Xpel Ultimate FULL Vehicle Wrap

[SmoovC]

A couple months ago, I had a "full front wrap" done on the Genesis. This included: front bumper, full hood, full right and left fenders, headlights, fog lights, radar covers, mirrors and door edges. The product used was Xpel Ultimate, link and info here:

http://www.xpel.com/products/xpel_ultimate_paint_protection_film.asp

A quick video crash course:

[YOUTUBE]pc4yRXQPzKI&list[/YOUTUBE]

I was so impressed with the product, that I decided to do a "full vehicle wrap" which is the entire vehicle, ie: ALL painted surfaces. The car goes in tomorrow, and I will have it back on Saturday.

"Why would one do this?!" you ask, right?!

This film uses a self-healing automotive clear coat that recovers from swirls and light scratches in the surface that would otherwise have to be buffed out. The clear coat employs special elastomeric polymers that "heal" over time eliminating swirl marks and other fine scratches without having to do anything.

This (to me) means: no more full weekend paint polish sessions twice a year!

Videos here:

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[YOUTUBE]2Se11LSRnKA[/YOUTUBE]

Additionally, it has a very low surface energy (kind of like a teflon pan has) that allows contaminants and stains to wipe off very easily. This is what allows the film to shrug off things like ink and egg stains that would ruin a paint job. It works similarly on bird droppings, bug stains or anything else your car would encounter in the real world.

Video here:

[YOUTUBE]RdT1gzpQlhE[/YOUTUBE]

This product carries a 10 year warranty against, yellowing, cracking, peeling, staining, and hazing, covering both film and labor.

I am very anal or OCD when it comes to maintaining my vehicles, and this product has allowed me to "lighten up" a little bit when it comes to polishing, waxing, and trying to maintain that showroom perfect finish, as the film virtually does it for itself. I am sure this seems like an extreme measure to some, but to me it makes sense to have a Factory fresh finish without all of the intense labor and time that goes with it.

I am NOT a Dealer, Reseller, or Installer of this product, but am so amazed with how it looks on the car, and how much detailing time it will save, that I had to share with the forum.

 

[OneFunGenesis]

Cool man. I assume the paint has to be perfect before application? Any paint swirls sealed in would kill me lol.

Cost?

 

[Philth]

What is the cost?

 

[SmoovC]

Cool man. I assume the paint has to be perfect before application? Any paint swirls sealed in would kill me lol.

Cost?

The paint does not have to be absolutely perfect; light swirls are not a concern, as the clearcoat properties of the film "hide" or fill in any minor surface imperfections. Deeper scratches are minimized under the film, but rock chips are very noticeable. Luckily, I have none of these issues present. The entire vehicle gets a clay bar treatment to remove any surface contaminents prior to application.

What is the cost?

The complete wrap will include: ALL painted surfaces on the vehicle, front radar covers, headlights, fog lights, mirrors, tail lights, and "B" pillar black trim between the front and rear doors. In reality, the only surfaces NOT covered are the windows, and any exterior chrome trim. Cost is $1100 for the initial full front wrap, and $2700 to finish the entire vehicle = $3800.

 

[OneFunGenesis]

Holy shit batman. I guess if you think it's worth it lol

 

[scottdk]

I am very anal or OCD when it comes to maintaining my vehicles

True, I remember the pics of your Dakota R/T

 

[timc1475]

Awesome, thanks for sharing!

 

[brfatal]

$3,800 for a temporary body wrap?

It'd be cheaper to get the car repainted.

 

[SmoovC]

Holy shit batman. I guess if you think it's worth it lol

I realize it is not for everyone, but I see huge value in doing so. Over the course of ownership, just the savings in detailing alone is worth the "cost of admission" to me.

Also, I cannot put a price on peace of mind, and further, what is one's time worth? As a younger man, I had no problem spending an entire weekend detailing a car to the nines; now I have other priorities and things to spend my time doing, but still desire to have showroom fresh look.

$3,800 for a temporary body wrap?

It'd be cheaper to get the car repainted.

Firstly, it is not a "temporary wrap". Rather, it is a paint protection system designed to last the life of the vehicle; not like some NASCAR windshield protectant that you peel off after a few laps.

Secondly, I would beg to differ that it would be "cheaper to get the car repainted". If we are referring to a Maaco "blow and go", then yes. To do it properly and as the Factory would have requires stripping the vehicle down.

By this I mean bumpers, hood, doors, handles, trunklid, emblems, sat antenna, weatherstripping, all moldings, etc. Even at the hands of the most skilled craftsmen, I would not want my car disassembled in this manner, and anyone who is capable of this level of work is going to charge a helluva' lot more than $3800!

Further, your vehicle down time is going to require another car to drive during this time. Another car in the stable that you are paying insurance on? A rental? Both cost money.

The point being: like I said earlier, it isn't for everybody. But, why would one be reactive by repainting the car, when one can be proactive by protecting it from the circumstances that would require a repaint in the first place, and for less money and hassle than a repaint would cost?

 

[brfatal]

I

Firstly, it is not a "temporary wrap". Rather, it is a paint protection system designed to last the life of the vehicle; not like some NASCAR windshield protectant that you peel off after a few laps.

