How Long Does an install normally take?

[alberts316]

[alassing]

I can do an install on a 24" upper and lower including lights in about 4 hrs with a car I've never touched before.

I can do an install on a 24" upper and lower including lights in about 2 hrs with a car I've already worked with.

For example, Vette's.....2 hr's tops from start to finish with no help at all. All edges wrapped, sealed, etc.....

All using pre cut kits from XPEL's DAP.

Add about another 30 min to 1 hr if I'm doing full upper instead of 24" upper.

Now......back in the day when I 1st started.....8 to 10 hrs per car (pain in the rear)......

With experience I've gotten much quicker.....with my quickness my installs are looking much better.....so I can attest to the comment about the quicker the better the end result holds true.

I am only factoring in my install times biased on from the time I start to lay down film to the time I am completely done.

If I add prep into the mix before I lay film on the car.....this certainly adds time but depends on how extreme I have to go to get the surface ready for film.

I have a Audi S4 I'm working on right now here.....

Just did the front bumper, headlights, fog lights, and mirrors in 45 minutes....... I'll also add that this isn't a very difficult car to work on..... thank goodness too....I could use a break, LOL !!!!!

Going to get the full hood and fenders done now.....

Happy installing!!!!

~A

[pro-tect mobile]

Interesting thread. Install times vary on the skill of the installer and the difficulty of the car. Tim I would LOVE to see you take just 20 minutes more to install a full hood on a 2008 Dodge Viper compared to a partial. Not going to happen. There are just too many factors to consider when installing film to give a time limit on what someone should be doing an install in. So to say so is kind of ridiculous honestly. I personally watched your installers the day I was there and not one single car made it out the door in two hours. In fact the Range Rover was there a few hours pretty easily... I watched... and the A6 took quiet a while just to get the full hood on... and that was with two of your installers working together on it. Now they did have to COMPLETELY lift the entire hood piece off due to a piece of dirt underneath it... a great point in why the Ultimate adhesive is too sensitive even when using the gel.... but I wont elaborate on that as obviously it is the installers fault for not being able to work with your product.

[msheurs]

I aim for 2 hours just on a bumper, working bulk. if im doing a partial front end with lights and mirrors I try and block off 4 hrs but keep the car for the full day. its just me working on it. after getting on the lift or ramps, filling my bottles, cleaning, measuring and cutting, cleaning again and then the work the time goes by pretty quick. I also agree that the less you handle it the better the outcome is but I dont think its a good idea to say that youd have to rush thru things either. I pretty much use xpel exclusively and see very little problems it really seems to be holding up extremely well on the work ive done. I can use the analogy of tint and 3M crystalline film. I think its a real solid product but alot of experienced guys that pick it up cant get past shrinking it. its not reinventing the wheel to make it work its just adapting a little.

[Guest XPEL Tim]

Interesting thread. Install times vary on the skill of the installer and the difficulty of the car. Tim I would LOVE to see you take just 20 minutes more to install a full hood on a 2008 Dodge Viper compared to a partial. Not going to happen. There are just too many factors to consider when installing film to give a time limit on what someone should be doing an install in. So to say so is kind of ridiculous honestly. I personally watched your installers the day I was there and not one single car made it out the door in two hours. In fact the Range Rover was there a few hours pretty easily... I watched... and the A6 took quiet a while just to get the full hood on... and that was with two of your installers working together on it. Now they did have to COMPLETELY lift the entire hood piece off due to a piece of dirt underneath it... a great point in why the Ultimate adhesive is too sensitive even when using the gel.... but I wont elaborate on that as obviously it is the installers fault for not being able to work with your product.

You're welcome to come down any time you want to watch, Thom. It's interesting that both you and Norm think 2 hours is unreasonable, while Norm says he could do a Passat in 1 hour if he were to do it one more time.

By the way, when you were here we were training 3 people. One new installer for us and two others from the class. Yes, they were slower.

[Guest Invisibra.net]

Um, I don't think I said it was unreasonable Tim. In fact, I had said that a kit install should be 2-3 hours if for a dealership. That means that yes, it can be done in 2 hours.

