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      04-18-2017, 07:36 AM   #1
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Xpel vs Vinyl Wrap

Would they be similar in protecting the paint? Would a vinyl wrap just allow me to do a different color? Trying to understand the pros and cons of each.
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      04-18-2017, 09:39 AM   #2
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Vinyl wrap does not provide the same protection as a clear bra.
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      04-18-2017, 02:24 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David1 View Post
Vinyl wrap does not provide the same protection as a clear bra.
It must provide some level of protection? Would anyone know if it's like say half the protection of clear bra? 25% of the protection?
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      04-18-2017, 03:01 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by akkando View Post
It must provide some level of protection? Would anyone know if it's like say half the protection of clear bra? 25% of the protection?
I would say maybe 10%. Its not meant to be protective...its purely cosmetic....vinyl wrap is pretty thin. I've seen pebbles and rocks go right through and tear small holes in a wrap on gravelly roads and cars ahead kicking up debris.
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      04-18-2017, 03:03 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by Ex-MINI View Post
I would say maybe 10%. Its not meant to be protective...its purely cosmetic....vinyl wrap is pretty thin. I've seen pebbles and rocks go right through and tear small holes in a wrap on gravelly roads and cars ahead kicking up debris.
Seems like that would get ugly really fast as it would show the original paint or worse through the tears in the vinyl. Do people who wrap their cars do something to stop this from happening?
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      04-18-2017, 03:28 PM   #6
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Vinyl wraps do offer some protection. It mainly protects the paint from UV damage and getting sandblasted on the highway or whatever elements it's exposed to. So it will protect your paint to a degree.

However, most wrap vinyls are only warrantied to about 3 years (vertical panels). It's even less if you're living in an area with hot summers. And in areas like socal, arizona, etc. where temps reach 110 degrees, horizontal panels like hoods, roofs and trunk lids will receive a 1 year warranty at most.

Another factor is that vinyl is not self healing. If it gets a scratch or scuffed, you either live with it or replace the whole panel.

I've never had a car with a full clear bra so i can't give a comparison to a vinyl wrap but I have wrapped and removed the wrap from my 228 a couple times since i got it. And from my experience with my personal car, the vinyl did a very good job of protecting the paint from rock chips and other damage. A few months ago I was in a parking lot and someone dinged my car with their door. It didn't leave a dent but it did scrape about a 1/2" section near my door handle. The vinyl tore and i could see the paint but the paint was undamaged.

Another note, recently wrap shops have started using ceramic coatings on their wraps to offer another layer of protection and security to their customers. This of course is an additional charge, but it helps keep the wrap clean and offers a bit more peace of mind. CeramicPro even has a product developed specifically for vinyl and PPF films. However, from what i've heard, applying ceramic coatings to the vinyl may void the manufacturer warranty on the vinyl. Many shops have applied ceramic coatings to vinyl and I haven't heard of any issues yet so the voided warranty from 3M or avery may be a non-issue.(i'm planning on wrapping my M2 when i receive it and applying ceramicpro to the vinyl to test how it holds up.)

So to summarize, if you are only looking to protect your paint go with Xpel. If you want to change the color of your car and still get a bit of protection on your OEM paint, wrap it. If you want to change the color and get a bit more protection, get a ceramic coating over the wrap. And if money is no object, you can always wrap the car and then put xpel over the wrap.
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      04-18-2017, 04:47 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by recycledAlva View Post
Vinyl wraps do offer some protection. It mainly protects the paint from UV damage and getting sandblasted on the highway or whatever elements it's exposed to. So it will protect your paint to a degree.

However, most wrap vinyls are only warrantied to about 3 years (vertical panels). It's even less if you're living in an area with hot summers. And in areas like socal, arizona, etc. where temps reach 110 degrees, horizontal panels like hoods, roofs and trunk lids will receive a 1 year warranty at most.

Another factor is that vinyl is not self healing. If it gets a scratch or scuffed, you either live with it or replace the whole panel.

I've never had a car with a full clear bra so i can't give a comparison to a vinyl wrap but I have wrapped and removed the wrap from my 228 a couple times since i got it. And from my experience with my personal car, the vinyl did a very good job of protecting the paint from rock chips and other damage. A few months ago I was in a parking lot and someone dinged my car with their door. It didn't leave a dent but it did scrape about a 1/2" section near my door handle. The vinyl tore and i could see the paint but the paint was undamaged.

Another note, recently wrap shops have started using ceramic coatings on their wraps to offer another layer of protection and security to their customers. This of course is an additional charge, but it helps keep the wrap clean and offers a bit more peace of mind. CeramicPro even has a product developed specifically for vinyl and PPF films. However, from what i've heard, applying ceramic coatings to the vinyl may void the manufacturer warranty on the vinyl. Many shops have applied ceramic coatings to vinyl and I haven't heard of any issues yet so the voided warranty from 3M or avery may be a non-issue.(i'm planning on wrapping my M2 when i receive it and applying ceramicpro to the vinyl to test how it holds up.)

