XPEL Stealth satin finish PPF easy to maintain ?

[jkoya]

Since I finally decided to ppf the full exterior of my Model 3 (Deep Blue Metallic), I've been seriously considering the matte/satin finish of XPEL Stealth or STEK Dynomatt. Would anyone care to comment on the maintenance of any of these ? I've had the clear/glossy ppf applied to my last 9 cars and those were easy to maintain.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Nvbob]

We've had clear/glossy PPF on our Roadster for about eight years with no issues. Now, on our 3, we have XPEL Stealth with ceramic. We've had no issues washing/waxing. Most of the time, washing is a breeze because most of the road schmutz just rinses right off.

 

[mdelvin]

If there's no visible dirt, I would just use a detail spray.

 

[tomas]

I have xpel stealth on silver 3. Easy to maintain and really does not show dirt. Caveat: other colors may behave differently.

Only difference I personally notice when washing car is that any flaws in application as well as relief seams are much more obvious than with normal PPF because any exposed paint contrasts with the covered paint. I never notice edges on the clear PPF on my S, but I know every flaw on my 3’s PPF. From 3 feet away they disappear.

 

[AutoElegance]

Stealth PPF is not any different to maintain other than it can streak because of the matte finish. these streaks go away with a detail spray, but you might find yourself hitting it with a spray wax more often than you would the clear PPF. a great solution to it is a Ceramic coating to keep the oils etc from hands and other things off the PPF so they aren't seen. None of it will hurt the PPF, those things are just more noticeable on stealth than clear PPF.

- a cheaper solution could be a spray wax with ceramic in it to limit those marks.

 

[Premiertint]

We've installed XPEL Stealth PPF wrap on several cars. All our clients have had great success with it. Very easy to maintain. Give us call if you would like more information too.

 

[axsion]

On the north shore of the Montreal area (Canada) there is an installer who do mainly Tesla cars.
Here is the website for your information : https://www.protectionpeinture.ca/tesla-xpel/

 

[C141medic]

@XPEL I have Xpel Ultimate full coverage on my car. Love the product. You mentioned the ceramic boost spray. What is the difference between that and the paint protection film sealant? Thanks.

 

[XPEL]

@XPEL I have Xpel Ultimate full coverage on my car. Love the product. You mentioned the ceramic boost spray. What is the difference between that and the paint protection film sealant? Thanks.

Thank you for choosing XPEL to protect your car! The Ceramic Boost Spray is similar to the sealant in that it helps protect the film from environmental contaminants and adds a little extra depth and shine. The Ceramic Boost does go an extra step and adds a hydrophobic affect. If you haven't already, email us at [email protected] with your t-shirt size and shipping info so I can send you a free bottle of the Ceramic Boost to try for yourself. Thank you again for your support.

 

[N54TT]

I’ve got XPEL ultimate plus on front bumper, full hood, headlights, side mirrors, front fenders, and side rockers. I highly recommend doing the side rockers....as i can already tell after 3k miles...the area infront of the rear tire will def get pitted. Gotta say clarity, orange peel and slickness is ALOT better than the 3M I had put on my bmw years ago. Virtually no orange peel...which is awesome. Only thing I noticed was that it might not be as durable? It appears to get torn or damaged by rock chips/debri easier. Would love to get the care package and boost spray if it might help.

 

[jkoya]

We've installed XPEL Stealth PPF wrap on several cars. All our clients have had great success with it. Very easy to maintain. Give us call if you would like more information too.

Hi - I was quoted a price from you for a full exterior ppf and tint way back in 12/23 and 12/24. Have the prices changed since then ? I'll send you a pm. My Model 3 is finally going into the body shop on 2/18 to get the paint defects corrected that were present on delivery. Body shop says to wait 30 days from completion to get the ppf installed.

 

[Manksgloob]

I love the satin finish on my silver Model 3.



Make sure you go with a good installer though. My local shop had...issues, a lack of attention-to-detail being one of them, but you can’t tell from >3 feet away.
I’ll save my complaints for another thread =)

Another consideration when going with a non-glossy finish is that it’s harder to get away with just a front-end wrap. Well, unless if the two-toned look is your thing, haha.

Best of luck!

EDIT: Bonus pic — I ran into the parking garage and found the satin blue Model 3 that one of my colleagues has. Sorry for the rain.

 

[jkoya]

EDIT: Bonus pic — I ran into the parking garage and found the satin blue Model 3 that one of my colleagues has. Sorry for the rain.

Cool - Thank you for the pics !! I've been wondering what the satin finish of the stealth looked like on a Deep Blue Metallic.

 

[appearancesolutions]

Since I finally decided to ppf the full exterior of my Model 3 (Deep Blue Metallic), I've been seriously considering the matte/satin finish of XPEL Stealth or STEK Dynomatt. Would anyone care to comment on the maintenance of any of these ? I've had the clear/glossy ppf applied to my last 9 cars and those were easy to maintain.

Thanks in advance.

Hi jkoya!

My name is Mike, and I am the owner of Appearance Solutions in Sacramento, CA. We have been working with the XPEL Stealth film for almost 10 years now, and would be happy to share our experience with the film and the best way to care and maintain it.

