I work on 10-20 Tesla weekly. What questions do you have about Window Tint, PPF and coatings?

[PhilDavid]

Ask them to bulk the hood, modify the fenders so the camera comes out. And tuck in fenders.

Could you please elaborate what you mean by bulk the hood and modify the fenders so the camera comes out, as the camera is at the top of the windshield.

Good to know that I can ask for pre-cut PPF to avoid cutting into the paint.

 

[zonela]

Were they P+ models? I hope not, because I am waiting for my White P3+ down in SoCal, and keep telling them that I don't want cars that have been rejected, etc.
...

Non-P AWD. Just go in with a mindset on what you can and cannot accept, don't hesitate to reject if something you find bothers you.

Lol... sorry didn’t try to laugh. You will not be owning a Tesla model 3 anytime soon then.

There is a chance probably won't even own one in the end lol. Already getting quotes for a 19 Camaro SS

 

[Shizzrock]

Could you please elaborate what you mean by bulk the hood and modify the fenders so the camera comes out, as the camera is at the top of the windshield.

Good to know that I can ask for pre-cut PPF to avoid cutting into the paint.

He's talking about the side cameras on the fender, and saying instead of a pre-cut "hole" for the cameras modify it so that you take out the camera and cut the hole yourself, so that the camera completely covers the seams.

 

[Shizzrock]

Non-P AWD. Just go in with a mindset on what you can and cannot accept, don't hesitate to reject if something you find bothers you.

In retrospect I really wish I did this, but the excitement was too much to overcome. I admire your restraint.

 

[Glamisduner]

Modified pre-cut isn’t bad. Honesty for most consumers if I told you it was custom whiling using Pre-cut most wont know.

Remember bulk cuts have risk of cutting on the Cars paint.

The guy I was going to take it to does bulk only. Seems he has worked on allot of really expensive cars though?

 

[Thomas Edison]

If they can’t touch it up ask them to redo it.

It’s not easy to making all windows perfect. Most stuff will cure over time or a quick touch up helps also

Do roles of xpel come in a standard size?
What percentage of a role does a model 3 use for a full body wrap

 

[orangefish]

Thanks for answering questions!

I'm considering doing paint correction (have lots of swirls) but not doing ceramic coating. I don't have a garage so I'm very paranoid about having imperfections surface while the coating cures.

I also don't mind regularly maintaining and waxing/applying sealant on my car. Do you have recommendations on a sealant to apply right after paint correction?

 

[cheungus87]

I'm getting full coverage wrap and ceramic coat done along with the center console wrap. Is it worth it for wheels, glass, leather to be treated? Would only lasts 2 years though.

 

[Sentry]

10 year warranty is vague.. I havnt had to do any warranty work yet. If I have issue I’ll just redo a panel myself and make the customer happy.

I’ve done many stealth model 3. Xpel stealth definitely stains.

I’ve done some test with 3M they will introduce their stealth in a few weeks. Much better then Xpel stealth

Estimate on lifetime for XPEL? Should I just wait for the new 3M?

 

[Frieda’s Boss]

@MinnesotaMX Is it OK to wrap over the sensors in the front & rear bumpers? In other words, does having the sensors covered by PPF affect the detection capabilities of those sensors?

If it’s not recommended to cover them:
I noticed the pre-cut Xpel had sensor & tow hook holes cut out, but would it be easier to not include those holes in the plotter cut then manually cut them out with a scalpel after wrapping over them?

Thanks for offering your advice from real-world experience, it’s much appreciated!

 

[MinnesotaMX]

I'm getting full coverage wrap and ceramic coat done along with the center console wrap. Is it worth it for wheels, glass, leather to be treated? Would only lasts 2 years though.

MinnesotaMX, So the advise in this thread is to defiantly not get a custom PPF job and be sure to get as much pre-cut as possible?

Yes and no...

I think tesla owners are reading to much into ppf and what’s best.

Some shops... some installers are good enough to do a bulk install without cutting on your car.

Any installer on this forums will admit it’s definitely possible to cut on a customers car doing bulk.

You know how many wraps or clear bra I’ve removed with cut marks all over? A lot!!!

 

[MinnesotaMX]

I don't know if that makes me feel better or worse lol. I thought I got a lemon with all the defects, but now it seems like a systemic problem. I thought about trying to get a new one, but this is making me think twice. Thanks for answering all these questions!

just dont be so picky. its an amazing car for sure!

 

[MinnesotaMX]

@MinnesotaMX Is it OK to wrap over the sensors in the front & rear bumpers? In other words, does having the sensors covered by PPF affect the detection capabilities of those sensors?

