Van Larson

Bumper is covered with previous gen of xpel. More "orange peel" and is visually slightly "yellowier" over white.

XPEL

When it comes to paint protection, the precut kits are the way to go. This way you can ensure the same machine precision cuts without having to worry about an errant knife damaging the paint by an installer. When working with a Porsche we highly recommend removing the headlights and emblems for a cleaner look and overall better install quality.

Since we're on the 993 forum I thought I'd share this install thread we completed last week on a 993 that had 15 year old film on it that was replaced with Ultimate film.
http://blog.xpel.com/porsche-911-993...otection-film/

msw

had fcar completely wrapped with xpel ultimate about a month ago.

sooo much easier to care for car its ridiculous...

jkonva

I thought it was better to have an experienced installer do a custom wrap so that they can wrap the edges? Do the precut kits allow the edges to be wrapped?

scott watkins

As a follow-up on my other post, I'll be returning to the Xpel folks soon to have some additional rework done.

Quite a bit of peeling under the front boot, a few bubbles, and the installer didn't trim under the mirrors where the mfg part number is.

Hopefully the 3rd trip will be the charm!

XPEL

It's important to understand that a "kit" is a representation of the particular designer's standards and capabilities, just as the results of a "custom" installation represent the same. There are no inherent properties that are mutually exclusive to either installation method.

So, yes, edges can be wrapped with a kit provided the kit was designed to do so. Conversely, having a "custom" installation performed does not guarantee you wrapped edges. Also, contrary to popular belief, a "custom" installation does not guarantee you a quality installation.

There are plenty of examples where either method was executed beautifully, and there are plenty where either method resulted in horror. Here are some examples to illustrate my point:

Here is a custom cut installation that went pretty badly -


Here is a KIT installation that went on perfectly -


Here is a custom cut installation that was done well -


Here is a kit that was installed poorly -


Basically, there are 4 parts to installing paint protection film that all need to be in place for stunning results:

1. A good looking film (no orange peel, deep gloss, wide enough to allow full coverage of panels with no seams)
2. A kit design that: a) fits the panel perfectly without unnecessary contortion of the film b) allows the edges to be wrapped where desired and c) contains no unnecessary seams or reliefs
3. A competent installer who has the skills to: a) apply the film without causing blemishes in the film and b) properly align the kit to the panel being covered
4. A shop who is willing to stand behind their product and their work no matter what.

If the product is being applied WITHOUT a precut kit, replace number 3 with:

A competent installer who has the skills to: a) apply the film without causing blemishes in the film and b) trim the excess film at all the edges where it cannot be wrapped, without cutting into your car's paint, while achieving 1/16th inch finished tolerances and perfect circles where applicable.

In other words, it should look like this:


NOT like this:


There are many examples of properly installed kits with wrapped edges on our blog page at http://blog.xpel.com.

FabianS

Man, those bad examples are horrible! I would have a bird if it were my car.

scott watkins

"and there are plenty where either method resulted in horror"

Wow! Some installs look great! Please come to Houston and help with mine and we'll see if the 3rd time will work.

Here's a sample of one corner of the boot lid.

FabianS

^ Seriously?! I would **** if that were my car. Maybe I expect too much of people now a days.

scott watkins

Here's a shot of the film applied over the mfg part # on the mirror.

scott watkins

"Seriously" Yes sir sad to say it be so.

I'm praying we can find a good installer for the version 3.0...

JB991

Where did you have this initial install done? Results of "version 3.0"? I'm in Houston and am looking to find a quality install, rather than a hack job.

scott watkins

The team at Xpel corrected and did an awesome job to get the product installed.

Will use Xpel for any new cars!