PPF Ottawa Area

[PKOttawa]

Definitely going to see Vlad at Upper Class Detailing.. everyone just seems to recommend him.

I’m still struggling with the cost/benefit of a full wrap.. I’ll probably get the key areas wrapped and ceramic everywhere else. It would be different if I was keeping the car for 8+ years.. but most likely it’ll be 6yrs.

 

[Poncherelly]

Definitely going to see Vlad at Upper Class Detailing.. everyone just seems to recommend him.

I’m still struggling with the cost/benefit of a full wrap.. I’ll probably get the key areas wrapped and ceramic everywhere else. It would be different if I was keeping the car for 8+ years.. but most likely it’ll be 6yrs.

Might be worth a group meeting (6' apart) to compare Vlad's work to GoldWings work ... might help other make the choice on location, costs and how much to wrap.

 

[TheWulf]

Might be worth a group meeting (6' apart) to compare Vlad's work to GoldWings work ... might help other make the choice on location, costs and how much to wrap.

I've seen both. Goldwing is "good". Vlad is "great". Prices reflect what you get in terms of workmanship, and service. The product is the same. If you can afford it, go with Vlad. If you can't, Goldwing will serve you just fine.

 

[Poncherelly]

I've seen both. Goldwing is "good". Vlad is "great". Prices reflect what you get in terms of workmanship, and service. The product is the same. If you can afford it, go with Vlad. If you can't, Goldwing will serve you just fine.

Now I'm even more curious as to what the difference is. what is different in the workmanship that makes Vlad "great" vs GW "good". You may very well be right, I would just like the differences pointed out to me.

 

[TheWulf]

Now I'm even more curious as to what the difference is. what is different in the workmanship that makes Vlad "great" vs GW "good". You may very well be right, I would just like the differences pointed out to me.

The biggest difference is around the edges. Vlad tucks in more edges under the seams, and the ones that aren't tucked in are super clean. The corners are also cleaner, as is any line where things need to be cut freehand. Most of all though I was impressed with his level of knowledge and service: Vlad was able to explain to me simply why he does things in each spot on the car, I can text him any time to schedule touchups (he did 2 for me and was very good about it), and he is the only one there so he has all the context.

I do like Goldwing as a shop and recommend them as an alternative. I still use them for other things like wheels and tires.

 

[PKOttawa]

Will be picking my MY up from Vlad this Saturday. Got full front wrap, rear fenders, luggage lip, window tint and ceramic.

He said I had the worst paint he’s ever seen on a Tesla! Definitely not something you want to hear, he said it looks like there have been many attempts to fix issues. I also had it in the shop to fix a paint issue on a door. The SC took it to Donnolly to repaint the door and Vlad said the clear coat was very soft there.

Hopefully we was able to correct any issues..

 

[michaelnorbert]

Ordered MY Sept 30. Looking to get PPF here in Ottawa. Thanks for the thread. XPEL stealth looks great on this MY.
Glad I went with Xpel PPF stealth/Ceramic Pro... : TeslaModelY

 

[Wy2sl0]

Just an update. It's been almost a year and I did indeed go with Vlad. Wrap is excellent no issues.

 

[PKOttawa]

Did pick up my car.. it looks great and Vlad said he might not accept anymore Black Tesla’s because of how much work mine needed!

Attached are some pics and one of the damage (ie. Bill).

 

[TheWulf]

Looks fantastic!

 

[PKOttawa]

Has anyone in Ottawa found a touch less car wash that doesn’t discolour the trim? Winter is coming...

 

[Biscuitman]

Has anyone in Ottawa found a touch less car wash that doesn’t discolour the trim? Winter is coming...

I go to the one on Ogilvie near St Laurent, I believe the name is Crystal but don’t quote me. Best I have used centrally.

 

[richyrich]

Has anyone in Ottawa found a touch less car wash that doesn’t discolour the trim? Winter is coming...

The trick is not to use the "premium" programs that spray that horrid spray-wax - it's nasty stuff that locks in dirt, gunks up the windshield and yes, marks the trim - stick with the "basic" program which is enough to blast off the majority of the dirt and salt.

I'd recommend getting ceramic now before winter, or at least giving the car a really good wax, then do same again any warm day over the winter and again in the spring.

 

[PKOttawa]

I went to my usual “touch less” wash and got the basic wash and got the trim discolouration (which I was able to remove with stainless steel appliance cleaner). There’s another thread discussing this issue - but it appears to be caused by the harsh cleaner (even with a basic wash)..

