New 2016 GTI: Was my Clear bra applied correctly?

PoopcornPoppers · April 1, 2016

I have a question for all. I was flipping through the pictures and seen that some of the cuts along the glass was not matched that well. My film design program is never acurate with the top of the glass. is that acceptable? Or what best practices do you do to get it to match the curve?

:yeah in film designs I make my patterns roughly .125" wider and about .25" longer to allow for no gaps on the sides and to give you more to shave the edge

gcjin2007 · April 1, 2016

UPDATE:

Bumper got repainted at D&V Autoshop. Looks great! let me know what you think. Where i am at now. Suntek clearbra is the best. XPEL is good and thicker but has more orange peel. I'm planning on clearbra next friday. Let me know what you think and thanks for all the help so far!!

Toronto Guy · April 2, 2016

I'm happy to hear that they stood behind their work.

XPEL Ultimate is a great film. Use lots of it, specifically for bulk work. 10 year warranty to boot.

Did not appreciate my experience with Suntek film, although I admit it looks clear.

Good luck with the next install, I hope you have a better experience.

Film Tech · April 7, 2016

Sorry to hear of all the aggravation that you have had to deal with through this process.

I know you have plans for an install this Friday but if you would be interested in looking at 3m Scotchgard Pro series I would be happy to refer you to one of our dealers in the Md. area.

Toronto Guy · April 7, 2016

Sorry to hear of all the aggravation that you have had to deal with through this process.

I know you have plans for an install this Friday but if you would be interested in looking at 3m Scotchgard Pro series I would be happy to refer you to one of our dealers in the Md. area.

Pro series is a great film as well. A touch more difficult to install than XPEL, but thats not the customer's concern. If you're OK with precut bumper installations, I'd rate it up with Ultimate.

waxworkz · April 8, 2016

Looks pretty good except for those holograms the body shop left. It's OK they almost never charge more for them.

Glad you got it fix and you'll be happy with suntek, best looking film on the market. Although xpel has its points, I prefer suntek

envious eric · April 13, 2016

The guys over at speedfreak will set you up right.

have them apply modesta over everything after a detailing, as waxworkz said, the holograms/buffer trails on the new paint are an eyesore and will take away from the clarity and gloss under the film.

and get a full front with wrapped edges this time. cleaner install!

April 16, 2016

What are you complaining about? It's clear, isn't it? And it's a bra. Stop being so picky. Sheesh.

limeybastard · April 16, 2016

My regular guy "rushed" one of my previous cars and also left a few light clear coat knife marks on my front lower bumper areas.

Irony, paying to have paint protection on a new vehicle and they first casualty is paint being cut up by installer.

April 16, 2016

It's common in our field, Mr. Limeybastard...(trying hard not to laugh)...that it is oftentimes we, those entrusted by society as the guardians of painted vehicles, who inflict the very first damage done to a painted vehicle.
You see, most of us PPF guys, and gals if any, began our careers as either glass tinters and/or stripers...workers who use sharp knives to cut clear through various vinyls and/or polyesters after being applied to the surface of a painted vehicle or onto autoglass.. And we, after carving up several painted vehicles and scratching the living shit out of several pieces of autoglass, finally developed "the touch" whereby we could and do cut materials applied to vehicles without doing harm either to ourselves or others, or harm to the vehicle itself. Though, I have ran across several men over the years, and one single woman, who, after many years of trying, never could quite get it...how to cut materials applied to painted or glass surfaces without causing harm. Only God, and perhaps a few angels (Humans were created " a little lower than angels" says The Word, not far beneath them as most religious leaders/church goers claim) really know why that is. It's not something that can be taught. "The Touch" can only be experienced, and only after many painful months or years of causing harm, and with the associated pains motivating ones self to become handier with a knife. That's why grandfathers never give a pocket knife to their grandsons until after the child is old enough to discipline/spank.
And, on top of all of that, these skilled knifepersons are called upon to cut a thicker material without causing harm. PPF is much thicker than glass film or vinyls applied to vehicles. Skilled knifepersons in our field had become used to having to cut clear through materials...something that if done using PPF causes harm. PPF only needs to be scribed, not cut clear through, in order to make a successful cut. This is made easier if there is at least a slight "tug" on the PPF, which cannot be accomplished using pre-cut non custom "kits" that are so popular these days. And these poor youngsters who are learning the trade using kits, when at first faced with the challenge of cutting PPF, glass film or vinyl after being applied to a vehicle's surface, well...sad to say, they do a lot of damage and never get spanked for it, And so never do reap the rewards of having physical pain motivate them to become handier with a knife. This very same condition is common in America's system of education, and almost made mandatory in homes across the country, and has it's roots coming from the very first day our lawmakers decided to take away school teachers' and school bus driver's secondary disciplinary tool, the paddle, and with local law enforcement arresting and charging parents with the crime of "child abuse" for following God's orders and actually spanking their unruly child. Funny...now, with all these men and boys who are addicted to powerful mind altering Rx prescription drugs going into schools and killing people, aka "mass murderers", our lawmakers are actually considering giving loaded weapons to school teachers! School teachers who were never even entrusted with a paddle! I hope to God they never arm school teachers with loaded weapons.
And so, Mr. Limeybastard, there simply is no real solution to our problem(s). Especially now that we have become a " softer/gentler nation" of peoples. Our only hope is that our customers stop lending value to their name sake: CUSTOM installations of PPF, glass films, vinyl graphics, etc. And that's something that our industry leaders are very well aware of, and so came the plotter doing what this new generation of prospective knifepersons would never be able to do no matter how hard they tried. (Cut something without causing harm) Simply put, us old timers are being pushed out to make room for squadrons of newbies. (Pshaw)