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Old 08-14-2018, 10:24 AM   #1
SquawkVFR
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Xpel protective film research and short term review

I got pretty tired of the bumper cover catching hell from road debris, mostly rocks (every Camaro owner knows my pain) so after extensive research I decide to have it repainted and Xpel applied.

I found a reputable installer and made my appointment (after the standard waiting period for the paint to cure etc).

When I first met with the installer he applied a square foot sample to the back of my SUV for me to “play with”.

The first thing I noticed was you really had to look for the edges, it was pretty darn clear.

When I got home I started scratching it up and as advertised it healed up and looked like new in no time.

Then I upped the game and started throwing gravel at it harder and harder. It bounced right off with no damage. (I wonder what anyone driving by must have thought if they saw me doing that)

Then I went back to scratching it up some more, this time going a little overboard to the point I had to go in the house and get the pot of hot water to pour over it and I was certain there was no way those ridiculous scratches weren’t going to “heal” themselves. But they did.

I finally dug even deeper, finally putting deep scratches, really digging into it...that didn’t “heal” even with hot water.

However.... a week later when I went to show a friend the sample..the scratches and damage were gone.

Sooooooo....installation is complete. No news is good news but I’ll try and update this in the long term.

BTW. professional installation isn’t cheap. Don’t ask me how much mine cost because I to have special pieces cut. Check with your local Xpel installer.
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Old 08-14-2018, 03:30 PM   #2
Joe M 2012 2SS


 
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Sounds like a good product, when the time comes for me to remove the old PPF on the nose of my car, this sounds like a good option.

Here's a good video regarding maintenance of PPF.

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Old 08-22-2018, 07:15 PM   #3
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Very happy w /my Xpel...especially gill area and rear quarters
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Old 08-25-2018, 08:14 AM   #4
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I installed an XPel kit on the front of my new maxima 33k miles ago. Very happy with it. My wife and I installed it on the car. We bought the car, drove it home and ordered the kit. I didn't drive the car until after the kit was on. The kit covers the headlights and everything.
My only two minor problems. This is just me "looking" for something wrong
First dried on bug juice is way harder to remove.
Second, hail damage. I have a couple of spots that are under the film and can't have them removed due to the film! - not the fault of the film.

I will without a doubt install this film on every new car I purchase. Wish I had done it to the Camaro.
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Old 08-28-2018, 08:55 AM   #5
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Had the entire front end of the wife's new GTI wrapped in XPEL last spring (full bumper, fenders and hood). The stuff is simply amazing. I don't have to worry about scratches whatsoever on the front end as they self heal to a perfect finish again.



It's also a good idea to wax/seal/coat a clear bra to make cleaning easier. I ceramic coated it and it's now a breeze to clean off bugs and other debris.
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Old 08-28-2018, 07:52 PM   #6
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I did my 1LE with xPel. Full bumper and half of each fender, gills, rockers, behind the rear wheels, and the mirrors. I think I paid around 2K. I didn’t do the hood because it had the factory black wrap already. My car was red, and the seams were tough to see - even though I only did half the fender. In the few years I had the car nobody ever picked up on those seams.

My buddy did his white 1LE with the same coverage except he did full fenders. The brake dust from the factory pads made his seams stick out horribly - and that’s a tough thing to clean.

It was nice to hear the car getting peppered with road debris off the sticky Goodyears and not give it a second thought.

I will say this - if you have any rock chips prior to the xPel, get them PROPERLY fixed before film application. I had a couple and the xPel bubbled a little in those spots. They were micro bubbles that nobody else picked up on, but they ticked me off. I gave the installer the GM touch up paint beforehand as well, but I don’t think he made much of an attempt, because the touch up pen isn’t really the correct or effective way to do it anyways.
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Old 08-29-2018, 12:26 PM   #7
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My first observation. A few couple after installation, all you need is a spray bottle of water and a rag, bugs and dirt wipe right off leaving no residue behind.

I left one spot very dirty with bug guts and grime on it for two weeks and it also wiped clean. One tiny spot was tough but I rubbed it lightly with my thumb and it came right off.

Obviously there’s no dings yet nor have I enough miles on it to assess its road rash protection...
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