XPEL, 3M, Other PPF, NO PPF, CQuartz???

[Mspeedster]

So,

Yes, there are topics on the forum, and I read a few of them, but lets make this fun with a poll.

I have a 2017 GT350R - Lightning Blue w/white OTT stripes coming soon and I'm contemplating this PPF (paint protection film) option.

I have never done it on my cars before, and I'm hesitant on the R for a few reasons, stripes cause complications, paint differences (if I only do the mirrors -- forward), if it ever needs to be replaced, it's most likely gonna rip the stripes clean off the car.

So we have this "original" paint left over which may or may not be a different shade than the rest of the car with no stripes left on the hood, cause they got ripped off with the film.

Now, I also obviously understand the benefits, and I just want to know what other users think about the PPF route vs no PPF. And I'm throwing C Quartz in there for fun.

Please answer the poll too, and if you say PPF or no PPF, it would be great if you could say why you went or are going that route

Thanks!


Rob

I'm a relatively new GT350 owner and have been pondering exactly the same question! I love everything that Xpel and other PPFs are supposed to do, but I'm still hesitant.

- The biggest concern I have are the stripes. I don't think PPF will last forever, right? From what I've read, maybe 4-6 years depending on how the PPF is cared for. Maybe longer, but I highly doubt it will last much past 8-10 years. So at some point in the future, that means taking the old PPF off and replacing. But that also means it will pull the stripes off with it and hence replacing the stripes too at that time.

- Or if one doesn't cover the stripes then the stripes are exposed to damage. Kind of defeats the purpose of getting the PPF in that case.

- If one doesn't cover the whole car, one could still get rock chips or bird acid crap in exposed non-PPF areas if unlucky. Or if one has some kind of accident (heaven forbid), then the PPF is wasted as well.

- How prone is the shape of the Mustang to getting chips in the first place I wonder? On a previous Mercedes sedan I owned, the car never got any chips. The hood was immaculate after 10 years of ownership, with nothing except for good old fashion washes and waxes. OTOH, my Porsche 911 seems to be a rock chip magnet due to the steep slope of the nose and hood. The Shelby's front end seems a lot more upright in comparison to the 911.

- One last factor is being able to really see the depth of the natural paint. In protecting that paint with PPF, one can't fully enjoy the paint job as it was really meant to be viewed. Not exactly win/win IMHO.

So I'm still on the fence about PPF, given the costs involved, likely issue with the stripes and the chances of having something damage the paint regardless of whether or not PPF is applied. If the car didn't have stripes, it would be an easier decision to try the PPF route.

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[Mike02z]

My guy told me the sripes will not be a problem if i remove the wrap. They use heat and pull it back peeling slowly. He did not recommend removing the wrap yourself.

I was like you. The last 3 cars I've owned i considered a PPF. I decided to pass on the PPF. My C7 got all nicked up in the front and it drove me nuts. I spent hours filling and painting those.

This time I asked around and saw some nice work. I bit the bullet and got the entire front end covered as well as the mirrors and the rocker panels. It came put better than i hoped. It is invisible unless your 2-3" away.

There is a very small area where the PPF goes over the stripes that can be visible but i got lucky and you can't tell on mine. Well worth the 1600 as I do a good bit of highway driving.

 

[machsmith]

Im getting full wrap expel over stripes. Not worried one bit, in fact i want it one as soon as i get the car!

 

[CanadianHorseMan]

I haven't fully decided yet either. I may get this PPF and CQuartz finest. I've been talking with a local guy and they do great work...so whatever I decide I'll post here.

They do both XPEL Ultimate and a new product 3M Pro Series, which actually sounds really good too, same healing properties as XPEL.

R

 

[CanadianHorseMan]

wow...not sure if it's an accurate video, but it's compelling

[ame]

 

[Mspeedster]

My guy told me the sripes will not be a problem if i remove the wrap. They use heat and pull it back peeling slowly. He did not recommend removing the wrap yourself.

I was like you. The last 3 cars I've owned i considered a PPF. I decided to pass on the PPF. My C7 got all nicked up in the front and it drove me nuts. I spent hours filling and painting those.

