Anyone using any kind of paint protection film like StoneGard, etc.

[boxstter]

Hello everyone - I'm new to this forum. Just picked up my 2003 Speed Yellow boxster last week. After seeing the effect of 5 years worth or driving on my 2000 TT I'd like to protect the front end of my new Boxster. Anyone on these boards using the paint protection films? I know about Stone Gard and Invisi-sheild. Pro's, con's, did you install yourself or have it profesionally done? Thanks for any info.

[deliriousga]

I have the clear bra (3M, much thicker than the Stongard) on the Boxster. I have mixed opinions on it after two years. It looks good in some places, but not in others.

As far as what I don't like about the clear bra, here's the run down.

First, instead of the regular hood piece, I had a custom single sheet put on the hood so there would be no line across the middle where the plastic ends. This was wonderful until a few months ago when a huge rock hit the hood hard enough to cut through the plastic (9 mils thick) and take a scrape of the paint off. The plastic did its' job, but now there's an ugly, unfixable gouge in the plastic that catches dirt like crazy. Now I have to get that piece off.

That leads me to the biggest problem I have with the plastic. Where the edges end on really curvy surfaces (mirrors, bumper openings, etc.) it pulls up around the tight curves over time and the dirt loves it and won't let go. Also, any place where the edge of the plastic faces the front of the car collects dirt and gives you a dark line that's hard to get off because you don't want to pull off the adhesive that the dirt is stuck to.

On the bumper it's good. The guy who did mine used a kit that wraps around behind the bumper so it doesn't pull up around the outside edges, just on the air intakes.

If you get a kit and do it, make sure you use the directions and use heat to stretch it around the edges of the hood so the ends are covered and the only place you have an exposed edge is along the middle of the hood and behind the lights where the plastic ends. It looks much better on darker cars.

If I were to do it again, I'd get it on the bumper, the lights and the fenders behind the lights, but not on the hood or mirrors.

[tqtran]

Yeah, I got it on the fenders as well. I'd say its a must.
I have alos had the problem of a large scratch in the plastic on another of my cars and it does catch dirt there and show, buts to me its worth not having a large paint scratch. I didn't have the mirrors dones because I've never seen a good Porsche mirror done right.

[eslai]

I have the full front kit on my 987, including the mirrors and some extra bits in the fenders. I love it so far but I am also concerned about it peeling up at the edges. We'll see how long it takes.

As far as dirt collecting on the sticky edge goes, I've been told that rubbing alcohol will help get rid of that.

I think that a little "ugly" is worth it if it saves the car from rock chips.

[rboutin]

Is there any chance of the paint fading differently under the plastic vs the rest of the car? I'd love to prevent chips but fear that I'll have a two-tone car when I finally remove the plastic.

[eslai]

I had the same sort of fear. It is certainly possible but I've been told that if you offer the rest of your paint the same class of protection you shouldn't have a problem. That means, take care of your paint with regular waxing, etc, and you shouldn't have a problem.

Talk to whoever you get it from though and see what they say.

[donv]

You can see an example of the film on my car in a photo in this thread. This page says that the film has a UV inhibitor that protects the plastic itself (doesn't yellow or turn brittle) but does not prevent the UV from passing through into the paint. I suppose as long as both the film and the regular painted areas are equally waxed or polished then they should fade the same.

When I went for the clear film I thought about the fading issue -- my final conclusion was that if the paint on the car faded I was going to be unhappy anyway, regardless of whether it "matched" the protected area. Other parts of the car that typically do not get direct sun were going to fade less too, creating a look like grandad's Chevy II - with bleached out fender, hood and trunk tops and less faded sides. I just focus on keeping the whole car cared for well and have to trust in the UV protection of the polish (and the garage ) while enjoying the rock chip protection.

(edit - I guess eslai and I were posting just about the same time... good minds think alike!)