[TDS]

Good Morning everyone.
This is a question for those that have film installed on there front bumper. The installer says the seams were unavoidable do to the angles on the bumper, Actually the owner of the shop said that. When I dropped the car off seeing the edges of the film was my main concern, so this is driving me crazy. If it the way it has to be I will live with it or just have it removed if it get one my nerves worse then it already is. I am not trying to be that guying even though that what I am being, but it was a lot of money. Please shoe pictures of your install if you have them or tell me it is normal. Would love to here a from an installer. My buddy dropped off his car at the same shop yesterday and if its wrong I want to let him know ASAP then I will deal with mine later.

[unavailablezl1]

Does not look normal. My GT350 came with it from the dealer and looked perfect. It does make the white color Off-White compared to the rest of the car.

[Infern0]

That is "normal" for a shop that is using templates for their pieces. The Xpel shop I used for example uses templates. The number of exposed radial angles makes it difficult to do without the relief lines included in the template pieces, which creates those seams. If you had a place that didn't use templates, but used a bulk wrap, they may be able to get more creative with their application and where they put the seams. There can be other drawbacks from that though because the seams are also designed to prevent the installer from having the stretch the material too much, which can create a haze or fog; which when clarity is the goal, you do not want.

My install had a couple of imperfections including one of the seams so it's over there getting corrected right now. I'll post pics when I get it back today or tomorrow.

What I can tell you from your pics based on my install is that it looks pretty standard. Maybe a fingernail gap bigger than mine was, but that'll allow you to keep it cleaner. Dirt in your edges makes for a bad looking black line.

[hawk02]

Your installer is correct that a seam is unavoidable on the front bumper. The question really becomes where to put the seam.

My installer ran the seam along the ridge on the top of bumper in a more front to back direction. It's visible if the light hits it in the right direction, or you really look for it. At a casual glance, you don't know it's even there.

It really boils down to how noticeable the seam is when you look at the front of the car. Like I said, mines isn't easily seen unless you really look for it. The black color probably helps to hide the seam as well.

[TDS]

Originally Posted by unavailablezl1

Does not look normal. My GT350 came with it from the dealer and looked perfect. It does make the white color Off-White compared to the rest of the car.

I did not think it looked normal ether, On the bright side the film did not hardly change the color at all.

Originally Posted by Infern0

That is "normal" for a shop that is using templates for their pieces. The Xpel shop I used for example uses templates. The number of exposed radial angles makes it difficult to do without the relief lines included in the template pieces, which creates those seams. If you had a place that didn't use templates, but used a bulk wrap, they may be able to get more creative with their application and where they put the seams. There can be other drawbacks from that though because the seams are also designed to prevent the installer from having the stretch the material too much, which can create a haze or fog; which when clarity is the goal, you do not want.

My install had a couple of imperfections including one of the seams so it's over there getting corrected right now. I'll post pics when I get it back today or tomorrow.

What I can tell you from your pics based on my install is that it looks pretty standard. Maybe a fingernail gap bigger than mine was, but that'll allow you to keep it cleaner. Dirt in your edges makes for a bad looking black line.

What you are saying about stretching it makes since. The left seam on mine was done much better then the right. I will be curios what yours looks like the second time around now that they know the car better.

[IneedAZ]

i have to look when i get home at my seems, can't remember where they are. I know i don't see them unless up close looking for it.

[Infern0]

There should be no discoloration though. I have white and depending on the angles some portions look like a flatter white until you look back from a different angle. I'd hope that's what's happening in your pic.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TDS]

Originally Posted by hawk02

Your installer is correct that a seam is unavoidable on the front bumper. The question really becomes where to put the seam.

My installer ran the seam along the ridge on the top of bumper in a more front to back direction. It's visible if the light hits it in the right direction, or you really look for it. At a casual glance, you don't know it's even there.

It really boils down to how noticeable the seam is when you look at the front of the car. Like I said, mines isn't easily seen unless you really look for it. The black color probably helps to hide the seam as well.

I am glad to here that the seam needs to be there, makes me feel better. Hopping when the sun shines on it that the seam does not stand out to bad. I bet your right and the black helps.

[cleoent]

There is a two piece install and a three piece install. I wasn't happy about it either. My front bumper is the three piece install so I actually have four different seems in front bumper. After my initial disappointment I haven't thought about it since.

[TDS]

[QUOTE=Infern0;9679442]There should be no discoloration though. I have white and depending on the angles some portions look like a flatter white until you look back from a different angle. I'd hope that's what's happening in your pic.


I took those pictures this morning in the garage with the flash on my cell phone, I think amplified the edges, color looks good in person

[hawk02]

Originally Posted by cleoent

There is a two piece install and a three piece install. I wasn't happy about it either. My front bumper is the three piece install so I actually have four different seems in front bumper. After my initial disappointment I haven't thought about it since.

That makes sense. I'm guessing mine was a two piece install since the only seams I have are along the top ridge of the bumper.

[TDS]

Originally Posted by cleoent

There is a two piece install and a three piece install. I wasn't happy about it either. My front bumper is the three piece install so I actually have four different seems in front bumper. After my initial disappointment I haven't thought about it since.

Will I am glad I don't have the 3 piece install I hoping to let it go too. Now that I know it is common that will help.

[trident]

As long as there are no bubbles, debris in the wrap the seams look great and I would have no problem with them. Both your white car and the black car look great, but do not tolerate bubbles and marks in the wrap. Looks good. Do you mind sharing the price?

[TDS]

Originally Posted by trident

As long as there are no bubbles, debris in the wrap the seams look great and I would have no problem with them. Both your white car and the black car look great, but do not tolerate bubbles and marks in the wrap. Looks good. Do you mind sharing the price?

There is a couple really small bubbles but they say they will go away.

I think the price was very good.

$3500.00 for the following; film on full front bumper, full front splitter, full front fenders, full hood, full side skirts (or what ever you call them) little spot in front of rear tire, lower part be hide rear tire. Paint correction to get some hard water spots off the car, then full clay bar treatment. Ceramic coating over the whole car, Pulling the wheels off and ceramic coating them. Tinting all the windows but the windshield and tinting the 4 side markers and the third break light. Also they coated the out side of the widows with something.