XPEL Clear Bra Paint Protection

Hello all...

I've contacted a local installer and was quoted $575.00 for installation of XPEL on the Hood, Fender, Grille, Bumper, and Mirrors. Is this about right, or too expensive?

Not bad, perhaps slightly high. I paid $450 for the same coverage and AWESOME installation job. This stuff is the shiznit, my last car had it for 34k miles here in the brutal sonoran desert and the front end of the car was pristine when I sold it.. WELL worth the investment IMHO.

Have to agree with Kevin. Its an awesome product, with the right installer.
I bought the extended coverage kit from Pacific BMW for $300 & the installation
was about $250, so your price is in the ballpark.

Originally Posted by getwired

Hello all...

I've contacted a local installer and was quoted $575.00 for installation of XPEL on the Hood, Fender, Grille, Bumper, and Mirrors. Is this about right, or too expensive?

Its a little high as it doesn't include the headlights (I ddn't do these those). But, hopefully it does include a lifetime warranty on parts and labor. If it ever starts to bubble or rip, then they should come out and replace for free. Thats what mine does.

Also, since its Xpel, I assume they don't wrap the edges? This usually cost more, but don't think Xpel does it b/c they mostly use pre-cut kits.

This product sounds different from that in BMW's E90 Accessory Catalog (that product is made by 3M). Anyone know how it differs? I paid a heck of a lot more for the 3M part and install than $575...Thanks.

Originally Posted by BrianSF

This product sounds different from that in BMW's E90 Accessory Catalog (that product is made by 3M). Anyone know how it differs? I paid a heck of a lot more for the 3M part and install than $575...Thanks.

who installed it? if it was the stealer, then you probably overpaid

I was kind of wondering about also. I was quoted about $700 for the hood, bumper, headlights, fog lights, mirrors, door handles, and fenders. The company only says that it's the 3M film so I don't know what patterns they use. The price seems a bit steep to me but maybe this is more than standard coverage. I dunno.

Originally Posted by BrianSF

This product sounds different from that in BMW's E90 Accessory Catalog (that product is made by 3M). Anyone know how it differs? I paid a heck of a lot more for the 3M part and install than $575...Thanks.

X-Pel is the distributor for all of BMW's kits.
The material is 3m's, but X-Pel cuts and packages it for BMW, and gives tech support.

If you buy BMW's kit, cut by X-Pel, then they only offer the extended coverage version
for the hood. You can only buy the shorter, lesser expensive hood coverage directly from X-Pel.

3m/xpel is the same clearcoated orange peel looking product.

VentureShield is the non clear coated, no orange peel option.

Two distinct products. The 3M/XPEL has noticable distortion.

Originally Posted by getwired

Hello all...

I've contacted a local installer and was quoted $575.00 for installation of XPEL on the Hood, Fender, Grille, Bumper, and Mirrors. Is this about right, or too expensive?

This installer also told me that he could do the "shorter" hood coverage instead for $475

Yes, mine was dealer installed. I went that route figuring they would be around in the future in case the product "failed" and needed to be repaired/replaced. I was told it was guaranteed, yada, yada, yada, but I never got anything saying that (just made a note to ask the dealer).

Mine does look like orange peeled paint but at least it won't get sandblasted on the SF Bay Area freeways. I didn't know VentureShield existed.

The leading edge of my hood is covered, maybe 8 to 10 inches up--not sure if this is the shorter version or not.

I was told by the "stealers" parts department that they cut the product on site--they do not use pre-cut pieces. The end result looks good. They quoted me $1400, installed. Nothing is cheap in the SF Bay Area. I didn’t pay anywhere near that, but I did pay more than you guys are talking. (Notice my reluctance to say an actual price… )

Originally Posted by BrianSF

I was told by the "stealers" parts department that they cut the product on site--they do not use pre-cut pieces. The end result looks good. They quoted me $1400, installed. Nothing is cheap in the SF Bay Area.

Cut on-site? Riiiiight. HIGHLY unlikely. If it were, it would look like crapola.

$1400 is hideous, almost as funny as my stealership wanting $1095 for a CD changer installed in my car when delivered. Even at full retail for the part, that's an outrageous labor charge heaped on top for what amounts to 15 minutes of "work" to install it.

