clear bra install - perfection possible?

[kiteman]

I had a clear bra installed a few weeks back which was really important to me with my new car. The only issue is that I had a very difficult time finding an installer, but I finally found an authorized installer of Xpel. Xpel sells a cutting kit with the film, and you dial in the vehicle and the machine cuts the film for you. So I must be honest, I think if an 8 year-old wanted to buy Xpel's clear bra kit, they would sell it to him and make the kid an "authorized" distributor/installer. Maybe I am wrong though.

At any rate, the guy did a very good job I think, though it isn't perfect. The car is black so under certain lighting I can see a bubble hear and there or a spot that got stretched a little much. There is even one edge of the bra that has about a millimeter of film that didn't adhere completely to the car, so when you get up close to it, you can see it. Most of these things I can say are me, being the detailed perfectionist I am, scrutinizing way too much. But at the same time, I wonder if a perfect bra install without any of these small inconsistencies is even possible?

I know it sounds funny, but if it isn't possible to install a clear bra perfectly, then I feel like I got a good deal. Otherwise I feel like maybe i paid too much. I know it's all in the eye of the beholder, but for discussion purposes I thought I would at least find out other's experiences with clear bra installation. FWIW, my car is black and I'm sure some of the imperfections I speak of would be 100% unnoticeable on a lighter colored car.

 

[Twister]

My friend is an authorized installer for Xpel. He had to go down to Houston for training. He has been through several training classes actually. I'm not sure how long those classes were but it did take time and training before he was authorized.

As for being perfect... I have had 3 cars done. Each car is going to have it's tough spots. It is probably asking a lot for it to be perfect BUT there should be no bubbles or peeling edges. I would have at least the edges corrected. In time that edge will collect dirt and be a real eyesore. It could become larger also.

 

[crxman2010]

How big are the pieces? I had my car done where the entire hood and fenders were covered to move all the seams out to the edge of the panels and in places like the hood the kit came pre cut to wrap around 3 sides of the hood so there is no seam. So maybe 5-6x more clear bra than the standard kit they install. Given I was having them work with some very large pieces, I expected to have some some dust get under the clear bra when installing it and it did. And I wasn't at all suprised that I have some "stretch like" marks with how I was having them cover some large contours...None of it is bad, actually much better then the first car I had with it, but under the correct light it is noticable.

I also coated my clear bra with Opti-Coat and it made the marks a little more visible in the correct light, however, it did make the clear bra look a lot nicer. My first clear bra swirled very easy even compared to the paint, so I am hoping opti-coat does its job there. My Clear Bra

In the end, I am currently approaching my clear bra "defects" as an acceptable evil to help prevent permentant damage to the paint. After a couple thousand miles some of the imperfections might not be noticable from the road wear the clear bra starts to take. This was done to my daily driver, I may feel differently if it was my brand new Porsche, so your mileage may vary.

Regarding the seam adhesion, the warranty on my stuff is lifetime and if it starts to come up they will replace it. I guess I would look at how that particular part turn out, if there are some stretch marks on that panel, it could be worth having him reapply that part because it might get rid of some of those extra marks . I have never had a clear bra start to come up but if you give debri a place to start, who knows what could happen. If the panel is perfect other than that milimeter on the edge, I might wait and see what it does during warranty period, if it starts to get worse, take it in.

 

[kiteman]

The sheets are pretty big. Besides the small amount of peel at one corner (and it may even be less than 1mm), the bumper area is mostly perfect. No noticeable bubbles but I bet if I really started looking from 6 inches away inch by inch, I might find some. I prefer not to do that

The only tougher spot is on a part of the rear fender that is prone to rock chips on my type of car. The film requires cutting and isn't included in the kit, so the installer really had to spend a lot of time custom fitting it properly. It turned out pretty good, though there were just a couple of air bubbles that are a little visible.

Anyone else have any experiences?

 

[Twister]

My friend had a trick for removing the air bubbles when there was one.

You should consider using a sealant or maybe Opticoat on the film. On a black car any stain or spot that etches the film will stick out like a sore thumb.

I've used KSG and it really made the film shine. I will be trying Opticoat on my truck film this weekend I hope

 

[FUNX650]

there were just a couple of air bubbles that are a little visible.

Anyone else have any experiences?

Give the PPF a little more time (at least a few more weeks) in order for it to completely rid itself of all the installation fluids through the evaporation process. If there still remain a few air pockets (bubbles) you can usually relieve the air pockets' contents by piercing them with a very, very thin needle...your installer should have a hypodermic needle in his tool kit for this purpose....perhaps he would assist you in this endeavor?

Note: One of XPel's PPF claims to fame is its proclaimed "self-healing" properties. Matter of fact: I've poked a few "relief holes" in my XPel PPF with no noticable damage being incurred.



Bob

 

[RaskyR1]

I don't doubt that there are installer out there than can do a flawless install, but I haven't seen one yet. Depending on the complexity of the panel I would probably accept some degree of minor imperfection in the film, but edges not adhering is unacceptable IMO.


