Rough cost of basic Expel install
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 20,054
Likes: 44
From: Swansea IL
Rough cost of basic Expel install
While I shop around for an installer in St Louis I'd like to know about how much it would cost to protect the nose and the door release areas.
Thanks
Tom
Thanks
Tom
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,872
Likes: 333
From: Olmsted Falls Ohio
St. Jude Donor '12 thru '24
Perhaps to offer some approximation, my installer charged me $450 on the C6 for total front bumper coverage - no hood or headlamp lens coverage. Had him do the rockers on a separate install for $320. Both installs had upcharges for on-site installation at my shop.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,860
Likes: 85
From: Graniteville South Carolina
The most common basic package I see includes full front bumper, about 1/3 of hood, 1/3 of fenders, mirrors, door edges, and door opening recess. There's a certified installer in my area that has a booth for installation. He charges $699 for this kit. Yesterday I was there and got the front bumper, headlights, door edges, and door opening recesses done for $485 before tax. I didn't wanna deal with the lines from the incomplete fender and hood kits. And I also didn't wanna spend the extra money to cover those areas fully. The front bumper was my main concern.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 49,388
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From: Best Island in the U.S.
St. Jude Donor '12 thru '17
I just got the bumper cover, headlights, mirrors, rockers and bottom of doors done for ~$700. Don't base your choice of installer on price, base it on reputation and references. There are bad Xpel installers out there. Trust me, BTDT.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,834
Likes: 91
From: California
Prices here for a front end wrap of the whole hood, bumper, fenders and rockers will range from $1400 - $5500.
Yeah, $5500. However, that shop is second to none and works almost exclusively on exotics and they demand perfection and won't let any sub-standard work slide, no matter how minor.
I had a quick temporary job done for my rocker panels to protect them until I can get into the good shop. The guy left a hair under my XPEL and a couple dirty finger prints. Really stands out against my white car.
Luckily it's very temporary and I honestly expected this from the get-go. He was able to meet my schedule for protection, so I didn't care.
Read the reviews and inspect the installer's shop before you schedule anything. And always remember that Yelp reviews are often falsely positive by users hoping to get "taken care of".
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 20,054
Likes: 44
From: Swansea IL
Thanks for all the great info, I have contacted the installer that was up at Bloomington Gold from St Louis, seems he has a stellar reputation in our area.
I know have a basis to work from. As usually CF members to the rescue.
Cheers
Tom
I know have a basis to work from. As usually CF members to the rescue.
Cheers
Tom
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 20,054
Likes: 44
From: Swansea IL
Just got off the phone with Mark from Clearautobra in St. Louis and he answered all my questions and provided me a quote for the work I want done (initially) about $500.
Am going to book an appointment.
Cheers
Tom
Am going to book an appointment.
Cheers
Tom
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 810
Likes: 10
From: Denver CO
I just had my entire front end done with Xpel Ultimate, which included the hood, fenders, bumper, headlights, mirrors and a strip inside each door sill. I also had the windows tinted with Ceramic tint, and the total was about $2300. The tint was $550, so about $1750 for the Xpel.
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Michael S. Palmer
Moderator
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From: DFW Area TX
Just want to make sure that you specified Xpel Ultimate. There are several grades of Xpel, Ultimate is the top of the line and their only film that is self-healing and carries a 10 year warranty.
I'd also strongly encourage you to get the full hood done. I have taken debris on both my C5 and C6 well up on the hood past where a partial hood kit would cover. These things are so low, you can get impacted anywhere on the hood. Same for the fenders, but there is not near as much exposed top surface.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Silicon Valley California
Tom,
Just want to make sure that you specified Xpel Ultimate. There are several grades of Xpel, Ultimate is the top of the line and their only film that is self-healing and carries a 10 year warranty.
I'd also strongly encourage you to get the full hood done. I have taken debris on both my C5 and C6 well up on the hood past where a partial hood kit would cover. These things are so low, you can get impacted anywhere on the hood. Same for the fenders, but there is not near as much exposed top surface.
Just want to make sure that you specified Xpel Ultimate. There are several grades of Xpel, Ultimate is the top of the line and their only film that is self-healing and carries a 10 year warranty.
I'd also strongly encourage you to get the full hood done. I have taken debris on both my C5 and C6 well up on the hood past where a partial hood kit would cover. These things are so low, you can get impacted anywhere on the hood. Same for the fenders, but there is not near as much exposed top surface.
I agree with this completely! The cars are low and any road debris that hits can and will hit higher up on the hood or even "walk" up the entire hood after initial impact. Xpel Ultimate is the way to go and super easy to keep clean.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Silicon Valley California
If you go to a good shop they will most likely clay bar the paint, touch up the nicks and then apply Xpel. Even on a car that is brand new, there is detail work to be done before application. Find a good shop and walk them through the areas you want touched up.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 20,054
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From: Swansea IL
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,688
Likes: 212
From: Mo.
Please tell him Seth gave you his info on this forum.
We install clear bra on all St.Louis Motorsports exotics.
And just installed Clear bra on my Z51 last week.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 20,933
Likes: 905
From: salem OR
+1
Prices here for a front end wrap of the whole hood, bumper, fenders and rockers will range from $1400 - $5500.
Yeah, $5500. However, that shop is second to none and works almost exclusively on exotics and they demand perfection and won't let any sub-standard work slide, no matter how minor.
I had a quick temporary job done for my rocker panels to protect them until I can get into the good shop. The guy left a hair under my XPEL and a couple dirty finger prints. Really stands out against my white car.
Luckily it's very temporary and I honestly expected this from the get-go. He was able to meet my schedule for protection, so I didn't care.
Read the reviews and inspect the installer's shop before you schedule anything. And always remember that Yelp reviews are often falsely positive by users hoping to get "taken care of".
Prices here for a front end wrap of the whole hood, bumper, fenders and rockers will range from $1400 - $5500.
Yeah, $5500. However, that shop is second to none and works almost exclusively on exotics and they demand perfection and won't let any sub-standard work slide, no matter how minor.
I had a quick temporary job done for my rocker panels to protect them until I can get into the good shop. The guy left a hair under my XPEL and a couple dirty finger prints. Really stands out against my white car.
Luckily it's very temporary and I honestly expected this from the get-go. He was able to meet my schedule for protection, so I didn't care.
Read the reviews and inspect the installer's shop before you schedule anything. And always remember that Yelp reviews are often falsely positive by users hoping to get "taken care of".
The right rock can still go through with damage to the paint. Take it off and it still may have damage At those price's!
I think I might not worry about it and get a repaint later. Sounds cheaper. With maybe a better result. Then the GM paint is not as good as before. They used to make 1 tough paint job. But OEM paint quaility has slipped as far as Corvette's.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,045
Likes: 4
From: Yorktown VA
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Go to the Xpel website and they list the prices for each kit. You may be able to negotiate a lower price with your installer.
Xpel Pre-cugooglt kits
Xpel Pre-cugooglt kits
Jukebox Graduate
Joined: Jun 2014
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From: Saint Louis MO