As you already know, XPEL Stealth will give your Model 3 a unique look that isn’t too crazy or over the top. Your significant other, or whoever else will be riding in the car with you, won’t be embarrassed to be seen in the car! With the standard XPEL Ultimate paint protection film, care and maintenance is pretty straightforward. It’s important to note, satin film is a little more sensitive to pollution, bug splatter, bird bombs, tree sap, and water spots. As long as you are mindful of this, care and maintenance can be a breeze and the film can last 10+ years (one of our current clients has a 2011 frozen gray m3 that we put on back in 2011 and the film still looks like the day we installed it)! We have also had great success with coating the film because of the sensitivity of the finish.

Having the right “tools” for the job will make your life much easier.

We have several go-to cleaning products that we use for matte/satin finishes. If there are stains on the film, you will want to start with 90% isopropyl (IPA). Rub with light pressure and never push too hard or move too fast. Let the IPA soak and work for you. This is the safest solution, but for a more stubborn stain you can step it up to lacquer thinner (this is safe too, but unnecessary if the isopropyl works). Again, don’t rub too hard.

For wash soaps, we like Chemical Guys Meticulous Matte Auto Wash for Satin Finish & Matte Finish Paint. Normal soaps aren’t formulated for matte/satin finish and may cause unwanted gloss or shine. This soap has great lubricity for encapsulating dirt/debris and is also pH-balanced.

If you don’t coat the film, you are going to want to use a matte/satin finish sealant. XPEL has a product that is specifically engineered for its film and others like it. It is called XPEL Flawless Finish Paint Protection Film Sealant. Be sure to apply it in a uniform manner, and not the “wax on, wax off” motion you may be accustomed to. I recommend a back and fourth motion instead. Because the film has a non-glossy finish, light reflects differently and the flat finish allows you to see all the high spots/marks. If this happens, apply a fresh layer of sealant and wipe right away. Be sure to always work on one panel at a time. DO NOT apply to the entire vehicle at once.

If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out anytime. I would be happy to share more details with you. I can be reached at
(916) 402-9325.

Best of luck!

Mike

[Deep Blue Metallic with XPEL Stealth]
This is the only Deep Blue Metallic we have done in XPEL Stealth, and this is the only picture I could find of it. This is a WORK in PROGRESS, but I wanted to show the color in Stealth. I promise the car did not get delivered like this!

[Other Model 3's with XPEL Stealth]

 

[Premiertint]

Hi - I was quoted a price from you for a full exterior ppf and tint way back in 12/23 and 12/24. Have the prices changed since then ? I'll send you a pm. My Model 3 is finally going into the body shop on 2/18 to get the paint defects corrected that were present on delivery. Body shop says to wait 30 days from completion to get the ppf installed.

I just sent you an email. I'm glad they are finally fixing the paint flaws for you. Talk to you again soon.

 

[Jffurlan]

@appearancesolutions thos pictures look awesome! I was planning on not doing the chrome delete when I get my black Model 3 wrapped in stealth and those pictures affirmed my decision. Thank you for sharing!

@XPEL sendkng email now! Thank you for supporting the community

 

[jkoya]

If I had Black, I would definitely go with stealth.

 

[CaptainAwesome]

@XPEL I've got a full XPEL Stealth wrap on my white Model 3 but have found "staining" to be a particular problem, and not just bugs but things like the back bumper and trunk facing which see a lot of dirt. I've tried IPA and it doesn't really do much to remove it. The shop that wrapped mine suggested using Meguiars Cutting Compound which they tried on some stains successfully. Is this an appropriate solution?

Also, some photos of the full wrap when I got it done:

 

[XPEL]

@XPEL I've got a full XPEL Stealth wrap on my white Model 3 but have found "staining" to be a particular problem, and not just bugs but things like the back bumper and trunk facing which see a lot of dirt. I've tried IPA and it doesn't really do much to remove it. The shop that wrapped mine suggested using Meguiars Cutting Compound which they tried on some stains successfully. Is this an appropriate solution?

Also, some photos of the full wrap when I got it done:
View attachment 391175 View attachment 391177 View attachment 391178 View attachment 391181

CaptainAwesome,

Thank you for choosing XPEL to protect your Model 3, we really appreciate it. We're sorry to hear about the staining, that's super rare for us. If IPA doesn't do the trick, acetone or lacquer thinner usually takes off anything else. If that doesn't work, staining is covered under our warranty and we're happy to replace the film for you. Another option could be to get it cleaned up and then have a ceramic coating applied overtop to prevent future staining and make maintenance even easier.

 

[CaptainAwesome]

CaptainAwesome,

Thank you for choosing XPEL to protect your Model 3, we really appreciate it. We're sorry to hear about the staining, that's super rare for us. If IPA doesn't do the trick, acetone or lacquer thinner usually takes off anything else. If that doesn't work, staining is covered under our warranty and we're happy to replace the film for you. Another option could be to get it cleaned up and then have a ceramic coating applied overtop to prevent future staining and make maintenance even easier.

Thanks for the reply. Understood on the acetone and lacquer thinner. Regarding the approach the installer recommended, do you have any thoughts or position on using cutting compound?