P100D Black Metallic arrives this week. Couple questions:
- Trying to decide if the full XPEL wrap is really worth the money over just the front end? Almost double the price and I feel like i'm protecting a lot of areas not likely to be injured/scratched. Please help my justify the full wrap or am I throwing money away?
- Going to do full body paint correction and Modesta coating. Referring to question 1, front end wrap + Modesta coating... is that enough protection?
- They said modest also offers a leather protector. Can you tell me more about that? The white seats already have some kind of protectant on them, is it overkill?
- They also over a screen and dash protector against smudges... works well.
- It's a $160k car, what else would you suggest I do to keep it looking fresh?
Good morning Rhino.
I will do my best to describe some of the nuances about these services and hopefully it will lift the fog for you on what may be the best option for you.
1. This is completely up to each person. Obviously, everyone will decide whether to spend their money or not. What I mean is that clear bra is kind of like insurance. Everyone is comfortable with different levels of coverage and clear bra is no different. For some, the idea of scuffs and scratches
anywhere on their car is unbearable. Some folks feel like "it's a car....it will get beat up, who cares?" In those 2 cases, if I heard that internal monologue I would tell the first person it sounds like a full body clear bra wrap may be the best fit for them. For the second person, they may not even find clear bra valuable because they do not value the cosmetics as much....in terms of raw value though, I would say at least protect the highest wear and tear areas.
Where should a film that is used to primarily protect paint from rock chips be installed? At least the areas that are most exposed to rock chips. Common coverage for clear bra is the the full hood, full front fenders, front bumper, headlights, fog lights, side mirrors, rocker panels, lower portions of the doors, in front and behind the rear wheel opening and a rear trunk strip to protect against the items being loaded and unloaded from the vehicle.
For folks on a budget that want the highest wear areas protected, coverage can be reserved for just the leading edge of the hood, fenders and the full front bumper. There are a few draw backs to the partial coverage. Partial coverage will mean you have an edge of the film exposed towards the front or middle of the hood and fenders. What's more, partial coverage still leaves a large portion of the hood and fenders unprotected along with an unsightly line across the front of the vehicle.
Where partial front end coverage
may be acceptable to you, for some, they find out after the installation that they wish they’d gone with full front end coverage. Whether the catalyst for feeling this way is the line or a new rock chip on those exposed areas, the end result is you having spent hundreds of dollars and wishing you’d have had the full front end coverage installed. For clients that call us for clear bra installation in Atlanta, we advise that they get the most they feel comfortable spending on clear bra. We’ve not yet had a client express displeasure with the protection and looks the full coverage offers.
Most of our clients opt for full clear bra coverage because of the peace of mind it offers and the ongoing eased maintenance knowing they will not swirl of the actual finish of the car.
It is not unusual for rocker panels and areas near the wheel wells to see an extraordinary amount of rock chips and damage from the road. Cars with wide fenders and/or tires that have tread exposed beyond the wheel well are especially prone to damage. We layer a thicker, 20 mil thick film, over the absolute harshest areas. These strips can be removed once damaged to the point of being unsightly and replaced without having to replace the large and expensive underlying clear bra sections. This gives incredible protection while giving a modular-like replacement option for the ongoing wear and tear.
From what I’ve seen, different parts of the US have different market standards when it comes to installation. Some areas are prone to only have custom installers who do not use precision computer cut pieces and some only use computer cut pieces. In some areas, it’s common to wrap all available edges and others not. What appears to be typical is that wrapping edges carries additional costs due to the added labor and the more custom the installation, when paired with a skilled craftsman, adds cost. It is one of those cases of you get what you pay for in most circumstances. I advise you find the best in your area and they
may be more expensive. But getting it done right, without damage to your $160,000 vehicle is pretty important.
2. When layering Modesta over clear bra you will end up with an incredible gloss and a finish that is much easier to wash and keep clean. Visiting your Modesta installation facility at least once per year for a check-up service will allow you to only have to use your easy-to-use maintenance sprays. These sprays will keep your coating in tiptop condition. Modesta is like anything else really...you will get out of it what you put into it in terms of care. Modesta is designed to reward proper care with a finish that looks better for longer and is easy to keep clean. I would suggest you look into having BC-06 applied to your wheels and calipers as well though. It will make long term with removing the brake dust a breeze! There truly is nothing else quite like Modesta BC-06 for wheels and calipers.
3. What kind of protectant are you talking about for the leather? Do you mean the factory urethane coating? That is a part of about 99% of all leather interiors for seats. It is similar to the clear coat for your paint, but for leather. When Modesta's 2-part Leather Protection System is applied to leather seats, it is designed to actually protect that urethane topcoat. The LPS-01 is a base coat designed to offer chemical and stain resistance. It makes the surfaces easier to clean up and less prone to staining. The LPS-02 is there as a topcoat for the outer bolsters. It offers an abrasion resistance that greatly minimizes physical wear. When paired together, they give a leather seat what we feel is the best protection possible. For my shop, we reapply the topcoat to the outer bolsters in that yearly visit as a part of the service.
It is important to understand that leather protection and coatings are different from paint coatings. Modesta paint coatings form a hard glass-layer that expands and contracts just enough with the substrate. Leather surfaces are very dynamic. There is no way to make the exact same type of membrane for such a dynamic surface. So, while Modesta's Leather Protection System (LPS-01 and LPS-02) is what we recognize as the best of the best in terms of leather protection, nothing will make your leather invincible. Again, you will get out of it what you put into it in terms of care.
4. I am unsure of the question but I am familiar with the screen protectors. We offer them and people love it.
5. Our clients love our 100% ceramic tint which offers industry leading heat rejection while not requiring a "limo-style" dark tint to get it. We've installed many Blackvue 2-channel(forward and reverse facing) dashcams with great feedback. As I mentioned prior, the Modesta BC-06 on the wheels and calipers is awesome. For the last 2 months I have been layering BC-08 over BC-06 on the wheels and calipers and I and my clients LOVE it. Though, it is a bit opulent and will no doubt cost more than just BC-06(for dark satin wheels it really does give an awesome luster). Paint correction may be required but if you're going to a Modesta installation facility, you are 100% sure to get a paint correction expert on your car as that is part of the requirements to become a Modesta installation dealer.
My main advice is this:
Get the best you feel comfortable to spend on. Like most things in life you will likely get what you pay for. You are not getting a $160,000 Model X because you wanted a cheap SUV to haul the family around in. Why get anything less than the best to get it protected and make it look even more beautiful?
I hope this helps you. Feel free to fire off any more questions you may have and I will do my best to help out.
