Adam_W

Just wanted to share pictures of my car after XPEL Ultimate protection film was installed by Sean Heiland of Ultimate Shield in southern california.

As you probably know, XPEL Ultimate is a protective film that is unique in that it has healing properties, i.e. scratches will heal over time. It is a little more expensive than other protective films. See link for demonstration of XPEL healing:




This was a "custom wrap," which means that the edges were wrapped around panel edges wherever possible so that no visible edge/line is either visible or present to collect wax over time; it also means that all badges were removed (emblems front and rear, side Z06 and small GM), and that wherever possible, plastic pieces like splash guards/grill/side vents were removed and even rubber seals (door/roof etc) were removed and the film edge was wrapped over/beneath it, such that no visible edge can be seen.

As you can imagine, this took a LOT of time and effort, for example:
- getting the film to wrap around the margins of the front headlights,
- into the recessed rounded tail lights,
- into the door handles in a way that your fingers won't catch the film edges when opening/closing,
- into recessed areas like the rounded rear "Corvette" lettering on the bumper (film pushed in and air sucked out with a needle),
- and molding it around curved areas like the side view mirrors in a way that edges are not visible from the front/top even though they had to be present due to shape of the mirror

There were some really tricky areas that Sean pointed out to me, i.e. really small areas that they worked on for hours that aren't obvious to someone who has never installed this stuff.

Nothing is perfect - this was not - but this was VERY close. Sean asked that I bring the car back in 30 days for him to inspect it and fix any issues that appear in the interim.

I've been really happy with his work and service. It was expensive, but.. you get what you pay for.

NOTE: in the pictures where Sean's hand is included , he is pointing out the edges that are tucked/wrapped around so that you can't see the edge.

Here are some pics, I will try to post more later:















you can see from this picture how the splash guard was removed and the film overhangs the edge and is then wrapped in underneath the edge, and splash guard reinstalled over it:

Gering

Looks Good!

Adam_W

More pics:







look at the corvette lettering in this picture, there is continuous film over it:




some of these were taken after the car was taken outside the shop and dust started settling over the car:












Note that the splash guard(?) was removed before film installation, and that the edge is tucked under the splash guard and therefore not visible:

Adam_W

Last picture, I promise.

Having wrapped it in XPEL, today I replaced the polished wheels for OEM Spyders with a Satin finish , purchased from House of Wheels:

londonk

Man that looks good ......i would do that .... how does it polish ?
can you make it pop like paint what im saying is can you make it shine good

9157

Just did the same thing....black 427...I just cleaned it for the first time... What a breeze... My installer suggested maguires ultimate quick detailer... What a shine... Fast and easy.... Never a swirl again!!!!

fastter

Only problem will be when it gets a nick or tear in it. I have Expel Ultimate on the front end. It does a great job. No bug staining, no water stains, heals nicely with small scratches and abrasions ... BUT, when it gets a gouge in it the party is over. The only repair is replacement. I had a rock hit the driver's side mirror and left a gash in the film. It did its job and the paint was unharmed, but the film had to be replaced. They make a cleaner and a polish for the film and it works really well. Looks great and a super clean install!

boraxman

Jimmy C-6

How much?

studiovette

Awesome product

TrekWater88

Looks Great!!! I just did the same thing...NOT the whole car, but the most troubled areas. I'm digging the product and the added piece of mind. Haven't tried to polish mine yet. Curious to know if you have or not?

ben dover

Looks great.

dvilin

And when it gets damaged more $$$, not sure I get the whole clear wrap thing just to avoid possible paint chip or whatever. But many owners do so drive on and enjoy.

su8pack1

Different.

jversluis

unless its a ultrarare care why spent that kind of dollars on full body. Do the vulnerable areas and call it good. now there is no joy in waxing and clean up. and yes once it scratches it doesnt self heal to normal. I have suntek and has same property.
Each to own.

wolfdogs

putting me outta business

I will mention, a friend of mine does this down in Fla for a living... they use zaino z8, Ultimate detail spray.. its durable and boy does it make it kick. check it out.

Slider-01

I use the Expel cleaner for any stains and use their Sealer for the film. Makes it super slippery. I am sure you can use normal wax on it but I made the decision to use the Expel product on it.

Scuba Ghost

..

Adam_W

in regards to some of the above:

- The thought process is that XPEL makes most scratches - small ones that often come from less than careful washing as well as rock chips - a non-issue, i.e. routine cleaning is easy and it always looks nice and slick. If you get a really deep scratch or gash that screws up the XPEL, then yeah, you have to get it repaired and that costs more money and that may not be worth it to you , but note that for those types of scratches the XPEL likely saved your paint. My own take on this is that for those who don't mind or enjoy spending the time to polish and wax, it doesn't make sense to get a full wrap like this. But for those who want to spend the money and want something that's easy to clean and keep slick-looking, especially for daily drivers that will be getting a lot of dirt/dust and where the driver isn't willing or able to always wash/wax etc, then this makes a lot of sense and saves work.

- Does it look as good as a well-waxed car paint surface, i.e. as maintained by an enthusiast who is into detailing? The answer is NO: Sean told me that one Ferrari owner actually had him remove the XPEL after a while because the owner never drove the car - it was a garage queen - and he felt that the looks of the original paint (i.e. when properly detailed) was superior to the XPEL. The main purpose of the car was to be stared at and admired, and the XPEL was inferior to the original paint when optimally detailed. Having said that, many of us wouldn't consider the difference in appearance to be significant, i.e. the XPEL looks pretty darned good.

- Caring for it. The website says that things with Kerosene like Naphtha (?) should be avoided, but otherwise you can do whatever you want in terms of sealant, wax, Zaino, clay bar, etc. There is a 10 year warranty, including labor, on the wear. Not on damage. When I emailed the representative, he was very lax and said that XPEL Ultimate - as opposed to their other lines - was fairly resistant to cleaning agents and that I shouldn't worry much about treating it just like paint.

- I am new to paint/car care, and I currently have no plans to polish or wax it, but will be using the sealant. This car will be a daily driver and will be parked outside, not garaged. I plan on just dusting and cleaning off bugs and bigger stains every few days with detailer or bug/tar cleaner, alternate between XPEL rinseless wash (faster) and standard 2 bucket grit guard wash every 2-3 weeks, and XPEL sealant once every 2-3 months. We'll see how it goes.

- Cost? Errr... i'm embarrassed to say; this was a custom wrap of the entire car that took about four days of work by two guys. In the thousands; they have a good gig but provide a very unique service. If you are truly interested in getting something like this on your car, especially if with Sean, PM me and I'll tell you how much.

6893Vette

Looks great!
Xpel=peace of mind if you drive your Vette often and don't want to worry about paint chips.