Coating or Xpel Ultimate

[njarmstrong81]

I am really at a cross roads right now. I am right on the fence about wrapping my car in Xpel Ultimate. I've sourced a dealer who will provide pre-cut pieces for 50% of what Xpel sells for directly - around $2400 total.

I've been researching and watching as many videos and reading install threads for about a week now. I think I would be able to do the install without much issue. But... the cost is pretty high. I do like that I can wax it to get some extra shine out of it. I do like the self healing aspect and just general protection from dings and similar things.

On the other hand, I enjoy maintaining my paint and am considering a coating like Opti or CQuartz after a correction I plan do to in the spring. Get my paint as perfect as possible then go that route. It wont' have the same level of 'protection' but it would seem that it has a much higher gloss and shine factor... which I do like.

Long term I think the costs would be about the same as I'd reduce re-occuring paint maintenance costs on things like pads, compounds and polishes but it would take awhile to make up the initial investment.

Looking to get some feedback from some folks who have experience with both, or who have gone from one to the other and their overall experiences.

Cheers.

[Evan.J]

I am really at a cross roads right now. I am right on the fence about wrapping my car in Xpel Ultimate. I've sourced a dealer who will provide pre-cut pieces for 50% of what Xpel sells for directly - around $2400 total.

I've been researching and watching as many videos and reading install threads for about a week now. I think I would be able to do the install without much issue. But... the cost is pretty high. I do like that I can wax it to get some extra shine out of it. I do like the self healing aspect and just general protection from dings and similar things.

Do you have all the proper tools to do you own install? Wroking with the fil is harder than you think. Do you have needed gel along with the alcohol for the application? Do you know how to keep the film from silvering and how to work out fingers on the edges?


On the other hand, I enjoy maintaining my paint and am considering a coating like Opti or CQuartz after a correction I plan do to in the spring. Get my paint as perfect as possible then go that route. It wont' have the same level of 'protection' but it would seem that it has a much higher gloss and shine factor... which I do like.

Long term I think the costs would be about the same as I'd reduce re-occuring paint maintenance costs on things like pads, compounds and polishes but it would take awhile to make up the initial investment.

Looking to get some feedback from some folks who have experience with both, or who have gone from one to the other and their overall experiences.

Cheers.

I have been working with the best PPF installer in Pittsburgh and I have been coating the cars with opti-coat then he has been installing Xpel Ultimate on the vehicle after.

I would go with both as the opti coat offers great protection and a great look and the ultimate film looks much better on a perfectly polished and coated paint job.

If you I were you I would let a professional install the film as I have been doing some small installs along with my buddy watching and he point out things to me every time.


Here is one I did recently
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/73884-premier-auto-detailing-evan-audi-a3-ppf-removal-full-polish-opti-coat-xpel-ppf.html

[njarmstrong81]

I would be ordering the tools for the install, proper squeegee's and materials for the 2 solutions - slip and alcohol. Either mix the slip myself or just get the gel they offer, either would be fine. I am sure working the film is difficult, there are no installers that are mobile to me, or local.

I would probably get an extra amount of film for one of my other vehicles, and do test runs there. Or at the very least start with the easiest pieces that are flat with no real convex or concave surfaces to get a feel for it all.

I do like the idea of the OC underneath, and I've read people who have done that as well.

[Evan.J]

I would be ordering the tools for the install, proper squeegee's and materials for the 2 solutions - slip and alcohol. Either mix the slip myself or just get the gel they offer, either would be fine. I am sure working the film is difficult, there are no installers that are mobile to me, or local.

I would probably get an extra amount of film for one of my other vehicles, and do test runs there. Or at the very least start with the easiest pieces that are flat with no real convex or concave surfaces to get a feel for it all.

I do like the idea of the OC underneath, and I've read people who have done that as well.
where are you located?

[njarmstrong81]

Vancouver Island Canada

[Tato]

Hello,

My first opinion on this is, get $2400 and buy a pressure washer with a foam cannon and shampoos, a Flex tool with Hybrid pads Kit, a Rupes mini and pads kit, a lot of compounds, polishes, Pinnacle Black Label Products, and be happy for the entire life of your car. You can also offer to polish your neighbors car and get a return of your investment in no time.

Even after coating with PBL you will have to regular wash your car, and you can even apply a carnauba wax on top of it. Last week I've 'rejuvenated' my PBL surface coating with a MF finishing pad and Meguiar's Finishing wax. It 'cleaned' my coat and rejuvenated slickness and looks.

That's my 0.02$ (I mean, $2400).

Please, don't take what I've said literally, try to 'pick' the meaning of my words.

Good luck,

Kind Regards.

[FUNX650]

No "Coating-LSP" will ever provide the same paint-protection as XPel's Ultimate PPF!!

My preference is to only have PPF installed on the most vulnerable panels...Not the entire vehicle.



:)

Bob

[njarmstrong81]

I had considered that as well, I wanted to do the bumper, full hood and full front fenders. Also the doors to help with dings, and then thought of the rear fenders as well.

At that point there was nothing left uncovered really so I thought might as well do the rest for uniformity as the additional cost for the bumper, trunk and roof was a nominal difference.

[XPEL]

I am really at a cross roads right now. I am right on the fence about wrapping my car in Xpel Ultimate. I've sourced a dealer who will provide pre-cut pieces for 50% of what Xpel sells for directly - around $2400 total.

I've been researching and watching as many videos and reading install threads for about a week now. I think I would be able to do the install without much issue. But... the cost is pretty high. I do like that I can wax it to get some extra shine out of it. I do like the self healing aspect and just general protection from dings and similar things.

On the other hand, I enjoy maintaining my paint and am considering a coating like Opti or CQuartz after a correction I plan do to in the spring. Get my paint as perfect as possible then go that route. It wont' have the same level of 'protection' but it would seem that it has a much higher gloss and shine factor... which I do like.

Long term I think the costs would be about the same as I'd reduce re-occuring paint maintenance costs on things like pads, compounds and polishes but it would take awhile to make up the initial investment.

Looking to get some feedback from some folks who have experience with both, or who have gone from one to the other and their overall experiences.

Cheers.

njarmstrong81,

Paint protection film is very difficult to install and we highly highly recommend that a trained and certified installer complete the work. If you look at our pattern program information sheet for the GTR you can see that many of the major body panels are a 3 star and up rating on our difficulty scale of 1-5. Nissan GTR XPEL Install Patterns (http://www.xpel.com/products/paint_protection_kits.asp?prevtype=1&prevyear=2012&prevmake=29&prevmodel=0&prevsubmodel=0&prevseries=0&type=1&year=2012&make=29&model=3169). We strongly urge you to rethink going to an installer before you decide to spend that kind of money on a self-installation. We have excellent installers just across the water in the Seattle/Bellevue area.