Nauseous over invisiguard install
 

Hey guys...just a word of advise. This is a long story, so I'm going to try and give you only the highlights. After ordering the invisiguard product from Krinkov before he had to pull the good price he offered us I had to find an installer. I live in WI and the only installers listed on the X-pel site were near Chicago. So after calling each one and determining the one with the most experience I went down to get the material installed. I was quoted $45/hr and told it should take @ 4 hrs. It is considered a difficult install (4.5 out of 5) but was given no reason to believe it would be a problem...after all this guy does Ferrarri's! After arriving to drop off my vehicle (still less than 48hrs old to me!) I was told by the installer that the headlight covers provided to me which are X-pel 3M material (and are VERY thick) would not work. He said the contour of the headlight would not allow him to give me a satisfactory result no matter how much heat or streching he tried. We agreed he could cut material from his bulk 3M material (thinner) in order to cover the lights.
Anyway...after about three hours I get a call from him telling me he cannot install the bumper portion because it is too complicated of a contour and without using a knife (by my request) he could not get a result he felt I would be happy with. I reluctantly agree to let him use a knife if he feels he can install it properly and is extreemly careful...I don't want my bumper exposed and the job done half-assed.
When I come to pick it up there are many defects to the naked eye...AND it is already dark out so I know I can't see all of them. He assures me everything is fine and what I see will dissapear because the material breaths and it will evaporate through the material. After he assures me he will stand behind his install...and if I have to have it redone he will do it, I pay him his $245.
The install isn't a nightmare like someone else posted a while ago... and if you look at if from ten feet or more away, it actually looks OK (except for bubbles in the creases of the hood) But I feel nauseous because now I have a $30+ thousand body in a 5 dollar suit! I am extreemly frustrated and dissappointed after doing more research and double checking than most...and getting an inferior result from what some of you have posted. This installer claims there are sometimes imperfections in the adhesive applied to the back of the film which may explain some of the areas that look like stretchmarks...but that doesn't explain the debris trapped behind the film in a couple of areas. If is also obvious he used a knife in areas that should not have been necessary if installed correctly. I am making an appointment with a local installer to get his feedback on whether I am off base on my expectations....and if he says it should have been done differently/better, I don't know what I'm going to do. The installer who did this didn't say he would give me my money back if I wasn't satisfied...he said he'd redo it. Why would I believe his second attempt would be any better than the first? Additionally, what do I do about the cost of material that I would be out? It was installed by someone recommended on the X-pel site....so do I have any recourse? I have an email into Krinkov to get his feedback, but just want the rest of you who are considering this to know you are taking a risk no matter how careful you are to be sure it is done right! Ultimately I like the idea of the material and where it is flawless, I am extreemly happy. Unfortunately, the hood and bumper did not turn out like I expected!

Sorry for the long post...there were many more details, but it would have taken two pages!

i had the same problem. luckily i live ony 300+ miles from XPEL. I went down there and had them redo it. I did have to pay them though...

mine wasnt cut up, but still looked like ass.

m

Skidazzel,

Huge favor to ask: do you have a digital with a decent macro feature? Could you take a number of pics of areas around the reflectors on the bumper, around the front emblem and at the edges of the lower edge of the bumper? Not high resolution that will take forever to download...just good enough to send to my installer to make an arguement. I'd really appreciate it.

Can you give me more detail on your situation? Was the installer listed by X-pel? And you had no recourse? What did it cost you to get it redone...and what are your impressions now that you had it done right?

Any feedback and help would be greatly appreciated.

Could you please explain to me what an earthing kit is and why it is useful? I have read some posts talking about grounding kits, but I cannot explain it adequately to the local installers of what I'm talking about.

Thanks for your help:cool:

Uro279,

You must have pulled that quote from another thread? Didn't come from this one. And a grounding kit does just that...it improves the ground for the electrical of you vehicle. Not sure I buy into it, but some guys are swearing it improves the way the vehicle runs at higher rpms and while at idle. Anyway...check out other threads...this one is completely unrelated.

