I didn't do before or after, wasn't sure how it would come out but I am pretty happy. It was pretty easy but not perfect. Takes practice so the last window was nearly perfect.

I bought like 3 different application kits to make sure I had one of every type. (30 bucks), I also bought knifeless tape after seeing how it worked on you-tube. With our cars and the curves and lots of rubber edges it makes the job cleaner and easier to work along all the rubber on the windows. After figuring out where to place the knifeless to give a nice edge the next window went quick.

A few tips I wish I knew before hand.

1 With the knifeless you can just leave the edge of the vilyl covering a bit of the rubber and will not really notice it. That would save a ton of time but I tucked all the edges under the rubber because I started with ratty edges. Tucking is cleaner just more time to work it under the rubber, lifting the edge and smoothing it down.

2 Cut the vinyl very close to the edge you want to tuck it (leave it) I left more in a few spots "just to be sure" and it bulges a bit or I had to cut it back to make it clean

3. The razor knife will cut the rubber with the lightest pressure ( yeah I know duh)

4. Cut the vinyl after it cools if you heat it (or leave the car in the shade till if cools if you are working in the sun. It gets stretchy and ragged otherwise. This is both knife and knifeless..

5 Work in the sun when you do badges and such, it becomes almost like liquid and fills edges and stretches was easy. Working in the sun also helps in large flat areas.

6 Careful when you work the edges, you can stretch and rip the vinyl, and one little spec of chrome will show and drive you nuts (until you realize a sharpie will make that go away ( thanks Trump)

7 Take care to move any creases out from edges, creases look crappy ( I have a few but I can always redo, but looks way better than the spotted chrome.

8 Avery vinly worked better. I stared with 3M but did not like the alligator look due to their "air release technology) I the avery released air just as good and if not better and looked smooth as glass after a day or two in the sun.

Vinyl cost $50 on ebay from metro restyling.

Front grill was 80 on ebay It was great quality and perfect fit from Auto Parts Warehouse, US shipped and sold (sold my original for $50 on ebay as well)

I had ordered the Mina black splitters and for 70 bucks they were quite nice but they were back ordered and did not come in time while had the bumper off to put the grill in and fix the front sensor cable. I wrapped them for probably 2 bucks. They were the first thing I practiced on, figured you can;t really see down there and they did not use that much vinyl if I screwed up. Came out good enough to save the 70 bucks from Mina.

Waiting for my Ebay gloss black rear badges ( I did the Jaguar myself, came out pretty good considering all the edges. I had ordered one on ebay but it looked stupid, like a black turd, and way way too small (less than the size listed)

I will update when I think of more.

Here are pics. I did the only the roof rails ( considered the whole roof but think this looks classier) I have a set of 20" staggered rims gloss black powder coat that I will add with summer tires next year. (thanks to a member here, got them for 600 bucks) I will do the wheels with vinyl soon and just use them for winter tires.

 

Looks good.

Make sure you check, if you haven't already, that the 20" rims aren't bent. They often are. Those 19's seem to hold up a lot better.

 

Thanks,

Yes they are straight and unbent. I had very bendy wheels on my Saab ( weighed only 17 lbs ) had them repaired like 10 times, I always ran them at Max air pressure, seemed to help, They bent when I was not paying attention and air got low

Took them to my old wheel shop for a look see ( and to see if they had any tires to throw on) Got way lucky they were just trued, curb rash removed and powdercoated while the owner waited for his custom wheels.

 

very nice think im going to tackle this when I get a minute