Experienced 1LE owners: what part of the car takes the most abuse from stones?

Kmeleon · 10-21-2018, 08:59 AM

I'm deciding on how far to go with an XPEL wrap on the car. Right now I'm planning on a full front end and hood wrap, mirrors, and rockers. I would think that behind the rear tires may be the the worst area, no? As far as I can tell that wouldn't be covered.

Give me some advice.

Thanks

Kmeleon · 10-21-2018, 09:01 AM

Oh wait.... Behind the rear tires is covered with the rocker price. So I think I'm pretty well covered. What say you?

zr1chris · 10-21-2018, 09:08 AM

Just in front of the rear tires where the body bulges out. Mine came with clear vinyl in that spot.

HYPER1LE · 10-21-2018, 01:57 PM

I put Xpel on mine at about 1,500 miles. Should have done it immediately. Anyway, I have the front fascia, front fenders, a-pillars, whole roof, whole rocker pieces, and slight appliqué behind each rear tire. $1,900 installed. I have not done the hood and mirrors. This Xpel protection plus ZL1Addons premium rock guards front and rear, ZL1Addons side skirt extensions (they go behind the rear tires horizontal to the ground), and ZL1-style side skirts (C7 Carbon) equals damn good overall protection. And I track my car.

Boost Creep · 10-21-2018, 06:25 PM

In front of the rear wheels.
The front tires sling rocks at the rear quarter bulge in front of the rear wheels.

R3ctivision · 10-22-2018, 02:21 AM

Behind the rear tires is a waste. I've never had rock chips there. But otherwise, I agree that the rocker panels and rear quarter in front of the rear tires are the way to go. But FWIW I have no paint protection installed at all. I use TrakkTape in the vulnerable spots for track use and don't bother on the street.

50MileSmile · 10-22-2018, 09:29 AM

Cover the rocker panels up to the crease in the doors too. That area takes a lot of abuse from the front tires throwing junk at it. And remove the small factory “protection” in front of both rear wheels and replace it with a piece that covers the whole area from the door to the wheel wells - to the top of the wheel wells.

DaveC113 · 10-22-2018, 09:47 AM

I'd add between the trunk opening and the license plate if you use the trunk much...

I also did:

- front bumper
- partial front fenders
- rockers + door up to crease
- the entire panel in front of rear wheels
- 12" wide strip on front of the roof

I did it all myself but it's not easy, especially the front bumper. The stuff is really hard to cut perfectly and dulls the blade very quickly.

Bad Anvil Garage · 10-22-2018, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zr1chris

Just in front of the rear tires where the body bulges out. Mine came with clear vinyl in that spot.

Exactly, and the small spot of clear vinyl GM put on there is as chipped up as the paint so it does nothing!

VinnAY · 10-22-2018, 12:21 PM

With the piece of 3M(?) that is on my car I'm unimpressed with PPF. I like the idea and see the need but this is my first impression and it's less than stellar as I've got dings and scrapes in that anyway. Added ZL1 guards after the first week, too.
Id like to redo it with something stronger but don't know what that would be. Would definitely do the entire space between fr and rear tires, up to the door crease and then in front of the rear wheel up to that body line.

50MileSmile · 10-22-2018, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VinnAY

With the piece of 3M(?) that is on my car I'm unimpressed with PPF. I like the idea and see the need but this is my first impression and it's less than stellar as I've got dings and scrapes in that anyway. Added ZL1 guards after the first week, too.
Id like to redo it with something stronger but don't know what that would be. Would definitely do the entire space between fr and rear tires, up to the door crease and then in front of the rear wheel up to that body line.

You need to look into Xpel, which is a self-healing product with a 10-year warranty. I’ve used it on every car I’ve purchased during the last 10 years, and I will never own another new car without protecting it with Xpel before I drive it. Saying you’re unimpressed with PPF based on the garbage that’s standard on the Camaro is like saying you drove a base 4-cylinder Camaro rental car once, so you know the 1LE will suck on the track.

