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Paint protection film

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Old April 6th, 2013 | 09:21 PM
  #1  
pcard's Avatar
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70 Cutlass SX
 
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From: Bermuda
Paint protection film

Hey: hopefully I will doing a long drive this summer through some potentially buggy areas and was wondering if anyone had every used this product:
http://www.empirecovers.com/buy-road-wrap.aspx

Thanks, Peter
Old April 6th, 2013 | 09:50 PM
  #2  
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From: Poteau, Ok
A lot of the high end Import cars are using something similar to that. It seems to work very well.
Old April 7th, 2013 | 08:00 AM
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From: Elgin, Illinois
Talk to a body shop and have whoever does theirs do yours. Usually they use 3m. The stuff is really good taking it off kinda sucks but it wont harm anything. Although it will actually protect the clear from fading. i have taken the clear bra off a caf and noticed the area that had the film was much more vivid and less faded. There is also a company that sells it in a sprayable form but that is permanent although you could do the whole fender and it would look the same just when you feel it it will feel like rubber somewhat.
Old April 7th, 2013 | 08:31 AM
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Copper: I am avoiding the 3M and similar, "permanent", products because I only want to use it for the couple of days driving through buggy environments. What attracted me to Road Wrap is that it only used for a short period and is supposedly easy to remove.
I looked at Biltrite's Autowrap:
http://www.idealabi.com/content2.aspx?url=p_117.htm
but the smallest roll it comes in is 100M.

Thanks, Peter
Old April 7th, 2013 | 10:28 AM
  #5  
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Gotcha. Why ot use that plastic dip stuff. Alot of guys are doing whole cars and that stuff is suppoused to peel right off. It does not come in clear but if avoiding rock chips is the issue it might be cheaper to do so with the plasti dip it comes in a bunch of colors . My friend did his bumper on ths silveradi in flat black and it turned out great . The big claim is that it peels right off.
Old April 7th, 2013 | 06:38 PM
  #6  
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70 Cutlass SX
 
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What is the product? I never heard of anything like that.

Thanks, Peter
Old April 7th, 2013 | 06:40 PM
  #7  
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google plastic dip my car and you will find a sleeeeew of guys doing it to their cars. and a bunch of good and not so good youtube videos.
Old April 7th, 2013 | 08:03 PM
  #8  
pcard's Avatar
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70 Cutlass SX
 
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Any liquid product will have a solvent of some kind, and I guess I am too scared to use it on my paint, not matter how much the maker said it was safe.
Old April 7th, 2013 | 08:16 PM
  #9  
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I work in the collision repair industry. I have fixed vandalized cars that have been spray painted. straight spray paint has more solvents in it than plasti dip. all it took to de vadalize the car was buff it and the paint was ot etched or dulled or lifted. Same goes for laquer thinner. you can wipe a car down with laquer thiner to pre prep before a buff. but it you sit there long enough it will lift the paint. Once paint is cured it takes some effort to get the paint to lift.
Old April 7th, 2013 | 08:30 PM
  #10  
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From: Norfolk, NE
[QUOTE=pcard;530426]Copper: I am avoiding the 3M and similar, "permanent", products because I only want to use it for the couple of days driving through buggy environments. What attracted me to Road Wrap is that it only used for a short period and is supposedly easy to remove.
I looked at Biltrite's Autowrap:
http://www.idealabi.com/content2.aspx?url=p_117.htm
but the smallest roll it comes in is 100M.

I have actually used this product. It worked well. The only problem was where there was an edge that was not properly adhered, the edge flapped in the wind and left a mark on the paint that needed to be buffed out.
Old April 7th, 2013 | 09:20 PM
  #11  
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70 Cutlass SX
 
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Thanks TeCar442. I also found this warning thread on a Vette forum:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...road-wrap.html

Cooper - thanks for that.

Peter
Old February 28th, 2018 | 12:37 PM
  #12  
1971 cutlasssupreme's Avatar
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From: Guthrie OK
Curious if anyone has any new opinions on paint protection film since this thread is 5 years old. I have a new paint job and want to keep it rock chip free and am looking at the XCEL and SunTek stuff. Anyone ever install it yourself or is it best to let a pro do it?
Old February 28th, 2018 | 05:13 PM
  #13  
VC455's Avatar
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From: Gillespie County Texas
I had XPEL installed on the front of my Challenger when I bought it. I drove about 60,000 high-speed miles without any sign of a chip to the paint—or headlights.

I know it has taken some good hits from stones and road trash because the unprotected aluminum surround of the upper grille and the radiator behind both grilles show hits.

In November I had a large portion of the XPEL replaced (operator error). I was concerned that there would be hidden chips that would be removed with the old film. Nada. The paint underneath the film looked pristine.
Because of this great experience, when the Vista Cruiser returns home, I’ll have XPEL put on the paint and front bright-work.

The only negative I can come up with is that the edge of the XPEL is visible because pf the thickness of the film. The film gloss is identical to the paint gloss, so that is not a factor.

Some in the local LX club have put XPEL over the entire front end—back to the windshield and front doors—to eliminate that edge.
Old March 1st, 2018 | 10:08 AM
  #14  
coppercutlass's Avatar
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Taking that film off. If its the clear im thinking of sucks.
Old March 2nd, 2018 | 06:51 AM
  #15  
1971 cutlasssupreme's Avatar
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From: Guthrie OK
anyone ever apply themselves? I've done plenty of window tint but not this stuff... got a quote from a shop and labor was expensive!
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