SCOPE OF WORK
Apply paint protection film (clear bra) to complete hood, complete fenders, complete front bumper, mirrors, headlights and rocker panels. Apply long-lasting paint sealant to complete exterior, including all paint surfaces, clear bra surfaces and wheels for maximum protection & durability.
Full Frontal Wrap Install
Boston, MA
The owner of this brand new 2015 BMW M3 is a past customer of Unique Car Care who had us install a clear bra on his beautiful Porsche GT3 RS a few years back. This car is going to be used as a daily driver, so the owner wants to ensure the car is protected from day to day mishaps and the harsh winter weather we experience here in New England. Our “full frontal” package offers complete front-end coverage, which includes the full front bumper, full hood, full fenders, headlights and side mirrors. For advanced coverage, he opted to have us cover the lower rocker panels as well, which are a very high-impact area. Lots of debris gets kicked up from the aggressive tires, so this is highly recommended on a sports car such as this.
Before the install, we performed a hand wash, cleaned all wheels and tires, then prepped all areas being covered in film to ensure the film has a perfect surface to adhere to. The prep includes a claybar treatment (removes bonded contaminants from paint surface) and polishing using a dual action buffer to ensure the paint is free of any scratches, blemishes or swirl marks. The prep plays a huge roll in the overall process, since the film is optically clear and will show any defects or contamination that may be present underneath. Since Unique Car Care was rated one of the top detail shops in the nation, be assured that we go the extra mile when prepping the car for a film install.
Once the prep was complete, it was time to get busy with the install. We chose to begin with the hood. In order to cover the entire hood, we need to use film that is 60 inches wide. This is the largest diameter film available on the market today.
After applying the hood piece, all edges were trimmed ¼ inch long in order to wrap the edges around the panel for maximum coverage. By doing a fully custom install, it allows us to avoid any unnecessary seams, which can really detract from the overall quality of an install.
Right before the install, we apply Xpel Panel Prep to all edges being wrapped, which is used as an adhesion promoter. This will ensure that the film stays in place and will not lift in the future. As far as I know, we are one of the only shops in the area who takes this extra step to make sure our installs hold up for the long haul with no peeling issues down the road.
After the hood install was complete, we moved onto the side mirrors. Then, next up was to install the full fenders. Most installers out there use precut templates, which are computer generated and tend to leave large gaps left between things such as the fender pieces on this M3. We prefer to remove these items if possible, which allows us to wrap the film completely underneath and avoid unnecessary seams.
Not only does a custom install provide maximum coverage, but it also makes maintenance much easier when waxing the film. When waxing paint protection film, it is recommended to avoid caking wax into the edges of the film, or it will appear white if the wax isn’t fully removed and dries.
By having the fender items removed, we were able to completely cover the fenders, including all intricate areas. Here’s a couple close-up pictures showing how well they came out. Once the items are reinstalled, there’s no way anyone would ever know that they are completely covered in film. Virtually invisible protection!
Lastly, we covered both rocker panels…
Xpel Ultimate film was chosen for this install, which has great clarity, no orange peel and has a clearcoat topcoat. The best thing about the film is that is has self-healing properties if you happen to scratch it at some point. Any type of heat (sunlight, engine heat, hot water, etc. will promote the self healing and the scratches will disappear. It also has great UV protection and will not discolor, fade or get cloudy like other films on the market. Most films look great when first installed, but typically degrade not even a year later. This film is backed with a 10 year warranty.
After the install was complete, we applied a long lasting paint sealant to all painted surfaces, clear bra surfaces and wheels for maximum protection and durability.
If you have any questions, we’d be happy to tell you more about the film, go over coverage options and discuss pricing. Please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are available by phone or email to help any way we can.