I am seriously thinking of getting the Xpel Paint Protection installed next week. I called a local installer and they will install it for the price of the product itself, without installation charges. The catch is that it will be used for demonstration during a class. I was assured that it would only be applied by an instructor and not any of the students. Seems pretty reasonable if this is the case. If I only get the hood and fender coverage it will be $140.

My main question is, how many have direct experience with this product over a long period of time and what is your experience with it? Also, for those who have it installed on their truck (green21?) how do you like it and how does it look?

Scott

 

I love it. It looks like nothing. It's like a clear protectant on your vehicle. If they apply it right, it will blend right in (no bubbles). Although, it may have some (bubbles) for about the first week but that is it. It's supposed to last 5 years or so. It just depends on how well you take care of it and the normal wear and tear and elements of nature.
There is a tape by 3M that is recommended for you to put on the edge of it when waxing so it doesn't get the build up. I have to wait until I go home to get the name. Some of the other people here or you may know it. It's a thin blue tape they use on vehicles when painting to mark off areas.

I will try to take some pix of mine to show you.

 

I have only used a competitor's product (actually, same product, different company cuts to shape) for a couple months. However, a friend has used a third company's product for about 1.5 years and loves it. No problems with it. Still looks almost undetectible and still protecting the shiney paint underneather.

BTW, that would be a pretty good deal including installation. Little to worry about as far as a demo goes as long as it is only the demonstrator and not the students.

 

Green21: I had some of the same concerns you addressed in your reply to scott99. Thanks. Do you have a feel for whether or not this "stuff" can be removed in the future if a piece were damaged or whatever.......without taking the paint with it. I'm very interested in this product but like others, am a little leery of the unknowns. I realize your a customer maybe don't have all the answers, but any light you can shed on it would be greatly appreciated. I'll contact the manufacturer later in the week.

 

I would caution anyone who leaves their car out in the direct sun.

My wifes Volvo (another Ford product) had the clear bra material installed by the dealer when it was new. However, the clear tape turned yellow in just over a year when left out in the bright Colorado sunshine. Granted we have much greater UV than most places in the USA, but, I still think the clear bra material should last longer than a year.

 

Most definitely it will last a long time. When they remove it, it shouldn't be messed up underneath. It adheres like window tint so it may look like the window does after you remove tint, but nothing damaging. I would definitely call them. If you go to the X-pel website, they have a section where you find an installer to put it on. The guy that did mine is on there and they are supposed to be pretty reputable otherwise they wouldn't have them on the site.
Also, we are in the desert here and we reach up to 120's + degrees and have no choice but to park in direct sun and myself and a friend had ours for well over two years and it didn't discolor. I don't know if there were some other cercumstances with you hiho and not doubting you either. We just never experienced discolor here.....Probably just too damn hot here for the xpel to realize it was being seared on..... Hope this helps.

 

Green21:

Are the bars you put on your truck the Ford branded ones or other? I cannot tell from the picture with the poor monitor on my laptop.

Thnaks, Screwdriver

 

green21,

Do you know if xpel is the 3m product or is it their own? Is 3m the only one that makes it? I had originally thought that 3m made the tape and all others buy it, cut it, and sell it under their name. Doing a little search they now seem to be different. 3m shows 2 years warranty and no light protection. Xpel has a 4 year warranty and has a light protection. 3m website only shows one installer in my area but xpel shows about 8. Now I am really confused. Also what parts did you have covered?

Anyone else know of any yellowing? I have a white truck and yellowing is out of the question.

Scott

 

Which company did yo go with? I beleive they all have warranties. If it turns yellow, it should be replaced for free.

 

I talked to my wife about the discolored bra on here Volvo and apparently all the cars done with this particular batch of material discolored-the whole front end of the car was redone for free.

Just thought I would mention this because I am skeptical of the clear bras and wonder if another material would work better on my new FX4-maybe clear helicopter tape?????

 

They are Ford Brand.

 

Green21- I realize I'm changing the subject here, but what is the make of your billet grill? Also, it that the original honeycomb plastic grill that I can kind of see behind it? I know on my old one I had to cut out the honeycomb to put it (it was a Stull) to install the billet and it was a moderate pain in the a$$. If this just fits in over the existing, it would seemingly make it a whole lot easier.

 

It is a 3M product. There are other brands out there, but 3M pretty much speaks for itself. It's great quality.

I covered the hood, the sides of the headlights, the top and bottom bumper and the fog lights. the headlights will be covered once I get my replacement ones in.

As for the yellowing, I asked the people that did mine and they haven't experienced it too much. Maybe out of 10 there was 1. They said the adhesive is what turns yellow. But there are other things that factor into it. Like wax build up. It just depends on the way you are taking care of it. There is really nothing special to do it just happens sometimes. They have been doing it for many many years out here and say that in their experience the yellowing is very rare. Some of the vehicles that are like the pearl white, like the Escalades that they have done, may look like it's yellow but it's because of the pearl color of the paint.

 

After looking at and getting involved in this thread, I went to the web site, did a zip code search for installers in the area and gave the one closest to my work a call. The guy was helpful and informative. He's mobile most of the time and so he just came by moments ago. Fast service, eh? He drove a small Nissan on which he showed me what this product looked like. The only way I could tell it was on was from the seams and it really wasn't bad at all. He gave me an installed price for the hood and fender kit and the upper bumper kit of $199. That's more than $100 bucks less than the price of the kits alone on the web site. I won't need the grill kit as they don't cover chrome (or fake/decal chrome in the case of the grill). I was also kind of surprised that they don't offer a lower bumper kit since in my mind, that is at least as venerable to nicks, chips, etc. as the upper grill is........maybe more so being closer to the ground. Is it just the Lariat's that have painted lower bumpers? If so, maybe that's the reason because on the web site, the only trim level package you can select is XLT. Anyway, he said he will custom fab the lower bumper from the same Xpel film and I won't ever notice the difference. I'm also getting the headlight protection which by the way is 5 times thicker than the stuff on the painted surfaces and has considerably more impact resistance. Anyway, total installed price for all of this will be $305 + tax. How does that compare to what some of you guys that already have this have paid? Yes, the 4 year warranty is included. He will come to my work next week and do the install, assuming I can provide him a covered area to work.

 

WedgewoodScrew,

Wow! I thought I was going to get a good price. Looks like I will call the other installers listed near me. If they can come to me, all the better. I have a White Monotone Lariat with a chrome bumper so I don't need protection there. But I would like the headlight and foglight protection. I saw on the 3m website that it cannot be used for headlights, but the xpel website says it can. If xpel is a 3m product how can that be the case? Calling around will let you know what more I can find out.

Scott