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Keep me posted on how it turns out!
I just ordered a rear bumper kit for my X; (already had the front done by a professional.) They did an OK job, but I'm not thrilled by their work; they put some razor blade marks in the paint (probably because they were rushing or had people doing it who didn't care enough)... which is why I plan to see how well I can DIY the rear on the X; Then if I have good results; when my model 3 shows up I'll do the entire job myself... I've already spent 4-5+ hours watching different videos on youtube on how to do it. So especially after the damage (however mild) that I'm seeing on my X, I don't think I'll trust anyone with my 3 except myself. I'm sure I'll be slow and it will eat up a bunch of my time; but nothing beats patience and caring enough to do a good job... but I'm still curious to see how other people are faring when taking a project like this on.
Sorry to hear you didn't have a good experience. I also saw another model 3 owner who got xpel job done and it was not great (some parts were cut to short and not over the panel, some bubbling. I will keep you posted! I think if you have patience and do your research, it should be pretty straight forward to apply the solution and squeegee the solution.
I have xpel (pre cut kit) on my MX and custom clearguard on my M3. In terms of actual difference between the film, I don’t think you will notice until a few more years down the road when both films have aged. In terms of pre cut vs custom, the custom job is so much better given the way the film is wrapped around corners and edges. I wish I had done custom on the MX. Most people won’t notice, but I do since I look closely. I also went to a higher end shop to do my custom and their workmanship is fantastic. With stuff like this, I truly believe you get what you pay for.
I did the hood wrap this weekend and it turned out pretty good. I would say it's fairly simple on the model 3 because the hood is pretty flat. I was quoted $500 just do the hood alone and the material costed me only $196 for Xpel Ultimate Plus. I order the 60 inch width and bought 4 feet length is it was more than enough to cover the whole hood with extra material to wrap under the hood for a seamless finish. Squeegee-ing was pretty simple. Once you squeegee the hood, let the film dry a bit before wrapping the rest of the film under the hood, it will prevent bubbling on the edges.
In terms of solution, this was my mix. Slip solution= 20oz distilled water 1-2oz baby shampoo. Tack solution= 80% distilled water, 20% Isopropyl alcohol. Let me know if you have any questions as I'm happy to answer. I will also be doing my fenders and side mirrior. Will report back once it's complete.
roguenode
Member
Anyone have experience with full xpel wraps longer-term, say 3-5 years? I'm thinking of doing a full xpel stealth wrap on my model 3 and am not sure what to expect in terms of maintenance and implications after years on the car. Also, not sure if a nano coating on top is worth the cost. Going with stealth I want it to be flat/satin.
Did you ever stealth wrap your M3? Thinking about doing the same in white or silver (expect delivery in the fall).
Hey all! We run a vinyl and ppf shop in Redwood City, we do a ton of work on Tesla's and exclusively use Xpel! Although this vid is of a vinyl wrap, if pure interest in any mods to your Tesla we are happy to help, just shoot us a call or message here (650.562.7034).
I just finished the headlights and front left fender using the Suntek pre-cut kit from Ebay. It's not an easy DIY, mainly because you really need to work with a clean room free of dust, lint, and any other contaminants that can get under the film when installing. The slip solution typically rinses out those things, but it often gets trapped elsewhere. So far the pre-cut kit has looked good, and the seams can be installed up to the edge, and even wrap a little if you align it from the beginning and stretch accordingly thru the middle of the fender piece using your palms across a broad area. This will prevent any warping or stretching near the fender and will help to retain proper proportion. On to the other fender and hopefully hood tonight! The bumper seems fairly challenging so I will attempt that last after getting some more experience with the other pieces.
FYI: for the DIY folks, the Suntek kit I purchased on Ebay came with a tack guide for the hood and front bumper, which will be immensely helpful.
