[The Maverick]

Originally Posted by Allez

Wow, car looks really good, especially with having to drive over gravel roads.

Full disclosure: those photos were taken during break-in, so the car was basically brand new and I was only driving my '16 to the ranch at the time - but here's a shot of the '16 after around a hundred trips to the ranch and with about 40k miles total with the ZL1 Addons rock guards.

[hotlap]

I did ZL1 Addons splash guards on my 13 ZL1. Then the GM color matched ones on my 16 2SS. Then side skirts with Xpel in front of the rear tires on the 18 2SS Hot Wheels. My 2020 1LE has Xpel covering the doors, rear quarters and rocker panels

Behind the rear tires isn’t an issue. In front of them is.

I was going to put side skirts on this 1LE and then I read a post here that made it crystal clear. Quality PPF in the right places makes all these other measures unnecessary. I didn’t want skirts on this car …and quality GM ones cost $1000 anyway. I sold the skirts I already bought.

All together, I’ve put over 50k miles on gen6 Camaros. Half during winter

[Allez]

Originally Posted by hotlap

I did ZL1 Addons splash guards on my 13 ZL1. Then the GM color matched ones on my 16 2SS. Then side skirts with Xpel in front of the rear tires on the 18 2SS Hot Wheels. My 2020 1LE has Xpel covering the doors, rear quarters and rocker panels

Behind the rear tires isn’t an issue. In front of them is.

I was going to put side skirts on this 1LE and then I read a post here that made it crystal clear. Quality PPF in the right places makes all these other measures unnecessary. I didn’t want skirts on this car …and quality GM ones cost $1000 anyway. I sold the skirts I already bought.

All together, I’ve put over 50k miles on gen6 Camaros. Half during winter

Interesting.

You know, when I search for XPEL on Amazon what comes up first are diuretics (water pills, LOL). Then there's Paint Protection. Hmmm. . .

Wondering if I can do a few targeted areas myself.

[hotlap]

Originally Posted by Allez

Interesting.

You know, when I search for XPEL on Amazon what comes up first are diuretics (water pills, LOL). Then there's Paint Protection. Hmmm. . .

Wondering if I can do a few targeted areas myself.

Link below.

I’ll add a few other observations I made

1. with SS front tire width, the Splash Guards were enough if the rocker were covered with Xpel. The factory PPF in front of the rear tires go chewed up even with Splash Gaurds. The factory PPF and the area above. Cover the entire area to the body seam with Xpel and it’s good.
2. With 1LE front tire widths (285), the chips will appear much higher …above the rear quarter rocker seam and to the middle of the door.
3. The ZL1 Adon guards look 80s and trap stones. I hated them.
4. Side skirts and Xpel ahead of the rear tires was enough for my Hot Wheels.
5. The GM skirts are two piece that form a solid beam. The inner is riveted to the rocker and the outer snapped, glued with structural adhesive and riveted. Much stronger than aftermarket. Check my post history and you’ll see details including the ones I sold.
6. I never had damage behind the rear wheels. I think the overhang is too short so the angle shit is thrown doesn’t hit.

I’m not a fan of the Splash Guard look and I didn’t want to change the OE 1LE look with skirts

https://www.xpel.com/paint-protectio...olet/Camaro/SS

[JamesNoBrakes]

ZL1 add-ons, there's a reason most of us are using them.

[JKSully]

Originally Posted by hotlap

with SS front tire width, the Splash Guards were enough if the rocker were covered with Xpel. The factory PPF in front of the rear tires go chewed up even with Splash Gaurds. The factory PPF and the area above. Cover the entire area to the body seam with Xpel and it’s good.

In regards to this point - are you recommending to cover the area I have colored in red? I know you did your full door, but I'm getting a non-1LE SS and will be putting rock guards on - should I include any of the door, in your opinion? I'd rather not have a PPF edge across the middle of a panel, so if it's necessary to do part of the door I would probably go for the full door.

[hotlap]

Originally Posted by JKSully

In regards to this point - are you recommending to cover the area I have colored in red? I know you did your full door, but I'm getting a non-1LE SS and will be putting rock guards on - should I include any of the door, in your opinion? I'd rather not have a PPF edge across the middle of a panel, so if it's necessary to do part of the door I would probably go for the full door.

Rock Guards and the area you shaded is enough for the SS with regard to the tires throwing stones.

I found that the 1LEs 285 front tires threw the stones higher onto the door and rear quarters

[hotlap]

Originally Posted by JKSully

In regards to this point - are you recommending to cover the area I have colored in red? I know you did your full door, but I'm getting a non-1LE SS and will be putting rock guards on - should I include any of the door, in your opinion? I'd rather not have a PPF edge across the middle of a panel, so if it's necessary to do part of the door I would probably go for the full door.

I’d go with these if I were choosing rock guards

https://wildhammermotorsports.com/16...acs-composite/

I have no edges across the middle of the panels by going full panels. The rocker panel below was covered too

[JKSully]

Originally Posted by hotlap

Rock Guards and the area you shaded is enough for the SS with regard to the tires throwing stones.

I found that the 1LEs 285 front tires threw the stones higher onto the door and rear quarters

Appreciate the input...still considering options at this point, and not committing to anything until I take delivery and get a good look at the factory paint. But if I was going to do as much PPF as you did on your 1LE, then I was thinking about going all the way and doing Stealth on everything. Decisions, decisions....

As for the guards - are the ACS ones really worth twice as much as the ZL1 addons? I can't really see much difference in terms of size, so was leaning towards the ZL1s.

[hotlap]

Originally Posted by JKSully

Appreciate the input...still considering options at this point, and not committing to anything until I take delivery and get a good look at the factory paint. But if I was going to do as much PPF as you did on your 1LE, then I was thinking about going all the way and doing Stealth on everything. Decisions, decisions....

First world problems.

I love the Stealth look but Rally Green is my obsession.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Allez

Planning on getting wider tires for my 2SS, so hoping to protect against rock chips. What do you all recommend? Front and rear, or just rear? Will have 285/30/20 front, 305/30/20 rear. Thanks.

Bra

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by JSH

Bra

I hope you're joking, a bra will destroy the brittle clearcoat if it moves around (and it most likely will).

[Chutzpah]

Originally Posted by JKSully

In regards to this point - are you recommending to cover the area I have colored in red? I know you did your full door, but I'm getting a non-1LE SS and will be putting rock guards on - should I include any of the door, in your opinion? I'd rather not have a PPF edge across the middle of a panel, so if it's necessary to do part of the door I would probably go for the full door.

I’ve had an SS and a ZL1… no rock guards on either. My next car will get them. What I found to be the most frequent / predominant chip areas are the hood, and the black highlighted area (bulge in front of rear wheel well(s) repels on coming stones). Clearly, the bumper gets hit too, but with the plastic flex adder in the paint, it’s not quite as bad (and easier to touch up, especially white). My next car is white partly because of this… as well micro scratches are not as noticeable. Since I’m cheap, I’ll do the PPF myself on the hood and at the rear wheel wells. Still don’t know what mudguards yet… possibly RPI. If I add wider wheels… I’ll extend the PPF under the doors.



Good luck… you could spend a ton of $ to protect everything.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by arpad_m

I hope you're joking, a bra will destroy the brittle clearcoat if it moves around (and it most likely will).

My cars have used Scotchgard Paint Protection Film for at least 10 years without issue, so...