New z06 xpel or not?

[badhabit_wb]

I have a 2015 Velocity Yellow Z06 and I'm trying to decide whether to have xpel ultimate installed on the front,hood,mirrors,front fenders, rear area behind the doors where the factory clear protection is. I plan on keeping the car for a lot of years so I want to make sure I take care of it. It will not be a daily drive and I keep it in a temperature controlled garage. I've had it almost a month and have a little over 800 miles on it. If I put paint protection on it I want to do it soon but I also don't want to do something that will take away from the shine. I was at the dealership when the car came in on the truck and no one has washed it but me. So far no swirl marks and I haven't clayed or polished it yet. I did put brilliant glaze on it yesterday to give it a little shine. The paint looks good enough that I think finishing polish or revive will take care of whatever I need to do correction wise. I usually wash or waterless wash every time I take the car out.  I'm a little ocd about keeping it looking it's best. 

I always try to keep a lot of distance between my car and the cars I'm following to avoid rock chips but I'm afraid that sooner or later if I don't put on the xpel i'll get some, that said I've heard that when the xpel has to be replaced the chips show up when the old film is removed. If any of you guys have experience with xpel let me know, good or bad. I have a couple of questions.

 

1. Should I just clay, correct, and seal/wax or go with the xpel? 

 

2. If I do decide to put the xpel on should I clay and do paint correction before i take it to the installer?

 

 

[Tim]

Xpell works wonders. Do the clay/correction and then have the installer come to you. No need in risking a rock chip going to the installer when they will come to you.

[badhabit_wb]

Xpell works wonders. Do the clay/correction and then have the installer come to you. No need in risking a rock chip going to the installer when they will come to you.

The guy that does the best job around here is backed up until the second week in May and i'll be driving it until then. I will wait until the week it's going to him to clay and correct. I'm still on the fence because one of the guys in the corvette club had problems with it on his older z06. He had a different installer though. I got to see some cars that this shop did at a cars and coffee yesterday and I had parked beside a car he had done and didn't notice the xpel. It was a crystal red paint but his work looked flawless. I couldn't tell the difference in where the xpel ended and the paint began. The installer said not to expect any more than 5 years from it, but that I might get a lot more depending on use.

[avvblanc01]

I'm subscribing to this because I've been curious about the product myself

[badhabit_wb]

I'm subscribing to this because I've been curious about the product myself

The more the merrier!

[Green Machine]

Xpel????? You could also wrap those areas in crystal clear vinyl

[badhabit_wb]

Xpel????? You could also wrap those areas in crystal clear vinyl

The installer has suntek, xpel, and 3m. I'm trying to decide whether to do any of them or just leave it like it is and polish and wax like I always have.

[Nudge]

A friend has a 2014 silver Corvette and he had Xpel put on it about a year ago. When I got my new car in December I had Xpel put on, too. Both of us covered the front, the whole hood, mirrors, and the two front quarter panels. You can't tell where it is unless you look real close at the edges. Or if you're wearing polarized sunglasses. I was nervous about rock chips before I had mine done and now, not so much. But I still take precautions. I was told by my installer that it should last 10 years and maybe longer since I too have a temperature controlled garage and will drive it only about 7-8000 miles per year. I just used HGG on it today and applied a coat of wax. I'm hoping that if I take that kind of care, it will be in great shape in 10 years.

[GXPaycheck]

I had Expel done on the entire front end of the SSm rear rockers, and trunk lip. Love the stuff! Saved me from some rock damage a week after we put it on. Wish they made for the windshield, but that's another story :-(

My installer said 3M is supposed to be coming out with a new product that is pretty good, but I haven't seen anything about it recently.

Expel is tough as nails and better than your average clear bra. I highly recommend it!

[badhabit_wb]

Thanks! Is anybody unhappy with it?

[Nudge]

3M or Sunteck might be.

[cammyfive]

I had Xpel PPF put on the front bumper and side mirror caps of my 2015 Camry.  Until recently, I was driving the car 3-4K a month for work and have noticed only a tiny fraction of a pinkie nail gouch from where a large rack bounced up from a semi and clunked it.  Of all the vehicle stuff I've spent money on in my life, Xpel PPF ranks up there as the best.  No complaints and my installer (Clear Auto Bra in St. Louis, MO) did it PERFECTLY, I can only see it when I'm literally 6-8" from the front bumper and the car is clean and I'm TRYING to see it.  I can't recommend it enough.  