This time I asked around and saw some nice work. I bit the bullet and got the entire front end covered as well as the mirrors and the rocker panels. It came put better than i hoped. It is invisible unless your 2-3" away.

There is a very small area where the PPF goes over the stripes that can be visible but i got lucky and you can't tell on mine. Well worth the 1600 as I do a good bit of highway driving.

Thanks for your comments. I find it helpful, but I'm still unsure.

Did your guy guarantee they wouldn't be a problem coming off the stripes? No offense, but I believe he wouldn't be able to guarantee it and my personal feeling is the chances of the stripe coming off even with heat is still likely. How would the heat only affect the PPF and not the stripe? It will loosen both at the same time.

My guy suggested applying a ceramic coating to the stripes to make it more slick before applying the PPF, hence making the PPF easier to come off later. But he wasn't sure if that would really work and I'm not going to have my car be a guinea pig. I also believe the longer the PPF sits, the harder it is to come off. So doing a test on the stripes now isn't the same as taking the PPF off 5-6 years later.

Your C7 is like my 911, the slope slant of the nose & hood makes these kinds of cars especially more prone to rock chips IMHO.

 

[Mspeedster]

wow...not sure if it's an accurate video, but it's compelling

The shop that I'm thinking of using also suggested ClearGuard Nano SR over Xpel for it's clarity, gloss and lack of orange peel. That's something important for me, this video doesn't address that feature.

I can't find that much out there on ClearGuard Nano SR, as it seems to be a newer product. Most first hand reviews rave about it's gloss, smoothness and clarity, rating it better compared to the other big brand names (e.g. Xpel, Suntek, & 3M etc) in terms of looks. The unknown seems to be how well it holds up over time since it's new. Anyone with experience on ClearGuard Nano SR?

 

[AshelbyR]

Anyone ever use the expel tracwrap?

http://www.xpel.com/xpel-tracwrap-temporary-ppf/

 

[Shift]

The shop that I'm thinking of using also suggested ClearGuard Nano SR over Xpel for it's clarity, gloss and lack of orange peel. That's something important for me, this video doesn't address that feature.

I can't find that much out there on ClearGuard Nano SR, as it seems to be a newer product. Most first hand reviews rave about it's gloss, smoothness and clarity, rating it better compared to the other big brand names (e.g. Xpel, Suntek, & 3M etc) in terms of looks. The unknown seems to be how well it holds up over time since it's new. Anyone with experience on ClearGuard Nano SR?

The most high end, and expensive clear bra shop in Silicon Valley uses them exclusively. I can't comment on them personally, cause its $$$$.

 

[dron_jones]

wow...not sure if it's an accurate video, but it's compelling

One of the local shops here is an installer of both 3M and Xpel (actually suntek too), they also do installations for those companies when new generations or versions of film come out. I spoke to the owner at length about the 3M and specifically about this video and how much better it made the product look. He agreed that in terms of the properties of the film shown that the new generation 3M is better but the issue he said they are having right now is on the adhesive. The adhesive is causing issues during the installation and they are getting peel back where they normally wouldn't. He believes that they will sort it out but also said that he doesn't feel that it is there yet. this was a couple of months ago though so not sure if anything has changed since then. For now i am going with the Xpel ultimate.

 

[CanadianHorseMan]

One of the local shops here is an installer of both 3M and Xpel (actually suntek too), they also do installations for those companies when new generations or versions of film come out. I spoke to the owner at length about the 3M and specifically about this video and how much better it made the product look. He agreed that in terms of the properties of the film shown that the new generation 3M is better but the issue he said they are having right now is on the adhesive. The adhesive is causing issues during the installation and they are getting peel back where they normally wouldn't. He believes that they will sort it out but also said that he doesn't feel that it is there yet. this was a couple of months ago though so not sure if anything has changed since then. For now i am going with the Xpel ultimate.

