Hi all-

Has anyone had Xpel Ultimate installed by anyone in the SF Bay area that you would recommend? Or anyone you would recommend not to go to?

I would like the entire car wrapped, but the quotes I have gotten were too much >8K, so I am looking at the "front wrap" option. Front end, mirrors, side skirts.

TIA

 

I am looking too. Also looking at a ceramic coating too. I have spoken with three places so far, they were amazingly consistent on price, all were about $1900 for bumper, headlights, hood & mirrors. All are peninsula/south bay.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/autoprofilms-clear-bra-belmont
He seems really knowledgeable. He uses Suntek products. I haven't made it up there yet (Belmont) to see in person.
Pro: I think he is one man shop (?) so the guy you talk to is the guy that does the work. He's been doing it a long time & has the experience.
Con:
Three weeks for an appointment
He doesn't do detailing or coatings, so would have to take it somewhere else first (he recommended a guy near his shop.)

https://www.yelp.com/biz/68-auto-detail-milpitas-3
He also seems very knowledgeable. In Milpitas. He uses Suntek too. He is one of only two installers in the state that does CSII Titanium coatings (don't know anything about this one.) Also does Opticoat.
Pro: One stop shop that can do "paint correction" too.
Con: (Maybe?) He said he only does a couple clear bras a month so maybe not as experienced?

https://www.yelp.com/biz/ss-customs-redwood-city
I actually went up there & looks like a good shop. Tesla central, there was like five of them there. But they also had a McLaren 570, an R8 and a couple others things in there too.
They use Xpel and can do "paint correction" too. The guy I spoke with wasn't so keen on ceramic coatings, said they use a Meguiar's sealant (included in price so that is nice.) It needs reapplication every six months for $150. Which would be about the same as a ceramic coating for $800 that claims a five year life.
Pro: I think they could do a good job.
Rave reviews
Con: Bigger shop so the guy you talk too is not the guy installing, could be a crapshoot.
$ add up fast (but this could be said with all of them.)
add in rocker panels, bumper & $325 for a "paint correction" and you are up to $3,000 just for front/back ($105/hr labor.) He said a full clear bra wrap would be about $7,000.
Haven't done anything yet, does $3K seem rather excessive for just front/back?

 

I ended up going with eastbayautospa.com, the owner is the one doing the work and he has been doing this for 15 years. He invited me to stop by and examine an F-Type is was working on. I took him up on the offer and stopped by without any appointment, and watched him work for about an hour.

He looks like he cares, and wants to do a quality job on all of his cars. The shop is small, only holds 3 cars. He also mentioned he uses a lift to apply the covering, which made sense to me as it allows him to get complete access to the vehicle.

I ended up going with SunTek, I could have done either Xpel or Suntek for the same price. Ron the owner, said SunTek doesnt have any tinting to it as compared to Xpel. He said he provides lifetime warranty for both, and said SunTek is better for high temp areas such as Texas, Arizona...since I cover my car at work and she is parked in the garage all the time...I figured I wanted the clearest covering.

I ended up doing, front end kit, rockers and doors for $2.8k. The rockers are like yours larger then the stock ones. Oh he also said and I verified he uses sheets to apply to the car...not patterns...the Xpel pattern uses a 2 piece on the hood....Oh one more thing...he said the patterns don't fit our cars very well, as compared to the 911 and Tesla as there aren't that many F-Types and the vendors focus on the mass selling cars...

Car is going in Tuesday and he said it would take 3 days, he will be putting the car under lights once done to ensure it is "cured"...

Did you install your treadplates? I was thinking about that next, until my tires wear out, then looking at the Tornado wheels

 

Hey, thanks for the info! And thanks for the SunTek vs. Xpel explanation. It seems like most of the folks I have spoken with like the SunTek better than the Xpel. The SS guys said that was because it was harder to work with and was actually (a mil or two?)
thicker. Seems like the doors are quite a bigger expanse of material than the rear bumper from my quote and yours still came out less.

All of the places said they used sheets, not patterns, and I saw it at the SS place. I like the idea of putting it under lights to cure. One of the guys said leave it in the sun for a couple days , but of course, that hasn't been possible around here lately...

The illuminated treadplates came on the car. I don't think I would have ordered them if I was ordering a car now, but I must admit, they do look kinda cool. The Tornados do look badass, but I'm not so fond of 20" wheels, so I'm good with my Centrifuges.
Let us know how it turns out!

 

OCDetaling does Xpel and looks to be a good shop, I spoke with the owner Joe today.

I am going to them for the full exterior package

Surface prep before application of Opti-Coat Pro Plus:
-Paint correction to remove surface defects and brighten the paint up to the highest possible level
-Removing and polishing wheel barrels (inside) and faces
-Polishing painted calipers (if they are painted)
-Deep cleaning fender liners
-Polishing all glass
-Polishing all metal
-Polishing the light covers
-Deep cleaning the plastic trim

-Opti-Coat Pro Plus on all the painted surfaces IR cured for maximum hardness and gloss
-Opti-Coat Pro on all the wheels, suspension, and calipers
-FlyByForte glass coating on all exterior glass
-Car Pro Dlux permanent trim coating on the plastic trim around the car and the windshield cowl to prevent plastic from fading or looking old

The coating application has a 7 year warranty

 

I just spoke with him yesterday! Yes, it sure sounds like he does a thorough job! Since mine is only two weeks old, I'm not sure I need that level. But if everything is going to get coated, I can also see the utility of it. Like I said to the OP, let us know how it turns out!

 

I know this is an old post, but will add to it for future reference. I own Deep Reflections Auto Detailers in Los Gatos and see clear bras on a daily basis. Without question Omega Works in Pleasanton is the best I have ever seen.

 

Great, thanks for the rec! Will check it out. Even though it was going to be the first thing I did, four months later and I still haven't
Washing the car a couple days ago, noticed how many complex and sharp angles it has. F-Type must be a hard car to do!

 

Misujerr, I can't recommend highly enough Ian at Carbonite Detailing for both ceramic as well as clear bra. He is located near SFO. Carbonite Detailing

 

Thanks! Someone else mentioned them too, will check them out!