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  1. #16
    DETAILED TODAY? PA DETAILER's Avatar
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    Re: Just bought a new car

    Thanks for the recommendations!

    That Hydro Blue sounds like snake oil from reading the application instructions. It seems completely counter intuitive to spray a liquid onto a wet surface, then hit it with a jet of water! I`m sure its a legit product and its been a while since my fluid dynamics and materials science classes so I`ll take proven results as proof!


    0402171903-01.jpg

    By no means snake oil. Best product to come along in a while. If you have a large truck/suv it is a blessing! And I was also skeptical of it till I tried it. LOVE IT.

    My experience with it...

    https://www.autopia.org/forums/click...ght=hydro+blue
    2018 Chevy Colorado ZR2
    www.autiopia.org

  2. #17

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    Re: Just bought a new car

    Easy...white vehicle:

    -Decontaminate chemically to remove anything nasty (including ferrous contamination that leads to rust-blooms)
    -Examine for/correct (if desired) any marring
    -Wax with FK1000P, once coat now, second after the next wash
    -Seal exterior trim with Ultima Tire & Trim Guard Plus
    -Wash with good techniques and a quality shampoo
    -Use Infinite Use Detail Juice (or at least FK425) as a Drying Aid at every wash unless refreshing FK1000P
    -Maintain exterior black trim with D156/Meguiar`s Ultimate Qwik Wax
    -Refresh FK1000P whenever something discernible changes (e.g., the beading)

    That`s the Short Version, but basically it`s *exactly* what I`d do. It *is* what I do for daily drivers, and often for my Garage Queens too. Very low-maintenance.

  3. #18

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    Re: Just bought a new car

    In the interest of not opening a new thread. Has anyone used the clear bra material? Wifey wants some protection at the back bumper so she doesn`t scratch it all up. The rubber bumper protectors only cover the top surface, and it has been my experience that it is the leading edge that takes the most abuse. I`m thinking about doing a clear protector, if not on the top and wrapped down the back, install a protector, and then wrap the edge and down the bumper with film.

  4. #19

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    Re: Just bought a new car

    Quote Originally Posted by black2002ls View Post
    In the interest of not opening a new thread. Has anyone used the clear bra material? Wifey wants some protection at the back bumper so she doesn`t scratch it all up. .. I`m thinking about doing a clear protector, if not on the top and wrapped down the back, install a protector, and then wrap the edge and down the bumper with film.
    Some of today`s Paint Protection Films ("PPF") are pretty incredible. There are even self-healing ones. If the bumpercover really *is* likely to get subjected to damage, then that might be a great idea.

  5. #20

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    Re: Just bought a new car

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    Some of today`s Paint Protection Films ("PPF") are pretty incredible. There are even self-healing ones. If the bumpercover really *is* likely to get subjected to damage, then that might be a great idea.
    The only film I`m familiar with is 3M. Are there other products I should look into! With a 1 year old and loading stuff in and out of the back, the bumper cover us guaranteed to see a lot of things drug over it!

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  6. #21

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    Re: Just bought a new car

    Quote Originally Posted by black2002ls View Post
    The only film I`m familiar with is 3M. Are there other products I should look into!
    Wish I could remember the details...can`t say just who`s making the Great Stuff these days. Gee, *somebody* here must know.

  7. #22

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    Re: Just bought a new car

    I`ll exercise my googlefoo this weekend

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  8. #23

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    Re: Just bought a new car

    black2002ls- You planning to DIY the install or have it done? I lack confidence in my ability to do a decent job applying it, even though I generally don`t shy away from challenges

  9. #24
    Long Time Member GearHead_1's Avatar
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    Re: Just bought a new car

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    black2002ls- You planning to DIY the install or have it done? I lack confidence in my ability to do a decent job applying it, even though I generally don`t shy away from challenges
    I get that last statement completely. I`m not sure I`m up to applying film to an entire vehicle, I don`t know that I have the patience. I`ve posted this pic before but being completely honest, I had little beads of sweat on my forehead for the majority of this install. This hasn`t changed for me over the years. I remember putting the stock racing stripes on the hood of a 70 Mach 1 years ago and found it to be very stressful even though things couldn`t have turned out better. Big decals aren`t a simple task. I think vinyl has improved quite a bit as years have passed. This truck had two tiny bubbles on one of the stripes when I was finished and I didn`t dare "work" them out for fear of tearing the stripe. Oddly it was the last stripe that I put on. A week later that stripe was perfect, they make the vinyl so it can breathe, small air bubbles simply disappear. You`d be hard pressed to find anything wrong with this set of decals and it certainly isn`t because I`m a Master installer. I have to imagine wrapping an entire vehicle would be more than I could get my head around.


