Do you have/ will you get rock chip protection?
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Well, since my car is a daily driver, the clear-bra would probably help a little...
But according to my cost/benefit analysis, it's not worth it. It's like $200 to install the expel bra every 2-3 years. If I plan on keeping this car for over 5 years, that would have paid for an orbital buffer, touch up kit, and enough polishing material to last me a lifetime.
But according to my cost/benefit analysis, it's not worth it. It's like $200 to install the expel bra every 2-3 years. If I plan on keeping this car for over 5 years, that would have paid for an orbital buffer, touch up kit, and enough polishing material to last me a lifetime.
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I have it both my Roadster and M3. At the price of these cars, it just isn't worth not doing it.
And the quoted life is 5 years, but I am sure it will be longer if the car is garaged or covered.
If you are looking to get it installed, and are doing a Performance Center Delivery, I can recommend Mike Messer in Atlanta. He will do the car overnight. About a 2 hour drive after delivery, drop the car off and he will get you back to your hotel and pick you up in the morning (actually for me, his wife did the duties). The car is done. No time out from your trip.
He does great work, and also offers some upgrades from the stock kits.
contact [email protected]
Tell him I sent you.
And the quoted life is 5 years, but I am sure it will be longer if the car is garaged or covered.
If you are looking to get it installed, and are doing a Performance Center Delivery, I can recommend Mike Messer in Atlanta. He will do the car overnight. About a 2 hour drive after delivery, drop the car off and he will get you back to your hotel and pick you up in the morning (actually for me, his wife did the duties). The car is done. No time out from your trip.
He does great work, and also offers some upgrades from the stock kits.
contact [email protected]
Tell him I sent you.
I'd get it in a heartbeat....
It's not all about the $$'s to have it installed every few years. No matter how road rash is 'repaired', it can not ever be as good as the OE finish in my opinion. My Yukon had it put on 2 weeks after I took delivery. 22 months (33k) later now, there is not a mark on it at all. That in itself is worth something. I can see some points of damage there now(in the coating, not the paint). Every once in a while I hear a good whack from the hood when something hits and (so far) nothing had penetrated it....
I did the X-Pel one by the guy behind the Lynnwood Acura dealership. Not cheap, but just like insurance... preventative maintenance.
AND TO BOOT, YOU WOULDN'T WANT YOUR SQUARE DANCING PLATES TO HAVE A SHABBY HOME!!! he he
Kevin
It's not all about the $$'s to have it installed every few years. No matter how road rash is 'repaired', it can not ever be as good as the OE finish in my opinion. My Yukon had it put on 2 weeks after I took delivery. 22 months (33k) later now, there is not a mark on it at all. That in itself is worth something. I can see some points of damage there now(in the coating, not the paint). Every once in a while I hear a good whack from the hood when something hits and (so far) nothing had penetrated it....
I did the X-Pel one by the guy behind the Lynnwood Acura dealership. Not cheap, but just like insurance... preventative maintenance.
AND TO BOOT, YOU WOULDN'T WANT YOUR SQUARE DANCING PLATES TO HAVE A SHABBY HOME!!! he he
Kevin
It all depends- Would I always get it?
If I still was in Monterey, then I'd probably pass it up. I know Doug lives up here in Seattle (not to far from me). In the winter our roads are not sanded. They're gravelled... And the memory of that lingers all year.... twang.... thack... crack.... The windshield in my Yukon took a good hit just a couple of days back. It has a nice 6" crack in it now. I'd hate to see what the hood would be like if I didn't have the protection on it.
As for seeing the the tape 'lines' or such. It depends on the color. On my pewter truck, you literally can't see anything unless you stick your nose right up to it. On a darker color, it probably would show up a bit more... but then again "I" dont have that issue. :angel: Also - Unlike the precut versions that have seams showing on all sides, the folks I went to use the raw material (uncut). This allows them to wrap the corners and/or tuck it behind something (like lights or body seams). This gives a much cleaner installation than Stongard (IMO)
As with everying, YMMV....
Kevin
If I still was in Monterey, then I'd probably pass it up. I know Doug lives up here in Seattle (not to far from me). In the winter our roads are not sanded. They're gravelled...
And the memory of that lingers all year.... twang.... thack... crack.... The windshield in my Yukon took a good hit just a couple of days back. It has a nice 6" crack in it now. I'd hate to see what the hood would be like if I didn't have the protection on it. As for seeing the the tape 'lines' or such. It depends on the color. On my pewter truck, you literally can't see anything unless you stick your nose right up to it. On a darker color, it probably would show up a bit more... but then again "I" dont have that issue. :angel: Also - Unlike the precut versions that have seams showing on all sides, the folks I went to use the raw material (uncut). This allows them to wrap the corners and/or tuck it behind something (like lights or body seams). This gives a much cleaner installation than Stongard (IMO)
As with everying, YMMV....
Kevin
Ah that's not necessarily true. Like LIP277 says the sanding is like gravel here AND there are NO laws for dump truck drivers to cover their loads (see why we are #1 for windshield replacements in the US?)ayn said:
A dump truck hauling at 70+ mph (typical speed) spits a rock a country mile. 10 seconds won't make up for that. I've tried backing way off traffic but someone jumps in the hole, you end up almost moving backwards to try and keep distance.
The only thing that worries me is that the X-pel guys said you have to heat the film up to 500deg to remove :yikes: What does that do to the paint!!
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