PPF application areas and some Qs

dasistato · 11-24-2022, 09:37 AM

Hi,

I recently paid to do full front PPF. The package included headlights but the installer told me they don't do it on our cars- something to so with light distortion..

Yesterday i realized they also skipped the side mirrors. I have not asked about it yet but I will bring it up when I go back for inspection in a couple of weeks.

Also on bubbling, they said they were going to take care of any bubbles that would remain when i went for inspection, should I be worried long term? There is 3 left.

Did you get your headlights and side mirrors PPFd? If want to do it if its safe to do- since I already paid for it

Invisiblename · 11-24-2022, 10:10 AM

Not had mine done yet, but the XPEL front end kit includes door mirrors

DrJLag420 · 11-24-2022, 10:31 AM

I got full front. Included headlights and side mirrors. And all the trim on the bumper. Xpel PPF.

dasistato · 11-24-2022, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrJLag420

I got full front. Included headlights and side mirrors. And all the trim on the bumper. Xpel PPF.

Thanks. Mine is also xpel. I'll be sure to bring up to the installer

MPR · 11-24-2022, 11:19 AM

I bought the xpel ultimate plus front bumper kit with shadowline and the center cutout assumes you have adaptive cruise so it's cut incorrectly. There is no option on xpels site to buy the shadowline kit without adaptive cruise. Oddly, the non shadowline front bumper kit assumes you do not have adaptive cruise. I think they thought adaptive cruise came with shadowline.

I opened a case with xpel, asking for the center cutout from their non shadowline kit.

Anyone else have this issue with the xpel precut kit?

240idax · 11-26-2022, 11:22 PM

I got a full front done back in Feb/March and it included headlights, mirrors, all black trim. I also had them do the side skirts and a small bit before rear wheels.

PNTDG42 · 11-28-2022, 01:56 AM

When I took my X3M in for PPF a few months ago, the installer would not do the headlights. He said that the car has laminated headlights and that you should not PPF them. If you Google it, you can find a lot of conversation about it with other cars. Allegedly removing the PPF from a laminated headlight will ruin the headlight. I have no experience with it, just relaying what I am told, and I don't know if the G42 headlights are laminated as well… but if the X3 is, I want to assume the G42 is.

dasistato · 11-28-2022, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PNTDG42

When I took my X3M in for PPF a few months ago, the installer would not do the headlights. He said that the car has laminated headlights and that you should not PPF them. If you Google it, you can find a lot of conversation about it with other cars. Allegedly removing the PPF from a laminated headlight will ruin the headlight. I have no experience with it, just relaying what I am told, and I don't know if the G42 headlights are laminated as well… but if the X3 is, I want to assume the G42 is.

Thank you! I think this is what he said to me. I still need the mirrors and black trim around grills PPFed. Theres also 3 bubbles remaining..

DrJLag420 · 11-28-2022, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PNTDG42

When I took my X3M in for PPF a few months ago, the installer would not do the headlights. He said that the car has laminated headlights and that you should not PPF them. If you Google it, you can find a lot of conversation about it with other cars. Allegedly removing the PPF from a laminated headlight will ruin the headlight. I have no experience with it, just relaying what I am told, and I don't know if the G42 headlights are laminated as well… but if the X3 is, I want to assume the G42 is.

PPF should be good for ten years. Don't plan on removing it.

PNTDG42 · 11-28-2022, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrJLag420

PPF should be good for ten years. Don't plan on removing it.

Theoretically I agree, its the second owners problem in some cases. Although, there tends to be some variance in what people consider "good". After 20-30K, depending on area and driving habits, some sections of the PPF can be looking pretty haggard in the eyes of someone who cares enough to install it in the first place.

PNTDG42 · 11-28-2022, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrJLag420

When you said 'Theoretically', I thought of this:

https://y.yarn.co/4af00ca0-787a-4b02...53a62_text.gif

I was expecting this one before I clicked the link

https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/...65/DpQ9YJl.png

I dont mean to come off smug. Its just that my XPEL PPF on the front of my hood is showing some slightly visible stains with about 9000 miles since install. So far my efforts to get it off have been minimal but I did try a couple products with no luck. My detail shop might have something that renews it fresh. But if not, at this rate, I expect to want to replace a couple pieces in a year or two, assuming I still have the car.

MPR · 11-30-2022, 04:56 PM

Has anyone found anything regarding the headlights being laminated? Or does it not matter given the film will last ~10 years and will not need to be removed

PNTDG42 · 12-01-2022, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPR

Has anyone found anything regarding the headlights being laminated? Or does it not matter given the film will last ~10 years and will not need to be removed

I looked into it a little more and people are saying (reading in Porsche forum) that it's not just removal where it can cause problem. The heat retention caused by the film over the headlight coating can cause passive delaminating. That said, many people are opting to do it anyway. My question is; how to tell if a headlight is laminated to begin with. It sounds like some type of UV coating, I don't know if it's sprayed on or a film or what.

It seems like many many people are doing it anyway, and I'm not seeing any first hand experience with issues.

The more I read on it the more I think I will have my headlights PPF'd and hope for the best.

