Getting my car paint protected with XPEL

[derand]

Interesting...does it look like its wrapped or does it look natural?


2016 GT350 Magnetic w/Black Stripes / Black Roof /Tech Package Build January, ETA March (US Port), Germany Apr, under MSRP

it look natural very hard to tell if its wrapped and do full hood wrapped and then quarter fenders and mirrors.

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[stanglife]

I'd like to look into installing my own. Can anyone buy the pre-cut material or do you need to be a dealer?

 

[lapoune]

I am looking at opti coat pro-plus and they tell me they can go over the stripes
and not lose the look. Also can do the glass and wheels.

Interested in hearing how it turns out for you. I was looking at getting XPEL\Clear bra but I would guess the stripes would lose the matte finish?

 

[geb78]

I watched them applying Xpel to an M3 when I was getting a quote. It looks really good. You wouldn't know unless you were up close and personal with it. I had Suntek on my last car. I was going to go with Xpel but found this video
3M Pro seems pretty good but who knows. Be curious to hear from anyone that uses either 3M Pro or Xpel and why they choose 1 vs. the other.

 

[Bender]

My car is getting the front clip and mirror caps done in Xpel ultimate self healing and the having the entire car Cquartz'd after a full detail. I've seen the installer do this cars from C7 Z06s, Ferrari 458s, McLaren P1 a few 650s. Cannot until I can get my car in.

 

[lapoune]

I watched them applying Xpel to an M3 when I was getting a quote. It looks really good. You wouldn't know unless you were up close and personal with it. I had Suntek on my last car. I was going to go with Xpel but found this video
3M Pro seems pretty good but who knows. Be curious to hear from anyone that uses either 3M Pro or Xpel and why they choose 1 vs. the other.

Did they tell you what would happen with the matte finish on the stripes? I'm assuming it'll become glossy?

 

[geb78]

Did they tell you what would happen with the matte finish on the stripes? I'm assuming it'll become glossy?

we didn't discuss but we'll see. I kind of like the idea of not worrying about swirls in the stripes regardless if it looks glossy. I'm probably switching my color back to magnetic. I'd be more concerned if it was a black car with black stripes.

 

[Blk2015GT]

I'd like to look into installing my own. Can anyone buy the pre-cut material or do you need to be a dealer?

Xpel has a kit for with and without stripes

https://www.xpel.com/products/paint...ake=12&model=230&submodel=8919&series=1003001

Problem is, like the regular Msutang, they want $350 for partial hood/fenders with mirror caps and then ANOTHER $400 for the front bumper.

So you're talking $750 just in film cost. And you aren't even getting full hood which for some reason they dont even offer in pre-cut. But I guarantee that's the jacked up direct to consumer pricing and no way that little bit of film really costs anywhere near $750. Detailers who cut their own templates from rolls pay nowhere near that cost for the film; yes I understand the difference but that consumer ordering markup is sickening for even less coverage (detailers will do your full hood too).

 

[combustor]

How much does it cost to repaint the entire car?

 

[Blk2015GT]

How much does it cost to repaint the entire car?

That's my issue personally. I have never found that PFF would've been cheaper than fixing the chips or repainting the bumper or hood.

Or maybe 5 years just isn't long enough to develop bad paint on a daily driver.

I looked into Xpel for my GT since it doesn't look THAT hard to install, but not even full hood was a ripoff; and only bumper, front 1/3 or so of the hood and fenders, and mirror caps.

And the GT is even MORE than the GT350 (the lines). They want $380 (front 1/3rd hood/fenders with mirror caps) and $460 front bumper. That's $840!!!

I'd pay half that for the film alone, since it's not even full hood or fenders, not $840 though. That's a ripoff for just the film.

For $900 (figure you need some other misc tools/squeegees to do it right) I can nearly pay to have both the front bumper and hood resprayed locally by a shop I've used before and do great work if need be and take the risk of leaving it bare paint.

 

[gravedgr]

That's my issue personally. I have never found that PFF would've been cheaper than fixing the chips or repainting the bumper or hood.

Or maybe 5 years just isn't long enough to develop bad paint on a daily driver.

I looked into Xpel for my GT since it doesn't look THAT hard to install, but not even full hood was a ripoff; and only bumper, front 1/3 or so of the hood and fenders, and mirror caps.

And the GT is even MORE than the GT350 (the lines). They want $380 (front 1/3rd hood/fenders with mirror caps) and $460 front bumper. That's $840!!!

I'd pay half that for the film alone, since it's not even full hood or fenders, not $840 though. That's a ripoff for just the film.

For $900 (figure you need some other misc tools/squeegees to do it right) I can nearly pay to have both the front bumper and hood resprayed locally by a shop I've used before and do great work if need be and take the risk of leaving it bare paint.

I'm in this boat. Last 5 cars have been three 911s, a C63 and an M3. I haven't ever put any kind of paint protection on any of them. I get why some people do, but I feel like those who like it mistake their preference for a necessity.

 

[ThreeFiveO]

Fading and other long term effects concern me with these products. I think there is probably a fine line between a chip that is prevented vs a chip that would penetrate the film any way. I guess if I was shelling out that type of coin I would want it to be bullet proof.
I was in the North Ga mountains this weekend stretching the car's legs a bit with two other friends and the amount of loose gravel from the recent snow was sickening. I had a blast but didn't even want to look at the front of the car after hearing the popcorn bouncing off my front end. I thought I should have invested in a full wrap. Most of what I saw was dust however and it cleaned up nicely the next day.
If I daily drove this car in an environment that subjected it to constant battering like I saw this weekend then I would probably go ahead and do it.

 

[gravedgr]

Fading and other long term effects concern me with these products. I think there is probably a fine line between a chip that is prevented vs a chip that would penetrate the film any way. I guess if I was shelling out that type of coin I would want it to be bullet proof.
I was in the North Ga mountains this weekend stretching the car's legs a bit with two other friends and the amount of loose gravel from the recent snow was sickening. I had a blast but didn't even want to look at the front of the car after hearing the popcorn bouncing off my front end. I thought I should have invested in a full wrap. Most of what I saw was dust however and it cleaned up nicely the next day.
If I daily drove this car in an environment that subjected it to constant battering like I saw this weekend then I would probably go ahead and do it.

It's just a car. My $100k cars get treated no differently than my Tacoma. It's just a depreciating machine, that happens to be much more fun to use than most others.

Jealous of your fun, however.

 

[stanglife]

I prefer original paint as opposed to automatically conceding to a future paint job. I'll try to do it myself, though. The prices they get for this stuff is out of control.

Does anyone know the difference between 3m scotchguard and the pro version? Where can one buy full rolls?

 

[ThreeFiveO]

It's just a car. My $100k cars get treated no differently than my Tacoma. It's just a depreciating machine, that happens to be much more fun to use than most others.

Jealous of your fun, however.

Toyota trucks! Been driving my Tundra for 8 years without a problem. 400 hp corsa exhaust. About a fun as a truck can be.

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