Strange Stripe Discoloration

[dsiggi]

Question for the group.

Has anyone ever seen a stripe discolor like this? I had some replaced under warranty for peeling, but just noticed this in April when i pulled the car out for the summer. I thought it was a defect in the Xpel and the shop replaced it but it still seems to be there so it must be in the vinyl. Unfortunately I left the car and didn't get to look at the vinyl when they did it because myself and the shop was convinced whatever it was, was in the XPEL. They did say the XPEL looked good when they peeled it off.

The only thing I can think it its either a strange defect that has come up or is there a chance that when it was at the dealer that last time for some work someone put a rag with a solvent on it on the car, and it got into the vinyl? The entire car is PPF but there are seams between the matte and the gloss XPEL (albeit very small as they are butted together). But the Vinyl would have had to absorb whatever it was to make that happen. I'm not familar enought with Vinyl and what could cause something like this.

Thoughts?

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[matthewr87]

So the marks appeared after the PPF was installed? Perhaps the PPF adhesive caused this or there was some contamination on the vinyl before the PPF was installed that caused the issue afterwards.

 

[dsiggi]

Yea the marks came about 1 1/2 - 2 years after I had done the PPF originally. The first i noticed this was this spring....

 

[Tomster]

If that is stealth ppf, then that happens. You can go back to your dealer and have that section replaced. This happened to me on my yellow R. I didn't worry about it. I believe it is small amounts of air below the ppf.

 

[dsiggi]

If that is stealth ppf, then that happens. You can go back to your dealer and have that section replaced. This happened to me on my yellow R. I didn't worry about it. I believe it is small amounts of air below the ppf.

Its something different. The XPEL dealer agreed to warranty it, and I see it again now with the new piece in the exact same spot. Yes it is stealth PPF.

 

[dsiggi]

If that is stealth ppf, then that happens. You can go back to your dealer and have that section replaced. This happened to me on my yellow R. I didn't worry about it. I believe it is small amounts of air below the ppf.

Tom, any chance you have any pictures? The strange thing is if I look at it under the light, the discoloration does go all the way to the edge of the stealth PPF, and then goes in a hemispherical pattern. It was had to get it all in the picture with the light....

 

[Tomster]

Tom, any chance you have any pictures? The strange thing is if I look at it under the light, the discoloration does go all the way to the edge of the stealth PPF, and then goes in a hemispherical pattern. It was had to get it all in the picture with the light....

No, sorry, I don't. I just looked thorough my GT350 photo album and didn't see pics of it. I do recall talking to my ppf installer about it and his reply was I can take it off and refund that portion or you can leave it there. I left it there. It was only one spot and if you weren't looking for it, it wasnt pronounced.

 

[dsiggi]

No, sorry, I don't. I just looked thorough my GT350 photo album and didn't see pics of it. I do recall talking to my ppf installer about it and his reply was I can take it off and refund that portion or you can leave it there. I left it there. It was only one spot and if you weren't looking for it, it wasnt pronounced.

So the PPF guy just wanted to refund it vs replaceing it? Was he thinking that the air pockets would come back? Just wanted to understand the logic. This is a stealth only issue? I really wish I could have seen it while they did it and right after. I use Lingenfelter for PPF and they are awesome to work with. Great guys. I didn't get back to the car until a little while after it was done and by that time there was tons of pollen already on the car even though it was freshly washed so there was no way to tell.

Like you said, you have to look for this in certain light. I saw it walking away from my car in the sunilght when it hit i just right one day.

 

[Tomster]

So the PPF guy just wanted to refund it vs replaceing it? Was he thinking that the air pockets would come back? Just wanted to understand the logic. This is a stealth only issue? I really wish I could have seen it while they did it and right after. I use Lingenfelter for PPF and they are awesome to work with. Great guys. I didn't get back to the car until a little while after it was done and by that time there was tons of pollen already on the car even though it was freshly washed so there was no way to tell.

Like you said, you have to look for this in certain light. I saw it walking away from my car in the sunilght when it hit i just right one day.

In all honesty, He just got done doing my whole car. This guy does all the high end cars in the area and maybe he was thinking its just a mustang. I don't know, but it was a take it or leave it deal. I lived with it. The car is now gone (traded in for the GT500CFTP) and nobody ever said anything to be about it.

 

[dsiggi]

Thanks Tom. I also have a email into Xpel directly to see what they say.

 

[Inthehighdesert]

Can you pm that photo. My good friend is a big Xpel dealer. I’d like to forward him that and see what he says.

 

[dsiggi]

Can you pm that photo. My good friend is a big Xpel dealer. I’d like to forward him that and see what he says.

Will do. So far XPEL asked me when the "ceramic" was installed (there was never ceramic on the PPF even tho it looks like high spots, maybe that confused them, but I did explain everything in detail). So I'm hoping I get a better answer there. I'd love to hear what your friend has to say.

 

[Inthehighdesert]

He said he thought the adhesive underneath was either defective or contaminated. Did say it should be covered under warranty. Catch with that is for the installer it may not cover the labor side. I can’t speak for Xpel on how well they deal with warranty issue’s. Some of the most perceived reputable companies are less then stellar in that area to say the least.

Will do. So far XPEL asked me when the "ceramic" was installed (there was never ceramic on the PPF even tho it looks like high spots, maybe that confused them, but I did explain everything in detail). So I'm hoping I get a better answer there. I'd love to hear what your friend has to say.

 

[dsiggi]

He said he thought the adhesive underneath was either defective or contaminated. Did say it should be covered under warranty. Catch with that is for the installer it may not cover the labor side. I can’t speak for Xpel on how well they deal with warranty issue’s. Some of the most perceived reputable companies are less then stellar in that area to say the least.

well the kicker is they agreed to replace it and it’s still
There but the installer said the vinyl looked ok he though underneath but admits he didn’t inspect it super well. They are great to deal with but I hate to have them pull it again without knowing because if it is the xpel I’m not sure how it happened twice unless it’s something like air like Tom said or if it’s the vinyl stripe I’m then haveing to have that replaced or xpel again and just leave it be. Tough situation.

 

[Inthehighdesert]

I get it. Just relayed what he said. If there was contamination its on the stripe itself. That would explain it reappearing. Without knowing how it came off when it was removed its impossible to really pinpoint it. I don’t know your shops particular application process either. His is an alcohol bath before install. I painted cars for years and the only issue I ever had was a tech either not following the procedure or the occasional bad product. Things like this can be frustrating to say the least. I was always a stickler for troubleshooting an issue with paint so it could be avoided in the future.

well the kicker is they agreed to replace it and it’s still
There but the installer said the vinyl looked ok he though underneath but admits he didn’t inspect it super well. They are great to deal with but I hate to have them pull it again without knowing because if it is the xpel I’m not sure how it happened twice unless it’s something like air like Tom said or if it’s the vinyl stripe I’m then haveing to have that replaced or xpel again and just leave it be. Tough situation.

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