MPR · 12-01-2022, 05:29 PM

Copy. My PPF guy is doing my hood, headlights, and kidneys in a few days, I'm just going to go for it.

dasistato · 12-02-2022, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPR

Copy. My PPF guy is doing my hood, headlights, and kidneys in a few days, I'm just going to go for it.

Im visiting the shop for inspection Wednesday. I'll ask them to do my kidneys and side mirrors or give me a discount!

dasistato · 12-07-2022, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPR

Copy. My PPF guy is doing my hood, headlights, and kidneys in a few days, I'm just going to go for it.

Can you share pics of ppf on kidneys?

Went to my installer today they agreed to
Do kidneys but informed me that id see visible lines on it.

They also realized they forgot to do ky side mirrors.

So going back next month to get both done.

HawksG42 · 12-14-2022, 12:34 PM

I had the entire front done (lights, sensors, basically anywhere he could fit a piece), A pillars, and 5" in front of the sunroof. He said that he couldn't do the mirrors because of the matte finish but apparently some are doing it.

I saw a PPF protector spray from Chemical Guys. Does anyone have experience using it? Just curious if it helps extend the life of it.

11-24-2022, 09:37 AM	#1
dasistato Private 46 Rep 87 Posts Drives: G42 M240i, E30 Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: VA iTrader: (0)	PPF application areas and some Qs Hi, I recently paid to do full front PPF. The package included headlights but the installer told me they don't do it on our cars- something to so with light distortion.. Yesterday i realized they also skipped the side mirrors. I have not asked about it yet but I will bring it up when I go back for inspection in a couple of weeks. Also on bubbling, they said they were going to take care of any bubbles that would remain when i went for inspection, should I be worried long term? There is 3 left. Did you get your headlights and side mirrors PPFd? If want to do it if its safe to do- since I already paid for it
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11-24-2022, 10:10 AM	#2
Invisiblename Lieutenant 360 Rep 438 Posts Drives: M240i Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Not had mine done yet, but the XPEL front end kit includes door mirrors __________________ M240i x-drive (Thundernight, 19" 893Ms, Cognac, Pro Pack, Adaptive, Sunroof)
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11-24-2022, 10:31 AM	#3
DrJLag420 Lieutenant 842 Rep 511 Posts Drives: 2022 BMW M240i Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Private iTrader: (0)	I got full front. Included headlights and side mirrors. And all the trim on the bumper. Xpel PPF.
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11-24-2022, 11:19 AM	#5
MPR Colonel 1951 Rep 2,127 Posts Drives: 22 M240i Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	I bought the xpel ultimate plus front bumper kit with shadowline and the center cutout assumes you have adaptive cruise so it's cut incorrectly. There is no option on xpels site to buy the shadowline kit without adaptive cruise. Oddly, the non shadowline front bumper kit assumes you do not have adaptive cruise. I think they thought adaptive cruise came with shadowline. I opened a case with xpel, asking for the center cutout from their non shadowline kit. Anyone else have this issue with the xpel precut kit? Last edited by MPR; 11-27-2022 at 11:43 AM..
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11-26-2022, 11:22 PM	#6
240idax Private 59 Rep 84 Posts Drives: 2022 BMW m240i Join Date: Dec 2021 Location: Ohio iTrader: (0)	I got a full front done back in Feb/March and it included headlights, mirrors, all black trim. I also had them do the side skirts and a small bit before rear wheels.
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11-28-2022, 01:56 AM	#7
PNTDG42 Lieutenant 505 Rep 442 Posts Drives: G42, F97 LCI, EBA R35, Z34 Join Date: Nov 2022 Location: Illinois iTrader: (0)	When I took my X3M in for PPF a few months ago, the installer would not do the headlights. He said that the car has laminated headlights and that you should not PPF them. If you Google it, you can find a lot of conversation about it with other cars. Allegedly removing the PPF from a laminated headlight will ruin the headlight. I have no experience with it, just relaying what I am told, and I don't know if the G42 headlights are laminated as well… but if the X3 is, I want to assume the G42 is.
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11-30-2022, 04:56 PM	#12
MPR Colonel 1951 Rep 2,127 Posts Drives: 22 M240i Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	Has anyone found anything regarding the headlights being laminated? Or does it not matter given the film will last ~10 years and will not need to be removed
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12-01-2022, 05:29 PM	#14
MPR Colonel 1951 Rep 2,127 Posts Drives: 22 M240i Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	Copy. My PPF guy is doing my hood, headlights, and kidneys in a few days, I'm just going to go for it.
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12-14-2022, 12:34 PM	#17
HawksG42 CE560XL Pilot 54 Rep 91 Posts Drives: 2022 M240i Join Date: Dec 2022 Location: Gilbert, AZ iTrader: (0)	I had the entire front done (lights, sensors, basically anywhere he could fit a piece), A pillars, and 5" in front of the sunroof. He said that he couldn't do the mirrors because of the matte finish but apparently some are doing it. I saw a PPF protector spray from Chemical Guys. Does anyone have experience using it? Just curious if it helps extend the life of it.
	Appreciate 1 dasistato46.00 Quote