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When you say there is a 10 year life expectancy on the newer films, does that mean all films should be replaced after 10 years?
On my race car, it came with a nice wrap on the front of the car; I'm assuming that because of the wrapped seams looking like your good examples. I don't know exactly how long it had been on, but I had some minor body damage, and removed it to get it ready for paint work. It was a bear to remove! The leading portion was thinner and pitted from track debris, so I expected that to be difficult. The hood portion was not pitted, but still difficult. At first I thought it was from using 3m adhesive remover to get off rubber marks, but even the parts for the bra that didn't get debris or adhesive remover were tough. I thought I was doing it wrong until I removed the clear from a used bumper that had clear, and it was easy.
This may be an extreme case, but I have a Ferrari with a full clear bra of unknown age. The bra looks great, and I seal it twice a year, but I'm afraid of leaving it on too long for risk of paint damage if it's anything like removing the clear from the race car. Same concern goes for the xpel headlight kits I've put on my cars....
What do you suggest for the people that keep cars long term?
Thanks,
David
Hi David,
The 10 year warranty is a more broad facing guarantee from the manufacturers themselves. The exact durability and long term performance really depends on two things, 1)Usage of the vehicle, 2) Maintenance of the vehicle.
If a car is tracked everyday its obviously going to take much more abuse than a car that is daily driven or babied.
For when a wrap is ready to remove, or must be removed it really depends on how it is weathering. Just because film is showing pitting or imperfections form use does not mean it is "bad" or needs removal, its simply doing its job. But if the film has faded or started cracking then it definitely has hit that limit and needs removal.
In my experience, PPF when installed correctly should be very easy and straightforward to remove. Usually for me, removing PPF shouldn't take more than about 20-30 minutes per panel. But I have run into situations where cheap film or improper installation techniques were used which caused this process to take hours instead.
To sum things up, PPF should last way beyond the 10 years guaranteed, as long as it isn't abused and is cared for. For individuals looking to keep cars long term its a great way to protect the underlaying finishes and add much more peace of mind during their use. I recommend checking with the film manufacturers of the installed products for care and maintenance instructions to follow for prolonged durability of the product. Regular washing and waxing/sealing is recommend by all film manufacturers.
Originally Posted by Dougr743
how long should one wait to wrap the car. So new car, 30 days? or more
New cars there is usually no need to have to wait additional time upon delivery for wrapping. Since they are usually painted weeks or months prior to actual delivery day. We recommend PPF ASAP before driving to prevent any damage from occurring prior.
my dealer does it in charlotte, not sure if they are the answer, and don't know who in the charlotte area is the best. Any help would be great. I have googled and reviewed, but will do the entire car, so want it correct thanks
my dealer does it in charlotte, not sure if they are the answer, and don't know who in the charlotte area is the best. Any help would be great. I have googled and reviewed, but will do the entire car, so want it correct thanks
We picked up a new 911 Turbo S a week ago from Charlotte for a full-body clear bra wrap and Modesta on everything. We have another new GT3 being delivered to us this week from the area. We regularly work on cars from all over the Southeast. If you want to talk, feel free to shoot me an email(in my signature).
When it comes to paint protection film, it can be done Day 1 of delivery. Paint is already cured from the factory, so it's not something you should wait prior to driving the car. When it comes to paint protection film, it is very important to note that the installer is the most important factor. So research and look at history of the company. 2nd, assuming you find a quality installer, the product is just as important. We use ClearGuard Nano SR and do so because of the clarity of the film along with its high gloss. There are other brands out there that are more well-known, but there is a lot more orange peel texture to those films. Here is a quick video to show we choose it:
You really need to have the right installer with the right product. They should be certified by the film manufacturer to be able to install the film. Otherwise there are way too many unknowns. Did the installer prep the car properly? Did he overstretch the film? Did he use too much soap in his mix? All of these things can cause film failure, among other things. Sure the film will still do it's job, but now you have to take your car back to the installer to get it fixed and hope they don't give you the runaround.
We've been installing and distributing 3M paint protection film for over 20 years, and the reputation of the company and their ability to back up the warranty is second to none. They are a 100 year old company that invented and patented paint protection film during the Vietnam War to protect helicopter blades from shrapnel damage. I can't think of a better test of the durability of the film than that. If you use a 3M Certified Installer, 3M pays the installer both labor and materials to repair or replace any of their film that fails, so there is no excuse why the job can't be made right. And in all those years of installing the 3M film, they have never once denied a warranty we have submitted for either our self or one of our certified installers. They manufacture their own film here in the US, using their own materials, so quality control is easily managed from the source. They also extensively test there products to make sure that the warranty they give isn't just a gimmick to sell more film.
On top of a 10 year warranty for the Scotchgard Pro Series, which covers yellowing, bubbling, peeling and cracking, they also offer a 5 year service agreement that can be purchased at the time of the install. However, many shops include it at no charge because it's such an amazing value. If a rock actually does make it through the film AND damages the paint, 3M will pay up to $3500 PER INCIDENT to have the damaged film removed, the damaged area repainted, and new film installed. No other company is offering that.
In addition to considering to protecting the exterior from road debris, one should also consider nano-window films like Spectra PhotoSync or CeraLuxe Quantum Ceramic. These window films are relatively clear yet they block out more heat than conventional window tint. The purpose? To protect the dash / leather in the car from harmful IR and UV rays. The two products best suited for the job are the films listed above.
It used to be that ceramic tint were the best to block heat. This is no longer the case since Photosync was introduced back in 2010. Here's a comparison:
Eeeek.... Another local shop claiming to do "Quality over quantity" causing damage to their customers vehicle. Do your research and view work in person before making any decision on which shop to go with, cutting corners to save a few 100 $$$'s can result in irreversible damage and an overall crappy quality job.
Sorry if it was asked earlier but any feedback on Suntek Vs Xpel Ultimate? Local shop has both, at the same price, but claims Xpel Ultimate has more of a orange peel effect than Suntek, and that the Suntek is more clear... Any truth to this?
Sorry if it was asked earlier but any feedback on Suntek Vs Xpel Ultimate? Local shop has both, at the same price, but claims Xpel Ultimate has more of a orange peel effect than Suntek, and that the Suntek is more clear... Any truth to this?
This is true to a degree, Xpel has improved their film over the last year so the difference is minimal. For the highest gloss/clarity and lowest orange peel appearance we recommend ClearGuard Nano.
In addition SunTek tends to measure thinner than both Xpel/ClearGuard Nano, so theoretically will offer less absorption potential for rock chip and debris damage.
11-04-2017, 04:59 PM
