mooty

it takes skill to cover certain curve. but the entire car can be covered. i have seen the end product in person. it IS possible. even if you are taking it off, i would make damn sure the dealer and/or the installer pay for all of it. it is defective. most decent installers have installation warranties.

khaug

I was quoted $1400 for a "standard" installation of the 3M film, which seemed sky-high to me. I have seen this stuff on a white car (mine is Carrara white), and it did not appear yellowish.

BTW, my owners manual twice cautions against covering the headlight lenses with film.

PogueMoHone

Forget Venture shield and go for 3M, it will reward you in the long run, 4 years and no yellowing on a white car.

John Velasco

i was close to doing the installation, but i will just let the car be naked and survive with the rash of the road.

Likemystoppie?

I've never seen a 3M product that didn't look like complete and utter ****e. makes the paint dull looking and it's a pain the **** to take off.

Steve N.

Different strokes.... I wouldn't drive one mile without a film installed. Problems of the sort described speak to a poor quality installation. I must add that in my area stone chips on the freeway are a big problem. In other locals that may not be true.

PogueMoHone

Exactly!

To each his own taste!

gradyex

I am going with Ventureshield and doing a custom "wrap around" complete hood, lights, front fender, side mirrors and complete side fenders (using the wrap technique) up to the door. Premier in Fremont is the place to go if you live in the Bay Area. I had my dealer install a 3m bra on my Arctic Silver 997S and I still got blasted on the front hood above the bra line within a year. The problem with 3M is its "orange peel" effect and its tendancy to "yellow" within a year or two. It was obvious on my silver car after only 1 year. I've heard a lot of good things about Venturesheild but the "wrap around" technique is very time consuming, especially if its a custom fit. They do make kits that are pre-cut and cheaper but you still will see a line about 1-2 inches from the top of the hood on a full hood install. The only way around this is a custom hood install. Cost for the complete custom install is $2k out the door.

PogueMoHone

That's a lot of money for what you are getting done, you can do better (with a first rate application) if you shop around. $1200-$1400 is still a very generous price, for the installer, including all the little bits and pieces (fenders etc.).

BobbyC

FWIW I paid $1,250 for what I consider to be a perfect installation. Unless u look hard it's not visible.

We did:
- Full hood and seamless except for a small 6" seam at the top edge near the windshield.
- Full and seamless front bumper
- Fender edges
- Rear fender panels

I did not do the mirrors since they could not be done without seams.

Likemystoppie?

We know the guy who owns Venture sheild personally (from Boston) they're releasing a 56" rolll shortly- which will cover the ENTIRE hood. Ask your retailer for when they're releasing it.

PogueMoHone

Another bias (and the truth about his recommendation) comes out!

I have a car with Venture and a car with 3M, and I can tell you (imo) the 3M is the better product.

Of course, if you are in the Bay Area you're welcome to look and form your own opinion.

Likemystoppie?

Not biased. we just had a CGT with 3M on it and I was completely surprised at the 'orange peel' and how aweful it made the car look.

What is it you don't like about the venture sheild as compared to the 3M product Colm? Bad experience with it? or?


And for the record, I put the Venture Sheild on my RC51 as opposed to the 3M which I thought, and always have thought, looks like donkey doo doo. It not only has to protect, but do so INVISIBLY- THUS 'INVISIBLE BRA'. Ta DA!

PogueMoHone

The 3M just looks better and the installation is invisible!

Premier

For those with a good eye he / she would automatically notice the orange peel difference between certain films on the market. Those who think that there is no difference do not have a very good eye for what is noticeable to most.

As for pricing, it is dependent on how much coverage (especially via custom) is going onto the car. Custom full panel application is something we have been performing starting some 4 yrs ago. Why there is a price shock for some is because full panel application is not even accessible or available to most, so pricing in this category is unheard of. Most looking into paint protection are getting the basic frontal portions, which is why there is a price variance.