[cavdaily]

Hey all - I purchased my first BMW (2019 F33 in AW) a few months ago and finally got around to getting full frontal clear bra (Xpel Ultimate) installed this past week. The wrap itself is really great, no visible seams and the installer is known to be the best in the area. However, after picking up my car last week and giving it a nice rinse, I can see large parts of the lower bumper with trapped debris (lint, fuzz). Against a white car, this is extremely noticeable. I asked my installer if there was any way he could lift the wrap and suck out the lint, but he said in order to remove the lint, he would have to redo the entire lower bumper, which he adamantly refused to do because, in his own words, a) it is entirely way too time consuming since it was a custom job, b) he knows his work is the best in the area, and c) there's no guarantee a redo will leave debris somewhere else on the car.

I am a little conflicted because the wrap itself is pristine (I can't see any seams and compared to public photos of other install jobs, this one looks really good, aside from the dirt).

My question is.. having no experience in ever getting a clear bra installed, am I overreacting with the trapped debris? I guess if you stand about 5 feet away, the spots aren't really noticeable, but they will always be there and bother me to no end. With this being my first BMW, I was aiming to protect it and now this entire process has caused more headaches than anything else. Thoughts?

[davidr3]

Well, if it makes you feel better that's extremely unnoticeable and even if you remove it from under the wrap, there will still be dirt and debris on top of the wrap. Second if this guy is willing to refund you for the bottom just take it and go elsewhere. You're in socal, there's plenty of competition out there. I know a guy on the forums owns a wrap shop in SD. His username is alex_f30 maybe he can do clear bras or give input if this is a common thing.

[im_an_alien]

I have xpel PPF on AW too, and mine looks about the same on the lower bumper.

[Billfitz]

The only way to insure that no junk adheres to the wrap when installing it is to do the job in what's essentially a medical grade clean room. If it doesn't look horrible don't worry about it, it will still protect the paint job, and it's going to come off eventually anyway.

[BimBimM2]

Originally Posted by cavdaily

Hey all - I purchased my first BMW (2019 F33 in AW) a few months ago and finally got around to getting full frontal clear bra (Xpel Ultimate) installed this past week. The wrap itself is really great, no visible seams and the installer is known to be the best in the area. However, after picking up my car last week and giving it a nice rinse, I can see large parts of the lower bumper with trapped debris (lint, fuzz). Against a white car, this is extremely noticeable. I asked my installer if there was any way he could lift the wrap and suck out the lint, but he said in order to remove the lint, he would have to redo the entire lower bumper, which he adamantly refused to do because, in his own words, a) it is entirely way too time consuming since it was a custom job, b) he knows his work is the best in the area, and c) there's no guarantee a redo will leave debris somewhere else on the car.

I am a little conflicted because the wrap itself is pristine (I can't see any seams and compared to public photos of other install jobs, this one looks really good, aside from the dirt).

My question is.. having no experience in ever getting a clear bra installed, am I overreacting with the trapped debris? I guess if you stand about 5 feet away, the spots aren't really noticeable, but they will always be there and bother me to no end. With this being my first BMW, I was aiming to protect it and now this entire process has caused more headaches than anything else. Thoughts?

https://ibb.co/3NPgTdC
https://ibb.co/Z8gRm3F
https://ibb.co/T0gdLkC

same situation; this is absolutely normal. Stop obsessing over it and enjoy your car. This will happen. I have the same color and XPEL. Your is absolutely fine.

Honestly I wouldn't take the refund. You want to remain on good terms with the guy because if this wrap implodes (bubbles, edges coming up) you need this guy.

He did a fine job. I am the last guy to tell a customer to make their peace, but this is absolutely normal 100%

[Gen13 F36]

That what happens with white car... there is always something you can see... it never perfect. If you care that much just go drive the car without one.

[BimBimM2]

Originally Posted by Gen13 F36

That what happens with white car... there is always something you can see... it never perfect. If you care that much just go drive the car without one.

"Go drive the car without one"

No need to be aggressive. OP is going through what all of us has gone through; he plunked down good money and was expecting perfection on his brand new car. The installer should have done a better job of setting his expectations that on white there will be imperfections and we can't help it. The installer was an ass, to be honest, if he didn't drill it into OP's head that no matter what he is paying he will see imperfections.

