dsleedesign

Anyone going to do this?

I am thinking about doing it.... but I am concerned about a lot of things.

Concerns.
- we have bulging fenders.... yes its cool... but will this be prone to rocks and crap?
- full hood protection.... how will they wrap around the audi logo on the hood?
- How do you detail paint protection film?


Whats your thoughts....

Huey52

I've had 3M film on prior A5 and it provides a very good degree of stone chip protection.

A bit tedious but a good installer should have no issue cutting around the 4-rings logo.

Plexus is an excellent cleaner. 303 Aerospace application for extra insurance.

I'm actually not going to bother this time as it gets in the way of my waxing.

snagitseven

Do an AW and Google search for Xpel Ultimate. Not the cheapest film on the market but the only one to claim self healing properties and a clearcoat layer like the car's paint. It can be waxed like any other painted surface on the car or treated with paint protection like Opti-Coat or CQuartz. For best protection, many do a full front, i.e. hood, fenders, bumper, mirrors, A pillars and even the rocker panels.
Three years on mine and not one single rock chip, yellowing or fading.

Red5-SB

There's a lot of great feedback on various model forums. I researched and went with Xpel Ultimate and love it. I did my entire Misano Red S5, had it done by TVP in Raliegh, NC. He applied film very closely around the rings, S5, and supercharge badges.
I'd go with a pro installer in order to get the best results. I use McGuires NXT wax and get great results.
If money is not a factor don't even think twice about doing the whole car. If cost is a factor, best advice I can give is do all the front surfaces, entire hood, A pillers, door handles, and the trunk entry area.

snagitseven

I'm an Xpel Ultimate poster child and I did the full front from A pillars forward. I think you start to reach a point of diminishing return doing the whole car since most of the risk of rock damage will come from the front. What did the whole car cost? $3K+?

Vegas-roadster

I've always been skeptical of clear bras. IMO, the need depends on the color. Chips are barely noticeable on silver or white paint. Chipping is a big problem in the west if you do a lot of interstate driving. Al you need is a 500 mile round trip at 80 mph to get a nice collection of chips in front. I was planning to get it done for the first time on my Mk 2 after i had the front end repainted after someone backed into me. The body shop said I should not do it for at least 4 weeks to let the paint cure. Unfortunately, I had a TT West 2 weeks later and chipping was well underway when I got back. My Scuba paint is now very noticeably chipped in front and I really regret not getting the clear bra.

I got my wife a nearly new Mercedes E350 last September and even though it was silver, I had Xpel installed. I shopped around and it was virtually the same price as other films and came highly recommended on detailer forums. After inspecting the chipping on my TT and my wife's old car, 95% of the hood chips were in the first 20" of the hood. So I got what they called a bikini cut for the hood, the entire front fascia, and the fronts of the front fenders up to the top of the arc. The advantage of this is that it was about 1/3 the cost of going all the way back to the A pillars. The disadvantage is that the bra line is visible on the hood if you look closely (mine is curved on the hood so I think it is not quite as noticeable as a straight cut). The lines on the fenders are virtually invisible. The obvious advantage of going to the A-pillar is more protection (although the chances of chips is small in the extended area) and no visible lines. I've waxed the car twice now, and the finish of the bra area looks identical to the paint area. Every time I wax the front I wax away about a dozen impacts.

I'm going with Xpel on all my cars from now on.

snagitseven

My take on this is it only takes one rock to bounce up on the hood and leave a nice paint chip behind where a bra is present. If a windshield can get a chip (I have), so can anywhere on the hood. Hence, I'm a full front kinda guy. Wrapped edges on hood and fenders so no seams are visible. Seams on the pieces on the bumper areas are very difficult to detect from 3 feet.

Surfinjoe

Agree with the trend here. I've had it on my Porsche, great product (Xpel). Just make sure to get a good install (lap edges). I went with full front, everything but the windshield.

Red5-SB

It was $2800 and came with 7 or 10 year warranty, can't recall which. I agree rock damage is most likely up front but those tires can sure kick up stuff that comes at your car from all directions. I also know a guy who insists the roof is just as vulnerable as the A pillars.

snagitseven

Yup, there's always that risk/reward ratio to consider.
I assume you got the Xpel Ultimate (they make other, lesser films). If so, the warranty is 10 years including the install.