larrymcj

Anyone had Xpel protective film put on their Lexus? If so, are you happy? I had the dealership install it on my new RX 350 but I'm starting to have second thoughts and may peel it off. Just too many precautions...have to clean it with a particularly fine microfiber mitt/towel...can't put bug release on it...can't use a bug sponge on it, so bugs are a huge problem...film mfg doesn't endorse it going through car washes (my Lexus dealer puts all their cars through one each time it's in the shop). Basically, I'm just afraid of it and wondering if taking a chance without it might be better. I know the film industry and appliers think this product is way better than the older VentureShield by 3M, but still... Appreciate anyone else's thoughts, especially about using a good car wash with felt brushes and wipes.

kitlz

Well, you have two choices, take a few extra steps maintaining the clear bra or play connect the dots with paint chips. It's a no brainer to me. I've had 3M on the 450h for about three years now and used a variety of products from clay to wax without any problems. One of my favorites is Klasse All In One. It cleans the film and protects in one step. I tape up the edges to prevent buildup.

Microfiber is a must to prevent scratching. Lexus paint is on the soft side. Definitely pass on letting the dealer wash your RX when it's in for service. All you have to do is check their loaner vehicles to see the results. Same goes for commercial car washes. It's far from convenient if you have to spend hours correcting the damage.

We have a forum dedicated to car care and detailing and some awesome vendors to help you maintain your RX. Good luck and congrats!

larrymcj

Thanks, kitlz. I can tolerate some of the precautionary measures, but we have a ton of bugs where I live and I have to drive a lot at night on a rural highway so I get plastered with them, especially in the summertime. At least I can clean bugs off the paint more easily. I'll try the car care and detailing section to see if anyone has some magic trick for removing them from the film. I'm afraid to try any of the pre-wash bug release products in case they might damage the film.

We had the 3M VentureShield on our 2011 RX 350 but the Lexus dealer here switched to Xpel shortly after we bought it. Their install tech for the film said they were having so many problems with VentureShield they changed...but the problem is they installed the second level (quality) of the Xpel instead of the top level, which would have been almost non-problematic for me. It's all about the money and they make a lot more profit on the Xpel Xtreme vs. the Ultimate. I've spoken with the folks at Xpel and they insist that only their own cleaning and protection products will work on their film...and even they are a PITA to work with.

Cruiter

Larry,
RE; bugs, we certainly had our share in in New Orleans and North shore area, mostly the dreaded 'love bugs'. When they were in season you could see clouds of them that seemed to love hover in mass on the highways . It was so bad sometimes you'd have to make an extra gas station stop just to clean the wind shield and radiator. Folks reading this that live in the area know what I'm talking about. Live in Georgia now and while the love bugs aren't as bad, others are much bigger

Anyway of the local methods of cleaning them fast was spraying the gill and front of hood and mirrors with Pam, not or 3in1 oil when the bugs were in season. I did that a lot and it never hurt the paint or anything else. I don't know how that would react tho with the film as I've never owned the film.

larrymcj

Thanks, Cruiter. This won't work with the Xpel film as the manufacturer has a HUGE disclaimer about using anything on it that contains a petroleum product. So far, I'm stuck with just wetting the "bugged" area down and letting it soak, then wiping them off with a microfiber mitt. I used to live in Gautier, MS so I do know all about Love Bugs...and they're even worse than what we have here, but these seem to be a little harder to get off.

mac12

I just had a 3M film installed on mine. It is called Aerogard. They install it on the leading edge of the wings of planes so it has to be tough. I do have some more questions about it now though.

User 41924

Keeping a good coat of sealer or wax on either the paint or the film (or the windshield!), makes removing the bugs a LOT easier! I use Prima products, but there are others that people like just as much. Lot's of folks on this forum seem to really like Mothers and Meguiars products (and others). They're easy to find and apply as well. Also, remove the bugs often, so they don't get a good opportunity to bake on.

I have a 3M film on both my cars, and treat it just like I do the paint.

larrymcj

The installer at our local Lexus dealership said they stopped using the 3M products. He said they were very good protection, but they'd had problems with (especially) white cars coming back after a few years and the film was yellowing. And since they (the dealership) warranted it for five years they felt Xpel was better because it (supposedly) has the best warranty from the manufacturer against yellowing. Like everything else in life...I guess it's a tradeoff.

larrymcj

I have to agree with you. Actually, the manufacturer of the Xpel film said that any good wax can be used as long as the wax does not contain any petroleum products.

PTmobile

Larry there are different Xpel films, standard, Extreme, and Ultimate. Get the Ultimate (10 year warranty) installed as it has a self healing top caot and is very resistant to staining. I install that film along with Suntek (5 year warranty) and Avery Nano Fusion (lifetime warratny). All three are great films and very resistant to yellowing. Both the Suntek and Xpel Ultimate films have self healing top coats so scratches and bug etching heal themselves by simply parking it in the sun. They are very low maintenace and have virtually no orange peel.

And out of curiousity what color is your vehicle? PM me if you have any further questions. I test every film that comes out and only install the ones I feel are the best.

mac12

Have you tested the Aerogard by 3M?

larrymcj

@PTMobile: unfortunately, I didn't know anything about the various grades of Xpel when I bought the car or I would have asked them to install the Ultimate and would have gladly paid extra for it. I talked later with the installers at Lexus who install it (they do their own due to being a huge Lexus/Toyotya dealer) and the manager said he had to choose the mid-grade film to stay competitive. If they priced the Ultimate during the sales process people would balk and not get it...as most people don't know...or care about the difference.

All this said, I think I'm going to just leave the Extreme film on and if it looks like crap in a couple of years Xpel "PROMISED" me it would still be easy to remove. However, when I talked to the installer at Lexus about removing it right now he said it would take him about two hours and a lot of the residue remover they use. So I'm thinking the guy at Xpel wasn't telling the whole truth.

BTW, my RX 350 is Starfire White Pearl and I'm sure white is the most problematic of colors. I can barely detect the orange peel effect...it really is almost negligible, so that isn't an issue. What is an issue, is already a couple of bugs have died on the front and proper cleaning (per Xpel instructions) still won't remove the slightly red spots where they impacted.

PTmobile

Yes, I tested it out about 6 years ago. Unfortunately it is not made for automotive use and SHOULD NOT be installed on paint. It has a very agressive adhesive and if you have to remove it... it is a nightmare to get off. It will leave all of the adhesive behind on the paint... and can even damage the paint. 3M makes the film but they do not warranty the product if it is used for anything other than aerospace purposes. Clearmask honestly should not be selling it and 3M has told them in the past not to.

Larry the Extreme film is still a very good film and you wont have any issues with it. It is not the low grade film. The only downside to the Extreme is it doesnt have the self healing top coat... so it can scratch. But it is a much better film than most out there so I am sure you will be happy with it.