If it’s not recommended to cover them:
I noticed the pre-cut Xpel had sensor & tow hook holes cut out, but would it be easier to not include those holes in the plotter cut then manually cut them out with a scalpel after wrapping over them?

Thanks for offering your advice from real-world experience, it’s much appreciated!

Thats a tough one... on all my PPF the sensors are cut out. All the kits are made to cut. when I bulk i cut them out also due to liability reasons.

ive also wrapped many tesla and customers have signed waivers to leave the sensors covered. So far we havent seen any issues.

the tow hook on pre cuts are horrible! I actually delete that and manually cut them out. once its cut out i have 100s of the exact size circle to go on the cover.

 

[MinnesotaMX]

Could you please elaborate what you mean by bulk the hood and modify the fenders so the camera comes out, as the camera is at the top of the windshield.

Good to know that I can ask for pre-cut PPF to avoid cutting into the paint.

1. bulk the hood, big square sheet of film and tuck it all in. no release lines at the corners
2. remove the T replace with new only. 25.00
3. fenders cameras need to be removed. film tucked in under. take a picture of how flush your camera is before dropping off the car. Clips are easy broken or sheered off if not removed correctly.
4. Pre-cut or modified pre cut front bumpers work fine. if they want to bulk ask them not to cut on the car lol.

 

[MinnesotaMX]

The guy I was going to take it to does bulk only. Seems he has worked on allot of really expensive cars though?

I work on alot of expensive car. Maybe ill show you guys my shop on instagram.

Bulk is FINE if they can guarantee they wont cut on your car. ask them that...

 

[MinnesotaMX]

Do roles of xpel come in a standard size?
What percentage of a role does a model 3 use for a full body wrap

I dont think xpel will sell to the general public. one roll of 60 inch will do a whole model 3

 

[MinnesotaMX]

Thanks for answering questions!

I'm considering doing paint correction (have lots of swirls) but not doing ceramic coating. I don't have a garage so I'm very paranoid about having imperfections surface while the coating cures.

I also don't mind regularly maintaining and waxing/applying sealant on my car. Do you have recommendations on a sealant to apply right after paint correction?

go with a coating... do the paint correction yourself and hire a shop to install ceramic pro Sport.
Ceramic pro sport is 100x better then wax in my opinion

 

[MinnesotaMX]

I'm getting full coverage wrap and ceramic coat done along with the center console wrap. Is it worth it for wheels, glass, leather to be treated? Would only lasts 2 years though.

I love coatings.. IF i had to chose due to budget i would do ppf over coatings. IF i had a budget for both go for it! you will love it!

ceramic pro interior i love. i have it on both my tesla. it wont stop scrapes and knicks but it helps wiping spills or wiping things down in general.

 

[BrandonLive]

1. bulk the hood, big square sheet of film and tuck it all in. no release lines at the corners
2. remove the T replace with new only. 25.00
3. fenders cameras need to be removed. film tucked in under. take a picture of how flush your camera is before dropping off the car. Clips are easy broken or sheered off if not removed correctly.
4. Pre-cut or modified pre cut front bumpers work fine. if they want to bulk ask them not to cut on the car lol.

I dropped my car off this morning. They said they use the Xpel plotter for everything, but with the hood they do an extra inch and then tuck. I think on a model S I saw there were relief edges at the top though, not sure.

They get boxes of the T emblems from Tesla apparently and put new ones on. Only slight worry I had is that someone in the shop said they were backordered. They said they had one for me, but I hope they don’t try to just restick a used one because of that.

He said they remove the camera housings and tuck the film under. They do a ton of Teslas apparently, which was in evidence from the parking lot.

My hood had a couple of small lines/scratches in the clear coat. Honestly not sure if they were there from the beginning or were from driving or my one quick wash and towel dry session. He said they’d need about a half hour to buff them out and would charge me $45 so that’s what they’re doing. I told them to let me know if they find anything else as I know their eyes are better for this sort of thing than mine.

 

[Frieda’s Boss]

Thats a tough one... on all my PPF the sensors are cut out. All the kits are made to cut. when I bulk i cut them out also due to liability reasons.

ive also wrapped many tesla and customers have signed waivers to leave the sensors covered. So far we havent seen any issues.

the tow hook on pre cuts are horrible! I actually delete that and manually cut them out. once its cut out i have 100s of the exact size circle to go on the cover.

Thanks @MinnesotaMX
On a similar note, based on your advice in this thread, I checked out Ceramic Pro’s website and had a couple of questions:
1. Do they sell to the public or do I need to have the products applied by a licensed dealer?
2. I’m looking at Ceramic Pro PPF & Vinyl, any issues applying this on Xpel Ultimate Plus?
3. Have you used Ceramic Pro Rain? If so, can it be applied to all the glass surfaces on a Model 3?