FYI. I saw the new "Self Healing" Xpel film at SEMA last week and that stuff is amazing....hope that's what you had installed.

Self Healing Paint Protection Film - XPEL ULTIMATE Paint Protection Film

 

[crxman2010]

The sheets are pretty big. Besides the small amount of peel at one corner (and it may even be less than 1mm), the bumper area is mostly perfect. No noticeable bubbles but I bet if I really started looking from 6 inches away inch by inch, I might find some. I prefer not to do that

The only tougher spot is on a part of the rear fender that is prone to rock chips on my type of car. The film requires cutting and isn't included in the kit, so the installer really had to spend a lot of time custom fitting it properly. It turned out pretty good, though there were just a couple of air bubbles that are a little visible.

Anyone else have any experiences?

When you say bubbles, does it actually look like an air bubble (like what you might see on a window tint job) or does it look like a particulate (dirt) that got under it? The "bumps" I have are either a small piece of dust getting under the or an existing bump in the paint, I definitely do not have any air bubbles.

Regarding the rear fender, are you talking about the portion of the rocker that turns up to meet the fender just behind the rear door but in front of the tire? If that is it, for mine, I originally had them try to do the whole rocker and bring it up into the door jamb to hide the seam, they were not able to keep it stuck down due to the tight radius. They had the same problem trying to do the entire fender and wrapping it into the engine bay, the film resisted the radius too much and started to come off so they had to tear it off and start over.

Just speculating but if he was trying to turn a tight radius, this could be the problem. He may have had it down properly and moved on and it started to come back up before drying entirely giving you the appearance of air bubbles.

They ended up doing just the outer portion of the rocker (no wrap) and the portion of my rocker in the rear that sticks out actually got a second piece that starts inside the jamb and is mated to the external piece to completely cover the rock grabbing area. The mated seam is a little rough to the touch but doesn't look bad.

Here is that leading edge on my driver side. You can just barely see the seam in the picture but if look at it there is a piece covering the edge of the rocker that terminates part way down the door jab once rock chips were not a concern

 

[crxman2010]

I've used KSG and it really made the film shine. I will be trying Opticoat on my truck film this weekend I hope

I think you will really like it. The only only thing I will say is people will want to touch it . Between the shine opti-coat puts on it and the way the seams are either wrapped or terminate at a panel edge, makes my clear bra very hard to see. This results in the guys at the shop or admirers having the desire to try and touch the seam to prove it is there. And I am left standing there with a stupid look on my face waiting for them to stop rubbing the dust into my car......

 

[FUNX650]

admirers having the desire to try and touch the seam to prove it is there. And I am left standing there with a stupid look on my face waiting for them to stop rubbing the dust into my car......

RE:"Admirers":

Me just standing there waiting for them to stop touching/rubbing dust into my car...yeah right!



Bob

 

[kiteman]

I did use the self-healing stuff. Couple of photos. The first is on the bumper, you can see the lines horizontal and vertical to the camera that didn't exactly adhere, but are they small enough for me to not worry they will cause a bigger gap/collect dirt? The second picture is almost underneath the car on the custom piece...as you can tell there is a small gap where the edge didn't adhere all the way across. The last pic is one where he punctured the hole because there was overlap of film (read: air bubble), but as you can see it is white colored. Is that air in it, will the self-healing nature of the PPF cover this up after a few curing days? This thing looks exactly like a rock chip really. Sorry for no scale of reference on the last two. The second picture end-gap is a little longer than in the first pic, and the third pic, that white thing is about the size of popcorn kernel, probably a little smaller.

There are a couple of others, but these are more concerning. Or am I being anal? And CRXMAN, that is exactly where the "custom" piece was installed, on that rear gill area just in front of the rear tire.

 

[FUNX650]

I did use the self-healing stuff. Couple of photos. The first is on the bumper, you can see the lines horizontal and vertical to the camera that didn't exactly adhere, but are they small enough for me to not worry they will cause a bigger gap/collect dirt? The second picture is almost underneath the car on the custom piece...as you can tell there is a small gap where the edge didn't adhere all the way across. The last pic is one where he punctured the hole because there was overlap of film, but as you can see it is white colored. Is that air in it, will the self-healing nature of the PPF cover this up after a few curing days? This thing looks exactly like a rock chip really. Sorry for no scale of reference on the last two. The second picture end-gap is a little longer than in the first pic, and the third pic, that white thing is about the size of popcorn kernel, maybe a little smaller.

There are a couple of others, but these are more concerning. Am I being anal?

NO....you're not being anal. The installer needs to take corrective measures, IMO.

As will all vehicle edges, the PPF edges will also tend to harbor contaminates (like dirt)...a raised edge moreso.

I would give the installer a call in a few days, if I were you.



Bob

 

[kiteman]

NO....you're not being anal. The installer needs to take corrective measures, IMO.

