Wet sand and polish before expel??

Aragorn · 09-25-2020, 09:23 PM

So finally pulling the trigger on expel before the rock chips get any worst, but the installer says he recommends a wet sand and polish on the front of the car. He says it’s for appearance sake but I’m not sure I want to fork over that extra cash. Granted I haven’t looked into the cost of a wet sand and polish procedure. Thoughts? There are several small rock chips on the front facia, but I’m OK with them.

2SS Capt · 09-25-2020, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aragorn

So finally pulling the trigger on expel before the rock chips get any worst, but the installer says he recommends a wet sand and polish on the front of the car. He says it’s for appearance sake but I’m not sure I want to fork over that extra cash. Granted I haven’t looked into the cost of a wet sand and polish procedure. Thoughts? There are several small rock chips on the front facia, but I’m OK with them.

I'd be nervous to wet sand, the clear is pretty thin... I would recommend paint correction and polish... (I just did a clay and polish under mine, but it only had about 90 miles on it)

MatthewAMEL · 09-25-2020, 10:09 PM

No to the wet sand. Absolutely do a good paint correction before a clear. I did a 2-step before my Xpel went on and it still looks great.

Are you just getting the nose done? I could only understand his request for a wet sand if you were doing the whole car and he wanted to get rid of orange peel.

Jaxcam02 · 09-25-2020, 10:18 PM

I wouldn't have a problem with wet sanding localized deep scratches if the guy has a paint depth gauge and knows what he's doing.

metros11 · 09-25-2020, 10:45 PM

I have always heard about a deep clean and paint correction before Xpel, not sure about wet sanding and polishing. Do you have a lot of orange peel finish in your paint?

Aragorn · 09-25-2020, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metros11

I have always heard about a deep clean and paint correction before Xpel, not sure about wet sanding and polishing. Do you have a lot of orange peel finish in your paint?

Ok, glad I posted! Will look into paint correction and polish.
As far as orange peel, negative. Except for the rock chips the paint is solid—the car is a garage queen.

Thanks everyone!

HDRDTD · 09-25-2020, 11:08 PM

Keep in mind that whatever the current condition the paint is in now will remain that way for the life of the expel.
Tis far better off to insure the finish is excellent now, before the expel in applied.
You may be satisfied with the current small stone chips now, but if somewhere down the road you make the rest of the car shine bright, you may regret the stone chips.

Correct the finish now by whatever method is best. The cost will be worth it in the long run. A quality PPF such as expel should last you ten years or so.

2SS Capt · 09-25-2020, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aragorn

Ok, glad I posted! Will look into paint correction and polish.
As far as orange peel, negative. Except for the rock chips the paint is solid—the car is a garage queen.

Thanks everyone!

I hear ya, mine only had 90 miles or so when it got XPel... Here are the areas I did... (They did a clay and polish before applying, the paint was very good so I didn't do paint correction...)

JD64 · 09-26-2020, 07:29 AM

i water sanded and buffed a good portion of all the areas i had the xpel put on and corrected it before i sent it to the installer just to make sure everything was to my liking. mine wasn't installed until 1200 miles. if certain areas need more correction than others it is what it is . every car is different. a good finish under the xpel is just as important as a good ppf install.

dpevans · 09-26-2020, 07:33 AM

Do yourself a favor and look at some of the work he has done. Make sure you are getting a quality install. Is he doing a one piece, if not how many seams, it is a purchased precut piece or does he cut it. will he wrap the edges under seams or leave the edges showing. PPF is not easy to lay correctly and not everyone can do it. just look at how many botched window tint jobs you see driving around. There are plenty of videos so I would spend a some time educating yourself on what is a quality install. I would nix the wet sand, just do a two step correction and it will look great.

Aragorn · 09-26-2020, 10:04 AM

It makes perfect sense now. I want the entire car looking good and even. Thanks !

09-25-2020, 09:23 PM	#1
Aragorn Account Suspended Drives: Camaro SS 1LE Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Phoenix Posts: 1,538	Wet sand and polish before expel?? So finally pulling the trigger on expel before the rock chips get any worst, but the installer says he recommends a wet sand and polish on the front of the car. He says it’s for appearance sake but I’m not sure I want to fork over that extra cash. Granted I haven’t looked into the cost of a wet sand and polish procedure. Thoughts? There are several small rock chips on the front facia, but I’m OK with them.

09-25-2020, 10:09 PM	#3
MatthewAMEL Drives: 2023 CT5 Blackwing Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Orlando Posts: 1,618	No to the wet sand. Absolutely do a good paint correction before a clear. I did a 2-step before my Xpel went on and it still looks great. Are you just getting the nose done? I could only understand his request for a wet sand if you were doing the whole car and he wanted to get rid of orange peel. __________________ 2017 HBM SS 1LE Sold 2023 Wave Metallic CT5-V Blackwing M6

09-25-2020, 10:18 PM	#4
Jaxcam02 Drives: 2017 Silverado/2017 ZL1 Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Jax/Palatka FL Posts: 1,090	I wouldn't have a problem with wet sanding localized deep scratches if the guy has a paint depth gauge and knows what he's doing. __________________

09-26-2020, 07:29 AM	#9
JD64 Drives: '19 Camaro ZL1 A10 Riverside Blue Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: N.E. Ohio Posts: 62	i water sanded and buffed a good portion of all the areas i had the xpel put on and corrected it before i sent it to the installer just to make sure everything was to my liking. mine wasn't installed until 1200 miles. if certain areas need more correction than others it is what it is . every car is different. a good finish under the xpel is just as important as a good ppf install. __________________

09-25-2020, 10:45 PM	#5
metros11 Drives: 2018 SS 1LE Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: North Jersey Posts: 776	I have always heard about a deep clean and paint correction before Xpel, not sure about wet sanding and polishing. Do you have a lot of orange peel finish in your paint?

09-25-2020, 11:08 PM	#7
HDRDTD Drives: 2013 Triple Black ZL1 Vert M6 ECF Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Trenton, Michigan Posts: 7,047	Keep in mind that whatever the current condition the paint is in now will remain that way for the life of the expel. Tis far better off to insure the finish is excellent now, before the expel in applied. You may be satisfied with the current small stone chips now, but if somewhere down the road you make the rest of the car shine bright, you may regret the stone chips. Correct the finish now by whatever method is best. The cost will be worth it in the long run. A quality PPF such as expel should last you ten years or so.

09-26-2020, 07:33 AM	#10
dpevans Drives: 2024 Riverside Blue 2SS 1LE Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Posts: 1,207	Do yourself a favor and look at some of the work he has done. Make sure you are getting a quality install. Is he doing a one piece, if not how many seams, it is a purchased precut piece or does he cut it. will he wrap the edges under seams or leave the edges showing. PPF is not easy to lay correctly and not everyone can do it. just look at how many botched window tint jobs you see driving around. There are plenty of videos so I would spend a some time educating yourself on what is a quality install. I would nix the wet sand, just do a two step correction and it will look great.

09-26-2020, 10:04 AM	#11
Aragorn Account Suspended Drives: Camaro SS 1LE Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Phoenix Posts: 1,538	It makes perfect sense now. I want the entire car looking good and even. Thanks !

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