Woodster

Has anyone had this product applied to their TT?
a) are you happy wth the way it looks?
b) does it protect from rock chips?
c) where did you have it applied (where on the car)?
frontal area, part of hood? all of hood? behind front fenders?
doors? in front of rear fenders?
Please advise, I have an application scheduled for this
friday so I catch this car BEFORE rock chips.
MK

Oak

I have the complete Stongard kit installed. Looks OK, great protection. Have installed myself and also had pros installed. Most definatly would need a paint touch up by now if no Stongard. Get the head light protection while your at it. Good stuff.

ltc

My dealer has had to repaint several noses on cars equipped with 3M film products when the film is removed (the film will sometimes fog/discolor/haze due to a bad batch of film or inferior film product grade; or if the owner wants new film applied for cosmetic reasons).
The film normally comes off painted metal surfaces (hoods, fenders, etc) but the release agent in the flexible bumpers sometimes causes with paint adhesion, thus causing problems when the film is removed.

My 996TT had it all over the place when I bought it, I had it removed immediately (she's a queen, never been in the rain, so I figured I didn't need it), but I do have it on my wife's 05 Excursion (about half an acre of film on a vehicle that size...it's everwhere, hood, bumpers, door handles, door edges, you name it).

My Cayenne is currently in the shop getting its nose repainted after the film was removed under warranty........no big deal, as I don't care what happens to the Cayenne.

For headlight protection, don't go with 3M film desinged for body panels...it's too thin.
I would suggest an xpel headlight kit.
http://www.xpel.com/products/headlight.asp
Very thick film and a $1000 protection warranty for damage to a Xpel protected headlight....nice for BiXenons! I've got it all of the cars (not the Cup car, which has yellow plastic lenses) and have been very happy with it.

Oak

removing the material is a cinch, just a heat gun is needed to make the adhesive pliable. Once heated the just peel up and back slowly. Simple and easy.

As far as the Stongard Headlight protection it is a special die-cut material that is a space age vynl. Not the same polyurethane material as the paint protection material is made out of. Also it's over .060" thick.

tkerrmd

I have it, cant go to the track without it!! Looks fine.

ltc

Agreed, simple and easy, except in cases where mold release agent has compromised the basecoat of the paint, thus limiting adhesion. Of course you'd never know you had this issue until you tried to remove the film.


Agreed, there are so many different films supplied by 3M (and others), it's difficult to understand/specify exactly what you want. The standard film is NOT recommended for headlights due to the heat generated by some headlight assemblies. Stonegard, Xpel, Armorfend, Autobahnd, it does get confusing.

Oak

another note on removing the film; I have removed/replaced the 3M protection on a few different cars. If usiing the heat gun sometimes the adhesive will remain adhered to the painted surface. To remove the adhesive you can purchase some adhesive remover from a local auto paint shop.

The Stongard website has a headlight specific section. Checkout www.stongard.com They have partial kits and full kits. Even have extra pieces for aerokit and front and rear fender patches.

bigape

a buddy has it on his Silver TT. completely yellowed underneath and looks like crap! I'll pass and get the nose repainted once every few years

Oak

I've tried other materials other than the Stongard material and has yellowed slightly. The Stongard material on my 996tt has not yellowed or discolored as of yet. Going on 4 years. The problem with repainting is the chance of the paint not matching once you have repainted the original finish you can't go back. With the 3m material you can always re install over the orginal finish for less than than a repaint.

GreggT

Woodster,
There are alot of past threads & many ways to approach this but:

With your car color I would do the bumper.......your call on whether you do the hood (or any other). People will say they can see the 'end line' on the hood on a dark car.....others not. This spring I removed 4 yr old 1st gen Scotchcal on the silver turbo (bumper & chin only)........replaced with new llumar. The car is still 'new' under the clear....now has new protection on top.
I had spent a fair amount of time on this...........but did decide that the Llumar material was what I wanted to try this time around......clearer-smoother than current gen Scotchcal, so many say.
I still have 1st gen Scotchcal on the black 993.....nothing on the seal C4. I use Speedlingerie for big trips but for daily & track clear bra is worth it IMHO.

If you still are in the 'research mode'..........here is a couple points:


**3M 8mil Scotchcal polyurathane film (updated version 2004).......used by.....Ultrashield, Invinca-shield, Stongard, Xpel, Armourfend.

**Venture Tape/Shield/Film.........used by independents........can stretch more, toupher than 3M, more expensive than 3M

**Llumar.........clear, smooth finish....definately best for darker cars.......more flexible/formable than 3M, similer material window tinters use, more expensive than 3M or Venture.

All of the above have sites.....most show their patterns.....here are some, not all.

http://www.xpel.com/products/paint.asp
http://www.ultrashieldusa.com/
http://www.stongard.com/shop.asp
http://www.llumar.com/int-eng/auto.html
http://www.invinca-shield.com/main.htm
http://www.armourfend.com/
http://www.armourfendamerica.com/

BTW..........the pros only get the electronic file of the 'pattern'........and then have equipment in-house to cut the material from bulk that they buy much cheaper.........on-line sources for kits & pieces are actually "Retail".......pro installer should be less.

Good luck to ya.

Woodster

Gregg,
thank you! and hope to see you this weekend in Wisconsin,
with or without my clear shield
MK

Bill in Atlanta

I have the complete Xpel kit on my 2002 Turbo, now almost 4 years old. Would never have another nice car without the 3M film.

I had the bumper redone about a year ago ( installer was doing my wife's new car and I was never happy with the install on the Turbo, so he re-did the front bumper for cost)...the paint beneth it was terrific ! No issues at all, and no chips or scratches.

