Stone Chip Film ... help and suggestions please!!

[Rags]

^^ I will ask him to apply it with a sponge to get that BMW effect :hahaha:

:hahaha::hahaha::hahaha::hahaha::hahaha::hahaha::h ahaha::hahaha:

The boys on detailing world will cry!

[NZ_M3]

Well I did just get my car fully repainted, so it's probably worth while putting the film on.

Getting someone to look at it today actually.

Do you think doing just part of the bonnet and front guards are okay? Or should I do the full bonnet and full guard??

[Mark CSL]

Well I did just get my car fully repainted, so it's probably worth while putting the film on.

Getting someone to look at it today actually.

Do you think doing just part of the bonnet and front guards are okay? Or should I do the full bonnet and full guard??

I have the full wings done so you dont see any edges and i have 2/3 of the bonnet done :thumbs: + the other parts bumper and the likes worth every penny

[NZ_M3]

Well, after doing a bit of research and speaking to a few other regular trackers both locally and abroad, I took the dive and got the car clear filmed by Venturesheild

Found the best applicator that there is here in New Zealand and did the following:
- Full bonnet
- Full bumper and splitters
- Headlights (he threw these in for free)
- Full front guards)
- Full length side skirts
- full length rockers
- half of the doors
- 1/4 of the rear guards (in line with the doors)

I have to say the results are AMAZING :thumbs: Really pleased I went ahead with the job and finally I can enjoy the car without worrying about stone chips!!!

The applicator took 2 days to do the job as he wanted a perfect finish and he was only a one man band operator ... 14 hours later .. results!!

Now for the photos:

[Mark CSL]

Looking good Tom
Did you get the bottom of the doors done ??

[NZ_M3]

Looking good Tom
Did you get the bottom of the doors done ??

CHEERS Mark!!!

Sure did ... the bottom half of the doors, rocker panels and side skirts .. and 1/4 of the rear guard to bring it in line with the bottom half of the doors.

Basically I asked the panel shop where the stone chips were and had all those areas covered :thumbs:

Took the car around the panel shop afterwards to show them the job - their jaws dropped and were blown away by how good it looks ... even the shine from the product matches the clear coat of the car.

When I had the car repainted the painter measured the paint to ensure he wasn't laying too much product on there and matched the natural peel in the clear coat to factory. Took them a whole month to do the job ... new clips, moulding ect were used. :hahaha: I am a happy man.

[Bealo]

Looking good :thumbs: :thumbs:

[Mark CSL]

Thats the only part i did not do Tom.
But i have more film in the garage so i shall do it when i get the car back from BMW when ever that is :hahaha:

[bryce]

It does look good but the fact you can still see the seams bothers me.

How does a 'chipped' venturesheild panel look? What was the % cost vs a respray?

[NZ_M3]

Mark I'd highly recommend doing the bottom of the doors - I certainly picked up a couple of chips from tracking the car on that panel.

It does look good but the fact you can still see the seams bothers me.

How does a 'chipped' venturesheild panel look? What was the % cost vs a respray?

You have to remember that this is a stone chip protection film, not a miracle film that's going to stop everything penetrating it - if it was I'd imagine it to be fairly difficult to cut and mould to shape.

The cut lines are honestly not that noticeable and because it is so close to the edge it blends in with the car some what. I was initially a bit concerned also, but to be honest after seeing it in person, it doesn't bother me.

Chipped venturesheild would look no worse than a paint chipped panel, the difference being you can easily and quickly replace the film and still have good paint underneath (sure there will be the odd ones that will penetrate and damage the paint, but I would say for majority of the stones or pebbles that come in contact, they will do very little damage).

Cost wise, the film is about 1/3 of the cost of a near perfect repaint job here.