Kmeleon · 10-25-2018, 05:31 PM

So the good news is I ran to the local dealer yesterday and they are ordering me a new hood wrap and will install soon. It was bunched up around the hood vents and had some water spots in a few spots. So new wrap installed, car will sit in the garage until early December when the XPEL installer can fit me in

10-21-2018, 08:59 AM	#1
Kmeleon Drives: 2018 NFG 2SS 1LE! Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: PA Posts: 512	Experienced 1LE owners: what part of the car takes the most abuse from stones? I'm deciding on how far to go with an XPEL wrap on the car. Right now I'm planning on a full front end and hood wrap, mirrors, and rockers. I would think that behind the rear tires may be the the worst area, no? As far as I can tell that wouldn't be covered. Give me some advice. Thanks

10-21-2018, 01:57 PM	#4
HYPER1LE Drives: 2017 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE HBM Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Acworth, GA Posts: 316	I put Xpel on mine at about 1,500 miles. Should have done it immediately. Anyway, I have the front fascia, front fenders, a-pillars, whole roof, whole rocker pieces, and slight appliqué behind each rear tire. $1,900 installed. I have not done the hood and mirrors. This Xpel protection plus ZL1Addons premium rock guards front and rear, ZL1Addons side skirt extensions (they go behind the rear tires horizontal to the ground), and ZL1-style side skirts (C7 Carbon) equals damn good overall protection. And I track my car. Attached Images

10-21-2018, 06:25 PM	#5
Boost Creep Drives: '18 1SS 1LE Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Pennsyltucky Posts: 2,571	In front of the rear wheels. The front tires sling rocks at the rear quarter bulge in front of the rear wheels. __________________ '18 1SS *1LE* Black, PDR

10-21-2018, 09:01 AM	#2
Kmeleon Drives: 2018 NFG 2SS 1LE! Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: PA Posts: 512	Oh wait.... Behind the rear tires is covered with the rocker price. So I think I'm pretty well covered. What say you?

10-21-2018, 09:08 AM	#3
zr1chris Drives: 2018 Camaro 1SS/1LE Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Port Saint Lucie FL Posts: 1,224	Just in front of the rear tires where the body bulges out. Mine came with clear vinyl in that spot.

10-22-2018, 02:21 AM	#6
R3ctivision 1LE Convert Drives: 2018 ZLE Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Mountain View, CA Posts: 367	Behind the rear tires is a waste. I've never had rock chips there. But otherwise, I agree that the rocker panels and rear quarter in front of the rear tires are the way to go. But FWIW I have no paint protection installed at all. I use TrakkTape in the vulnerable spots for track use and don't bother on the street.

10-22-2018, 09:29 AM	#7
50MileSmile Drives: 2023 2SS, 2018 1SS 1LE, 1993 Z/28 Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Midwest Posts: 819	Cover the rocker panels up to the crease in the doors too. That area takes a lot of abuse from the front tires throwing junk at it. And remove the small factory “protection” in front of both rear wheels and replace it with a piece that covers the whole area from the door to the wheel wells - to the top of the wheel wells.

10-22-2018, 09:47 AM	#8
DaveC113 Drives: 2018 Camaro 1SS 1LE Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Front Range, CO Posts: 1,859	I'd add between the trunk opening and the license plate if you use the trunk much... I also did: - front bumper - partial front fenders - rockers + door up to crease - the entire panel in front of rear wheels - 12" wide strip on front of the roof I did it all myself but it's not easy, especially the front bumper. The stuff is really hard to cut perfectly and dulls the blade very quickly.

10-22-2018, 12:21 PM	#10
VinnAY Account Suspended Drives: 18 1SS/1LE Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Missouri Posts: 939	With the piece of 3M(?) that is on my car I'm unimpressed with PPF. I like the idea and see the need but this is my first impression and it's less than stellar as I've got dings and scrapes in that anyway. Added ZL1 guards after the first week, too. Id like to redo it with something stronger but don't know what that would be. Would definitely do the entire space between fr and rear tires, up to the door crease and then in front of the rear wheel up to that body line.

10-25-2018, 05:31 PM	#12
Kmeleon Drives: 2018 NFG 2SS 1LE! Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: PA Posts: 512	So the good news is I ran to the local dealer yesterday and they are ordering me a new hood wrap and will install soon. It was bunched up around the hood vents and had some water spots in a few spots. So new wrap installed, car will sit in the garage until early December when the XPEL installer can fit me in

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