[Bmw240xi18]

My car is on a vessel and I'm super excited, but I'm also anxious/excited at all of the opportunities. My questions are as follows:

1) did you clear bra part or all of your car?
2) is it worth it in the immediate term or can it be done later?
3) is it worth it if you plan on keeping the car a long time?
4) what are your thoughts on the issue?

I'm just trying to figure out what to do.
2018 EB M240i xdrive

[chemh0ser]

I had xpel ultimate installed on the hood, front bumper, front fenders, headlights and mirrors. I have no regrets and definitely feel it was worth it. I did it within the first month and I'm going to keep my car for a while.

[BodegaBay]

Congratulations on the new car!

I've had paint protection film (PPF) on all of my previous four vehicles. The two leading self healing PPFs are Expel Ultimate and Suntek.

1. Unless you want your car to live in a bubble, having total car coverage is overkill and expensive. The standard choice is bumber + partial hood + partial front quarter panel (along with included door cups, side mirrors, headlights/fog lights, and rear trunk liner). For me, I upgraded with full hood. Expect to pay $600-1200 hour this type of coverage depending on the market you're in.

2. Ideally you'd want to have it done ASAP before you get any rock chips on the hood. That said, my M235i is a 3yo CPO car and either the BMW paint is exceptionally strong or the previous owner babied the car but I had zero chips when I had the Suntek installed.

3. Very definitely yes its worth it in the long run. I've had cars that had pitted fron air dams and chips on the hood after couple years.

4. No other thoughts on the issue. Simply put, put it on for rock chip protection on the car. PPF is a must IMO.

[gk09]

Originally Posted by Bmw240xi18

My car is on a vessel and I'm upset excited, but I'm also anxious/excited at all of the opportunities. My questions are as follows:

1) did you clear bra part or all of your car?
2) is it worth it in the immediate term or can it be done later?
3) is it worth it if you plan on keeping the car a long time?
4) what are your thoughts on the issue?

I'm just trying to figure out what to do.
2018 EB M240i xdrive

The paint on these new BMW?s is shit! It?s way too soft.

I did Xpel full hood, bumper, headlights, mirrors (which they did by accident for free) and partial fenders.

I?ve spoken with many new Bmw owners and they said ?get it right away, the paint just flakes so easy?

[gk09]

Originally Posted by chemh0ser

I had xpel ultimate installed on the hood, front bumper, front fenders, headlights and mirrors. I have no regrets and definitely feel it was worth it. I did it within the first month and I'm going to keep my car for a while.

Also if you wait and accumulate random chips, it?s very expensive to have the bumper and/or hood painted and the chances of it being a perfect make are slim. Plus at that point your paying 10 food then getting it protected immediately.

[overcoil]

I regret not having it done when I just received my car. I was reluctant to get clear bra for two reasons, after a long time would removing clear bra pull off paint, and having installers have a razor near my paint for installation - but if you go to an extremely good shop those things shouldn't be an issue.
But after 25,000 miles and no bra I have two little stone chips low down on front spoiler - and it doesn't bother me not having bra, but I wish I'd installed a bra.

Also don't tailgate and don't get behind trucks.

[Bmw240xi18]

Thanks for the info! I will absolutely start with front bumper and full hood combo. I was quoted an installed price of $500 front bumper and $1000 for full hood, motors, and fenders. What do you all think?

[BodegaBay]

Originally Posted by Bmw240xi18

Thanks for the info! I will absolutely start with front bumper and full hood combo. I was quoted an installed price of $500 front bumper and $1000 for full hood, motors, and fenders. What do you all think?

That's about right for a full hood combo in a metropolitan mkt such as Phoenix or Tucson. For 1K, I'd ask the vendor to throw in door handle cups (to prevent fingers scratching opening doors over time) and a trunk strip to prevent scratching for loading/unloading. You might also consider getting two other quotes (including a Suntek PPF dealer) in the area just to keep everyone honest.

For my mkt, I paid 700 for this combo including rear tailights.

[Bmw240xi18]

Originally Posted by BodegaBay

That's about right for a full hood combo in a metropolitan mkt such as Phoenix or Tucson. For 1K, I'd ask the vendor to throw in door handle cups (to prevent fingers scratching opening doors over time) and a trunk strip to prevent scratching for loading/unloading. You might also consider getting two other quotes (including a Suntek PPF dealer) in the area just to keep everyone honest.