I have done some research on the 3M Pro Series film as it was a preferred film for the installers here (and they're trustworthy) and what I've come to is that there's been 3 versions of Pro Series film and I believe the latest one was just released a month or so ago. I dunno, I'm no installer but if the installer says it's preferred for his own car it has me thinking...

 

[GTP]

Guys, the most important thing is that you have decided to put on clear film. Next most important is the skill and work quality of the installer. Least important is the brand of film.

As for appearance, they all can have sealer or wax applied over them, so that you get the level of shine you want.

Just my honest opinion.

 

[CanadianHorseMan]

Philip, I totally agree. I'll make my decision on what my installer says.

I'm still concerned that this stuff seems to have a lifespan of 5-7 years. I'm keeping my R, at least that's the plan, and if it lasts that time, do I have to remove it and re-apply every 5-7 years or else risk the film getting brittle and the adhesive sticking like concrete? And we all know, if the adhesive is at that stage the stripes will definitely be ruined.

Even if I take it off in 4 years, will it still be in such a state that the stripes will lift?

If I'm spending 3k+ every 4-5 years I'm just still not 100% on board.

I totally understand the benefits and perhaps if you can answer those questions, I'll be on board. I'm still at the 50/50 undecided stage.

I only have 2-3 weeks to decide lol, so this thread won't last forever

 

[Mike02z]

Philip, I totally agree. I'll make my decision on what my installer says.

I'm still concerned that this stuff seems to have a lifespan of 5-7 years. I'm keeping my R, at least that's the plan, and if it lasts that time, do I have to remove it and re-apply every 5-7 years or else risk the film getting brittle and the adhesive sticking like concrete? And we all know, if the adhesive is at that stage the stripes will definitely be ruined.

Even if I take it off in 4 years, will it still be in such a state that the stripes will lift?

If I'm spending 3k+ every 4-5 years I'm just still not 100% on board.

I totally understand the benefits and perhaps if you can answer those questions, I'll be on board. I'm still at the 50/50 undecided stage.

I only have 2-3 weeks to decide lol, so this thread won't last forever

Is your car stored outside and is it a daily driver?

If stored inside and not sitting out in the elements all the time I suspect the PPF will last a whole lot longer. Suntek offers a 5 year warranty and the best XPEL has a 10 year warranty. They have to take worst case when providing those warranties, My guess is there will last a whole lot longer.

My brother has a 2005 911 that was covered when new with 3M. It still looks perfect and his car is stored outside most of the time. The last thing I was worried about was longevity. My concern was more around the installation.

 

[GTP]

... do I have to remove it and re-apply every 5-7 years or else risk the film getting brittle and the adhesive sticking like concrete? And we all know, if the adhesive is at that stage the stripes will definitely be ruined.
Even if I take it off in 4 years, will it still be in such a state that the stripes will lift?
If I'm spending 3k+ every 4-5 years I'm just still not 100% on board.
...

I completely understand your valid concerns. As I said, I started with partial hood and roof, but have since switched to full coverage for all top panels that have stripes. I did not cover full sides due to the total expense.

Since I have not had a modern film applied for 5+ years (who has?), I can't answer your question with direct experience. However, if you call around and ask enough questions, eventually they dumb-down the answers for you: You are putting on plastic film (whether PPF or vinyl stripes), and the properties and longevity is very similar. Things oxidize and become more brittle. The more your car is kept inside, or in the shade, the longer your plastic products will last. Sealing/waxing can't hurt either.

The other dumb-down point is that film provides protection against the inevitable rock chips, vandal key'ing, hitting something on the road, misjudging the proximity of an object, etc. Ceramic coatings do not.

As for removal, with the proper pull angle and speed, and proper applied heat, I still think the film will release from the stripes just fine.

So, I have already started down the road that worries you: applying 5-year stripes, and covering them with 10-year film, while hoping that both will last for the duration that I keep my car.

I must confess that I just wrecked my car at the track last Saturday, which failed my #1 goal of NOT doing that. So, I am replacing film in some areas for the 3rd time in less than 1 year that I have had my car. IOW, don't worry so much about the next 5 years, when you can't guarantee what will happen in the next 5 days.

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