Tomorrow is the day...
 

Hey everyone! Tomorrow is the day I drop off my beloved 1LE to get a full wrap done. I'm going with the Xpel Stealth film. It's a clear, paint protection film (not just a vinyl wrap) with a bit of a frost so it makes whatever your factory paint colour is, a satin type colour.

I saw it being installed on a black GTR and I was sold! I ordered all black emblems from emblempros to compliment the car very subtly.

I should be able to pick it up on Wednesday, so stay tuned for pics!

Here is the same film installed on a gloss black R8.

That's gonna look totally sick on your 1LE! Can't wait to see it!

That R8 needs black rims, though...

How much?

Tired of waxing, eh?

Thanks! And I totally agree about the rims.

$5000 taxes in. The installer is the best of the best.

You know it. I'm just tired about stressing over the paint and finish. This will keep it fully protected which means a lot less stress. It's a bonus that it'll looks unique and sweet!

Definitely gonna look awesome, I'll be watching for the pics

I have had my eye on that stuff for a while. My next toy will probably have that done. Can't wait to see the pics.

oh yea...keep us updated on that!

Cant wait to see it. Are you leaving the the original matte black wrap on the hood or replacing it with the new wrap?

Okay I have been wondering, how do you take care of these matt finishes? Most car care products are formulated to make the car shine; So are they still okay on this finish or do you need special products?

I am looking forward to seeing how it turns out OP.

Keep in mind he is in Canada. The market may be a little different up there.

Also, I am not too familiar with the product he is using, but the cost of materials may make a substantial difference.

Regardless of matte finish or a high gloss laminated finish, you should NEVER use a general automotive wax when cleaning your wrap. Wash it with a mild car wash detergent/water mix, dry it, and then use a Teflon or silicone based polish that is specifically made for wraps.

Considering that's the price of a new paintjob, you either pay for it now, or you pay for it later?:noidea:

For $5000 I think I'd spend it on something else for the car though. Like soemthing that gives it more HP and TQ!:headbang:

$5000 does seem a little steep, but maybe this type of wrap is a bit more quality then the average vinyl wrap? Obviously different places charge different prices too.

$5000 is definitely a lot of money but this isn't a vinyl wrap. A vinyl wrap would have cost $2500. Those are just for looks. They're very thin... about 2mm. The Xpel product is about 8mm thick and isn't used to colour change the vehicle, which is all a vinyl wrap would do. This is a paint protection film that is clear. This particular film (stealth) will give your factory colour a stain finish, similar to BMW's frozen paint... It's not matte at all.

I'm very picky about my Camaro. I use 20 microfibers and never use a dirty cloth on a panel when i wash but I still accumulate some fine spiderweb scratches. Having a black car makes it look pretty bad.

This is FAR cheaper than repainting the entire car... unless you go somewhere cheap. But then you get what you pay for.

This film will stop these scratches from happening. It has a full 10 year warranty. I plan on keeping this car for MANY years to come so I'd like to protect it as best as I can. The beauty is in 2 years, 5 years or 10 years when this film comes off, I'll have perfect paint. To me, it's worth it. It's not for everyone... But it works for me.

In Canada I spent $60,000 for my 1LE. I'm protecting my car.

Here is a before pic with the ZL1 rockers and tints installed.

It should be done on thursday. I'll post some teaser pics as I get them.

Ummm $5000 to repaint an entire car is NOT cheap! A re-paint is not going down to bare metal and starting over. Its going down to the base coat or sealer and then re-applying and coming back with the clear. $5000 is a good price for it without having to do body work. And thats using good quality paint.

Here are a few links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ01Sb2IqlA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6oEgfdwUU0

Ok, I'm not disputing that. Go paint your car if that makes you happy :)

lol no Im good. Dont take it as me saying what youre doing is not a good thing either. I think its a nice investment. ;)

No I hear you. I'm looking forward to not stressing out over swirls lol

It'll be great over the Canadian winter as well!

p.s. The colour of your car is awesome!

:pop2:


I'd love to see this on something other than black.

This is definitely a different product than a normal wrap. In the video linked (at about 6:10), the worker says you can wax and/or polish this surface.

Here is a pic of the film installed on a silver Range Rover.

I haven't really inquired about washing yet. I'll get all the details within the next few days... But it really is more than just a wrap.

Hell yeah. Im excited for you. Cant wait to see the pics

That's sharp! I bet if you wrap a White Camaro it will turn out similar to the Z/28 (show car).

Interesting. It looks like a really neat product after watching the video.

I run a graphic design/large format print shop and have been doing wraps for 6 years now. This is the first time I have heard of this product and something I just looked into. However, after doing some quick research on cost of materials, I can understand the price difference vs. a standard vinyl wrap. The cost per foot at 36" is $25.70 for this Xpel product. To put that into perspective, the vinyl I buy per running foot (3M ControlTac Matte Black 180C-22-4800-150) is $4.92 @ 48" wide, bringing the total cost of a 150' roll to $737.99. The cost of a 150' roll of this Xpel Stealth at 36" wide is... $3,855.00. :faint: THAT is the reason the price of this "wrap" is substantially higher than that of a standard vinyl wrap.

I am anxious to see the final product on your car! :nod:

Thanks! I'll post them up on Thursday. He uses Instagram, so he may post some teaser pics tomorrow or Wednesday!

You're probably right. It would definitely have the same satin/pearl look. I love the finish that comes out with this film. It's unreal in person!

Your post really settled me a bit! I was obviously a bit nervous to spend so much money. I know my installer is the best of the best but knowing how much more the xpel film is puts it all into perspective. Thanks so much!

Sorry to nitpick, but I sincerely doubt that the film you will be putting on your car is 8mm thick (.315 inches). I think you really meant to say 0.8mm thick?

The snow and cold IS what I'm wondering! How will it hold up in the WEATHER or will it be stored in the garage????

I bet the car will be stored inside considering his prior posts. Also, cold weather will not bother a wrap (regardless of material) once it is applied. The only time cold air temp. plays a role is when you are trying to apply the material in temps below the manufacturers suggested range (usually 45-50 degrees fahrenheit). Hope that clears it up a bit.

It'll be my first winter with the Camaro. I'll put winter tires on and only drive it when the weather is nicer. Otherwise, it'll be in my heated garage.

Here is a teaser pic my installer uploaded to his instagram account. The factory hood vinyl was removed and replaced with the new film and the front fender is done.

So far, SO GOOD!

:pop2:

Looks great so far!!!!!!!!!!!! can't wait to see the finished product....

It should be ready to go tomorrow. Until then, here's another teaser! I love how this film really brings out the lines of the car!

:pop2:

Looks awesome so far!

He just called and let me know that it's looking amazing! Still a bunch of work to do but It'll be ready tomorrow at noon. He said that there have been a lot of people in the shop... More than usual... And everyone is saying how amazing it looks! He said it looks like a real beast. That coming from a guy who does this a lot on Ferrari's and Lambo's... Made me feel damn good about my 1LE!

Man that looks sharp. I'm curious how well it holds up for the ten years...if driven a lot with normal wear and tear how much damage would you expect to see on the front with the wrap on? Do they replace pieces if gets damaged from road debris or rocks or anything?