Wraps/Paint protection, etc

[///M-Furby]

Hey All,

So there are a lot of threads, but I could use your help. I'm thinking of doing a full body wrap. I've seen the Modesta, and my friend just got XPEL for his porsche.

I am looking to get a wrap on my car. 1) Does it change the look of the paint (i have SO). 2) WHat if the wrap gets damaged? Does it look bad? 3) I heard some self-heal...how is that? 4) What are decent ones, that don't cost thousands?

[RickFLM4]

1) Not if applied properly 2) Minor damage can self heal, major damage will be noticeable or need to be replaced 3) See Xpel website for more information on self-healing 4) none if planning full body wrap

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

1) Not if applied properly 2) Minor damage can self heal, major damage will be noticeable or need to be replaced 3) See Xpel website for more information on self-healing 4) none if planning full body wrap

#4 is the kicker - meticulously installed full body wraps will require removal of bumpers, headlights, etc, to hide the inside edge of the plastic wrap away from prying eyes.

It will run into the rough proximity of what it would cost to re-spray the car with a new coat of paint!

a

[dalto]

Originally Posted by ///M-Furby

Hey All,

So there are a lot of threads, but I could use your help. I'm thinking of doing a full body wrap. I've seen the Modesta, and my friend just got XPEL for his porsche.

I am looking to get a wrap on my car. 1) Does it change the look of the paint (i have SO). 2) WHat if the wrap gets damaged? Does it look bad? 3) I heard some self-heal...how is that? 4) What are decent ones, that don't cost thousands?

I just picked my SO M3 up today after a full body wrap in XPEL.

1) It doesn't change the appearance, you can see the edges where wrapping wasn't possible but you have to be very close to the car and looking for it specifically.

2) It can removed and replaced. The body parts are wrapped one section at a time so you only need to replace the effected portion. XPEL comes with a warranty against damage from normal use.

4) A full wrap is going to cost thousands. There are protective paint coatings that cost much less than a full wrap if you want to go that route.

[vasi_M3]

Originally Posted by ///M-Furby

Hey All,

So there are a lot of threads, but I could use your help. I'm thinking of doing a full body wrap. I've seen the Modesta, and my friend just got XPEL for his porsche.

I am looking to get a wrap on my car. 1) Does it change the look of the paint (i have SO). 2) WHat if the wrap gets damaged? Does it look bad? 3) I heard some self-heal...how is that? 4) What are decent ones, that don't cost thousands?

I was thinking about paint protection too and then realized that for me it's not worth it if I only keep the car for 3-4 years. There's no ROI once you sell the car and I don't care enough to protect someone else's car. Just my $.02

[///M-Furby]

Originally Posted by dalto

I just picked my SO M3 up today after a full body wrap in XPEL.

1) It doesn't change the appearance, you can see the edges where wrapping wasn't possible but you have to be very close to the car and looking for it specifically.

2) It can removed and replaced. The body parts are wrapped one section at a time so you only need to replace the effected portion. XPEL comes with a warranty against damage from normal use.

4) A full wrap is going to cost thousands. There are protective paint coatings that cost much less than a full wrap if you want to go that route.

What are paint coatings? Whats the advantage/disadvantage? Brand? Thank you

I guess it may be more expensive than just repainting or touching up

[EALm4]

Originally Posted by ///M-Furby

Hey All,

So there are a lot of threads, but I could use your help. I'm thinking of doing a full body wrap. I've seen the Modesta, and my friend just got XPEL for his porsche.

I am looking to get a wrap on my car. 1) Does it change the look of the paint (i have SO). 2) WHat if the wrap gets damaged? Does it look bad? 3) I heard some self-heal...how is that? 4) What are decent ones, that don't cost thousands?

Completely depends on how much you want to spend and how much of a perfectionist you want to be when it comes to your paint.

1) From what I've seen on SO, Xpel dulls the look of the paint just a bit.
2)If it gets damaged, depending on how bad and how it bothers you the entire panel will have to be replaced.
3) The film is thick and when they mean self heal, it means that the impression made by say a rock, will eventually smooth out
4) Xpel will provide a great amount of protection but at a moderate cost.


However, since you have taken ED - your paint is decontaminated and if you let the dealer wash it, will have imperfect paint. You will need to perform full paint correction prior to the wrap if you do not want to see swirl marks under your wrap or trap in tar, overspray, dirt, etc... IMO - wraps need to be applied on only absolutely perfect paint. Plus full paint correction will make the car shine and look better than new.


Paint coatings / sealants are brands like Modesta, Cquartz, Opti Coat Pro, Pinacle, etc.. These just coat the paint and provide an additional hardened layer on top of the clear coat so it's less prone to scratch due to normal wear and tear. Depending on which one you choose, you can apply it yourself. Something like Modesta can only be applied professionally.

The longer you wait to decide on any of these, the more time it'll require to detail and correct the paint.

[Alvinized52]

I wanted the "frozen" look but didnt want to have to worry about frozen paint maintenance. So instead spending my $$$ on frozen paint, I Xpel'd my entire car with both STEALTH (on color paint including front lip) and ULTIMATE (on my CF roof, mirrors, black window trims, headlight.... To have some contrast with sheen and color. The Stealth didnt change the color... But the sheen totally changed the look of my car for the better.... And Im getting the best of both worlds.

