Paint Protection - is it worth it?

[Garth]

Am considering paint protection (clear plastic film) for my new Caterham but would like to understand a little more about the longevity of the products?

Is it something which looks great for a few years, but 7 years down the line goes yellow and starts to peel off leaving one with a headache trying to get it off?

Is it better just to accept the chips?

 

Thanks

 

Garth

 

atlast

[Jason Plato]

I used this 3M film from invisible patterns.

 

The same film is used by mercedes on the rear wings and that has been Ok for me so I used it on the se7en. The film has been on for 2 years and about 10K miles.

 

I have floated some large sheets along the sides of the car and the damage has been zero. The film has not discoloured as other brands do. The only downside is that you can see the edges of the film when you polish the car.

 

I also used a little on the leading edge of the nose cone. But I dont drive too close to cars in front (partly due to the aeroscreen) so stone chips on the nose cone have been a sum total of about 20 minor and one large one from Spa gravel and a off line Porker 😬

 

If you tailgate cars as some seveners do then you will get covered in gravel and chips.

 

I also used the millwood stone guards on the rear wings and they are dieapointing. the gravel is beating its way through the "carbon" finsih on them. These should also be fitted with film if I redo them this winter.

 

pics below of car with film on.

 

 

here is my Duratec R .... C7 TOP

Taffia AO

[Garth]

Thanks for the response Dave - I am not planning on tailgating anyone in the near future! but will probably put some on the nose cone anyway as if I do it I will get it fitted by the pros and then the additional cost of the materila is almost insignificant! - I have tried to cover too many books for my kids in sticky back plastic to know that I do not have the knack and if it is poorly fitted then I imagine it will be horrid.

 

Do you know how easy it is to remove?

 

atlast

[Jason Plato]

the film I use lifts off with the aid of a hair dryer I understand.

 

been a while since I'm used a hair dryer mind .....

 

 

here is my Duratec R .... C7 TOP

Taffia AO

[Jason Plato]

the sides are easy as they are flat sections

 

its the compound curves that would be a problem for me. I would just drop them off your nosecone and do the sides yourself

 

 

here is my Duratec R .... C7 TOP

Taffia AO

[Silver Machine]

13 years and 35000 miles still looks the same.

[TheManAlive]

Dave, did you have a pattern for the 7? Looking at the website they have patterns for lots of cars but I cant find one for a 7.

[akb]

I used the Premier guys to provide nose cone, sides, bonnet catches and rear wing guards. I fitted it myself. It requires a very clean car with no dirt whatsoever, a few hours and a lot of patience but every piece I put on became easier. The difference from sticky back plastic is that you apply an alcohol / water solution to everything - your hands, the plastic film and the car and float it into place. As long as everything is wet and no pressure is applied to the film it just moves around. Once in place a spatula is used to push the liquid film from under the plastic film which results in the plastic starting to bind to the car. You have a few minutes to lift and reapply if you discover an air bubble or piece of grit.

 

 

As stated by others the compound curves are a pain but the film will stretch approx 20% so it requires conviction and time but not hard. Worse case is you destroy a 20 quid part and need to order another.

 

I recommend anyone give it a try. The film is really very thick and strong (developed originally for helicopter blade leading edges) but it does look think on the car and certainly does not spoil the paint finish.

 

I have no affiliation with Premier but I recommend them - the templates fit and the service is excellent.

 

Andy

[Garth]

That is extremely helpful thanks Andy.

 

Great to hear that it will last at least 13 years!

 

Premier can be found here and Dave from Premier has been very helpful so far. I will go ahead and get them to do it.

 

atlast

[john aston]

I got Armourfend on my car when new in 2007.It is superb. My last Seven's rear wings looked like they had been shotblasted after afew months of Yorkshire back roads and needed frequent resprays. Not a scratch nor a chip on new carin 15k miles.

[Stephen Long]

Armourfend

 

Longy

[TobyCoulson]

Ditto

 

I am on an all whisky diet. I have already lost twelve days.

[Dan Marsh]

What sort of prices are roughtly charged by these companies for the fitting? Are we looking at an extra couple hundred £ on top of the plastic or a few tenners?

 

Think it might be something I invest in soon too.

 

Cheers

 

DM

 

My Sigma 125 SV build photos

[TobyCoulson]

Mine cost about £250 all in. A mate of mine has a bodyshop and did the fitting but the nosecone was a bugger to do and he had to call in an expert to do it.

 

I am on an all whisky diet. I have already lost twelve days.

[John Cockburn]

Take the advice and fit Armourfend. My 2008 SV (Viper Blue) has many stone chips on the rear wings, every time I clean the car I wish I had fitted it when new. £250 is a small price to pay when you consider how much you spend in the first place.

 

Cheers John

[Garth]

The fitting cost and travel are about £200 for nose cone, cycle wing fronts, sides and rear guards around the S/S protectors - about the same cost of the materials - am going to do it!

 

atlast

[Nick Woods]

Armourfend - I had it fitted 7 years ago and the car has done nearly 30,000 miles since then; the Armourfend is still in very good condition with no signs of yellowing or peeling. There are a few pitmarks but they arent especially noticeable and its easy enough to get it replaced anyway.

 

The only problem i've had is that mine was fitted around the stoneguards on the rear wings which meant that the very bottom edge of the wings wasnt protected as well and has worn away due to the stonechips. I replaced this with another paint film protector called foliatec that I bouight from Halfords

 

if you've having the rear wings done they used to do a panel to cover wings without stoneguards, if i was doing mine again I'd take the guards off, get the panel fitted then put the guards back afterwards. ISTR the cost difference is minimal because they have to cut the 'dog leg' panel out of the same part they cut the 'full wing' panel.

 

Nick

Red and Black 1.6K supersport

 

 

[Nick Woods]

I forgot to say that its worth getting the bonnet protectors to stop the doors rubbing the paint off when you open them, I also added some below the door edges and the scuttle edges for the same reason.

 

When I had mine done the Armourfend people in Sudbury were amenable to making up odd panels for places like those so it may be worth asking.

 

Nick

Red and Black 1.6K supersport

 

 

[taffyracer]

my current M3 has this on the front bumper, bonney,wings and Mirrors, the front of the car is now immaculate after 2/12 years and 45,000 miles of motorway and trackdays, well worth it

 

C7 YUM

[Garth]

I am definetly convinced thank you!

 

atlast