[badhabit_wb]

I had Xpel PPF put on the front bumper and side mirror caps of my 2015 Camry.  Until recently, I was driving the car 3-4K a month for work and have noticed only a tiny fraction of a pinkie nail gouch from where a large rack bounced up from a semi and clunked it.  Of all the vehicle stuff I've spent money on in my life, Xpel PPF ranks up there as the best.  No complaints and my installer (Clear Auto Bra in St. Louis, MO) did it PERFECTLY, I can only see it when I'm literally 6-8" from the front bumper and the car is clean and I'm TRYING to see it.  I can't recommend it enough.  

Thanks, sounds like everyone that's used it is happy. I saw a few cars the installer I was talking to had done on Saturday at a Cars and Coffee meet and I didn't notice it until he pointed it out. Hopefully I can get it done before I get any rock chips. I don't have enough self control to park it for 2 or 3 weeks while I wait. lol

[Ace22]

I had Xpel put on my 2009 G8, with the hood, rockers, quarter panel, and mirrors covered.  I loved it at first due to the protection from rock chips, but as time went on it developed some fine wrinkles probably due to the sun.   I opted to not have my new Audi coated as I prefer the look without.  Both cars were black, and your yellow will look different than a black car coated.

 

Just make sure that you take the proper care as I believe it has just a very thin clear-type coat, so I don't believe it can be buffed.  Good luck with your decision and love the new ride

[badhabit_wb]

I had Xpel put on my 2009 G8, with the hood, rockers, quarter panel, and mirrors covered.  I loved it at first due to the protection from rock chips, but as time went on it developed some fine wrinkles probably due to the sun.   I opted to not have my new Audi coated as I prefer the look without.  Both cars were black, and your yellow will look different than a black car coated.

 

Just make sure that you take the proper care as I believe it has just a very thin clear-type coat, so I don't believe it can be buffed.  Good luck with your decision and love the new ride

That's my big worry. I'm afraid I won't like the look of it a few years down the road. I keep the car in a temperature controlled garage so that should help and the new suntek and xpel can be polished so maybe that will help. Thanks for your input.

[GXPaycheck]

I had Xpel put on my 2009 G8, with the hood, rockers, quarter panel, and mirrors covered.  I loved it at first due to the protection from rock chips, but as time went on it developed some fine wrinkles probably due to the sun.   I opted to not have my new Audi coated as I prefer the look without.  Both cars were black, and your yellow will look different than a black car coated.

 

Just make sure that you take the proper care as I believe it has just a very thin clear-type coat, so I don't believe it can be buffed.  Good luck with your decision and love the new ride

Your installer should've fixed that for ya. Mine would.

[TheBurninator]

I've been looking into this myself for future use. Planning on painting the GTI this summer and I wanted to protect the roof, hood, fenders, mirrors, front bumper, etc.

 

Anyone have experience installing it? Figured I would at least give it a shot on the hood as it is a fairly flat panel.

[badhabit_wb]

Well I decided to bite the bullet and schedule it. I'm getting the front end, doors forward, mirrors, roof and a pillars, lower splitters and below the door to the seam behind the door, and behind the rear tires. That will leave the doors, rear  end, and the rear deck with paint and the rest of it covered. If it starts looking bad I'll just either get it repaired or cut my losses and remove it. Getting the windows tinted as well.

[NacsMXer]

Well I decided to bite the bullet and schedule it. I'm getting the front end, doors forward, mirrors, roof and a pillars, lower splitters and below the door to the seam behind the door, and behind the rear tires. That will leave the doors, rear  end, and the rear deck with paint and the rest of it covered. If it starts looking bad I'll just either get it repaired or cut my losses and remove it. Getting the windows tinted as well.

