Ping: to RayO

[AlanW]

Dear Ray,

I value your opinions and advice in this news group. Any thoughts on
this?

"I will take delivery of an ES350 in about two weeks. While at the
dealer, I received a "preview" of some of the products they will offer
when I take delivery.

The first one is a glass treatment known as "Diamon-Fusion" (
www.diamon-fusionusa.com )which protects windshields from chips and
cracks and also allows water to run off instantly.

The other is "Scotchgard Paint Protection Film" (
www.3m.com/PaintProtectionFilm ). This is a high-grade urethane film
that is applied to the front bumper, mirror backs, and the front half
of the hood to reduce paint chips and bug damage.

I would welcome comments and insights about these products pro or con.
Are they worth the extra cost?"

Thanks. // Alan

[old man]

RainX does the same thing, for rain/dirt, and can be purchased / applied by
anyone
about $2 a bottle this side of the pond - it works, drive in rain without
using the wypers, as used by airforce

Post by AlanW
Dear Ray,
I value your opinions and advice in this news group. Any thoughts on
this?
"I will take delivery of an ES350 in about two weeks. While at the
dealer, I received a "preview" of some of the products they will offer
when I take delivery.
The first one is a glass treatment known as "Diamon-Fusion" (
www.diamon-fusionusa.com )which protects windshields from chips and
cracks and also allows water to run off instantly.
The other is "Scotchgard Paint Protection Film" (
www.3m.com/PaintProtectionFilm ). This is a high-grade urethane film
that is applied to the front bumper, mirror backs, and the front half
of the hood to reduce paint chips and bug damage.
I would welcome comments and insights about these products pro or con.
Are they worth the extra cost?"
Thanks. // Alan

[Ray O]

Post by AlanW
Dear Ray,
I value your opinions and advice in this news group. Any thoughts on
this?
"I will take delivery of an ES350 in about two weeks. While at the
dealer, I received a "preview" of some of the products they will offer
when I take delivery.
The first one is a glass treatment known as "Diamon-Fusion" (
www.diamon-fusionusa.com )which protects windshields from chips and
cracks and also allows water to run off instantly.

I would pass on the Diamon-Fusion unless the dealer is applying it for free.
The fact that something is patented does not mean that it is effective or a
good investment.

Post by AlanW
The other is "Scotchgard Paint Protection Film" (
www.3m.com/PaintProtectionFilm ). This is a high-grade urethane film
that is applied to the front bumper, mirror backs, and the front half
of the hood to reduce paint chips and bug damage.

Toyota used to install a very similar film in areas that were vulnerable to
sandblasting, and it was very effective. It is basically a transparent
decal. A seam where the film ends will probably become visible, and you may
or may not like how the hood looks with the seam. I would ask to see how it
looks when installed on another car. As far as whether the film is worth it
or not depends on the cost. I might pay $100 for it on my car; I would
definitely not pay $300 for it. My guess is that the dealer will want $500
for it.

I would pass on any chemical "treatments," "coatings," "paint hardener," etc
for the rest of the car's paint and for the upholstery. That stuff is
basically wax and Scotchguard.

Enjoy your new ride!

[AlanW]

Ray and others who responded to my posts,,

Thanks very much. Your insights were very helpful.

Sincerely,
Alan

On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:40:12 -0500, "Ray O"
<rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote:

[Ray O]

Post by AlanW
Ray and others who responded to my posts,,
Thanks very much. Your insights were very helpful.
Sincerely,
Alan

You are very welcome!

[Steve Larson]

I have the film on my car, and it was WELL worth the expense for me,
considering my commute is all interstate. Without the film, I'd be doing
paint touchups just about every day. As far as price, I paid around $500
for the front bumper, hood, headlights, side mirrors, and rear bumper. On
my headlights, the installer used a thicker material by X-Pel that
absolutely prevents lens breakage from anything short of a direct hit by a
boulder. He also used LLumar product instead of 3m. I dealt directly with
an authorized film installer instead of purchasing through a dealership.
From what I understand, the dealerships would charge like $1000 for the same
thing. I read Ray's post about not wanting to pay $300 for it, but here's
how I justified my expense. An unsightly black front-end bra, which damages
the paint over time and is maintenance-intensive, especially after it rains,
was something like $200 or $250. To me, the extra couple of hundred bucks
is well worth paying. It is a completely maintenance and worry-free
solution, and I strongly recommend it. Just do some research in your area
first to find a qualified installer, and you could price- compare against
the dealership's pricing. The biggest problem I have seen, at least in my
area, is a lack of many qualified installers for this type of product. A
nice bonus about the film, when you go to sell your car one day, you can
peel it off, and the front end will look factory fresh.