I also recommend doing the bumper last as there is a lot more curves. My order of learning would have been hood since it's flat, fenders, headlights, and then bumper. Another tip I can provide is if you have a few minor tiny bubbles, don't worry about it. Once the film cures (usually 2 weeks), you can use a find needle to draw the air out and the film will stick to the panel. It's like popping a pimple. LOL
You're probably right that the hood would have been the easiest so that would logically go on first. In my situation, I decided to start with the cleanest, blemish-free surface, which were the headlights. I'd only driven it 24 miles in the last 2 weeks (which literally was a trip to my insurance company and our credit union). Last night, I clay barred the hood and successfully removed all of the surface contaminants. Red speckles of overspray or what looked like rust (yikes!) were visible on the hood and my trunk. I used the Meguire's kit and boy was I happy to find a smooth finished surface afterwards. The next step was to polish the hood because the claybar left some marring and streaks on the clearcoat, however upon starting the polish, I quickly realized that the polisher was waaaay to loud to use at 11:45pm. Even though I had the AC going, the loud droning of the polish was exacerbated by the hood vibrating like a speaker in the garage! I did also find a round etching of what appears to be some kind of liquid residue or possibly bird poop
, so I need to do a deeper polish to remove it. I had planned on putting the PPF film on the hood yesterday, but because I couldn't finish the polish, my progress is delayed. Given that I only have between 10pm and 2am every night to work on the car (until this weekend), I'll have to limit it to one panel/piece a night. Since I still have my old Honda Accord I am not in a rush to finish so I can take my time and be meticulous with the process, however my coworkers and family have been bugging me to hurry up and drive the car already LOL.I recently did a ceramic coating and also had to clay bar and polish like you mention. Another lesson learn that I can pass on is make sure you get all the water spots off (if you have any). You need really bright lighting in your garage to see it the water spots. One way to make sure water spots are out is to use a vinegar and water solution mix (1:1). You spray it on and wipe it off to get the water spots off. Even with me doing clay bar and polishing, I still saw some water spots. The order I would do it would be water spot removal, clay bar, and polish.You're probably right that the hood would have been the easiest so that would logically go on first. In my situation, I decided to start with the cleanest, blemish-free surface, which were the headlights. I'd only driven it 24 miles in the last 2 weeks (which literally was a trip to my insurance company and our credit union). Last night, I clay barred the hood and successfully removed all of the surface contaminants. Red speckles of overspray or what looked like rust (yikes!) were visible on the hood and my trunk. I used the Meguire's kit and boy was I happy to find a smooth finished surface afterwards. The next step was to polish the hood because the claybar left some marring and streaks on the clearcoat, however upon starting the polish, I quickly realized that the polisher was waaaay to loud to use at 11:45pm. Even though I had the AC going, the loud droning of the polish was exacerbated by the hood vibrating like a speaker in the garage! I did also find a round etching of what appears to be some kind of liquid residue or possibly bird poop
EVS Motors
Former Vendor
If you have ClearGuard Nano available in your area, I highly recommend you go check it out at the shop in person. We've installed all the big brands in the past and as far as clarity goes, ClearGuard Nano is the clearest film we've seen in the market to date. Vendor - ClearGuard Nano and GlareShield in Texas only available at EVS Motors Performance Studio
Doing a coating on top is definitely really cool, but make sure you have a clearbra first if you really want to maximize how far your dollar will go.
Thanks for the tip Khoa64! I definitely see water spots, as that was one of my main reasons to do the polish. I noticed a water spot on my windshield as well that I couldn't remove with Windex. I'll make sure to pick up some vinegar today. What kind of vinegar? Actually I have a full bottle of white vinegar at home already...
As for the polish, I am using
The vinegar/water solution couldn't remove the water spots. What else would work?? Maybe it's not water spots?? (Cringing in fear).
I completed the passenger side fender, which came out much better than the left side since I applied new tips and generally had a better working space to remove/prevent dust and lint getting under the film.
As for the polish, I am using
The vinegar/water solution couldn't remove the water spots. What else would work?? Maybe it's not water spots?? (Cringing in fear).
I completed the passenger side fender, which came out much better than the left side since I applied new tips and generally had a better working space to remove/prevent dust and lint getting under the film.
I got a quote from 1 shop in Chicago $1500 for full front bumper, fenders, and hood and $350 for full rear bumper. I don't street park so often but over 7-10 years of ownership I would. He also mentioned these would be precut.
Anyone else gotten pricing in the Chicago area? What are those numbers and has anyone gotten it done at a shop they recommend. I called 3 and only 1 called back. There doesn't seem to be many in the area that do it.
Anyone else gotten pricing in the Chicago area? What are those numbers and has anyone gotten it done at a shop they recommend. I called 3 and only 1 called back. There doesn't seem to be many in the area that do it.
