Reasonable defects following paint protection film installation?

tango2 · January 12, 2016

Look any installer can achieve perfect installations it just requires that an installer be their own worst critic

Accepting that they don't exist is a compromise any of us choose to believe.

It's just a case of accepting the pain of binning film till you tune the skill set

Folk either accept that or not if you are happy with your standards that is all that matters we take a different view long term it pays off with better morale no callbacks due to installer error so better margins overall.

Jake · January 12, 2016

I agree with supreme. I always under promise and over deliver to my customers.Perfection is in the eye of the beholder. PPF film in itself is not perfect, so tell me how you can get a perfect install.

Tango tell me how your installs are all 100% perfect when at an angle I can see a grain to the any film in the right light. When I lift the hood the film does not lay perfect over the pinch weld/seem sealer under the hood lip when wrapped. How come the film has a seem in the bumper around a certain fog light. Sounds extreme , but these are all things I have been questioned on from customers. It comes from the customer being uneducated, and not knowing what to expect from an install. Supreme did the right thing in letting the OP know what to expect. From your profile it looks like you have 5 years under your belt. That's great you strive to do your best, but I have triple that in years of experience, and have yet to see a 100% perfect install. Offering to have people come to you to see one is just being cocky. Because you know its not going to happen.

To the OP the best thing for you to do is to go see installs done from a few different places. Not so much to see who is best, but to learn/see what to expect from a PPF install in general. Lastly inspect them like you would your own car. I have people come look at cars we have completed, and just glance at them, and say looks great. But then eye f&*& the install on their personal car. At the end of the day with a good install PPF is a great product to keep you car free from 99% of chips and looking fresh for years.

minty · January 12, 2016

The day I feel I am putting out 100% installs 100% of the time is the day I look for another career.

Let the customer see an install, warts and all (or as many as they can) before they buy into it, under promise and over deliver otherwise I feel you are setting yourself up for a fall.

Steve

DynamicATL · January 12, 2016

Look any installer can achieve perfect installations it just requires that an installer be their own worst critic

Accepting that they don't exist is a compromise any of us choose to believe.

It's just a case of accepting the pain of binning film till you tune the skill set

Folk either accept that or not if you are happy with your standards that is all that matters we take a different view long term it pays off with better morale no callbacks due to installer error so better margins overall.

Please do not take this the wrong way, not trying to call you out or your company. However here is a photo pulled from your Facebook that shows 2 possible flaws. As you know to spot flaws on a photo is extremely hard, but only took 2 minutes of looking to see it. It clearly looks like it is on top of the paint. To me, looks like bad cut or gouge marks in the PPF. Once again, I could be wrong and not trying to bash or create in argument.

Original Photos...

Here is the same image zoomed in and red circles placed around possible flaws. There are also 2 more spots...1 below the 2 circles, and 1 above.

tango2 · January 12, 2016

You are completely wrong

Firstly we have never cut on the car Not in our entire history second there are no install flaws on that car

I trust you have taken that up with the client concerned

I am afraid your photo interpret ion skills leave a great deal to be desired

Possible is not the same as actual

If that's the best you have try harder

In 14 years there is not one single documented instance of us cutting on the car

Like I said climb on a plane and check for yourself

Many players including those from Xpel Suntek and 3m have crawled all over our work over the years and never found any flaws in the work in progress

Cheers

Slippedup · January 12, 2016

This my be my first post on here as I try to steer clear of forums for just this reason, but how can you put up photos of someone's work to emphasize you're point or 'out' someone when you base your argument on 'possible' flaws from a photograph. I'm afraid you render your entire post pointless. Factless conjecture is what is wrong with forums these days. You may well be very educated in this field but I'm afraid you are not showing it.

DynamicATL · January 12, 2016

You are completely wrong

Firstly we have never cut on the car Not in our entire history second there are no install flaws on that car

I trust you have taken that up with the client concerned

I am afraid your photo interpret ion skills leave a great deal to be desired

Possible is not the same as actual

If that's the best you have try harder

In 14 years there is not one single documented instance of us cutting on the car

Like I said climb on a plane and check for yourself

Many players including those from Xpel Suntek and 3m have crawled all over our work over the years and never found any flaws in the work in progress

Cheers

Like I said I could be wrong. Also never said anything about cutting on the car...could be a gouge from tucking it in under the light. Either way I am glad you have the confidence and hope it helps to sell the jobs. With that being said, flawless still don't happen.

DynamicATL · January 12, 2016

This my be my first post on here as I try to steer clear of forums for just this reason, but how can you put up photos of someone's work to emphasize you're point or 'out' someone when you base your argument on 'possible' flaws from a photograph. I'm afraid you render your entire post pointless. Factless conjecture is what is wrong with forums these days. You may well be very educated in this field but I'm afraid you are not showing it.

My point of posting the photo was to show a possible defect and see if there was any possible explanation given to what it is since it does not look to be paint related. Nobody is going to his shop to watch the work for a week to point anything out, so a photo is all we got. Since I stated it is very hard to find a flaw on photos, an explanation of those marks should be easy to explain since it is so blatant. There was no explanation given just a defense which proves my point to me. Flawless don't happen period, not 100% of everyday. I won't post anymore responses since I am satisfied and there no point arguing with someone that claims flawless installs.

Slippedup · January 12, 2016

I understand you were trying to illustrate a point, I'm just saying your methods of proof are flawed. As you well pointed out it is difficult to see defects in a photograph. As I see it this/these could be anything from a stone chip to cigarette ash blown onto the car in the wind. Is it a bird, is it a plane ..... springs to mind. Without seeing a car in the flesh it is impossible to be proven right or wrong. So I agree this topic cannot be settled either way and should be left where it stands.