Ive driven my car to Vegas lately for Eurofest caravan. There were times where we were going 120-140mph... And have gotten rocks sprayed onto our cars by douchebags passing us on the shoulders. While some of my buddies got rock chips... I had absolutely none! I personally feel its the best investment Ive made and totally sets my car apart.... Plus the paint protection. Its also very easy to clean and maintain.

+1 The key is the installer. Ive seen some shitty wraps done because some folks dont have the patience to wait. My installer took his time and modified the patterns so seams are tucked in and hidden. Even when I took my car to the dealership on my first oil change, BMW mistaken it for oem FROZEN and labeled my car as such on the paperwork... And commented that its the best wrap job they've seen. Take a look at my build thread link below my sig for more photos... But here's one.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by EALm4

1) From what I've seen on SO, Xpel dulls the look of the paint just a bit.

I have used Xpel and 3M on other cars but went with SunTek on my SO M4. Obviously I can't compare the other films on the same car but overall the SunTek seems to be a little clearer and gives a little more of a glossy look than I saw with Xpel or 3M on different cars in different colors. Xpel seems a little thicker and has the longer warranty.

[XPEL]

Originally Posted by ///M-Furby

Hey All,

So there are a lot of threads, but I could use your help. I'm thinking of doing a full body wrap. I've seen the Modesta, and my friend just got XPEL for his porsche.

I am looking to get a wrap on my car. 1) Does it change the look of the paint (i have SO). 2) WHat if the wrap gets damaged? Does it look bad? 3) I heard some self-heal...how is that? 4) What are decent ones, that don't cost thousands?

1- Does not change the look of the paint, many of the vehicles we wrap here at our shop are full fronts (full hood, full fenders, front bumper, headlights, mirrors) and rocker panels.

2- If the film is damaged, it can be removed and a new piece of film can be installed.

3- ULTIMATE and STEALTH are self-healing. With heat from the sun, swirl marks and fine scratches will fade away.

4- Others have chimed in regarding which brands they prefer, but a typical XPEL install can vary depending on location/demand.

Keep in mind these are what we typically see across the country and it can vary with these factors:
- Where you live
- Demand for paint protection film
- Size of your vehicle

For a partial front end: This includes 18-24” up the hood and fenders, front bumper, mirrors and sometimes headlights. This ranges from $795 - $1,000.

For full front coverage: This includes the entire hood and front fenders, front bumper, mirrors and sometimes headlights. This ranges from $1,795 - $2,200.

For full car coverage: This includes every painted surface on the car possible. This ranges from $4,500 - $8,000.

Originally Posted by dalto

I just picked my SO M3 up today after a full body wrap in XPEL.

1) It doesn't change the appearance, you can see the edges where wrapping wasn't possible but you have to be very close to the car and looking for it specifically.

2) It can removed and replaced. The body parts are wrapped one section at a time so you only need to replace the effected portion. XPEL comes with a warranty against damage from normal use.

4) A full wrap is going to cost thousands. There are protective paint coatings that cost much less than a full wrap if you want to go that route.

Thank you for your business, any pictures?

Originally Posted by EALm4

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However, since you have taken ED - your paint is decontaminated and if you let the dealer wash it, will have imperfect paint. You will need to perform full paint correction prior to the wrap if you do not want to see swirl marks under your wrap or trap in tar, overspray, dirt, etc... IMO - wraps need to be applied on only absolutely perfect paint. Plus full paint correction will make the car shine and look better than new.

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With ULTIMATE, you can actually have existing swirl marks and during the installation these imperfections will disappear. The film has masking properties, so when applied, they will not show up. Before installation, the installer will wash, clean and clay the vehicle to make sure there are no contaminants on the paint. For example, at our shops we just use car wash, clay and wipe down before installation.

One of our installers in Atlanta, Detailed Designs Auto Spa, made a video to show how it masks these imperfections. To see the video, click here: XPEL Detailed Designs

Originally Posted by dalto

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4) A full wrap is going to cost thousands. There are protective paint coatings that cost much less than a full wrap if you want to go that route.

The only downside to the coatings is that they don't protect against rock chips. Many customers elect to do the high impact areas with ULTIMATE and have their detailer apply the coating to the remaining vehicle.

[bmw0perat0r]

Originally Posted by ///M-Furby

Hey All,

So there are a lot of threads, but I could use your help. I'm thinking of doing a full body wrap. I've seen the Modesta, and my friend just got XPEL for his porsche.

I am looking to get a wrap on my car. 1) Does it change the look of the paint (i have SO). 2) WHat if the wrap gets damaged? Does it look bad? 3) I heard some self-heal...how is that? 4) What are decent ones, that don't cost thousands?

I have Xpel Ultimate on the entire front, mirrors, and roof. It does not change the look of the paint. If the wrap is damaged, that particular section can be replaced. Self-healing works with either hot water, heat gun, or leaving the vehicle in the sun; how does it work? no idea of the technical reasons, sorry, but it will heal light scratches. I have several thousand miles on my M4 now and the car is in showroom condition, still.

The only one I believe is best is Xpel - best protection and appearance (invisible), but it is quite expensive (several thousand). I do not consider buying 'decent' products, so I can only tell you about the best.

Best investment in a cars appearance I have EVER made.

Each new car will now have this applied.

Best of luck

Edit: I also have Ceramic Pro 9h applied to the entire vehicle, including wheels. This means the areas covered in Xpel are also covered by Ceramic Pro, which is my 2nd best investment after the Xpel.