So to summarize, if you are only looking to protect your paint go with Xpel. If you want to change the color of your car and still get a bit of protection on your OEM paint, wrap it. If you want to change the color and get a bit more protection, get a ceramic coating over the wrap. And if money is no object, you can always wrap the car and then put xpel over the wrap.

Thanks for the input. I appreciate the thoroughness. I wish I could Xpel Stealth the whole car, but a little steep for me. Therefore, I decided to do the full front (bumper, hood, front fenders, mirror caps) and possibly side rocker panels.
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      04-18-2017, 05:20 PM   #8
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Of course. Have you considered expel on the rear quarter panel? I know it's probably quite a bit more expensive but i've heard that the rear fenders on the M2 take a beating
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      04-18-2017, 07:45 PM   #9
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Comparing 3M/Xpel to a wrap is like comparing a condom to a sock. If it's protection you are looking for play it safe. You can pour some nail polish on a sock. But at the end, it's just a shinny sock.
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      04-18-2017, 09:09 PM   #10
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Regarding what someone mentioned above; you cant xpel over vinyl. Vinyl has an expiration date ranging 3-5years from application depending on exposures.
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      04-18-2017, 11:13 PM   #11
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@supersam well, it's not that you can't.. It's more that it would be a waste of 10k. You could xpel the wrap and it would have to be removed after 3-5 years as opposed to the 10yr warranty that xpel gets.
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      04-19-2017, 06:57 AM   #12
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I have Xpel. Now the car has little raised pieces on the hood where stones have hit. It may protect the paint OK but not very tear resistant.
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      04-19-2017, 08:23 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MZWIE View Post
I have Xpel. Now the car has little raised pieces on the hood where stones have hit. It may protect the paint OK but not very tear resistant.
You should be able to use warranty. I think it depends on the installer. Found a great shop in Houston has a very good relationship with Xpel and would replace it without a problem.
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      04-19-2017, 10:06 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MBimmer View Post
You should be able to use warranty. I think it depends on the installer. Found a great shop in Houston has a very good relationship with Xpel and would replace it without a problem.
Which shop? I'm building a list of places that need a visit when mine arrives!
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      04-19-2017, 10:58 AM   #15
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Which shop? I'm building a list of places that need a visit when mine arrives!
After a lot of research, I went with Sun Cap Tint and PPF. Mingo Navarro is a master at installing PPF and tint and has been doing it for over 20 years. He only uses Suntek Ultra with a 10 Year Warranty and works on every car himself. My M2 was the third one he worked on in Houston. PM if you need more details.

And my second choice would've easily been Gulf Coast Auto Shield.
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      04-19-2017, 12:20 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by TheBatM2 View Post
After a lot of research, I went with Sun Cap Tint and PPF. Mingo Navarro is a master at installing PPF and tint and has been doing it for over 20 years. He only uses Suntek Ultra with a 10 Year Warranty and works on every car himself. My M2 was the third one he worked on in Houston. PM if you need more details.

And my second choice would've easily been Gulf Coast Auto Shield.
I couldn't find a lot of information on Suntek Ultra. I guess the difference is it's a bit more hydrophobic than the previous version and it has the 10 year warranty?
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      04-19-2017, 12:34 PM   #17
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I couldn't find a lot of information on Suntek Ultra. I guess the difference is it's a bit more hydrophobic than the previous version and it has the 10 year warranty?
And slightly thicker than the previous version. They're owned by Eastman Chemical who also owns Huper Optik, Llumar, and Autobahn ....
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      04-19-2017, 12:50 PM   #18
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Gulf Coast is installing Xpel Stealth. I always wanted a matte/satin finish car and decided to just do it.
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      04-19-2017, 06:09 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyinHou View Post
Which shop? I'm building a list of places that need a visit when mine arrives!
I am doing it at Gulf Coast Auto Shield. He recently moved across the street and his online address is incorrect. Here is the new address:
9442 Summerbell Ln, Houston, TX 77074

Feel free to check out my M2 once he completes the Xpel Stealth.

Here are current progress pics:




Test fit Comparison Xpel Ultimate on top and Xpel Stealth on bottom.






Plus a GT3RS. Did xpel ultimate wrap only on the front. hood, fenders, bumper, mirror caps
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      04-19-2017, 06:35 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MBimmer View Post
Gulf Coast is installing Xpel Stealth. I always wanted a matte/satin finish car and decided to just do it.
Does that have self healing like the regular xpel ultimate so it stays a nice matte finish over the life of the ppf?
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      04-19-2017, 06:54 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by akkando View Post
Does that have self healing like the regular xpel ultimate so it stays a nice matte finish over the life of the ppf?
Yes it has the self healing technology like the Ultimate. He did say tho due to the satin finish on the film, the healing isn't as good as the clear.
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      04-19-2017, 07:08 PM   #22
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It's looking great! Congrats!
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