Originally Posted by KevinC

Cut on-site? Riiiiight. HIGHLY unlikely. If it were, it would look like crapola.

I saw a new E90 at Sonnen (Marin) with what looked like razor cuts into the paint on the side mirror next-to and matching the clear bra material shape, as if someone had made several cuts to get it right. Amazing. What's really bad is that they never got it right - on the mirror's underside, the bra material was coming up in big ripples because it obviously didn't fit properly! Looked truly hideous. I couldn't believe it.

I was quoted $700 for the front hood and mirrors from the dealer when picking up my car today. I took a pass as I assumed the dealer was way overpriced. I thought I would check around to see who else offers the clear bra and pricing. Are there any good national installers or does anyone know of any in the Chicago area?

Originally Posted by KevinC

Cut on-site? Riiiiight. HIGHLY unlikely. If it were, it would look like crapola.

Its not unusual at all.
My installer initially screwed up one of the pieces that he applied (I bought the kit) because there were too many
ripples in it after it dried.

After removing the bad piece, he whipped out his lap-top and got a generic measurement.
He then cut a slightly oversized piece, re-applied it and cut off the edges. Looked much better than the original in terms
of coverage and fitment.

Originally Posted by KevinC

Not bad, perhaps slightly high. I paid $450 for the same coverage and AWESOME installation job. This stuff is the shiznit, my last car had it for 34k miles here in the brutal sonoran desert and the front end of the car was pristine when I sold it.. WELL worth the investment IMHO.

worth it, as Kevin says.

Kevin, thanx for the tip and referral! Ryan gave me the $450 price as well. Wifey and I love
having that clear bra on the car now. On Wed. we drove down to Tucson and back, bugs and
sh*t eveywhere. Man, what a zoo I-10 is. You gotta go at least 90 to keep up with traffic.
Nothing our 330i can't handle....

Originally Posted by Gary1227

I was quoted $700 for the front hood and mirrors from the dealer when picking up my car today. I took a pass as I assumed the dealer was way overpriced. I thought I would check around to see who else offers the clear bra and pricing. Are there any good national installers or does anyone know of any in the Chicago area?

for a baseline, I paid $450 here in Phoenix. The hood, (up about 20 inches, the front bumper, fender flares, and the mirrors). Was originally quoted $499, but I used KevinC as a reference. The install looks great. You don't notice the bra until you're about 4 feet away. and still it looks great. right now I've got bugs and sh*t all over it from our drive to Tucson...

Originally Posted by javelina1

worth it, as Kevin says.

Kevin, thanx for the tip and referral! Ryan gave me the $450 price as well.

That's awesome.. their attention to detail (and knowing wtf they're doing obviously helps) is second to none. I always ASSumed that $450 was just a "fair" price, but after seeing some of the other prices being tossed around here, I now know what a smokin' deal it really is.

Originally Posted by KevinC

That's awesome.. their attention to detail (and knowing wtf they're doing obviously helps) is second to none. I always ASSumed that $450 was just a "fair" price, but after seeing some of the other prices being tossed around here, I now know what a smokin' deal it really is.

indeed bro! thanx! and again, thanx to all for this site. I've saved a bundle on both car and after products.

For true artists at work, you guys should check out their gallery here - www.premiermobilegroup.com. They're going to get my black Gallardo up into their gallery soon!

We just had venture shield installed on our '06 330XI at Sierra Invisible Shield in Reno. $550 for entire front end, headlights, protective piece at trunk deck. They did a beautiful job, it's obvious from the craftsmanship that Dexter (the owner) is in this for his love of cars more than to get rich quick.

Dexter said they download the patterns from the company headquarters and cut the material there. I saw some cars at the dealership with the 3m material and I think that venture shield looks alot better, it's not as obvious, even on our dark metallic green car.

Any idea how much it will cost in LA or Orange County...

You should contact them directly. They were just here in Newport Beach a few days ago.

Wow, just got a quote (18 Jan '13) from XPEL in Louisville, KY $2500!!!...based on that quote you riders are getting one heck of a deal...