3 hrs before I felt I could walk away and leave it awhile. With a bit of experience I could probably cut that down now but I would still guess 2 hrs plus for most.
 

snaproll

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I skipped on the gel - do you think it's worth it to order it and use it?

It is time consuming - each bumper side took me about 3 hrs before I felt I could walk away and leave it awhile. With a bit of experience I could probably cut that down now but I would still guess 2 hrs plus for most.
I just experimented with the gel. Not as forgiving as soap slip but stuck better and quicker for some of the easier sections. It’s another tool. Worst problem I had was a thunderstorm right in the middle of the hood job which led to a couple bits of dust. That and I needed an extra hand for the large bumper piece and I cut myself trying to get the hood vent out.
 

derand

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I skipped on the gel - do you think it's worth it to order it and use it?

It is time consuming - each bumper side took me about 3 hrs before I felt I could walk away and leave it awhile. With a bit of experience I could probably cut that down now but I would still guess 2 hrs plus for most.
Great job on your car. We don't use gel products here at Derand and we've been doing PPF on cars for over 6 years now Johnsons baby shampoo and warm water. Check us out at You Tube Derand.
 

snaproll

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Great job on your car. We don't use gel products here at Derand and we've been doing PPF on cars for over 6 years now Johnsons baby shampoo and warm water. Check us out at You Tube Derand.
Yeah but you know what you’re doing ;)
 

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SVTinAR

SVTinAR

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I just experimented with the gel. Not as forgiving as soap slip but stuck better and quicker for some of the easier sections. It’s another tool. Worst problem I had was a thunderstorm right in the middle of the hood job which led to a couple bits of dust. That and I needed an extra hand for the large bumper piece and I cut myself trying to get the hood vent out.
Thanks - sounds like it's kind of a cross between the shampoo/water mix and the alcohol/water mix.
 

shelbyman

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Has anyone had their standard gloss stripes covered and if so what do you think?
The stripes on my car are covered by the film and I do like it a lot that way. I had to go out and look to see if they were covered when I read this thread. It's actually a bit hard to tell but I could see no lines in that area and when I ran my finger over the stripes I could feel no cut edge.

I had mine installed by an installer and I'm glad I did. :hail: The guy did a great job. I could see this going wrong in so many ways for me if I attempted it. That being said he told me he ripped a piece of the film while installing it and had to recut another piece. He had the computer and software that made the kits from bulk material.

Some have mentioned it being hard to see the line generated by the film. I have found that is dependent on your angle of viewing. I can stand in front of the car and can't see any lines at all...if I move and view from the back of the fender looking forward I can see the line and its not dependent on wax buildup. Doesn't bother me bit though. I would recommend this to anyone. I don't have any rock chips or road reash damage and I've had it on the track about 4 or 5 times. :thumbsup:
 
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SVTinAR

SVTinAR

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The stripes on my car are covered by the film and I do like it a lot that way. I had to go out and look to see if they were covered when I read this thread. It's actually a bit hard to tell but I could see no lines in that area and when I ran my finger over the stripes I could feel no cut edge.

I had mine installed by an installer and I'm glad I did. :hail: The guy did a great job. I could see this going wrong in so many ways for me if I attempted it. That being said he told me he ripped a piece of the film while installing it and had to recut another piece. He had the computer and software that made the kits from bulk material.

Some have mentioned it being hard to see the line generated by the film. I have found that is dependent on your angle of viewing. I can stand in front of the car and can't see any lines at all...if I move and view from the back of the fender looking forward I can see the line and its not dependent on wax buildup. Doesn't bother me bit though. I would recommend this to anyone. I don't have any rock chips or road reash damage and I've had it on the track about 4 or 5 times. :thumbsup:
Thanks for the feedback on the stripes and I agree about seeing the edge. From the front it's all but invisible. From back of it you can see it if looking for it or studying the surface for some reason. I commute in the car 3 days/week and protection from most small stone chips was my goal.
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