One add'l benefit, you can quickly QD the front end after a long drive (bugs) without fear of adding swirl marks to your paint.

Again, I would never own another car without the film. Key is finding a really good installer.

Bill

Premier

If you are in the market for paint protection film to be installed, here are some important points to keep in mind:

TRANSPARENCY
There are three ingredients to producing near flawless results:
1. Pre-cut Kit Design
2. Film Clarity
3. Installation Quality

PRE-CUT DESIGN
Paint protection film dealers now use software and a cutting device to cut kits in-house. However, not all software are created equal. The crucial point of paint protection software is the number of pieces and size of the kit per panel. Some softwares are designed to provide ease of installation by using multiple pieces on the front bumper. The disadvantage of such a design is the seams will be more visible. All software we use have been chosen for the quality of design - one piece kits on bumper applications for maximum coverage.

INSTALLATION QUALITY
Stretch marks, dimples, lifting, and wrinkles all determine whether or not the film is visible on a vehicle, especially on darker colored paint. Our 7 years of experience and expertise in the industry has provided us with uncommon knowledge of how to prevent these issues from arising. The end-result is a near flawless install that does not alter the vehicle's aesthetics.

FILM CLARITY
Orange peel texture has been one of the major issues plaguing paint protection film over the years. This is the cause of the adhesive's clarity index under the film and not a degradation of film over time. The texture, although visible on lighter colored vehicles, is most prominent on darker colored paint. We fully understand the importance of clarity and visibility, which is why we only carry the clearest film to compliment our high quality installation results.


FAQ – Paint Protection Film

1. Will it yellow, bubble or crack over time? No film on the market is perfect, so issues may arise. However, if anything does happen, it is always good to know that there is a limited Lifetime Warranty on PARTS AND LABOR from bubbling, fading, and cracking.
2. Can it be washed and waxed? Yes, to maintain the film, it is meant to be waxed and washed on a regular basis 2 wks after installation. All PPF is porous, so when these pores get filled w/ dirt and debris, the film (especially on white vehicles) will exhibit a slight yellowish tone. Keeping the film waxed regularly will minimize this effect.
3. When my car gets dirty, the line on the hood is more visible. What can I do about it? Wash the vehicle and use a wet q-tip and run it along the edge and this will clean up the dirt or wax build-up. If some build-up remains, wet the area w/ detailers’ spray and rub with a micro-fiber / qtip.
4. If I ever remove the film, will there be a two-tone effect? No, all of the films we use now and in the future must be UV stable and allow the rays to penetrate; therefore, there will not be any 2-toning if film is ever removed.
5. Would the paint get stripped if I remove the film after a few yrs? The film is OE paint safe.
6. Can I repaint my bumper and put a film on right away? Yes, you can, but you risk having the paint get pulled off if it is removed later. The recommended new paint curing time is 30-45 days before clear bra application. To improve the curing process, one could request the body shop to bake the paint longer.
7. From my local clear bra installer, they say some of the clearer films are easier to install. Is this true?
Well yes and no. It depends on the installing company's standards. Yes, it is easier to install due to its elasticity, but that does not necessarily mean the quality of install will be ideal. In actuality, the film is more difficult to work with to bring out a truly invisible installation. Due to the film's clarity, it does not hide any type of installation flaw that would not normally show up on film that exhibits orange peel texture.
8. Why do you charge more than these other guys?
Our company was founded with one idea in mind - "Perfection is Our Standard". We truly believe that you get what you pay for. Our company does not price-match nor are we affected by companies that charge less. We focus on providing the highest degree of installation excellence; thus, our prices reflect this. We provide our clientele with excellence in installation, warranty, and service. It is easy to make a quick buck in business, but to maintain a life-long relationship with our customers is the challenge. We focus on the future and the longevity of our services.
9. "I got a quote from XXX down the street, and they cost much less. Why is that?" This is an industry that is growing at an exponential rate. Many people are trying to capitalize on this paint protection fad; however, at the expense of consumers. We often respond, "don't you think they would like to charge $800 for your car instead of $400? Why do you think they can't?"
10. How long does it take to install a full kit? We are typically done with the actual installations for pre-cut kits between 1.5-2.5 hours. The standard in this industry goes anywhere from 4 hrs to 6hrs........there are reports of overnight installs.
11. I don't like to see the line on the hood, can you cover the entire hood? Yes, on some vehicles we can. We are one of several companies in the U.S. that has Master Rolls in 48” and 60"s, which is large enough to wrap hoods as well as entire panels.
12. I have an aftermarket bumper, can you cover this? Approximately 50% of our installs are custom applications. Yes, we can wrap anything that the customer would like covered.
13. You guys are no local, can I purchase an Armourfend kit and find someone local to install it? We do not sell the kits out at the retail level. There are several reasons for this. First of all, it is irresponsible of us to sell pre-cut kits that were designed for professional installation. We are confident in the kit design, but not installation standards in the market. It would be a waste of money for the consumer to purchase one of our kits and try to install it themselves or search out local installation facilities. Likely, the results will not be ideal. Even if we were to provide installation videos and instructions, it takes many years of experience to install these extensive kits. If it were that simple, we would no longer be in this industry.
-How far do you travel for group installations? We are regularly in Asia for this type of installation, so there really isn't a geographical location we cannot provide for. For out of state inquiries, we need a minimum of 10 vehicles to justify a trip. Please email us directly if interested in becoming an organizer for such events.

Hope this is enough info.

Jamie140

I get it on all my cars. Don't forget to get the door pull recesses and mirrors done.

JS

Have 3M here, custom applications are better than the pre cut, looks better without seams and last longer.