For my mkt, I paid 700 for this combo including rear tailights.

Good advice. Thank you.

[PDXF22]

Looks like most people here are talking about leading edge protection, i.e. hood, bumper, mirrors etc. I don't have much of an opinion on that since it doesn't see to be much of an issue for me.

However, I was detailing my car the other day and I noticed where the painted part of the front fender and rear bumper cover wrap into the wheel well for a few millimeters the paint is nearly totally worn way. I only have 6k miles over the past 14 months so it's a bit unnerving to be loosing paint at such a high rate there. There's also quite a few little nicks and chips on the side part of rear bumper cover on the following edge of the wheel well. I purchased some clear bra and installed a little a strip back there to help with that and it seems to be working.

You might want to mention that to your installer to see if you can prevent what I'm seeing.

Good luck!

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by PDXF22

Looks like most people here are talking about leading edge protection, i.e. hood, bumper, mirrors etc. I don't have much of an opinion on that since it doesn't see to be much of an issue for me.

However, I was detailing my car the other day and I noticed where the painted part of the front fender and rear bumper cover wrap into the wheel well for a few millimeters the paint is nearly totally worn way. I only have 6k miles over the past 14 months so it's a bit unnerving to be loosing paint at such a high rate there. There's also quite a few little nicks and chips on the side part of rear bumper cover on the following edge of the wheel well. I purchased some clear bra and installed a little a strip back there to help with that and it seems to be working.

You might want to mention that to your installer to see if you can prevent what I'm seeing.

Good luck!

I was talking to my detail shop about this the other day. The nature of modern paints (shitty) and application process leaves the paint very thin in spots. Where you mention especially. I washed my 2016 then my dad?s 2006 a few weeks ago and it?s shocking how much nicer his paint is on the older car.

For OP - do the leading edge if you?re worried about it, but don?t go crazy. I realize it?s not a cheap car and is nicer than anything most people will ever drive, but it?s not a $50M Bugatti from the 30s with lacquer paints that are impossible to touch up. Drive it, if it gets a little ?character? along the way it?s easy enough to fix once it reaches critical mass.

[Bmw240xi18]

Originally Posted by BEM-S4

I was talking to my detail shop about this the other day. The nature of modern paints (shitty) and application process leaves the paint very thin in spots. Where you mention especially. I washed my 2016 then my dad?s 2006 a few weeks ago and it?s shocking how much nicer his paint is on the older car.

For OP - do the leading edge if you?re worried about it, but don?t go crazy. I realize it?s not a cheap car and is nicer than anything most people will ever drive, but it?s not a $50M Bugatti from the 30s with lacquer paints that are impossible to touch up. Drive it, if it gets a little ?character? along the way it?s easy enough to fix once it reaches critical mass.

That's a good point. I may very well be overly excited about my new ride and I just want to...baby it...a little more than take it for what it is. A sports car. That said, I think a few basics do make sense - the backs of the wheels could be protected with a bra, and maybe the front fender as well. Hood and all else could just be protected by not tailgating, etc.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by Bmw240xi18

That's a good point. I may very well be overly excited about my new ride and I just want to...baby it...a little more than take it for what it is. A sports car. That said, I think a few basics do make sense - the backs of the wheels could be protected with a bra, and maybe the front fender as well. Hood and all else could just be protected by not tailgating, etc.

Just based on wear to my car - and I have NO protection on it - I would do the front end and a shark fin shape behind each wheel. The M2 I believe has it that way from factory. Hood - not being plastic - is easier to touch up than bumper so I would not worry about it. Mirrors are easy to swap and cheap to replace so I'd skip those.

With that you're probably about as good as needs done without going overboard.

[Supernaut]

My last car had quite a few chips off the nose and they bugged me, so I had my car done (bumper, partial hood & quarters, rockers, top of rear bumper). I did get one small chip/ding in the mid bumper just driving back from PCD, so the sooner the better IMO.

[Bmw240xi18]

Originally Posted by Supernaut

My last car had quite a few chips off the nose and they bugged me, so I had my car done (bumper, partial hood & quarters, rockers, top of rear bumper). I did get one small chip/ding in the mid bumper just driving back from PCD, so the sooner the better IMO.

How did the partial hood look? Was the line noticeable?