PPF Install Issues

[HPYC]

Just got my front wrapped with Llumar PPF. The installer uses templates so didn't expect to have no visible seams. However, the seams appear to be rather wide at certain parts of the bumper and not necessarily consistent. Is this common?

Pic 1: seam (bumper to frunk) to edge just under 1/4" at top of bumper. However, the gap goes to basically flush as you move to the left side. As you move to the right side, the gap narrows, then widens, then narrows again.

Pic 2: seam on the left side showing no gap

Pic 3: seam gap under fog lights, more than 1/4" wide

Pic 4 & 5: may be hard to see, but there are two separate pieces for the top of the bumper and the bottom part of the bumper. As a result, there are gaps between the separate film pieces that are rather wide. Should there be no gaps for these types of templates or always a gap?

 

[KenC]

The templates are done so that the installer can stretch the PPF. The gap between the bumper and frunk is the one that really needs to be done correctly. The others are lower and less visible.

 

[Wennfred]

Aloha! Shouldn’t be any seams like that, should be re-done right for the price you paid, is it Xpel? Contact Xpel, they will help.

Fred

 

[mediaboy]

I just got my car back today and don’t have any seams like that along the bumper and frunk area. The bumper film extends inside the frunk gap. No visible seam should be in that area. I have 3M PPF.

That looks like an installation issue. Should not matter what brand PPF is on the car.

 

[acarney]

Any full panels that can be done with one piece should have the film wrap around the edge of the panel some to hide the seams. I think most the car can be done panel by panel but the bumper might be split into two because of the shape and curve. Any film toward the edge of a panel though should be wrapped around it some to basically make the edge of the film seem invisible.

 

[jkoya]

Some of those gaps seem very large, even for template cut pieces. Was your car the first Model 3 they had ever worked on ?

 

[notrhj]

Amateur Hour

 

[aznkukuboi]

I'll be honest, they did a crap job. On my car, there are no gaps. They pulled the ppf into the gaps and seams.

 

[SMAlset]

On both of our cars we asked for wrapped edges where possible for our install. Not all panels can be done this way if you don’t want them to take off the panels (which can introduce fit and noise issues). But the film should be closer to the edge in those cases than what I think I’m seeing.

The front bumper can be tricky but my Model 3 looks better than what your photos show. I have to wonder if they even tried to stretch some of the film. I would not be happy but don’t know what your understanding with them was about wrapped edges. With the bumper it can be done much better. Might take two guys to work that area and a lot depends on the skill level and experience of the installer.