So heavy users - where are you seeing chips/road rash?

3917 Views 20 Replies 10 Participants Last post by mac4lyf, May 8, 2012

brotherharry

Discussion Starter · May 2, 2012

Wrapped or otherwise, there's going to be marks showing somewhere - aside from the front bumper/bonnet what else is getting pebble dashed?
Pictures if you have them please!
Just trying to figure our how much/little wrapping to get away with...

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

texas mongrel

· #2 · May 2, 2012

I had a pretty comprehensive wrap, and so far I'm in good shape. However, after 3200miles, the most marks on the wrap are definitely on the bottoms of the doors and sills ( the bits you can't see until you open the doors) . Surprisingly, I haven't seen any issues on the nose yet.

andy c

· #3 · May 3, 2012

5700,and nothing on the nose,but 1 tiny mark on the bonnet,as Tex says its the underside of the doors which is the problem (to be expected),and the vane edges if you spend alot of time on kerbless country roads as i do.

roundincircles

· #4 · May 3, 2012

No surprises the vulnerable parts are the vane edges and door / cill lowers. The mesh in the vanes has a collection of stones with smaller stones falling thru' and collecting by the side radiator.

I have a chip on the rear wing caused by onlookers peering at the engine........so that area is vulnerable to zips, jacket buttons and wrist watches.

I'm considering having this area wrapped.

The dashboard edges get kicked by feet so I have had that wrapped. Passengers often rake there feet along the lower dash leather.......so I now talk them thru' how that can happen and 'no I'm not neurotic about my Mac'

I may wrap passengers as a condition of travel.

andy c

· #5 · May 3, 2012

roundincircles said:
No surprises the vulnerable parts are the vane edges and door / cill lowers. The mesh in the vanes has a collection of stones with smaller stones falling thru' and collecting by the side radiator.

I have a chip on the rear wing caused by onlookers peering at the engine........so that area is vulnerable to zips, jacket buttons and wrist watches.

I'm considering having this area wrapped.

The dashboard edges get kicked by feet so I have had that wrapped. Passengers often rake there feet along the lower dash leather.......so I now talk them thru' how that can happen and 'no I'm not neurotic about my Mac'

I may wrap passengers as a condition of travel.

MSO passenger wrap,now that has a ring to it,great idea RIC
although i like the idea of protecting your dashboard,as it takes some hammer if you and yours arnt carefull.
By the way RIC,you must be one of those guys that keeps the plastic wrapping on your sofa,s for the first couple of years aswell???

roundincircles

· #6 · May 3, 2012

Andy, your a very funny man.

The part on the dash that is wrapped is the end bit that sits next to the door, I just seem to kick it without trying.

A good friend who is equally as clumsy as me raked his grit covered shoes along the lower leather area.........so my car reached the 10 year pre-owned state in week one. Luckily some Lancome Gucci Never Wrinkle Balm recovered the leather. My wife said I used £150 worth so I said it works lovely on you Dear so it is good enough for my Mac......smack, smack, scream.

HyperMac954

· #7 · May 3, 2012

I'm with TM - good wrap, and after 5000 miles, no front damage, but the bottom of the doors take a beating.

roundincircles

· #8 · May 3, 2012

The wrap can be replaced, faster and at less cost, than the paint. Most onlookers are surprised my car is wrapped.

Andrew-A

· #9 · May 3, 2012

roundincircles said:
The wrap can be replaced, faster and at less cost, than the paint. Most onlookers are surprised my car is wrapped.

I have been told that the wrap takes away some of the shine of the paintwork (makes it look dull). I have noticed that on the bottom of the doors which are already partially wrapped by the factory, the colour doesn't look as vibrant as the area that isn't wrapped...maybe its not as noticeable with some colours (mine is VR)

roundincircles

· #10 · May 3, 2012

Well mine is VR with full wrap and seems to be OK but against a detailed car may look different.....I'm guessing.

VR seems to wow most onlookers but they, nor I , look for perfection which can only be seen if a similar car is there for comparison........maybe that's boll....ks but I'm OK with the wrap.

Andrew-A

· #11 · May 3, 2012

Nothing against the wraps as colour matching VR is next to impossible.....