Check out these sites for info:
http://www.xpel.com/
http://www.llumar.com/na-eng/Automotive/auto.html

Post by AlanW
Ray and others who responded to my posts,,
Thanks very much. Your insights were very helpful.
Sincerely,
Alan
On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:40:12 -0500, "Ray O"

["" <Curtis Newton>]

Post by Steve Larson
I have the film on my car, and it was WELL worth the expense for me,
considering my commute is all interstate. Without the film, I'd be doing
paint touchups just about every day. As far as price, I paid around $500
for the front bumper, hood, headlights, side mirrors, and rear bumper. On
my headlights, the installer used a thicker material by X-Pel that
absolutely prevents lens breakage from anything short of a direct hit by a
boulder. He also used LLumar product instead of 3m. I dealt directly with
an authorized film installer instead of purchasing through a dealership.

I have the film on my A4 and thought it was so beneficial I had them
add it to my wife's RX330 when we purchased it.

We got ours through the Lexus dealership and it has saved the front
end from rock chips. I went with the dealerships because I have seen
some of the tint places go out of business and if you have any
warranty issues, it is easier because you just call the dealer. Ours
was $499 through the dealer.

In Colorado, the road crews generally use sand instead of salt and
rock chips are the norm; the invisible bra has prevented this from
happening.

YMMV.

[Ray O]

Post by Steve Larson
I have the film on my car, and it was WELL worth the expense for me,
considering my commute is all interstate. Without the film, I'd be doing
paint touchups just about every day. As far as price, I paid around $500
for the front bumper, hood, headlights, side mirrors, and rear bumper. On
my headlights, the installer used a thicker material by X-Pel that
absolutely prevents lens breakage from anything short of a direct hit by a
boulder. He also used LLumar product instead of 3m. I dealt directly with
an authorized film installer instead of purchasing through a dealership.
From what I understand, the dealerships would charge like $1000 for the
same thing. I read Ray's post about not wanting to pay $300 for it, but
here's how I justified my expense. An unsightly black front-end bra, which
damages the paint over time and is maintenance-intensive, especially after
it rains, was something like $200 or $250. To me, the extra couple of
hundred bucks is well worth paying. It is a completely maintenance and
worry-free solution, and I strongly recommend it. Just do some research in
your area first to find a qualified installer, and you could price- compare
against the dealership's pricing. The biggest problem I have seen, at
least in my area, is a lack of many qualified installers for this type of
product. A nice bonus about the film, when you go to sell your car one
day, you can peel it off, and the front end will look factory fresh.
http://www.xpel.com/
http://www.llumar.com/na-eng/Automotive/auto.html

Interesting post! I am a cheapskate, and based on my dealings with
dealerships, I tend to be skeptical of dealership aftermarket add-ons. I
agree that front-end bras or masks tend to cause more damage than they
prevent, and those Lexan hood shields do not help the appearance of a car.
I guess I should think about the film ;-)

[Steve Larson]

It may not be for everyone, but it sure has been a blessing for me.

Post by Ray O

Post by Steve Larson
I have the film on my car, and it was WELL worth the expense for me,
considering my commute is all interstate. Without the film, I'd be doing
paint touchups just about every day. As far as price, I paid around $500
for the front bumper, hood, headlights, side mirrors, and rear bumper. On
my headlights, the installer used a thicker material by X-Pel that
absolutely prevents lens breakage from anything short of a direct hit by a
boulder. He also used LLumar product instead of 3m. I dealt directly
with an authorized film installer instead of purchasing through a
dealership. From what I understand, the dealerships would charge like
$1000 for the same thing. I read Ray's post about not wanting to pay $300
for it, but here's how I justified my expense. An unsightly black
front-end bra, which damages the paint over time and is
maintenance-intensive, especially after it rains, was something like $200
or $250. To me, the extra couple of hundred bucks is well worth paying.
It is a completely maintenance and worry-free solution, and I strongly
recommend it. Just do some research in your area first to find a
qualified installer, and you could price- compare against the dealership's
pricing. The biggest problem I have seen, at least in my area, is a lack
of many qualified installers for this type of product. A nice bonus about
the film, when you go to sell your car one day, you can peel it off, and
the front end will look factory fresh.
http://www.xpel.com/
http://www.llumar.com/na-eng/Automotive/auto.html

Interesting post! I am a cheapskate, and based on my dealings with
dealerships, I tend to be skeptical of dealership aftermarket add-ons. I
agree that front-end bras or masks tend to cause more damage than they
prevent, and those Lexan hood shields do not help the appearance of a car.
I guess I should think about the film ;-)
--
Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)