Please quote where I said 2 hours was "unreasonable"

And, yes. I was able to do a 24" hood, fender tips, bumper, headlights on a VW Passat in an hour and a half with a pre cut kit on a dealer car. Don't think I said that was not possible. If I had 2 or 3 to do in a row, I could for sure get them done even faster. However, on AVERAGE, you did not count in the time-killing extra real life hassles that most people have to deal with.

Bulk installations take longer however. I just did a brand new body style Porsche. The job took me yesterday to do full hood, bumper, headlights, mirrors. I was not hurrying. That's why I own my own business. I can do 1 job a day, taking my time, & doing outstanding work, no rushing, excellent quality.

I do disagree with you that doing a full front end of a car takes 10 minutes longer than doing a 24" front end.

I'm done with this conversation. I think you should let Jeff handle PR and the internet customer communications. He has been far more professional in my opinion. He does not misquote people as often.

You're welcome to come down any time you want to watch, Thom. It's interesting that both you and Norm think 2 hours is unreasonable, while Norm says he could do a Passat in 1 hour if he were to do it one more time.

By the way, when you were here we were training 3 people. One new installer for us and two others from the class. Yes, they were slower.

[Guest XPEL Tim]

Norm,

I really don't get what you are so fired up about. Am I not allowed to express my own opinion on installation times, kit vs. bulk, etc? Am I not allowed to defend my company's position in the marketplace when someone describes pre-cut kits as being the cheap, poorly fitting option in the industry?

Blows me away. I would be more than 3 hours on this job doing it custom, hand-trimmed. No wonder you pattern, pre-cut kit sellers are so popular. It has more edge gaps than I like, but you cannot argue with the ease, & speed of the installation. The customer wanted it cheap, so that's what we did.

My response was merely that often there is not enough training being offered on the kit designs rather than installation technique, resulting in a poor fit. I also stated that it is possible to use a kit to provide a stunning installation if it is a great design, you have some options in the software and the installer has the skills. Instead of skills, maybe I should have worded it more like if the installer has the training to know how the designer designed the kit to go on the car, since you seem to think I was taking a shot at you. I wasn't. The point was that it can be done another way with great results if the installer and the designer are on the same page.

You are right, you did not say 2 hours was unreasonable. You said it was "misleading" while Thom said to say that was "ridiculous."

So, telling him that it will take X time to do it, based on a large, high volume point of view is misleading. Your installers get to start the job, & run right through till finished, with minimal distractions. I think I express the much more likely scenario to someone in the poster's situation.

And Thom's post:

There are just too many factors to consider when installing film to give a time limit on what someone should be doing an install in. So to say so is kind of ridiculous honestly.

Am I not allowed to retort? I don't believe anything I said was unprofessional, and none of it was an attack on you. Let's just bury the hatchet, eh?

[TINTZEUS]

I can do a 2009 silver BMW 5 series. 24" hood, fenders, mirrors, A pillers and front bumper in 35 40 minutes. Now a black 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL might take 2 hours maybe 3...then again it might go real smooth and only take an hour and a half.

Then I could get some old ass Porsche that takes me half a day...never know. You guys need to give yourselves plenty of time for an install no matter how small. Try to keep the vehicle as long as you can and do your best!

[pro-tect mobile]

I said it was ridiculous that you make a generalization that ANY full hood can be done with an additional 20 minutes of time. I am sure in your 16 years you have run across some cars that were much harder than others.... so yes there are numerous factors to consider when setting a time.

By the way Tim the trainer was workign with 2 students and the other three installers were left alone. The two working onthe full hood showed me all I needed to see... that there are adhesive issues and the gel doesnt make it any easier. These are your installers.

This thread reflects the arrogance I have seen first hand through your company. I guess it starts from the top and trickles down. But I will refrain from commenting on any of your threads and your company.... and will refrain from doing any business with you guys.

[msheurs]

I proudly took 3.5 hrs today and did a white california bumper and full fenders to damn near perfection. Tomorrows the full hood and I plan on spending an hour on it at least. I think that's good money made in a reasonable time for bulk work.