Clear wrap for hood - Seam locations? All or part?

[VENOM V]

Hi all,

I'm having the clear wrap redone (Suntek this time around) on my hood, and am wondering what the most invisible / most aesthetic places are to do seams?

I'm also considering just having part of the hood done closest to the nose, rather than the whole thing. I just hate covering this gorgeous paint up! But I do track. I don't seem to get chips up on the hood, they all land on the front-most quarter of the hood.

Thoughts? Advice?

Thanks,

Todd

[ViperSmith]

What did you have before? What didn't you like about it

[Viper Girl]

Hey Todd,
Have you thought about the ceramic coatings for the rest of the hood? It's been a year or so since install and the SoCal guys that had it done are still happy.
I think you can even put the bra on the nose then have a coat installed over the clear bra...

[ViperGeorge]

Hey Todd,
Have you thought about the ceramic coatings for the rest of the hood? It's been a year or so since install and the SoCal guys that had it done are still happy.
I think you can even put the bra on the nose then have a coat installed over the clear bra...

What is the ceramic coating process? Does it effect color? Who does this?

[Viper Girl]

There's 2 threads on the ceramic coatings... one here and one on SoCal Viper. Eco-luxury is a SoCal sponsor, and I think might be a sponsor here too.

The SoCal link is in this thread:

http://driveviper.com/forums/threads/2106-New-SoCal-Sponsor-Eco-Luxury-Detail

I've been watching and waiting for about a year to see if the coatings are holding up well.

youtube video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QDWetyH7Gc&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g9ZZYeVCD4#t=263

[Bruce H.]

Hey Todd,

I have the Suntek partial hood done on mine. It catches almost all of the tire marble streaks, and I'm happy since I can still enjoy much of the great paint job. The day I stop tracking will be the day I'd have it all removed anyways...prefer seeing the paint.

The installer did have trouble with getting it to stick where it was stretched around for the vents, and because my car is black it really showed every stretch marks. He redid it with Luminar because it apparently has a stronger glue, but redid it again with Suntek as it seemed to stretch and adhere better overall. Still not perfect, but really hard to see at 150 mph!

[ViperSmith]

ceramic won't protect against chips

[Stealth]

My car has stripes so the we used the outer edges. Without stripes I would look for contours and natural breaks.

Let your installer know that you expect him to replace any film that does not stick or raises in triangular areas. Mine came back 3 times for one of the hood vents. Our Vipers are very curvy!

[sharmut]

Suntek full hood. 3 pieces. A pair of seems runs length of hood follows crease of the hood.

Passenger Side:

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m136/toychest/Mobile%20Uploads/photo4-line_zps369c0564.jpg (http://s103.photobucket.com/user/toychest/media/Mobile%20Uploads/photo4-line_zps369c0564.jpg.html)

Other seem near the front hood scope inlet area:

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m136/toychest/Mobile%20Uploads/photo%205-line_zpswwclr0mf.png (http://s103.photobucket.com/user/toychest/media/Mobile%20Uploads/photo%205-line_zpswwclr0mf.png.html)

[FrgMstr]

The next time I put a clear bra on my Gen IV I will do the entire hood. This is my second Viper, and I was sorry that I just did the nose on the first one, and I was sorry that I just did about 20" up the hood on the second one and have a ton of chips on the hood to show for it. I do a lot of twisty road driving with local clubs, and national road rallies, and my hood had the chips, some pretty big, to show for it.

[FSTENUF]

I have had both installed on my gen v. The rap on the entire hood, i have stripes so it went on great. Then i had the entire care ceramic coated. Rain water,soapy water it all rolls right off nothing sticks it is the best of both worlds. The rap keeps the chips down and the ceramic coating keeps a wet look all the time.

[financialman]

Do the full hood, if done correctly it is almost invisible, and shines just like the original paint.

I did half the hood on my 458 and got two stone chips the same week :(
Had him come back and do the whole hood!

He came right to my house and did the work.

Just finished my new 2013 Viper today, looks fantastic!

[Rapidrezults]

I had the full hood and full front and rear bumpers done. Worth every penny, especially if you track the car. I got mine done at Premiere Protective films in Fremont. I also had the car coated with C Quartz finest and wheels done with Opticoat. Wheels being coated helps with the brake dust.

[Viper Girl]

ceramic won't protect against chips
The SoCal guys, who are very active with their cars say they have no new chips... Mike nailed a cone out at the track, then wiped the cone off the side of the Viper with regular H20...