Mine was absolutely adamant on setting the expectations right. He showed me his current work and instead of focusing on perfections showed me the imperfections; this was very education for me and gave me the right information to make the correct choice for me.

OP will make his peace eventually; he has heard enough on his thread that this is normal.

[Gen13 F36]

Sorry my bad... keep repeating it to myself what I wrote.... that sound aggressive didn't mean it like that🙃.

Yeah... I own so many white cars that clear bra don't always look great... I always notice them even from far away. I still own white car... but I never put any clear bra anymore. I mean I will enjoy the car while it last.... cleaning and buffing while complaining about nick on the paint....

[chowser51]

My installer went through the whole thing with me as well. He even makes people sign disclaimers now because some chick tried to sue him because his wrap job was all chipped up and not protecting the car. This was the front of her car after three years. She expected it to protect it forever

[BimBimM2]

Originally Posted by Gen13 F36

Sorry my bad... keep repeating it to myself what I wrote.... that sound aggressive didn't mean it like that🙃.

Yeah... I own so many white cars that clear bra don't always look great... I always notice them even from far away. I still own white car... but I never put any clear bra anymore. I mean I will enjoy the car while it last.... cleaning and buffing while complaining about nick on the paint....

Oh man I totally get you! I know exactly how white cars look weird with clear bra... I had Suntek on a previous one and it made the white look a bit "off-white". However then I tried XPEL and damn it was so close to preserving the original white brightness!!

You should definitely try XPEL!

[Rebound]

I think you should accept it as-is. That lip is going to get slammed with bugs and chips over time and no matter how careful you are, it won't stay 100% pristine. I just don't think it's possible for the installer to get a better result than that.

Congrats on your new car! Enjoy it.

[BimBimM2]

Originally Posted by chowser51

My installer went through the whole thing with me as well. He even makes people sign disclaimers now because some chick tried to sue him because his wrap job was all chipped up and not protecting the car. This was the front of her car after three years. She expected it to protect it forever

My installer is a great dude; does high level jobs like Lambos, Ferraris, and our lowly BMWs haha. He told me a story where some dude tried to sue him because this dude found a couple of imperfections. He was suing him for everything from false advertisement to mental therapy bills resulting from the stress of a bad film job!

People are batshit insane!

My own story could have ended pretty sad but didn't. Before I found the guy who did the proper film job, I took my car to another local guy who kept on screwing up (this guy is known to be dramatic on the local scene and just... messy! Things I didn't know beforehand).

So the first dude was expanding his business and was trying to pump out jobs ASAP. He took me on and I ended up with a job that had bumps, bubbles, and HAND CUT FILM with flaps of plastic hanging off every edge. Not only that but the sack of shit even dented my right fender TWICE. Mind you, this is a brand new car with less than 30 miles on it.

Anyway, found the second guy, took the car from the first guy, threatened to sue, and got a full refund. Second guy had been cleaning up the botched jobs by the first guy and actually had a legal agreement specifically drawn for just that purpose haha!!

Long story short, he set my expectations right and then did the install. It turned out BRILLIANT!!!

[kern417]

Had a similar issue on my car. It would pick up lint on the corners. My car is black and I only have the front 1/3rd done. Still it cleans up ok so I don't worry about it. Off the showroom it looks perfect, so it is somewhat jarring going to wash your car a few weeks later and seeing so many small imperfections. But I figure it's better than having a peppered bumper.

[RGM330i]

I have not had my BMW done (2018 330i bought new) but I had it done on my 2008 Cayman S (Guards Red), 2012 Cayman R (Carrera White), 2014 Cayman (Black), 2016 Cayman (Mahogany Metallic) and 2019 Cayman (Dark Blue Metallic). All but the 2014 were done with XPEL. The film was applied by a company in what amounts to a clean room and it was truly difficult to detect the presence of the film, even on the Carrera White Cayman R. The bumpers on Caymans are pretty complex shaped.