Good choice.  I bit the bullet and had Xpel Ultimate done on my 2014 Mustang GT/CS when I first bought it.  I had basically the entire front end, mirrors, rockers to the back bumper, and front 10 inches of the roof covered.  All it took was one nasty rock chip in my A-pillar the 4th time I drove the car to decide that was enough.  You will be glad you did it years down the road when your front end won't have a single rock chip in it. 

 

Another great thing about Xpel i've come to really appreciate is the self healing properties of it.  With the whole front end covered in it, I don't need to be nearly as careful/paranoid when washing and wiping the car down as the rest of the uncovered paint.  If you accidentally put a light scratch/swirl mark in it, it will self heal by sitting out in the warm sun.  You can also just pour warm water over it and the scratch will magically disappear.  Truly amazing.  Also the bugs come off a whole lot easier as the film is pretty slick stuff with a proper sealant over it. 

 

Just reinforcing your decision as I am super happy I took the plunge on the Xpel Ultimate myself!

[badhabit_wb]

I got it done last week and the guy did an amazing job! I got the front end forward of the doors,side mirrors, a pillars, top, and the area where the rear brake duct is. The only problem I have is that the I can see a difference in the color of the paint, velocity yellow, on the areas that have the wrap vs the areas that  don't. I figured out it's got to do with the light reflecting off of the wrap. I can get at certain angles and not see it but I'm too anal to live with it like that so it's back to the shop tomorrow to do the rest of the car. I had over a dozen other people look at the car and one other person could tell the difference, none of the others even knew the xpel was on it until I told them!

[Rich]

I have 3 M on mine and am not a huge fan. On the black, you didn't notice it, but on the white it's really obvious, plus it's next to impossible to get it invisible around the edges. Plus it yellows over time. I'm about ready to have it replaced. 

Beautiful Z.  Congratulations on the ride! 

[Ricky Bobby]

^^^This happens on all clear films I've seen, on white cars.  At about 4 years it is visibly yellow and needing replacement.  Just the nature of the clear material on white.

 

Not sure how Xpel ultimate would be different but I had 3M and VentureShield in the past and they both did the same.

Edited May 5, 2015 by Ricky Bobby

[badhabit_wb]

Yeah this car is velocity yellow. You can't see it on the car but there is a subtle difference in the color on the doors compared to the front fender. I was really surprised at how good it looks, right now, even when you're close up. This car was done last week so it hasn't had time to yellow it just reflects light a little differently. It is virtually invisible right now except for that. I think once I do the rest of the car it will not be noticed. I just have to decide what to protect it with, as far as polish. The car will be garaged so that should help with the fading I just wanted to keep the chips away!

[Rich]

Let's face it, there's no perfect answer.  We all just do the best we can.

[badhabit_wb]

That's so true. It's the first time i've used a wrap on anything. I'll know by tomorrow night how the whole car looks covered. it will be years before i know if it was worth it, at least to me.

[LFairbanks]

I have 3 M on mine and am not a huge fan. On the black, you didn't notice it, but on the white it's really obvious, plus it's next to impossible to get it invisible around the edges. Plus it yellows over time. I'm about ready to have it replaced. 

Beautiful Z.  Congratulations on the ride! 

 

You were probably sold a knock off product and told that it was a 3M product.  I had a 3M clear bra on a previous vehicle and there was no yellowing whatsoever.  I even had the headlights done.  If there was yellowing I would have for surely noticed it there.  A lot of people will tell the consumer that they are getting a 3M product when in fact they are not.  When I got my windows tinted they were marked all over with the 3M logo.  I asked the guy, who happened to also be a customer that lived on my route why that was, his response was that 3M did it so that the consumer knew they were getting their product and not a knockoff.  The marking was easily removed with rubbing alcohol. 

 

I treated all of mine as I did my paint and never had any issues.

 

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3M-Automotive/Aftermarket/Our-Brands/Scotchgard-Pro-Series/Frequently-Asked-Questions/

 

Q.

What is the warranty for Scotchgard™ Paint Protection Film Pro Series?

A.

Our comprehensive warranty for Scotchgard Pro Series film is 7 years from the date of purchase, and includes coverage against defects, yellowing, bubbling and cracking. Visit our website at 3M.com/paint protection film for more details and to see the full warranty disclosure.

 

Edited May 5, 2015 by LFairbanks