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Your car looks outstanding. Please clarify something for me please. In trying to get this sort of thing done to my Vette I keep reading conflicting installation stories and methods. You state they did the ceramic coating prior to Xpel being installed. and yet it seems that if I ask several people about what comes first I'll get several different answers. So what is the answer.
^^^ This is a template wrap. I have seen the full wrap before (only on a GTR, I was not impressed by that wrap). The mirrors are the only section of car that does not have wrapped edges, or edges trimmed right up to seams. However, even with the template I had to hold a flashlight at just the right angle to get it to emphasis the edge of the Xpel. There are 4 pics below. But only with the camera at 2 angles and then for each shot I took two with light shinning from different angles. In direct Sunlight it is definitely something you really don't see until you tell somebody it is wrapped and they start looking.
L1FRDOG
Thanks, mine will be a template wrap as well, full wrap, and I've seen the mirrors that way (and I'm fine with it). My installer mentioned that some folks will attempt to wrap the whole mirror but he said it does not come out well. Was curious though what it looked like :-)
Your car looks outstanding. Please clarify something for me please. In trying to get this sort of thing done to my Vette I keep reading conflicting installation stories and methods. You state they did the ceramic coating prior to Xpel being installed. and yet it seems that if I ask several people about what comes first I'll get several different answers. So what is the answer.
You're absolutely right that you'll get conflicting answers all over the place. You'll find it done both ways. However, the same meticulous professional who did the OP's, mine, and P3Pilot's thinks it nuts to waste money on ceramic coating on top of film.
The ceramic was design to protect paint, not plastic. Moreover, the film is designed to be sacrificial. If your film is damaged by debris, and a section needs to be replaced you will have lost your coating. With the coating underneath, your paint is protected and when the film comes off you'll still have a spectacular paint finish.
Some less experienced installers apparently have trouble getting film to adhere to a ceramic coating, so some film manufacturers advise against, but they're just covering themselves. A true professional who wraps the edges will not have that problem.
I figured this would surface at some point. I agree that there are so many conflicting arguments on the coating over PPF vs PPF over coating. I researched ad naseum and the two camps seemed to center around two central themes...
Theme One: coating over PPF - provides maximum adhesion, allows coating to provide additional hydrophobic protection, waste of money to put coating under PPF.
Theme Two: PPF over coating - not many installers know how to apply with this method, so most don't. The benefit is easier removal of PPF when you are ready with less chance of damaging the actual virgin paint underneath. Last thing I want to do is remove my topcoat or chunks of paint when I rip off the PPF. The coating does protect the paint and the PPF protects the car.
Those two arguments each have valid points... so I took a hybrid approach. I had a high quality professional coating (Ceramic Pro Gold Kit) applied first. To protect the paint and enhance gloss. I then I had Xpel ultimate applied to protect from rockchips. I consider the PPF to be sacrificial (I.e I don't mind if it gets damaged and needs to be replaced as it is not a protective force field, it is there to absorb damage). Then I added Opti Gloss-Coat on top of the PPF. I maintain the opti Gloss-Coat with OptiSeal every 2 weeks.
So the end result is high cost nano pro coat, with high cost PPF (but warranteed), then lower cost consumer level Opti Gloss-Coat and gloss seal for the look, gloss coat and seal cost less than $100 a year.
Is this somewhat costly? I don't think so, because I just dropped a large chunk of change for a consumable item... I want to protect it as long as I can. Yet I know folks who buy corvettes as daily drivers who don't blink an eye at driving every day getting rock chips, not washing their car. When they are done with it... they throw it away. That just happens to not be me.
Finally finished my Ceramic Pro and Xpel Ultimate PPF install!
Ceramic Pro 9H and Ceramic Pro Lite applied, and near full Xpel Ultimate PPF (everything except trunk hatch and rear)! This was completed by Rob @ ProForm in Ellicott City, Md. Rob is a consummate professional who not only has a thorough understanding of various product lines on the market, but also has the ability to think outside the box and create content, not just regurgitate it. Rob’s experience and his techniques have made another believer out of me. I drove from my home to his shop worrying every mile that I’d suffer a rock chip. After picking my 2017 Corvette Grand Sport up from his shop I have been able to do nothing but enjoy driving every day.