The trick is to find a wash that uses PH neutral soap - not sure where this is though..

My car is ceramic coated - but that didn’t help (TBH - I’m not sure if the coating is applied to trim)

 

[michaelnorbert]

Just got the car back from Vlad at Upper Class Detailing. Xpel ultimate plus Full front end, rear partial door, rear bumper ledge, all door sills,, 20% front window tint and ServFaces Ceramic coating. Car looks fantastic. Vlad said that it seems MSM and red are coming out the best for paint from factory. When I dropped the car off I said I look forward to seeing the finished product. He replied that "I wouldn't be able to see a thing.".

 

[Cyncan]

I'm really trying to understand the difference in full PPF install among all the places in Ottawa as pricing varies by many many dollars in the city. Seems like everyone uses XPEL and everyone says they remove all badges, trims etc when looking at full PPF. So why are some places so much less and some so much more - is their work any worse than those that charge like 25% more? Does a place like Goldwing do a good job - it's still a lot of money - or is their job inferior so even though it's cheaper it's bad so a waste of money. It's really confusing so any advice is appreciated.

 

[TheWulf]

I'm really trying to understand the difference in full PPF install among all the places in Ottawa as pricing varies by many many dollars in the city. Seems like everyone uses XPEL and everyone says they remove all badges, trims etc when looking at full PPF. So why are some places so much less and some so much more - is their work any worse than those that charge like 25% more? Does a place like Goldwing do a good job - it's still a lot of money - or is their job inferior so even though it's cheaper it's bad so a waste of money. It's really confusing so any advice is appreciated.

I covered this a few posts above.

 

[GoldenBasis]

I'm really trying to understand the difference in full PPF install among all the places in Ottawa as pricing varies by many many dollars in the city. Seems like everyone uses XPEL and everyone says they remove all badges, trims etc when looking at full PPF. So why are some places so much less and some so much more - is their work any worse than those that charge like 25% more? Does a place like Goldwing do a good job - it's still a lot of money - or is their job inferior so even though it's cheaper it's bad so a waste of money. It's really confusing so any advice is appreciated.

I had Goldwing do my Model X with Full body XPel Stealth and ceramic coating last month. They did an out standing job and I looked closely for any cut corners. Yes, they removed all the badges and replaced them with brand new ones from the Tesla service centre.

They also had to repair a couple of dings first (the X is 3 years old).
The results are amazing and I have caught a couple people taking photos of the car when parked when reviewing sentry footage

I would highly recommend Goldwing. They do a lot of Teslas and even have a destination charger on site.

 

[Cyncan]

Thanks for info. I am trying to understand how to the lay person the differences would appear - I want to protect my Tesla but I'm not a sports car enthusiast, etc. For example, buying a $5 t-shirt at Giant Tiger vs a $40 t-shirt at Nordstrom, you can see the quality difference. Goldwing reviews seem good and they are at the lower end of pricing similar to Auto Trendz but then there are others in town that charge 20-30% more. Hence I am trying to equate what the differences are for the average person

 

[GoldenBasis]

Thanks for info. I am trying to understand how to the lay person the differences would appear - I want to protect my Tesla but I'm not a sports car enthusiast, etc. For example, buying a $5 t-shirt at Giant Tiger vs a $40 t-shirt at Nordstrom, you can see the quality difference. Goldwing reviews seem good and they are at the lower end of pricing similar to Auto Trendz but then there are others in town that charge 20-30% more. Hence I am trying to equate what the differences are for the average person

Watch a few youtube videos about PPF installation to get a better understanding of the nuances. The experience and skill of the installer is very important and it is not worth scrimping for poor quality work. It comes down to how well the seams are hidden and the little details that have to be done freehand.
Personally, I did not want any seams on the front facia under the fog lamps since they will collect road dirt over time and become noticeable. XPEL provides cutting templates to their installers that can be used to cut out exact pieces on site. Unfortunately, the template leaves a vertical seam at the bottom of the fog lamp corner. I spoke to Goldwing ahead of time with this concern and they said they use single sheets and cut to fit on the vehicle- perhaps did this just for me since I asked about it but I dont think so.. That is one example of many where the skill and experience come through.
It best to see to look at some of the installer's work both new and after a year of so. I was lucky in that when i went in they had just finished the same package on a new black Model Y and i was able to have a good luck at their work.
BTW, it is not like their prices are cheap either or did i pay too much? hmmm