Secondly, I would beg to differ that it would be "cheaper to get the car repainted". If we are referring to a Maaco "blow and go", then yes. To do it properly and as the Factory would have requires stripping the vehicle down.

By this I mean bumpers, hood, doors, handles, trunklid, emblems, sat antenna, weatherstripping, all moldings, etc. Even at the hands of the most skilled craftsmen, I would not want my car disassembled in this manner, and anyone who is capable of this level of work is going to charge a helluva' lot more than $3800!

Vinyl is temporary. Generally speaking (I can't speak for this brand) vinyl has a 4 to 5 year life span (largely depends on where you live and how much sun exposure it gets). Clear bras eventually start to yellow, even 3M.

A proper paint job will cost slightly less than $4,000 for all of the things you listed unless you have some sort of specific request or jump for some wild paint. You don't need to go as far as stripping the interior and engine out and painting the entire shell to refresh the factory color.

It's a novel idea and I know it's very labor intensive, but compared to other methods, it costs way too much. This would be much more viable if it were in the $2k range.

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[SmoovC]

Vinyl is temporary. Generally speaking (I can't speak for this brand) vinyl has a 4 to 5 year life span (largely depends on where you live and how much sun exposure it gets). Clear bras eventually start to yellow, even 3M.

A proper paint job will cost slightly less than $4,000 for all of the things you listed unless you have some sort of specific request or jump for some wild paint. You don't need to go as far as stripping the interior and engine out and painting the entire shell to refresh the factory color.

It's a novel idea and I know it's very labor intensive, but compared to other methods, it costs way too much. This would be much more viable if it were in the $2k range.

I can speak for this brand; in the original post I stated it has a 10 year warranty. It simply does not make good business sense to offer a 10 year warranty, on materials AND labor on a product that as you state, "has a 4 to 5 year life span".

Moreover, both my vehicles are garage kept, so exposure to the elements are minimized. Further, I live in Washington State, so I don't think sun exposure is as much of an issue as it would be in say, Arizona. In any event, I fully expect this product to look as good when I sell the vehicle in a few years as is does today.

You mention 3M materials; so I can only assume you are familiar with their products. If that is the case, then you would also know they only offer a 5 year warranty on any of their PPF.

I do not see a location listed for where you live, but I can tell you in my region, the going rate for a PROPER and CORRECT repaint STARTS at $6500.

Perhaps labor, overhead, taxes, insurance, permits, etc. are much less expensive where you live; I can unequivocally state that experienced, skilled labor and quality materials alone would exceed the "slightly less than $4000" you quote for a complete and correct repaint, in my region.

I never stated, and am well aware that you do not need to strip the interior and engine to refresh the Factory color; but it is not a simple case of "mask & blast" to do the job properly.

How do I know this? I have been the CFO of an automotive restyling and customization facility for over 10 years, and have been in the auto industry in my region for over 30 years. I am also a member of a National consulting group in the industry that meets 4 times per year, and am well aware of the variances in shop rates, labor costs and overhead across different regions.

As far as the cost of a full wrap in my region, that is the going rate, and is actually cheaper in the south end where our business is located; rather than the north end of the County.

In the end, it does not matter what it costs to do either in whatever region; all that matters is if someone sees value, quality and satisfaction for whatever price they are willing to pay.

 

[cspartan]

This is awesome and I applaud you for doing it. You see the value and so do I. One question though and it might be really dumb, but I don't know so I'm asking. Does insurance cover this in case of an accident/mishap?

 

[SmoovC]

This is awesome and I applaud you for doing it. You see the value and so do I. One question though and it might be really dumb, but I don't know so I'm asking. Does insurance cover this in case of an accident/mishap?

Thank you, as I stated, it may not be for everybody....

Not a dumb question; rather a very valid concern. I can say my insurance company does cover it in the event of an accident; I would say if you are considering it, check with your agent or company.

 

[SmoovC]

UPDATE: got the car back yesterday, and was very impressed with the results. If it was not pointed out to someone, you could not tell it is there at all!

I inspected it in my garage under lighting, and the film hid some very light swirling that was present on the trunklid. The paint looks flawless, defect free, and has a deeper, more glossy appearance.

I would post pics, but the weather is foggy (and cold!), so the results would not really show up well. Perhaps when we get some sun (in July ), and the film has had some road time on it.

 

[OneFunGenesis]

Sweet man! Looking forward to seeing it

 

[Rudderman98]

SmoovC,

Very interested in this product. Hopefully I'm not too far down the road from you and I would like to request a viewing of your car in person if I may.

I'm just as OCD as you if not more so since I used to paint Boeing jetliners and the quality of the paint is just as critical as an automobile.

Coming from the auto/aircraft refinishing trade, I can tell you that this product will surely save you some money in paint repairs and time.

Please PM me when you get the opportunity.

 

[Rudderman98]

Just ordered the headlight and fog light lens kit. 69.95 shipped.

Installation looks painless if you've applied films before. Watch the video on their website for details.

If you guys like, I will post pics of the kit when I receive it.

 

[OneFunGenesis]

Pics please. I am interested

 

[Rudderman98]

Pics please. I am interested

You got it!

 

[deise17311]

If you are in an accident and ruin part of your car, will insurance pay to replace this?