XPel Ultimate Damage - fix or replace?

[SilverUnicorn]

I have Xpel Ultimate w/Cermaic Pro coating on my X. Someone opened their door and damaged the Xpel (1 yr ago) but saved the car from damage. Xpel is almost 2 yrs old. While at the hand detailing place, they got water inside the hole of the wrap and it filled up like a ballon. My question:

Should I just fix the passenger falcon door wrap OR replace the whole car wrap with a more experienced installer to fix other issues like better lines and less noticeable wrap. The more experienced installer I found prefers Suntek over Xpel. Is it crazy to re-wrap the entire car? And is it a mistake to go from Xpel Ultimate to Suntek? Concerned about color difference on the 1 door wrapped vs 2 yr old Xpel wrap. I like to show my car off, so looks are important but this is our primary family vehicle so it's driven a lot and on long road trips.

Thanks

 

[SMAlset]

Hmm. Thanks for posting the photos. Our car got it's Xpel Ultimate scratched on a fence post and it tore a bit into the wrap (but protected the paint finish ) and we thought about it for a few weeks but then just took it in to have the panel section redone. Given your photos I'm glad we did. Hadn't thought about water getting in there like that. I'm assuming that if it's ballooned like that it might tear easier if hit there again and not offer the same level of protection. I would stick with the same product and only do what you need to cover. Your Xpel installer should be able to tell you based on their experience if there would be any yellowing effect but I don't think so. @XPEL is a vendor here and you could easily PM any questions you have or maybe they will see this post. Sure they would be happy to answer your questions.

 

[Jacksan]

Are you happy with the rest of the car wrap as it stands? If so, then I would just replace the panel in question. If the replaced panel then looks out of place/doesn't match the rest, you can consider redoing the rest of the car. But if you have cash burning a hole in your pocket, you can redo the whole car now.
Regarding the installer, my understanding is that Suntek is easier to install than Xpel. Not necessarily in your/your car's best interest, but I think they are always two of the top wrap brands that are discussed when the topic of PPF is being discussed.

 

[SilverUnicorn]

Not happy with a lot of the Xpel wrap, but I'll go the route of the repair. If the repair is noticeable vs the 2 yr old wrap, I'll re-wrap the entire car. I have been keeping my X clean with a wash/wax every 6-8 weeks. I'll report back in a week or so.

 

[Jacksan]

Can I ask, was it the install, or over time the way the Xpel aged?
I have Xpel Stealth full wrap, just completed 2 weeks ago.
Thanks for the follow up!

 

[SilverUnicorn]

Installer I suspect since Xpel is supposed to be fully automated cuts. Some of the cuts like the side view mirrors are not fully wrapped nor perfectly symmetrical. Also the door wraps aren't under the trim (rockstar installers). I met an installer that pops the door trims and goes under. But he prefers Suntek. The guy I'm using for the repair is a Xpel installer. Different than the original installer. I think it's more important to get a rockstar installer than Suntek vs Xpel.

 

[Premier Mobile]

Very true. The most important thing is find the most experienced installer to do the job. Too many consumers shop purely by brand, which can be detrimental to the final outcome. The best film in the hands of a novice can make the film look horrible, and at times, cause paint damage such as razor cuts. We've seen this all too often....

Installer I suspect since Xpel is supposed to be fully automated cuts. Some of the cuts like the side view mirrors are not fully wrapped nor perfectly symmetrical. Also the door wraps aren't under the trim (rockstar installers). I met an installer that pops the door trims and goes under. But he prefers Suntek. The guy I'm using for the repair is a Xpel installer. Different than the original installer. I think it's more important to get a rockstar installer than Suntek vs Xpel.

 

[SMAlset]

Installer I suspect since Xpel is supposed to be fully automated cuts. Some of the cuts like the side view mirrors are not fully wrapped nor perfectly symmetrical. Also the door wraps aren't under the trim (rockstar installers). I met an installer that pops the door trims and goes under. But he prefers Suntek. The guy I'm using for the repair is a Xpel installer. Different than the original installer. I think it's more important to get a rockstar installer than Suntek vs Xpel.

We went with a custom full body wrap including edges. I think due to the shape of the side view mirrors you will see some line there regardless. Definitely the installer's skill is key to a happy customer.

And when it comes to one brand over the other when alot of the comparisons are more or less equal, sometimes you have to wonder if it simply comes down to how much $ the shop gets to keep in house on a job.

How did the door replacement go?

 

[Premier Mobile]

We went with a custom full body wrap including edges. I think due to the shape of the side view mirrors you will see some line there regardless. Definitely the installer's skill is key to a happy customer.

Yes, definintely experience is key . Typically, the side view mirrors only have the frontal fascia covered, with the inside bare. This is due to the compound curvature that makes it extremely difficult to complete with one piece of film. This is where installation expertise differentiates one company from the next. We have options to get the full mirror clear bra'd with one piece of film (as pictured here), or the standard which stops around the inside bend.

 

[SilverUnicorn]

Post repair check in. You can't tell the difference between OLD and NEW sections. So, the 2 year old wrap (with Xpel Ultimate w/Ceramic Pro 9H) and the brand NEW same type wrap/coating on the falcon door looks perfect. I'm very happy I fixed vs replaced.

As Premier Mobile noted in post 9, wrapping the entire side mirror appears not possible with Xpel Ultimate due to the thickness. Multiple installers stated it's too thick to wrap. So, they could be rockstars, but I'm in NY.

 

[Premier Mobile]

Post repair check in. You can't tell the difference between OLD and NEW sections. So, the 2 year old wrap (with Xpel Ultimate w/Ceramic Pro 9H) and the brand NEW same type wrap/coating on the falcon door looks perfect. I'm very happy I fixed vs replaced.

As Premier Mobile noted in post 9, wrapping the entire side mirror appears not possible with Xpel Ultimate due to the thickness. Multiple installers stated it's too thick to wrap. So, they could be rockstars, but I'm in NY.

SilverUnicorn,

Glad things worked out for you!!! The most important thing is to get the paint protected

For the mirrors, the answer is "Yes", it can be covered completely with all films. ClearGuard Nano, Xpel, and 3m among other films all have similar thicknesses, around the 8-8.5mils thickness range. The key here is the experience and skill of the installers. We are able to cover the entire mirror with every film the same. This is due to our 20+ years experience in the PPF industry though. Custom PPF installation is craft that takes many years to be proficient at, and many more to master. Besides our 1 piece full mirror installs, the following pics show the difference when it comes to the details of an install. We do many things that others claim are not possible .

 

[ckwong]

SilverUnicorn,

Glad things worked out for you!!! The most important thing is to get the paint protected

For the mirrors, the answer is "Yes", it can be covered completely with all films. ClearGuard Nano, Xpel, and 3m among other films all have similar thicknesses, around the 8-8.5mils thickness range. The key here is the experience and skill of the installers. We are able to cover the entire mirror with every film the same. This is due to our 20+ years experience in the PPF industry though. Custom PPF installation is craft that takes many years to be proficient at, and many more to master. Besides our 1 piece full mirror installs, the following pics show the difference when it comes to the details of an install. We do many things that others claim are not possible .

View attachment 285319
View attachment 285320 View attachment 285321 View attachment 285322

WOW, that look really good! Just out of curiosity and to compare east coast pricing if you don't mine me asking what is the price for a full Xpel Stealth wrap with opti-coat?