[Newport Viper]

Coatings are the future.... which is now. I had the first car done in SoCal and have been super happy. (Ceramic Pro) It's weird not to wax all the time. I just quick detail with a waterless wash or regular wash and i'm done. (and the car aint dirty cause not much will stick. I can't help myself!) Worst case get your wheels done. Cuts way down on the dust. See threads above.

[VENOM V]

Thanks all for your feedback. I made some calls and talked with Ceramic Pro. I'm thinking of doing little less clear bra (front portion of hood and all of nose) and more Ceramic Pro. I found an installer in San Jose that has a lot of experience with Ceramic Pro, I may give him a shot.

[1.8t]

I am having almost my entire car wrapped in Suntek PPF. Prevention of rock chips is my highest priority.

[mblgjr]

I did the front 1/3 of the hood (goes just behind the GTS vents); front bumper; side skirts behind tires and down the sills. All in Xpel. Most people don't even know it's on the car until they look from behind the car then theres a really small edge where the film is. However, it's not glaringly obvious by any means, but it is there. And the Xpel film did not change the color of the car or mute the pearl/metallic at all.

On Shadow blue, if I get the car under fluorescent lighting I can find a couple pull/stretch marks, but nothing major and I don't see them out in natural light.

The Xpel/Suntek films seem to be favored for self-healing properties. Mine has held up well so far (1yr).

If I was tracking the car, without a doubt I'd do the whole hood and live with the seams.

Also look into Modesta BC04 coating. Looks amazing and performs really well.

EDIT: As a note; in covering lots of interstate, I only have 1 tiny rock chip on the hood close to the cowl. I got it on the way from the dealer, over to the shop that installed the Xpel (maybe a 20mi trip). I was maybe 10mi away from the dealer; lol.

http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu114/04redfire/xpel%20film%20line_zpstoaigzqc.jpg (http://s639.photobucket.com/user/04redfire/media/xpel%20film%20line_zpstoaigzqc.jpg.html)

[Voice of Reason]

Those ceramic coatings are not going to stop a rock chip like clear bra will. I used Xpel on my front bumper, 3' of hood, rocker panels, behind the read wheels and then used a nano coating on the rest. I have a couple rock gouges on my front bumper that Xpel absorbed, I'd be missing a chunk of paint if all I had was a coating there.

[VENOM V]

It's a hard choice, because honestly now with the old clear bra removed the car looks amazing. I'm going to be tracking less often, and may make the tradeoff of just doing a partial hood.

Agreed that the Ceramic Pro won't protect against rock chips, but it will help against smaller debris such as rubber chunks.

I've still got a couple of weeks to think about this.

mblgjr, I'm considering doing exactly what you did.

Thanks again for all of the input guys.

[ViperSmith]

Xpel also makes a temporary film - have you looked into that?

[VENOM V]

Xpel also makes a temporary film - have you looked into that?
No I hadn't seen that, thanks. I'll look into it. Maybe for track days.

I've used TrackTape but man it's ugly. Hopefully the Xpel temp stuff isn't an eye sore. Not that it matters that much for the track.

[FrgMstr]

Do the ENTIRE hood dude.

[ViperSmith]

Checkout

https://www.xpel.com/products/tools.asp?product=Tracwrap

Might be exaclty the combo you need. Ceramic for everyday, add this in track days

[Rapidrezults]

In my mind, it's a really simple decision. If rock chips bother you to the point where when you find a new one, it upsets your mood, then do the entire hood, you will be thankful you did. If it's more of an o'well, just another rock chip, I can live with that... than do 1/3rd of the hood or whatever and go on. Personally, rock chips of any kind on a beautiful hood such as the Vipers bother the s##t out of me so I opt for full hood.

As much as I am an advocate for ceramic coatings, and have all my cars coated with them, I would never consider them a chip guard of any sort. In fact, it's more a swirl protector and convenience attribute than anything else.

[yellowmz3]

I've wrapped all of my cars and never had any regrets. My Macan required a seam (whole hood) but really barely perceptible and makes a huge difference re stone chips.
Highly recommend it, but need a good installer. That's the key!!

[VENOM V]

Can't argue with that logic. I think I will do the whole hood.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

[SADVIPER]

I'd like to wrap the whole car to protect the paint from stones and debris. Going tracking soon and surely wouldn't want to screw the paint whatsoever!
Does it affect the paint quailty after sometime and when I remove it? Been wondering myself what is the best option to protect the paint.

