3M "dog leg" Xpel paint protection added..with pics

[DNAhilux]

So I removed the running boards and started to take rock chips on the rear fenders right away, added some sliders and still was getting hit, though much less. I even have the limited flares and some mudflaps. So i went to a local car place and they custom cut some "dog leg" fender 3M protection strips. Wow, you cant tell its even on. Im happy with it and it was very inexpensive. It runs fromt the very bottom of the flare to just before the door seam. There are some pics I added but its hard to see. Try and look for a faint line running across the fender in a slight arc.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e266/4RunnerDNA/sliders/CIMG1468.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e266/4RunnerDNA/sliders/CIMG1462.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e266/4RunnerDNA/sliders/CIMG1467.jpg

[Bob98SR5]

DNA,

yeah, that paint protection film is really great, esp on the leading edges of your hood. you should've gotten that done too unless if you hvae a bug guard :)

bob

[cooldry]

Do you guys thing it would work for preventing pin striping?

[Bob98SR5]

david,

yes it would, but man, thats a lot of clear paint protection! that said, when we bought patty's lexus, i looked around and was amazed to find out that there are people who have these film protection guys coat the ENTIRE vehicle! if you'd like, i can dig up the name of the place that is well known for this from the clublexus guys.

alternatively, you can buy the material in bulk and apply it yourself. the hardest part though, would be cutting clean lines that look good. i've applied this stuff and its like anything: takes practice. it is alot easier than window tint, thats for sure

bob

[cooldry]

If it does get scratched up, can you remove out the scratches with a buffer or do you have to replace the entire film. How expensive is this stuff

[Bob98SR5]

scratches cannot be removed though the scratch is very difficult to view on light colored cars. cost= not sure of the cost in bulk rolls. check mcmaster.com if they have it in bulk

[mastacox]

My question is, how hard is it to take the stuff off after 3-4 years of baking in the sun? If it's anything like the dreaded stripes on my '92 4Runner, they cannot be removed without damaging the paint...

[Bob98SR5]

i removed a piece off my 4runner after the accident. i had it on for 3 years. no damage or demarcation line or unusual fading either

[ecchamberlin]

Interesting topic. I have stopped caring about the pin striping on the Runner but I wheeled with some H2 guys a few weekends ago and they had bought a bunch of black magnetic sheeting and hand cut both sides completely panel by panel. They were both black so it did not show almost at all. I would not do it but it worked really well for them.

I think since Hummers are so flat paneled it is more do-able than on a runner's curved panels.




To get back on track though, I had a dark metalic green Taco before my Runner and had striped it really bad when I found myself accidentally following a bunch of Jeep buddies onto an ATV trail in 2003. I thought that the striping I got from it were into the paint so far they would not come out.

Then when I had it detailed(including wet-sanding) so I could get some money out of it I was shocked when I went to pick it up. They had gotten all of them out including the deep scratches on the black plastic of the side mirrors. He said they use diff compounds to buff it all out. It looked just like a new truck.

My point is that some of the scratches that seem really bad are really not as bad as they may appear.

[Bob98SR5]

eric,

true dat. though the only downside to compounding is that it is very abrasive and takes down the clear coating. granted, you'd have to do that many times to really get down to the paint, but compounding is a fast way to get to the paint layer

[04 Rocko Taco]

I too have seen those magnetic panels on some H2's that showed up at last years Tellico Clean-Up.