DIY - 3M Pro Series PPF

[Quacs]

Two quick questions for those that have installed 3M Pro Series PPF: to prep the surface for PPF I will be washing and claying it, but do I need to "strip" the remnants of the existing wax coating on the current surface with dish soap/water before claying? And once clayed, should I apply anything (polish or wax) before PPFis applied?

This is my first shot at PPF DIY and I'll be starting with "easy" surfaces such as the mirrors, then moving to tougher surfaces (bumper sections).

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[RoninRed]

Yes, it needs to be virgin as possible. Where are you buying the film from? I would like to get some.

 

[Quacs]

Yes, it needs to be virgin as possible. Where are you buying the film from? I would like to get some.

I found eBay and Amazon both had the front bumper/mirror/partial hood kits at around $300. They came laser-cut and were shaped well.

 

[aham23]

Wash, Clay, Polish as well if paint is not swirl free, then some sort of prep like Car Pro Eraser.

Are you documenting the process? I'm interested in how it goes. Good luck.

 

[Quacs]

Wash, Clay, Polish as well if paint is not swirl free, then some sort of prep like Car Pro Eraser.

Are you documenting the process? I'm interested in how it goes. Good luck.

Well, I took a stab at the front edge surface in front of the hood last weekend, and unfortunately I made two big mistakes: it was way too cold to work with the material (45 d+ with a decent breeze), and I didn't use two solutions at first (soap and non-soap), only the soap/alcohol/distilled water solution. The result was 2+ hours of trying to get the film to stick to the car with very little success at the corners and edges. The temperature made the film so stiff that it wouldn't bend around the curves of the car easily.

All in all, I learned a lot and will try again when it's warmer. :frusty:

 

[AmericanLegend]

I just bought some 3M Scotchgard Pro from invisiblemask.com. I'll be installing it soon. I've used them on a previous car with great success. Definitely do this in a clean garage or on a very calm day 70 degrees or more.

Here is a helpful video on technique.

 

[Blk2015GT]

I just bought some 3M Scotchgard Pro from invisiblemask.com. I'll be installing it soon. I've used them on a previous car with great success. Definitely do this in a clean garage or on a very calm day 70 degrees or more.

Here is a helpful video on technique.

I saw their site before. They're super expensive. Can get a Pro full front bumper and a 30" hood/mirrors/partial fenders for about $320 on ebay or some other sites.

They want over $140 more ($462.62 for the Pro) for the same exact kit. They're a computer plotter cut kits so theyre all cut the same.

That's well into Xpel Ultimate pricing.

 

[AmericanLegend]

Hard to really know if the kits are really the same? I do know invisiblemask.com will match any price that is the same cut. Not all kits are cut the same.

Also, the debate between XPEL Ultimate vs 3M Scotchgard Pro is a difficult one in which to get real non biased answers.

This video seems to show that 3M Pro is the better film. Others of course will argue.



I'm going with 3M Pro.

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