997_Toronto

Am looking to get a paint protector film put on my (new to me) 2007 997.1 and after a ton of research and discussions with installers I wanted to get first-hand opinions from you guys.

Have been told that Xpel Ultimate is a better film compared to 3M but might be a little more expensive. Can you please let me know your experiences in terms of what is a better film to use? Also, am only looking to put the film on the front bumper and the side mirrors, am I going to regret not putting it on the hood or the fenders?

I will be driving to Indianapolis to watch the MotoGP in a couple of weeks and because it's cheaper to get the film put there instead of in Toronto I was wondering if anyone can recommend a place that is reliable & reasonable in Indianapolis.

Thanks in advance.

RON1X

[copied from my 6speed reply]
You need to get the hood done as well, and the front fenders. It was explained to me in these terms (and it helped me understand): The front of the 911 is sloped a lot more than most other sports cars, in that, the front bumper won't take as much direct impact relatively speaking. Arguably, rocks may roll backward onto the hood instead of being pushed down by the front bumper. In addition, the hood is angled to also take more hits from bouncing rocks because there isn't as much area directly in front of it, whereas in the other cars (like my previous M3) would take more rock hits directly to the front bumper. My E92 M3 front bumper was eaten alive on the interstate.
My 911 is getting Xpel on it right now (I just dropped it off), so I did just recieve quite an education on this. The company here in Nashville takes care of all the musician's exotics, and they insist that Xpel is much better and worth the price increase over 3M. Hey, if its good enough for a Bugatti Veyron, I think you can feel pretty good about it

997_Toronto

Thanks again Ron

kw911TT

I have both on different cars, Xpel is by far a much better product in my experience. Of course the installer is very very very important!

n1gels

Definitely do the full front end; bumper, hood and fenders. The hood especially is a rock magnet. This is my third clear bra installation and my first with Xpel film. It's way better than the other films, there's no orange peel effect. It does seem to have a very subtle matt appearance if you look really close at an angle, but you'll never see it otherwise. Make sure you use an installer who does fantastic work. Installing is an art. You don't want to be seeing uneven edges. Ask to see work they've done before committing. I had a bad experience with my previous installation.

Abby Normal

Here is a picture of a recent 3M Clear bra removal that was less than 3 year old. Notice the yellowing color of the film. Xpel is way better than 3M!

997_Toronto

Thanks all, appreciate the feedback

AWay

Another +1 for Expel Ultimate. I had the whole front half of my car covered several weeks back and it's great stuff. Have yet to test any 'self healing' of the film, but it sure is invisible on the car.

BigThistle

Had Xpel Ultimate on my 997 3+ years in the Southeast, no yellowing, no issues, no marks left from stone chips on the film.

I clean the film with the Xpel wax protector/cleaner every couple of months or was told by installer can also use Meguiars NXT 2 on it.

Have Xpel on all my vehicles, great product.