Glad to hear from your professional opinion, this is't clear guard....it was sold to him as Prestige Clear Guard by Premiere SoCal, as was two of his other cars...Porsche 997.2 Turbo and BMW X5M. For some reason, his Porsche turbo held up well, but BMW and Cayenne did not. He even had us use the appropriate Premiere cleaners and sealants.
I do however disagree with going direct to the installer that only does PPF mainly to save money. IMHO, it's in the best interest of the VEHICLE to have as many SKILLED technicians specializing in their craft working on the vehicle. True that there are some companies out there that simply markup up a vendor's work and simply collect a profit. In contrast, there are companies like us that believe in giving a unique product as a whole and commissioning the best installers to achieve that vision. We simply make the installer's life easier and do things they normally wouldn't, or couldn't....this requires vision, experience, expertise, and patience. Doing a proper paint correction to remove sanding marks from the factory, swirl marks from delivery center from improper washing, paint touch up of chips, removing bumper, lights, trim pieces, door handles, rear lights, etc. to gain better access and have a more seamless installation....these tasks add hours, sometimes days to a simple/advanced PPF installation. It's a symbiotic relationship that does what is best for the vehicle considering this a semi-permanent enhancement to a vehicle. The other added benefits of dealing with a company like us is we can carryout the proper maintenance of the entire vehicle from day 1. That means the quality and performance of the work is guaranteed by us...not our vendors. That's the ultimate guarantee someone can make...and they can only do that if they commission the best vendors, perform the tasks at hand with highest level of integrity and craftsmanship, ultimately giving their client VALUE...which isn't synonymous with being the cheapest and going direct. It's not a business model for everyone wanting to make a quick buck, but it's good to know companies like us conduct business this way and form relationships with clients and community.
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Suntek is about 2 mils thinner than xpel ultimate. However, it has less orange peel and is clearer. So on a metallic paint, you will see the flecks of metal much better and clearer.
Durability wise, I'm not aware of any film that can be extremely clear, little orange peel, be thick enough to resist most extreme rock chips, and be self healing. There are films that excel in some areas, but none have excelled at ALL areas.
So, for our clients, I make it simple. If they're concerned about durability and warranty, but are willing to give up a little clarity, we choose XPEL Ultimate. A neat thing about XPEL Ultimate is that it allows UV rays to penetrate, and that help when it comes to removal as the original paint will have faded at the same rate as the unprotected areas.
For someone that wants great protection, not excellent, but want it to look as close to paint as possible, then we choose Suntek Topcoat.