I was previously not a PPF believer, but after personal recommendations from other well respected Corvette Forum members like FOOSH, and Rob being the kind of operator who will sit with you and demonstrate benefits and walk you through the process to ensure the customer has a thorough understanding of what is going to happen I was able to make an informed decision to move ahead. I dropped the car for work for 5 days. The prep work was very intense with decontamination wash, clay bar, and paint prep that took care of all the 8 fromfactory paint blemish’s. Prep was followed by whole body, wheels (including tubs), calipers, and exhaust tips coverage of CeramicPro 9H and Ceramic Pro Lite. After curing period the Xpel Ultimate was installed. While working with Rob I also provided a previous thread concerning Suntek and Xpel and a new Suntek Ultra and that like contained photos of all three side by side on my car. Frankly you could not tell the difference.
I'm not here to sell anything, I just wanted to be happy and show the new ride. At least now I am no longer freaked out to drive on I-95 or local rock chip alleys because I feel that I have done as much as possible to "protect" the car. ACS Splash Guards, Side Skirts and Xpel.
I was strolling through the pics and I thought that look like my friend Rob's shop. Great guy! He did the same with my car. Full polishing and prep then Gtechniq and Xpel Ultimate. Almost 2 years later and the car still looks new.
I'm getting mine coated this year (was XPEL'd last year right after I got it from the NCM). If anyone wants pictures of a year old XPEL install on white, I can go out in the garage and snap a few. I'll get up close to the seams. It's mostly invisible (lets say from 3 feet away you can't tell, your face up close sure you see it).
Looking good! Little dirt on edges... not really a big deal. lets face it... dirt comes off. The real reason is the paint protection and everything looks very nice
Conducted a little test on gloss enhancers (wax / polish / detailer spray)
As mentioned I have ceramic pro covered with Xpel, then topped Xpel with Opti Gloss-Coat. I maintain with Opti-Seal (which also adds to gloss factor).
I did a small area quick test using (not the top of the line, but what I had) Turtle Wax ICE Wax, Meguire's Ultimate polish glaze, Turtle Wax Polish, Turtle Wax Detailer Gloss spray, and then just Opti-Seal.
I could tell absolutely no difference between any on the products. I saw them apply, then dry, then after lightly wiping away... nothing. Gloss level and depth appeared to be completely unchanged.
toward the fact that the Opti Gloss coat and Seal did a pretty good job and that the hydrophobic properties of those products are preventing any real bonding of the waxes/polishes to the point that they are literally just wiping away and leaving the original Opti-seal top layer.
I chose not to put ceramic on top of the film, but my experience synchs with yours w/ regard to products. You can use virtually any polish/glaze/wax/detailer on top of the film to protect it and keeps things shiny.
I've used 4-5 different products in the last year, and they all produce an equally shiny finish.
Conducted a little test on gloss enhancers (wax / polish / detailer spray)
As mentioned I have ceramic pro covered with Xpel, then topped Xpel with Opti Gloss-Coat. I maintain with Opti-Seal (which also adds to gloss factor).
I did a small area quick test using (not the top of the line, but what I had) Turtle Wax ICE Wax, Meguire's Ultimate polish glaze, Turtle Wax Polish, Turtle Wax Detailer Gloss spray, and then just Opti-Seal.
I could tell absolutely no difference between any on the products. I saw them apply, then dry, then after lightly wiping away... nothing. Gloss level and depth appeared to be completely unchanged.
toward the fact that the Opti Gloss coat and Seal did a pretty good job and that the hydrophobic properties of those products are preventing any real bonding of the waxes/polishes to the point that they are literally just wiping away and leaving the original Opti-seal top layer.
It was a single application of the Ceramic Pro Gold Kit which is Ceramic Pro 9H and a top application of Ceramic Pro "Lite" (which is their Gloss Coat)
Looks great. I pick my car up from Rob tomorrow and had for 3.5 days and after day one when I stopped by it look great with ceramic and prep work done. Rob is great to work with and talk to on your car.
03-13-2017, 12:08 AM