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  10. #25

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    Re: Just bought a new car

    I wouldn`t attempt a full body wrap. If I do it, it would be local to the top and leading edge of the rear bumper cover.

    I`ve worked with vinyl quite a bit, and if i get in a bind or have trouble, I`ve got a couple of buddies who have sign and wrap experience! If that goes OK, I may get crazy and try a bra on the hood.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  11. #26
    Long Time Member GearHead_1's Avatar
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    Re: Just bought a new car

    Sorry, I`m not sure why I shifted gears here. I knew you were only talking about wrapping the bumper area but somewhere I spaced out and started thinking about a complete wrap. My appologies.
    A society willing to trade liberty for temporary security deserves neither and will lose both
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  12. #27

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    Re: Just bought a new car

    No worries!

    I had the front windows tinted this morning to match the rears. Made a huge difference in the way it looks! It will get a bath in the morning.

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  13. #28

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    Re: Just bought a new car

    GearHead_1- Oh man, those stripes look like a challenge! No [freakin`] way would I trust myself to do that, very impressed that you not only took it on, but were happy with your results.

    I want a few areas of the Crown Vic done *so* badly, but just know I`d nitpick it to death.

    black2002ls- Looks nice, but do you like it in the functional sense? My Crown Vic has oh-so-cool-looking tint from its time in service, that I love looking *at* but don`t always love looking *through* at night. If a LEO cites me for too-dark fronts, I won`t be heartbroken about having them redone to a legal tint.

    Ya know...thinking about it...I just *might* try DIYing that rear bumpercover with PPF. I bet you could do it fine if its contours are as simple as I`d guess.
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  14. #29

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    Re: Just bought a new car

    The tint is just fine from a functional stand point. It is only 25%, it has the same clarity and visibilty of all of the back glass. We have already noticed a discernable difference in cabin temperatures after having the fronts tinted. It looks 100 times better, yes, but the primary reason was helping to control cabin temps.

    I had that exact conversation with my tint guy, an old friend of mine. We used to run around with limo on the back glass and as dark as we could get away with on the front. As we have gotten older, we realize how totally rediculous it was! Had to roll the windows down after dark (hand crank not power!) Couldn`t see a dang thing out of the back glass, but dangit we looked cool!

    I`ll be picking up a small roll of the 3m PPF soon and attempting the bumper cover. I`ll post some pics and a review of the process.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  15. #30
    Long Time Member GearHead_1's Avatar
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    Re: Just bought a new car

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    GearHead_1- Oh man, those stripes look like a challenge! No [freakin`] way would I trust myself to do that, very impressed that you not only took it on, but were happy with your results...
    For what it`s worth, the stripes only cost $158, that means making a mistake won`t put you in the poorhouse and is probably the real reason I`d dare try it. These stripes are 3M`s premium product and I suspect that makes them not only easier to apply but the end result is top notch. Seriously I`d challenge you to find a boo boo, they are as smooth as glass. As I said, I ended up with 2 small bubbles that I was disappointed with once finished, 1 week later those bubbles cannont be found, I mean not at all.

    Oddly the company that sells these kits actually supplied the stripes for the Quake and the Tremor Ford models. These stripes are similar to those though not quite like either. The downside is they offer virtually zero support. You can`t talk to them on the phone (they will exchange emails and I did several times before I started). Once the product is unrolled it is considered used and you can`t return it. You can`t buy just a portion of the stripe kit, it`s all or nothing. They offer a fairly detailed set of printed instructions that tell you how to mix your lubricating fluid and the types of squeegee to use. They tell you how to set up. These were all taped in place prior to actually peeling the backing paper off and soaping up the decal.

    It`s pretty easy to tape these where you want them while they`re dry and if you`re careful they`ll stay right where you put them as you do a partial section at a time. By the way you don`t want to get the backing paper on this particular 3M product wet and I just about learned this the hard way. I`m told that 3M mates all of their vinyls to both dry and wet papers. Must save them money because I can`t see a good reason not to use a paper than you could get wet. Especially where an armature is involved.

    They have a ton of colors available but the 3M premium stripes are limited to more what you`d see as an OE product. Some of their other choices use products other than 3M`s vinyl. So in the end good product at a good price but you gotta know it`s entirely on you if you decide to go this route. I`m still letting them grow on me, I never thought I`d be the guy that actually added stripes, I`ve always been a de-badger.

    One last item of note, they actually encourage you to use waxes and sealants on their products.
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