[cavdaily]

Appreciate everyone's feedback on this issue. Glad to hear that the resounding opinion is that it is not that big of a deal (which in the back of my mind I was leaning towards, but needed to hear from my enthusiast bros

Well, I took the vert out for a short weekend cruise with the misses, and to my surprise, a new issue popped up with the Xpel. Any idea on how to fix this? Text my installer and no response... I've tried a light detail spray and toothpick, but didn't dare touch it anymore (it had already been "stretched" before I touched it with a toothpick). Saw posts about dirt along the seams, but nothing like this (where the circular cutout is pretty much adhered to the entire front piece the bumper). Is this installer fail, xpel film fail, or just terrible luck? Aside from a complete re-install, am I effed?


BimBimM2 Rebound im_an_alien any others want to chime in?

[Billfitz]

It looks like slippage. When the film is installed the sensor would be removed, with the film tucked into the hole and wrapped around the back, and then the sensor reinstalled. It appears that the film didn't stay adhered behind the bumper as it should have.

[Rebound]

I think there's little benefit in looking at your car under a microscope like that. Enjoy the new car! It's awesome.

[whatevs]

Cant even notice any of those until you point them out! Just relax and enjoy your car!

[BimBimM2]

Originally Posted by cavdaily

Appreciate everyone's feedback on this issue. Glad to hear that the resounding opinion is that it is not that big of a deal (which in the back of my mind I was leaning towards, but needed to hear from my enthusiast bros

Well, I took the vert out for a short weekend cruise with the misses, and to my surprise, a new issue popped up with the Xpel. Any idea on how to fix this? Text my installer and no response... I've tried a light detail spray and toothpick, but didn't dare touch it anymore (it had already been "stretched" before I touched it with a toothpick). Saw posts about dirt along the seams, but nothing like this (where the circular cutout is pretty much adhered to the entire front piece the bumper). Is this installer fail, xpel film fail, or just terrible luck? Aside from a complete re-install, am I effed?


BimBimM2 Rebound im_an_alien any others want to chime in?

So this seems like terrible luck. Lack of adhesion. But then again, we all will have this "terrible luck". I have imperfections like this as well. The truth is, you will see quite a few instances like this here and there.

The main reason to get a film wrap is to protect your front especially against rock chips and what not. Applying the film is an art form and both during application and post application this art form is hardly every perfect.

Overall, unless you see severe bubbling and wrap coming off, you are good.

And for the love of god, do not take a toothpick to this! Ever! This film is porous, and you want to make sure that as it settles on your car (takes a good 45 - 60 days) you don't twiddle around with it too much. Bubbles will come and most will go on their own.

Another thing you definitely want to do: get waterless wash and make sure you clean all the bug splatter and what not every evening or every other day. The film is porous and all that bug juice can permanently stain it.

[jd_perspective]

no way! I would never accept that. I had my first bmw (silver) covered in XPEL. One piece had some random debris - when i pointed it out the guy immediately said - come back in an hour and he fixed it.
you paid a lot of money, there shouldn't be random hairs in it! must not be a great installer if he refuses to do quality work.

[cavdaily]

Do you guys know how to fix the bubbling issue along the sensor? I'm afraid it will pick up more dirt if left unattended and over time, the stains along this area will stick out like an eye sore against a white car (more so than the lint that I've come to terms with from my first post...)

I think the adhesive is starting to go near the circular sensor.... which is disappointing since I've only had the Xpel on for 3 weeks! Has anyone "trimmed" the clear bra in this area or have some tangible solutions? Thanks!

[BimBimM2]

Originally Posted by cavdaily

Do you guys know how to fix the bubbling issue along the sensor? I'm afraid it will pick up more dirt if left unattended and over time, the stains along this area will stick out like an eye sore against a white car (more so than the lint that I've come to terms with from my first post...)

I think the adhesive is starting to go near the circular sensor.... which is disappointing since I've only had the Xpel on for 3 weeks! Has anyone "trimmed" the clear bra in this area or have some tangible solutions? Thanks!

I would recommend you take it back to the installer; he will likely trim it or use a syringe contraption to suck out/puncture bubbles or to inject some glue under it.

The problem with sorting out these imperfections is that they may cause more damage than good.

If you are unhappy take it back.

Another thing, I had one spot like this way down near the air intake on the passenger side. It has been a year and a half of extreme MN weather. It hasn't gotten worse. I learnt to live with it