Xpel Ultimate plus post installation advice

[myazdani]

Hello again folks ..

So I got my Xpel ultimate full front PPF installed in Austin. I have not washed the car yet .. wondering if you can provide some advice on what to use; specifically:

1. Is it ok to do touchless car wash and it won't damage the film or install in any way? I remember the Xpel guys were saying it is ok to do wash? any problem with the exposed lines (wjere the PPF ends)?
2. Should I use wax products for cleaning rather than washing? Xpel provided a list of recommended wax products
3. Should I use bug and tar remover regularly or on a weekly basis for affected areas?

I want to make sure I do it right. Thanks in advance for your help.

If you have any product recommendation as well, please let me know.

 

[C141medic]

Hello again folks ..

So I got my Xpel ultimate full front PPF installed in Austin. I have not washed the car yet .. wondering if you can provide some advice on what to use; specifically:

1. Is it ok to do touchless car wash and it won't damage the film or install in any way? I remember the Xpel guys were saying it is ok to do wash? any problem with the exposed lines (wjere the PPF ends)?
2. Should I use wax products for cleaning rather than washing? Xpel provided a list of recommended wax products
3. Should I use bug and tar remover regularly or on a weekly basis for affected areas?

I want to make sure I do it right. Thanks in advance for your help.

If you have any product recommendation as well, please let me know.

1. Touchless wash ok (double check with installer for length of time after install) Exposed lines shouldn’t be an issue if Xpel was installed correctly.
2. You can ceramic coat over Xpel or use many of the washes recommenced in the forums such as optimum no rinse and others.
3. You shouldn’t need bug and tar remover. I’d highly recommend getting ceramic over your Xpel. Xpel also has some recommended products on their web site.

Just do a search on the forums and you’ll get a wealth of info. Here’s one link
XPEL ppf maintenance, products and methods

 

[myazdani]

1. Touchless wash ok (double check with installer for length of time after install) Exposed lines shouldn’t be an issue if Xpel was installed correctly.
2. You can ceramic coat over Xpel or use many of the washes recommenced in the forums such as optimum no rinse and others.
3. You shouldn’t need bug and tar remover. I’d highly recommend getting ceramic over your Xpel. Xpel also has some recommended products on their web site.

Just do a search on the forums and you’ll get a wealth of info. Here’s one link
XPEL ppf maintenance, products and methods

Thanks so much for the informative reply.

 

[Cultgti]

Get a ceramic coating and your life will become as simplistic as possible. I did this to two model 3s that are on Turo. The owner washes the cars about 4 times or more a week so they are ready for Turo users. They do touchless then finish wipe it down and takes about 25-30 seconds to make the car completely spotless and dry.

 

[Atari2600]

I plan on using detailing clay or something like it over the front of the car where insects have been an issue over the past year.
I have XPEL with a ceramic coating.

I may try Flawless Finish Paint Protection Film Cleaner

 

[SMAlset]

BTW you should have been instructed by the installer to bring the car back within a few days to check the edges and such. They’ll inspect for any edges not adhering well or bubbles that can form. This is typical after care and done to make sure you get a good install. Don’t skip, it’s part of what you paid for and I know our receipt said something like warranty would be voided if not brought in for this check. Easy to make adjustments or replace a bad panel if need be at this stage.

 

[myazdani]

Hmm .. no they did not say anything about rechecking after installation. Thanks for the heads up, I will contact them to see what they say.

 

[myazdani]

It appears most people are recommending ceramic coating. I presume this needs to be professionally installed, and will cost me another $1k. Don't want to drop another $1k ..

 

[Atari2600]

I did it to protect the paint areas that did not have XPEL. Birds poop on cars and you want to easily clean them etc.

 

[Cultgti]

It appears most people are recommending ceramic coating. I presume this needs to be professionally installed, and will cost me another $1k. Don't want to drop another $1k ..

Can be don't for a tenth of that cost your self and still high quality outcome.

 

[joebruin77]

It appears most people are recommending ceramic coating. I presume this needs to be professionally installed, and will cost me another $1k. Don't want to drop another $1k ..

Many people who have PPF installed also have ceramic coating put on top of the PPF. There is no question this provides you the most protection and the easiest maintenance over time. But personally, I did not want to spend the extra $$ for ceramic coating after doing a full car Xpel PPF. And I personally did not want to do a DIY ceramic coating. If you mess up, you have to use a compound or even wet sanding to remove the ceramic coating.

A cheaper and less risky alternative is to use a ceramic infused spray sealant. I personally like Hyper Seal, which is a ceramic-infused spray sealant made by Opti-Coat. It costs about $40 a bottle but a little goes a long way and it will last you for over a year easily. I would use Hyper Seal every 3 or 4 months to keep your PPF sealed and protected. Some people use Hyper Seal as a drying aid after a rinseless wash with Optimum's ONR.

