Premier

We would like to make available some information about paint protection film, some tips on maintenance and how to search out professional dealers for the Rennlist community. As quality of film makes a tremendous difference in the way it looks after an installation, it is only one of three ingredients for a "clear" install. The 2nd would be installation quality and third is the computer generated design of the clearbra.

For the 6 years we have been in the paint protection film industry, we have used and tested every single film manufacturer on the market. Below are our opinions of each:

Films on the Market:

3M - 1st generation film had many fading issues, which prompted an upgrade in early 2004. The film still uses the same urethane, but a clearer adhesive. The old 3M film also received many complaints about "orange peel" texture that made the film very visible on darker colored vehicles. 3M's new film is clearer, but is still behind in strength and clarity. 5 Yr Warranty

Avery - Film generally fades w/in 1yr and customer service is poor. The company has all, but fall off the face of the paint protection industry.

Clearshield - Film's quality is very similar to 3M's 1st generation film, if not the same urethane. Tends to yellow or crack in 2-3 yrs. Similar to 3M's 1st gen film, 90% of the adhesives will remain on paint when film is removed. 5 Year Warranty.

Llumar (CP Films) is one of the clearer films on the market. Customer service is lacking and company tends to work warranty claims based on the small prints. Film's quality does not reject environmental oxidation, bird droppings, and other chemicals as well as 3M and Venture. Lifetime Warranty

Venture - film's clarity along w/ its patented acrylic adhesives make it the clearer film. Excellent customer service and film looks great on all colors - even black. Lifetime Warranty

INSTALLATION & SOFTWARE DESIGN
Film's quality is only as good as the installation. Searching out a good installer is not an easy task as many companies make outrageous claims of experience and expertise. The most important thing is to see what type of coverage you will get and whether or not it will be in one piece especially for the front bumper. Companies that use one piece for bumpers are generally more skilled at paint protection film installations, while software designers such as Clearshield, Invincashield, and Stongard created these kits for those DIYers in mind.

Below are some tips to searching out good installers:
-what type of software do they use. This will dictate their skill level as companies utilizing the 3 softwares above are used to having these kits come in multiple pieces for ease of installation.
-how detailed oriented are they........you will have to pick up these little signs while talking with the company or installer
-how long have they been installing paint protection
-are they certified? although certification is not a pre-req for being a professional installer, it does show that they received some type of training.
-can they do custom work with one piece of film. This is generally meant for those with aftermarket bumpers or would like to have certain areas wrapped that is not in the software.
-if they do custom work, do they cut on the vehicle? When we do any type of custom work, a template is designed for the vehicle and then cut out on a drawing board. This will reduce the chance of cutting on the paint to 0.
-Ask to see if they use a heat gun to "soften" the material during installation. This is often a technique used by those not familiar w/ proper stretching of material..........this goes back to experience
-Take a look at their work or better yet, ask the locals about their reputation.

FAQ
1. Will it yellow, bubble or crack over time? Depends on the film (Venture comes with a Lifetime Warranty from yellowing, bubbling, and cracking)
2. Can it be washed and waxed? Yes, to maintain the film, it is meant to be waxed and washed 2 wks after installation.
3. When my car gets dirty, the line on the hood is more visible. What can I do about it? Wash the vehicle and use a wet q-tip and run it along the edge and this will clean up the dirt or wax build-up
4. If I ever remove the film, will there be a two-tone effect? No, 3m & Venture are UV stable and allow the rays to penetrate; therefore, there will not be any 2-toning if film is ever removed.
5. Would the paint get stripped if I remove the film after a few yrs? The film is OEM paint safe.
6. Can I repaint my bumper and put a film on right away? Yes, you can, but you risk having the paint get pulled off if the film is removed later. The recommended new paint curing time is 30-60 days before clear bra application
7. From my local clear bra installer, Venture is easy to install. Well yes and no. Yes, it is easier to install due to its elasticity, but that doesn't mean the quality of install will be ideal. In actuality, the film is more difficult to work with to bring out a truly invisible installation because the film is so clear.........it does not hide any type of installation flaw. While companies like 3m, Clearshield and Avery has some orange peel texture, it helps hide some of the installation imperfections.
8. Why do you charge more than these other guys? Our company was founded with one idea in mind - "Perfection is Our Standard". We truly believe that you get what you pay for. We are not interested in "beating" our competitors' prices because we believe our technicians' level of expertise is above market standards. We provide our clientele with excellence in installation, warranty, and service, which we believe is priceless.
9. How long does it take to install a full kit? We are typically done with the actual installation between 1.5-2.5 hrs for a full kit. The standard in this industry goes anywhere from 4 hrs to 6hrs.
10. I don't like to see the line on the hood, can you cover the entire hood? Yes, we can. We are one of several companies in the U.S. that has film large enough to wrap entire hoods as well as the entire car if the customer is interested in having this done.

Hopefully, this thread will be helpful for those wondering about getting a clear bra for your vehicles. Our company is exclusively mobile and can travel to anywhere in the world (except for the Middle East ) for group buys. If anyone is interested in setting up a group buy for your area or would like a quote, please feel free to email us at: sales@premiermobilegroup.com or call us directly at 510-390-6920.
-we reply to all of our email inquiries within 24hrs. Our company's business hours are Monday-Sunday 9:30am-6pm by appointments only.

Weltweite

I would be down for a group buy *for the record*

Bill S.

Thanks for the info!!

What about:

1. The new 3M aero film?
2. Paint still getting damaged under film even if film is not broken?
3. "Two-tone" effect due to different exposures (e.g., oxidation, debris, fall-out, etc).

Premier

Bill - pm sent regarding aero

Yes, paint can still get damaged under the film, but it must be a very large and dense object to do so. The film is not invincible and does the job great w/ sand pitting and blocking road debris. If you get a 4x4 falling off a truck in front of you while you are heading straight at it at 80mph, then there is nothing that could save the bumper.

3. "Two-tone" effect due to different exposures (e.g., oxidation, debris, fall-out, etc)
- The film is UV stable. which allows UVs to penetrate so that there will not be any two tone effect later when the film is removed. As for oxidation, debris, and other issues, it doesn't affect the paint underneath. As the car is maintained on a regular basis, the film will blend in with the car nicely. Do keep in mind, that paint protection film needs to be maintained just like a car's paint does.

GreggT

Interesting........thanks for the info.

You've run throgh the vaious materials and briefly mentioned the common kit sources (Clearshield, Invinca-shield, Stongard, Xpel, Clearbra ) but not tied the two together.........can you tell us who uses what?
If memory serves, both Invinca & Stone originally used the 3m Scotchcal?

Premier

Here you go:

Clearshield - utilizes their own urethane, which is very similar to 3M's older film technology. Orange peel and fading is an issue w/ this film.

Stongard, Invinca-shield, Rockblocker, & Xpel all promote the usage of 3m products.

Invisible patterns uses Venture

GreggT

Thanks........I would share that the car below had Epel installed summer of 01......I had originally planned on pulling it and replacing by now but.......for what it's worth, it still looks good (no yellow, no crack, no orange peel).

I am now a little worried now per the comment of adhesives remaining on paint when removed...........however, gotta say I've been putting Scotchcal on the 993 for yrs and never run across that.......must have been lucky.

Premier

Most people do not have fading issues...........it's pretty much a hit or miss, but the orange peel and the fading complaints were enough to warranty an adhesive upgrade.