mountainears

Always Red Dave started a thread about if people have film on their C7 and was asking if someone could setup a poll, so I'm doing so. Trying not to change it much from how it was requested :-) I did adjust a little, there could almost be a secondary thread / poll of which vendor was used.

This is not for if you had a color wrap done. If you had a clear wrap done after you had your color wrap, then you can participate :-)

Definitions:
For a partial front end: This includes 18-24” up the hood and fenders, front bumper, mirrors and sometimes headlights.
For full front coverage: This includes the entire hood and front fenders, front bumper, mirrors and sometimes headlights.
Full car I think everyone probably gets

Foosh

Voted for full front, but most who do that also do mirrors, rockers, and area behind rear wheels, which is what I did. Those areas are a nominal add-on to full front, but are perhaps the highest impact areas.

The poll needs one more option.

JonMN

I've always done partial front. On darker vehicles (grey, Orient Red, Torch Red) you just cannot see the seam. On our two white vehicles the film (Xpel on one and Ventureshield on the other) was visible in certain lights.


I did mirrors a couple times and then quit. The film is tough to apply, so not as perfect a job as the other areas, and I have never had a chip on a mirror anyway. I did do the rocker panels and the bottom of the doors below the crease (style line?). Also the headlights.

UsernameProtected

Same as Foosh. Full front, plus rocker panels, door handle pockets, rear quarter impact areas, and for me also the rear spoiler, since I load a suitcase in and out on a regular basis. I didn't do the mirrors.

I have 12,000 miles on the X-Pel Ultimate, and there are about a dozen little nicks in the film from rocks on the interstate. I haven't tried to see if I could melt them away, but I didn't even notice them until I finally hand washed the car a couple of weeks ago.

Rsaodom

I did full front, a pillars, mirrors, doors, and rear quarter panels on a torch red c7.

My last C7 I did partial front, mirrors, rockers, and behind rear wheels on a black vette.

Chemdawg99

Couldn't justify the expense. Might do so if I buy a Z06 next year

ExRedRacer

This ^^^

Going to clay bar it and apply 3 coats of Rejex next week for a whole lot less than those fancy PPF applications.

Gearbox22

I was very hesitant about wrapping my 17 GS, not because I didn't believe in the product, but rather cost of upwards of $3K or more. I had a 3M clear nose bra and rockers covered by Porsche on my Cayman which worked well, but it was only $500 and was installed by Porsche back in 08. The same wrap in Xpel was quoted at $1.5K or 3 times the cost for my Vette. But my salesman was persistent and even told me how much money the dealership was going to make, which amounted to a couple of hundred dollars, but insisted that it was a good investment. So after toiling with the idea of finding another installer after my 280 mile trip back home and then waiting a day or two for someone local to wrap it, I decided to get the complete nose, rockers, and rear quarters wrap for the tune of $2.5K at the dealership. Plus most of the quotes from my local guys were in the same ballpark. You would assume that the best way to hot have it rain is to bring an umbrella, but that was not the case. On my way home in normal highway speeds, the car in front of me rolled over something that looked like a sway bar link and it immediately spit up at my car. I watched it fly up into the air and I tried changing lanes ducking it, but too late. It smacked the side of my car with a loud thud. But the debris glanced off my front fender and hit my side skirt, all wrapped in Xpel. The fender marks just polished off and there was a slight tear in the Xpel on my side skirts at the very bottom, but no paint or body damage. Whew. Then a few days later, when I was driving home from a car show, Highway speeds, I hear a very loud crack. It scared the hell out of my passenger who thought something hit the windshield, but besides the bug splatter, we didn't see anything. So the first thing I did was to clean the glass and see if it was damaged. Nothing. But then when I started to wipe the car down, I noticed two little rips on the hood which was most likely what was hit. The Xpel ripped, but again, no paint or body damage. And so far I only have 700 miles on the car. This stuff is supposed to self heal, so we will see how that goes.
The funny thing was, that I can't remember the last time something ever hit any of my other cars, and we are talking about several decades. But this Corvette is like a rock and debris magnet. And not only rocks and debris, but birds love this car as well. While I had been relentless in keeping it clean, getting bird crap on the car for just an hour or so will actually etch the clear coat. And of course the only parts of the car I didn't cover was the roof and rear hatch so now I have to do some paint correction and will be wrapping the remainder of the car. In the meanwhile, I picked up that California Topper, and it works great, not only for the bird crap and tree sap, but it keeps the heat off the leather and removes and installs in seconds. But all in all, I am very happy I had Xpel'ed the car, and now when I inadvertently drive over some gravel and hear all those ticks and clicks, I don't sweat it and get to drive the car like any normal car. Get the full wrap and you will never have to wax the car again, just rinse it down. Makes ownership that much more easier.

OnPoint

OP - you need another category that isn't full car wrap. The widebody cars - GS and Z06 - need rear quarter panel and rear brake vent wrap to protect the rear fender flares and brake vent area. A lot guys will do those areas plus some other protection up front and rockers/lower doors, but not do the full car.

The rear fender flares and brake vent area on the widebody is probably the most vulnerable area other than the nose.

XPEL

We're sorry to hear about the damage to the film but it looks like it held up and did it's job. Thank-you for choosing XPEL to protect your beautiful Vette.

Please keep us posted and let us know if you need anything.

jimmie jam

I have been using PPF for over 15 years, long before anyone knew what it was. You either "get it" or "don't get it". Simply, the stuff works.

Chemdawg99

I don't dispute that it works. Far too much evidence that it works.

I just can't personally justify the cost.

jimmie jam

Of course, it's always a personal choice. Not everyone cares for their cars in the same way. Mine and my other rides are a hobby at this point so you tend to spend money on your "hobby".

TSLAVette

that way the rock chips will be glossy.

Zymurgy

Rejex and PPF serve two totally different purposes and can be used together to accomplish the two different objectives.

ExRedRacer

You mean like the PPF protected paint in post 8?