After each wash, I use Technicians Choice Ceramic Detail Spray. This is a ceramic-infused detail spray that you can use in a manner similar to any other detail spray. You can get a gallon of this for around $40. It provides shine and gloss plus some additional protection.

 

[Mrcarcrazy]

It appears most people are recommending ceramic coating. I presume this needs to be professionally installed, and will cost me another $1k. Don't want to drop another $1k ..

There are many DIY ceramics that you can do yourself for under $100.00. Do 2-3 coats with cute time in between and you’ll be set. Think of it as a wax that lasts

 

[Thp3]

Hello again folks ..

So I got my Xpel ultimate full front PPF installed in Austin. I have not washed the car yet .. wondering if you can provide some advice on what to use; specifically
I want to make sure I do it right. Thanks in advance for your help.

If you have any product recommendation as well, please let me know.

This is what I’ve found works well.

Car Care, exterior and interior and PPF

Basically you need a bunch of microfiber towels. Costco sells a nice package of them for about $20. Also the XPEL Ceramic Boost is $20-$30 a bottle so quite affordable.

 

[jkoya]

Xpel also sells this for tar, oil, bug acids, etc.... :

Flawless Finish Film Cleaner

 

[Thp3]

A related question. If only the front has XPEL, should the rear have special cleaning and waxing products?

Has anyone noticed a difference in the condition of the car if only half of the car is protected with PPF?

 

[myazdani]

Many people who have PPF installed also have ceramic coating put on top of the PPF. There is no question this provides you the most protection and the easiest maintenance over time. But personally, I did not want to spend the extra $$ for ceramic coating after doing a full car Xpel PPF. And I personally did not want to do a DIY ceramic coating. If you mess up, you have to use a compound or even wet sanding to remove the ceramic coating.

A cheaper and less risky alternative is to use a ceramic infused spray sealant. I personally like Hyper Seal, which is a ceramic-infused spray sealant made by Opti-Coat. It costs about $40 a bottle but a little goes a long way and it will last you for over a year easily. I would use Hyper Seal every 3 or 4 months to keep your PPF sealed and protected. Some people use Hyper Seal as a drying aid after a rinseless wash with Optimum's ONR.

After each wash, I use Technicians Choice Ceramic Detail Spray. This is a ceramic-infused detail spray that you can use in a manner similar to any other detail spray. You can get a gallon of this for around $40. It provides shine and gloss plus some additional protection.

Hi .. where do you get it from? I looked in Amazon but I could not find the exact product Opti-clean hyper seal. There are similar products like opti-seal but not this particular one.

 

[joebruin77]

Hi .. where do you get it from? I looked in Amazon but I could not find the exact product Opti-clean hyper seal. There are similar products like opti-seal but not this particular one.

You have to order it directly from the manufacturer. Search “opti coat Hyper Seal” Opti coat is the professional line of Optimum car care products..

 

[XPEL]

Hello again folks ..

So I got my Xpel ultimate full front PPF installed in Austin. I have not washed the car yet .. wondering if you can provide some advice on what to use; specifically:

1. Is it ok to do touchless car wash and it won't damage the film or install in any way? I remember the Xpel guys were saying it is ok to do wash? any problem with the exposed lines (wjere the PPF ends)?
2. Should I use wax products for cleaning rather than washing? Xpel provided a list of recommended wax products
3. Should I use bug and tar remover regularly or on a weekly basis for affected areas?

I want to make sure I do it right. Thanks in advance for your help.

If you have any product recommendation as well, please let me know.

Thank you for choosing XPEL to protect your Tesla! Answers to your questions below.

1. Is it ok to do touchless car wash and it won't damage the film or install in any way? I remember the Xpel guys were saying it is ok to do wash? any problem with the exposed lines (where the PPF ends)? Yes, touchless car washes are okay. The thing you want to avoid with car washes are getting a high pressure washer / sprayer at least a foot away from the edges. The touch free washes are okay.
2. Should I use wax products for cleaning rather than washing? Xpel provided a list of recommended wax products. For cleaning, use any car wash you want as long as it doesn't contain a petroleum product. Other than that, you're good to go. We recommend using our XPEL Rinse-Free Car Wash for cleaning. Once the car is clean, the very best thing to use to maintain Clear Bra is to use our Ceramic Boost Spray or to have a full on Ceramic Coating installed like our FUSION PLUS.
3. Should I use bug and tar remover regularly or on a weekly basis for affected areas? Use Bug & Tar remover when only absolutely necessary. It's recommended to use a Detail Spray as the first course of action for cleaning as it's not as harsh as the Bug & Tar remover.