6th element

· #12 · May 3, 2012

Andrew-A said:
I have been told that the wrap takes away some of the shine of the paintwork (makes it look dull). I have noticed that on the bottom of the doors which are already partially wrapped by the factory, the colour doesn't look as vibrant as the area that isn't wrapped...maybe its not as noticeable with some colours (mine is VR)

When the detailer pulled that factory stuff off my car, that film was far from transparent. That is why it looks dull. My car has clear wrap entire front and I cannot tell any difference vs the non-wrapped panels. Get it done professionally, you'll forget it's even there (except you won't cringe every time you hear a stone flik flak tink off the bodywork).

mac4lyf

· #13 · May 4, 2012

6th element said:
When the detailer pulled that factory stuff off my car, that film was far from transparent. That is why it looks dull. My car has clear wrap entire front and I cannot tell any difference vs the non-wrapped panels. Get it done professionally, you'll forget it's even there (except you won't cringe every time you hear a stone flik flak tink off the bodywork).

So which ppf did you go with? I have read so much about 3M Rock Guard, VentureShield (also a 3M product), and XPEL. Some saying that Rock Guard can take a hit from a rock up 200 km/h haven't found similar claims by the other products, some saying that Rock Guard yellows and XPEL doesn't and that XPEL is the clearest ppf and now self-healing. I recall you went to some top notch guys to get your car done and I am sure they have experience with the various ppf's, as well as opinions.

choatie88

· #14 · May 7, 2012

I went with the VentureShield rather than XPEL as it is thinner / clearer. The XPEL seemed to take the metallic shine out of the VO paint. I understand the XPEL is more durable but as this will be a limited use car for me the VentureShield makes more sense.

AugustWest

· #15 · May 7, 2012

Driving hard (and a lot), it seems the leading edge of the turning vanes and the leading edge of the side scoop are vulnerable - in addition to the obvious bits on the front of the car...

6th element

· #16 · May 8, 2012

mac4lyf said:
So which ppf did you go with? I have read so much about 3M Rock Guard, VentureShield (also a 3M product), and XPEL. Some saying that Rock Guard can take a hit from a rock up 200 km/h haven't found similar claims by the other products, some saying that Rock Guard yellows and XPEL doesn't and that XPEL is the clearest ppf and now self-healing. I recall you went to some top notch guys to get your car done and I am sure they have experience with the various ppf's, as well as opinions.

They put VentureShield Ultra on most sections and Xpel Ultimate on the front bumper, anticipating that most large chips would be head on. So far, both products seem to be holding up very well. I can't tell any difference in clarity between the two.

mac4lyf

· #17 · May 8, 2012

6th element said:
They put VentureShield Ultra on most sections and Xpel Ultimate on the front bumper, anticipating that most large chips would be head on. So far, both products seem to be holding up very well. I can't tell any difference in clarity between the two.

Excellent thanks for the info!

6th element

· #18 · May 8, 2012

mac4lyf said:
Excellent thanks for the info!

No problem. If I remember correctly, it was the first time he had used the new self-healing XPEL stuff. I'll take a closer look the next time I wash my car and try to determine if the claims are b.s.

When do you have to decide?

mac4lyf

· #19 · May 8, 2012

6th element said:
No problem. If I remember correctly, it was the first time he had used the new self-healing XPEL stuff. I'll take a closer look the next time I wash my car and try to determine if the claims are b.s.

When do you have to decide?

Unfortunately I still have quite the wait and it will not be until next year since there was quite a number of orders ahead of me

. I just want to have everything decided on so when that day comes I can get everything done I need to. I will most likely have my car done with the same guys you did, since there doesn't seem to be anyone here that does the Opti-Coat protection, the closest thing I could find was PermaShine and it was nothing like Opti-Coat. I guess the only plus is that IRIS will be fully functional by the time I take delivery or at least I hope it is.

6th element

· #20 · May 8, 2012

mac4lyf said:
Unfortunately I still have quite the wait and it will not be until next year since there was quite a number of orders ahead of me . I just want to have everything decided on so when that day comes I can get everything done I need to. I will most likely have my car done with the same guys you did, since there doesn't seem to be anyone here that does the Opti-Coat protection, the closest thing I could find was PermaShine and it was nothing like Opti-Coat. I guess the only plus is that IRIS will be fully functional by the time I take delivery or at least I hope it is.

OK. If you are passing through T.O. before then, PM me you can have a look at my car and see if the wrap is to your liking.

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