As will all vehicle edges, the PPF edges will also tend to harbor contaminates (like dirt)...a raised edge moreso.

I would give the installer a call in a few days, if I were you.



Bob

Thanks, Bob. Sorry to ask the obvious questions, but what should I ask him to do--replace all the panels or just trim the edges in question? As for the third picture, if that part isn't going to correct itself, I bet he would just have to completely replace that piece. Too bad Xpel won't just let me go to any installer and get it fixed...

 

[FUNX650]

Thanks, Bob. Sorry to ask the obvious questions, but what should I ask him to do--replace all the panels or just trim the edges in question? As for the third picture, if that part isn't going to correct itself, I bet he would just have to completely replace that piece. Too bad Xpel won't just let me go to any installer and get it fixed...

Don't worry...the installer will actually know the best remedies...Remember it's under an excellent warranty...and he's well aware of that. Give him a chance to rectify the blemishes. You shouldn't have such angst with any PPF product!

{Depending on where you live there may be other certified XPel installers nearby: Car Paint Protection Film Installer Locator - United States and Canada}

If I may, I'd like to suggest: Look into perhaps getting XPel's headlight protective film....it'll save them from a lot of road debris and UV 'attacks'.



Bob

 

[Twister]

I had an edge on my truck that was like that. It was so small I asked him just trim it and you couldn't tell. On another part he chose to redo the panel. On my truck both panels were difficult and the weather didn't cooperate (rainy and humid). It all turned out well in the end

 

[kiteman]

Is it possible for me to get that part to stick to the car, or does it probably just need to be trimmed?

Also in the 3rd picture, any idea what can be done other than reinstalling the sheet?

Part of me wanted you guys to say I was anal It is a PITA to have to make people do things twice...

 

[FUNX650]

Is it possible for me to get that part to stick to the car, or does it probably just need to be trimmed?

Also in the 3rd picture, any idea what can be done other than reinstalling the sheet?

Part of me wanted you guys to say I was anal It is a PITA to have to make people do things twice...

I really do understand your consternation. These PPFilms are quite pricey, to say the least, and it would be nice for the install to go flawlessly the first time.

But since that didn't happen:
If given half a chance, I honestly believe your installer will undo/re-do your PPF to your standards....His reputation, after all, is on the line here...not yours.

As before, I hope this puts your mind a little more at ease.



Bob

 

[crxman2010]

Is it possible for me to get that part to stick to the car, or does it probably just need to be trimmed?

Also in the 3rd picture, any idea what can be done other than reinstalling the sheet?

Part of me wanted you guys to say I was anal It is a PITA to have to make people do things twice...

That my friend, is completely up to you and where you want to draw the line, I personally struggle with it a fair amount because I (many of us here) care a lot more about our car then tom, frank, or harry. I also know the dealership cringes when they see me pull up. The dealership has gone as far to say that some of their mechanics don't want to work on my car because of the damaged items I have made them fix. Of course I made them repair some things I would have not normally made them repair because of the way the issues I was having were being handled . And some things like ripped up leather on the shift knob or the back of the steering wheel looking like it was slid on concrete were so far from acceptable I could believe I had to tell them to fix it.

You have concerns about the quality of work, take it back to the guy and show him your concerns. See what he thinks he can do about it and go from there. If he takes pride in his work, he should want to correct it. Worse case you never work with him again, best case your current concerns are remedied. Just try to be polite about it, go with "is there any thing we can do to make this look better" instead of "it looks like a 3 month old ape did this blind folded."

Just remember, if he treats you right and you like the work he did, help him out by sending recommendations his way, a token of appreciation for being a pain in his arse. I know my installer struggled to make me happy, and in return when I find a person that keeps looking at my clear bra and comparing it to their "less attractive" install, I give them a business card for the guy that did mine.

Edit: I personally would not try to fix it myself unless things fall apart with your installer, it is what you paid him to do .

 

[kiteman]

I am glad I asked you guys about it, because I was starting to think I was just being anal and had no justified reason to go back and see him.

However, this morning I called and he had me bring the car in immediately around 9am. He spent less than an hour and a half and replaced the panel from the 3rd picture and cut the excess trim off of the other edges that didn't adhere. I was very pleased with his willingness to fix everything.

Now I am satisfied Thanks for the advice guys!

 

[FUNX650]

I am glad I asked you guys about it, because I was starting to think I was just being anal and had no justified reason to go back and see him.

However, this morning I called and he had me bring the car in immediately around 9am. He spent less than an hour and a half and replaced the panel from the 3rd picture and cut the excess trim off of the other edges that didn't adhere. I was very pleased with his willingness to fix everything.

Now I am satisfied Thanks for the advice guys!

I thought I heard someone say: "Whew" a little while ago. I woulda bet it was you.

So glad he fixed your PPF blemishes (Indeed, one fine example of professionalism). Also glad you're satisfied.

Thanks for the follow-up report

Now get out there and enjoy your ride!



Bob