Clear bra (XPel) seams and coverage examples needed

[shelbydave]

There's no need to do multiple pieces on the hood. I keep all the cars I do for at least 3 days and go back and fine tune it. I go back a day or 2 later and work the film down next to the stripes to minimize the gap caused from the stripe transition.

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[mrdigray]

I had the full car done minus the trunk. One piece over the stripes. As mentioned above, if you look closely, you can see the ridge where stripes are. I can't see if I'm over about 3 feet away.

Personally, I didn't want another seam where dirt could collect and was willing to pay that price with the ridge.

 

[stanglife]

Stripeless - problem solved ;)

 

[snaproll]

Holy cow I can't believe the prices on that xpel website. It's plastic film.

 

[chitlins37]

$7k-$9K for the car? Those are big-time rip off prices.

I have the front bumper, full hood, full roof, front fenders, side mirrors and headlights and rear quarter pannels. I think I paid around $1600-$1800 for that.
can't remember exactly but it wasn't double the cost of the xpel to install.

Retail pricing is on the XPEL website.
The entire front end of the car is $1159, which is basically all you really need.
installer shouldn't charge you more than you can order it for yourself. They get it wholesale. So how much for installation above that?

I'd do some research to see what others are paying for Xpel coverage.

http://www.xpel.com/paint-protectio...rucks/2016/Ford/Mustang/Fastback/Shelby_GT350

Thanks for sharing your experience and costing...def helps. Will make a few calls tomorrow for actual quotes but am not getting my hopes up...DC area is expensive.

Ironically enough pretty sure I pulled that $7-9k number off of this forum so a bit surprised it shocked you. Simply adding retail cost of all parts from Expel gets you between $4-5k easy.

Fwiw I took a peek at my Focus ST today that has been my daily driver for almost 2wks now and I definitely see the need. Still wrapping (pun intended) my head around the cost and idea of putting a diaper on my car.:headbonk:

 

[GBGT350]

$1,600 buys a lot of paint repair. hmmmm

 

[shelbydave]

I had the full car done minus the trunk. One piece over the stripes. As mentioned above, if you look closely, you can see the ridge where stripes are. I can't see if I'm over about 3 feet away.

Personally, I didn't want another seam where dirt could collect and was willing to pay that price with the ridge.

That's exactly right. One more place to have an issue

 

[THX 138]

$1,600 buys a lot of paint repair. hmmmm

No, it doesn't.

 

[Lilby]

That's exactly right. One more place to have an issue

So on mine they did the stripe version on the hood (separate strips laid down on the stripes) and then did the stripe delete version on the lower bumper (single piece covering the stripes as well). I can definitely see the advantage of a single piece over all of it, but there's quite a "bubble" where the stripe level goes down to the paint level. I've pushed on it with my finger and it just comes back up after a few hours. Is there a method to this involving heat that makes it stay down on the edge of that stripe or was that part installed incorrectly already and it's just a lost cause.

Car goes back in this week to get the issues addressed. Wondering if we should be fixing the stripe coverage and gaps or if we should be laying down a whole new piece on the hood?

 

[El Diablo]

$1,600 buys a lot of paint repair. hmmmm

Problem with repainting is you will end up right back where you started in no time. A sand blasted bumper, swirls and chips.

 

[shelbydave]

So on mine they did the stripe version on the hood (separate strips laid down on the stripes) and then did the stripe delete version on the lower bumper (single piece covering the stripes as well). I can definitely see the advantage of a single piece over all of it, but there's quite a "bubble" where the stripe level goes down to the paint level. I've pushed on it with my finger and it just comes back up after a few hours. Is there a method to this involving heat that makes it stay down on the edge of that stripe or was that part installed incorrectly already and it's just a lost cause.

Car goes back in this week to get the issues addressed. Wondering if we should be fixing the stripe coverage and gaps or if we should be laying down a whole new piece on the hood?

I use a card wrapped in a paper towel when it's several hours to a day after install

 

[chitlins37]

Close-up of front blinker area?

Can some folks with Xpel on the front please post close-up pics of the seams/cuts in and around the fog lamps? Went to view first pass of my car at the installer today and need comparison points.

Thanks in advance!

 

[gtaindetail]

First, we need pics of thee OPs job. Internet warrior clear bra threads are not worthwhile without close up pics under indoor lighting.

$7k-$9K for the car? Those are big-time rip off prices.

I have the front bumper, full hood, full roof, front fenders, side mirrors and headlights and rear quarter pannels. I think I paid around $1600-$1800 for that.
can't remember exactly but it wasn't double the cost of the xpel to install.

Retail pricing is on the XPEL website.
The entire front end of the car is $1159, which is basically all you really need.
installer shouldn't charge you more than you can order it for yourself. They get it wholesale. So how much for installation above that?

I'd do some research to see what others are paying for Xpel coverage.

http://www.xpel.com/paint-protectio...rucks/2016/Ford/Mustang/Fastback/Shelby_GT350

That really depends on your geographical location, film used, how custom the installation will be, etc. 10k for a full car is not unrealistic at all. The cost of the film is higher than most people think but that being said, if someone wants to buy it and apply it themselves they are more than welcome to. Same as people can paint their own houses, asphalt their own driveways, and, if so inclined perform their own surgery...

$1,600 buys a lot of paint repair. hmmmm

Not good paint repair. :clap2::clap2:

Holy cow I can't believe the prices on that xpel website. It's plastic film.

It's actually top coated urethane. Let's talk about tire prices...they're just rubber!

 

[GTP]

$7k-$9K for the car? Those are big-time rip off prices.

I have the front bumper, full hood, full roof, front fenders, side mirrors and headlights and rear quarter pannels. I think I paid around $1600-$1800 for that.
can't remember exactly but it wasn't double the cost of the xpel to install.

Retail pricing is on the XPEL website.
The entire front end of the car is $1159, which is basically all you really need.
installer shouldn't charge you more than you can order it for yourself. They get it wholesale. So how much for installation above that?

I'd do some research to see what others are paying for Xpel coverage.

http://www.xpel.com/paint-protectio...rucks/2016/Ford/Mustang/Fastback/Shelby_GT350

Getting the sides done really adds up. Basically the front and top of my car is covered, but not the sides. Somewhere around $6k does the whole car. Too much for me. Still my total coverage cost me around 2500.

There's no need to do multiple pieces on the hood. I keep all the cars I do for at least 3 days and go back and fine tune it. I go back a day or 2 later and work the film down next to the stripes to minimize the gap caused from the stripe transition.

^This. You can use the plastic vinyl squeegee tool to continue to press the film up against the vinyl edges for the first couple days. You cannot totally eliminate the narrow air channel. It shows on dark colored cars, but very hard to see on light colors. (Stripe color doesn't matter.)

I had the full car done minus the trunk. One piece over the stripes. As mentioned above, if you look closely, you can see the ridge where stripes are. I can't see if I'm over about 3 feet away.

Personally, I didn't want another seam where dirt could collect and was willing to pay that price with the ridge.

^This is what I did.

Stripeless - problem solved ;)

^Or this! :lol:

 

[chitlins37]

Did the cuts around your front signals cover the entire painted surface or just taper off somewhere near the light fixture? (Lower front passenger side did not look like a perfect fit to my completely untrained eye).

I did not think to take a pic but am going back tomorrow as 1 section on lower front driver side needed to be reworked (seam with the front hood piece had pulled up in one spot leaving a 'hole' in coverage. Installer apologized, looked a little embarrassed and said he would fix it no problem. Rest of the car looked amazing...including seams beside stripes, the Ceramic Pro interior, exterior and wheels/lugs/calipers is on point.

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