I want to put a clear bra on my car, mainly just the front bumper area and the mirrors. For those that have done this yourselves, how difficult is it? Was it easy to work all the air bubbles and wrinkles out? When you were finished, were you pleased with the final look and result? I can get a kit and do it myself for a little more than $200. Having it done is between $700 - $800. Any responses are appreciated. If I do it myself, where's the best place to get one?

 

You need to use good quality material, the correct tools, and plenty of patience. First off the only material I will use is XPEL Ulitmate. Their front bumper precut kit is $436.00. Precut kits save time by not having to make a pattern. I have not done a ton of installs and most were pretty basic, such as door sills on all my cars and rear bumper protectors for the trunk of the car and SUV. Doing these smaller projects gave me the experience and confidence to tackle bigger projects. I just completed doing the rocker panel extensions and door sill area on my new Grand Sport. Both turned out perfect. Only tools you need are a hard rubber squeegee, spray bottle of water/soap solution and a microfiber towel. This assumes you have already done paint correction and clay barring. Any debris or bumps on the surface of the car will telegraph thru the material. You just wet the surface of the car with your spray solution. Then wet the back of the material as you pull it off the backing. Apply material to the car and slide it around to get it in the correct position. If it doesn't slide easily you need to use more spray. Once you have it were you want it start with the squeegee at the center of the material and work the bubbles outward. You should not have anywrinkles to deal with at this point. Keep working till all the bubbles are out. Try not to lift the material to get rid of bubbles as once it is stuck to the surface as you run the risk of stretching the film. Compound surfaces are a bit trickier to get the material to lay flat. Sometimes a little heat from a hair dryer can be used to coax the material to lay flat. Once you are pretty happy with the look just stop. You may find a bubble or too but at this time just leave them alone. Look at your work the next day and many of any remaining bubbles will be gone. The sun will also help to get rid of bubbles. If you still have water trapped after a few days get yourself a diabetic syringe with a 30 gauge needle. Gently poke the bubble from a 45degree angle and suck out the excess moisture. Blot with a towel to get it too lay flat. The small hole the needle leaves will self heal over time. Don't use a razor blade or exacto knife. They can damage the paint. I am sure I have probably left some things out the the experts will surely have more to add.

 

I paid $569 for a pro to do it...... seems the better option

 

^^^^This, because most will warranty their work (if they fk it up they fix it-what happens if you mess it up)? But that aside, I too like taking on challenges.

 

The installers rate difficulty on a scale of 0-5 with 5 being most difficult. The front fascia of a Corvette is rated a 4. So it's not an easy job. I used to install tint on cars many times years ago but would never attempt ppf on the nose of a C7, I would mess it up and waste good ppf.

I paid $400 for my front fascia from a very reputable installer in Dallas area. Then another $150 for the stage 2 splitter. You shouldn't be paying 700 for this, shop around.

 

I bought a $300.00 pre-cut 3m kit and installed it on my C6, nose, front fenders, hood, and mirrors.
Spent 2 days installing it, a PIA, and as far as how good it came out,... let's just say it served its purpose
When I bought the C7 I had Xpel Ultimate Professionally installed at the Dealer before driving it home

 

Never tried installing something like a PPF on a car. I chose to have a pro do it as I wanted it perfect with a full warranty.

 

I'm a former professional auto painter. That doesn't qualify me to lay XPEL, but I'll relate my experience anyway... The hardest "vinyl" I ever had to lay down was that old 1970s Firebird decal on the hoods of the Trans Ams. It wasn't too too tough to do, but it certainly required patience, excellent lighting and a CLEAN environment. I never got so comfortable that I considered them an easy task. In its' day, it was a ~$200 decal, so the installation was stressful. They were so big that I would have preferred an assistant, but that's not the way the shops work.

For something as complex as the nose of the c7, I paid to have mine installed. I damn near celebrated to "throw" the money (out) at the installer and be done with it. And I can't tell you how much it galls me to pay to have work done that I can "do". Three years later, I still celebrate the decision; I can't remember the cost--it doesn't matter. To do what he did on my black Vette, he was a wizard--there's no less forgiving color than a black paint job. Not one wrinkle, bubble, or lint and no punctures nor cuts; I don't care how he did it, it was worth it. I can't tell you to what degree I am OCD about my Vette--I wish I wasn't, but the daily and constant persistence for detail required to paint and professionally finish an outstanding product made for a psyche that is intolerant of the slightest imperfection in a paint job, and I just can't help it all these years later- and I can't express how pleased I am that a pro installed my XPEL.

You can buy the XPEL and hope to install it for the savings, or screw it up and pay for the XPEL twice and the install, too. There ARE those guys out there who can do it, but I'd suggest that one have some prior experience with easier panels before attempting a c7 nose.

 

The first one I ever did was the front fascia of my 2012 Grand Sport. I had a lot of help from my wife and it was certainly a challenge. We got the job done, but it was not perfect in my eyes, although to the untrained eye many people didn't notice it. Since then I did a couple hoods on various other vehicles, then finally the nose of my C7 Grand Sport. It came out better this time, but still not what I would call acceptable if a professional had done it.

As others have said the nose of a C7 is not an easy place to start for your first job.

It really comes down to how cheap you are vs how picky you are with the final product. So far I have been more cheap than picky. Your results may vary,

 

Properly and heavy wax and seal nose. Long bug trips snap a novistretch on there. Take it off when you get where you are going. Problem solved

 

I can understand the difficulty of the one piece install. What about cutting the xpel into sections and
installing it in pieces. Is it possible?

 

Yes but then you have the task of trying to get all these lines to match up, and those lines catch wax/polish build up and look bad over time.

 

I watched my installer, and I'll will say IMHO it's a job for a professional. It's not the flat surfaces that are the problem. It's the areas where you have to message the film, i.e. corners, curves, etc. I wouldn't attempt it myself. But, if you do I wish you much luck.

 

I also had some one install Expel on front end and mirrors for $575. And has worked out great easy to clean the front end after trips and no rock chips.

 

I just had my front bumper done with Expel. $450.00.. 2+ hours work for the pro....

 

Not to highjack the thread BUT hey Dork, those birds WERE hard but the thing that gave me the biggest problem was the wood grain around the license plate recess on the old Chyhog vans. Heat enough just to stretch a little, too much heat means a finger through the vinyl.

 

I STRONGLY recommend letting a pro do it, and not just any pro but the best one you can find. After my museum delivery I personally installed X-PEL Trac-Wrap as temporary protection until my professional job six weeks later. Though it served this purpose, the quality I achieved was beyond horrible. With the many complex curves on the front of the C7, I don't think anyone could achieve satisfactory results on a first try. Your money and time will be wasted.

 

Thanks much for all the comments and input. I think I will have a pro do it!