[yellowmz3]

Doesn't effect the paint at all, but key again is good installer. You don't want guys cutting on the painted surfaces (unless they are really proficient) I've seen some disasters on very expensive cars with inexperienced installers.

[Dman]

So I was thinking of going Xpel on the bumper and the bikini style hood - which is like to the 1st set of vents, and then the front rocker piece, and a simple cut piece for right behind the rear wheels. Then looking at this ceramic coating scenario for the rest, which is new to me.

Any big reason to go Xpel vs Suntek? And are you guys saying you do the ceramic over top of the film? If so, how does that work with this "self healing" film?

Thanks. I'm a porter cable maniac but films and ceramics are new to me, I've always been a polish/seal/wax guy

[Ryanr206]

I've had xpel on all my cars. Most never knew it was there. I do think I will do a full hood and first few inches of roof this time.

[SADVIPER]

Yeah this ceramic coating is new to me too but all I've seen is positive reviews am gonna try to visit someone today.

[triblk6spd]

I didn't read the entire post and it may have been said before but a good installer can install the Xpel full hood even with the 6 vents to the point where you can't tell it's there.

[SADVIPER]

I dropped my shadow blue SRT at the shop, a wax job then a combo of ceramic coating and xpel. Now the 2 doubts I have are:
1- xpel extreme is good enough or ultimate is way better?
2- ceramic coating then xpel on top of it or vice versa? This tricky part is very important to me!
thank you guys for a very useful thread as I'm new to this protection thing! :)

[Rapidrezults]

Get the paint corrected, apply Xpel then apply cermaic coating. No need to apply it under the film. Is Xpel extreme self healing? If not, I would suggest going with the ultimate. Self healing works!

[SADVIPER]

Thanks man! Both are self healing but the ultimate has a higher percentage of self healing

[sharmut]

I dropped my shadow blue SRT at the shop, a wax job then a combo of ceramic coating and xpel. Now the 2 doubts I have are:
1- xpel extreme is good enough or ultimate is way better?
2- ceramic coating then xpel on top of it or vice versa? This tricky part is very important to me!
thank you guys for a very useful thread as I'm new to this protection thing! :)

Overkill, I went with paint correction > opti-coat > suntek/xpel > opti-coat. Only issue my passenger mirror, the suntek is having trouble staying down. Installer believes the opti-coat layer beneath may be causing the few tight spots to lift. He offered to redo the mirror at no charge. Experienced installer is key, material wise both the XPEL ultimate and Suntek are very close.

[Crotalidae]

I have Suntek on mine (1/3 of hood, front bumper to include splitters, sills, behind wheels, side view mirrors, small part of roof, and top of rear spoiler). The paint looks great through the protection. The only thing I will go back & do is get the full hood done...I'd say if you're thinking about the full hood, just do it...

[SADVIPER]

@sharmut I'm doing the same currently but with xpel extreme not ultimate. Is it ok or ultimate is much better?
Thanks

[ViperSSG]

I put on Xpel on my entire Stryker Green Gen V after getting chips on my Gen IV front and hood. Seeing those chips really broke my heart. I have dual black GTS strips so the Xpel installer made a seam on the edge of one of the strips so it is almost unhidden. I went with Xpel because of a recommendation I got from a friend that races Porsches and he had tried Xpel and 3M. I am very happy with the performance of this product. It has a small bubble here and there, but it doesn't bother me. When I take my Viper to a car show, people can't keep their hands off the car. With the film, I don't worry anymore. It was expensive to do the whole car, but I love my Stryker Green color and black stripes paint job and preventing chips was the priority. I've been caught in rain three times that had plenty of mud and debris and this film has taken the punishment. Part of the reason for doing the whole car is bird droppings. On my Gen IV, they would damage the clear coat and I always had to polish out the ring left behind. The Xpel film gets rid of that worry. I had not noticed stress points on the film until I put on sunglasses with polarized lenses, but I consider that a non-issue.

[SADVIPER]

My car is getting done now, I made it so clear to them not to introduce seams other than blending them with the stripes. Mine SRT stripes though fingers crossed

[bayviper]

ceramic won't protect against chips

I agree. My car is titanium coated (done by AJ's Auto Detailing in SJ) but on track days I still use TrakkTape.

Another option is a color matched bra done by SpeedLingerie. Thos definitely look great and protect against rock chips.

Andy