Thanks for the quick reply. Actually, I did quote Skidazzle but then modified it. If you look at Skidazzles last entry on his list of mods in his signature, you will see "earthing kit".

But you're right, I should have posted this somewhere else.;)

Driven, please tell me who screwed up your install.......PM if you don't want to flame him. I'm picking myZ up tomorrow, and want it protected ASAP. My dealer has a person who does their Beetles,so I may use him, as the dealer will have to back the install.

Good luck. I had a horrendous installl the 1st go-around too. Re-cut several pieces, and still couldn't get it right.
I don't think you'll have any luck getting anything from the dealer, I tried that route already. I did get the installer to refund my labor costs, and am still chasing him down to send me a kit for me to sell and try to recoup my losses.
If need be, I think you could take him to small claims court and sue him not only for the labor costs, but materials as well.

Get a full set of pics and even a list from another installer who will document the issues with your current setup.

Good luck again, and email me if you have any more questions.

Mike

i too have contemplated getting a clear bra installed on my car. but after seeing a couple at a recent Z meet in atlanta i have changed my mind. the install was not acceptable. you could see stretch marks and in places the material overlapped and didnt sit down. but then i saw another and it looked much better (same material from the same source, just different installer). so rather than spend $$$ and take a chance at having a poor install, i have decided to take my chances with the "flying stones" and repaint when necessary.

Thanks guys for the responses...any more expriences or recommendations as to what to do or how to handle this is appreciated. I've gotten a response from Krinkov...his is willing to help me out by getting me another pre-cut kit at a reduced price....said he has seen this before, and that many of the things I was told by my installer just are not true. I'm hoping he has some pull with X-pel, and with the company behind him can put pressure on this installer to get all my labor costs back. I don't see the logic in letting him try it again!

I'm here in Atlanta, and I am very happy with the results. If you ever want to take a look, let me know.

Mike

Mike,

Who did you finally use? How much was it total? Got any pics?

I am on the fence about getting it done now.

<========= On the fence as well.

:mad: :confused: :(

I had it done buy a guy who posts here, mikeinatlanta. He's about 15 mins south of Hartsfield airport. He has his own brand of kit, Dynashield, which runs ~900.00. I had a XPel kit installed that he cut from his own stock, and had it installed for ~700.00. The basic difference between the two was the amount of coverage, the Dynashield wraps around the hood, fenders. The XPel does not, but still provides excellent coverage.

Mike is worth the drive to have it done. Nice guy, very knowledgeable and professional. I would recommend him to anyone.

If I get a chance, I will post some pics. I don't have any creases, or bubble that didn't go away. There are no extra cuts, and the kit is perfectly straight.

Mike

Thanks Mike! Pics would be great. Mikeinatlanta seems to be my best bet. Not sure if I want it to wrap around the hood.........Mikeinatlanta seems helpful and knowlegeable.

Driven, you may or may not remember, but I’m the one who had a hideous install. Afterwards, I too talked to mikeinatlanta, and made the drive to his shop. I realize this isn’t an option for someone who lives in Wisconsin, but he might can recommend someone in your area. My Z was the first for him. He used mine as a template and it turned out unbelievable. I went with the dynashield- his kit. Let me tell you a few things about this guy and this product in general. He is a perfectionist- my kind of man. He wrapped the film inside the hood, inside the fender wells, and removed the headlight lenses, wrapped inside them (as well as the lenses themselves), put door edge guards on as well as mirrors. Also, on this kit, the curve across the hood is matched to the lines of the car. Even though it is hardly visible, when you do see it, it looks better than other kits I’ve seen. Also, this stuff (esp on the Z) is very difficult to install. You get what you pay for. Mike is a master installer, and a very nice person. I’m sure he’d like to talk with you about your install and discuss to look for in an installer. Here's a pic, but you won’t be able to see a thing. Good luck, I know how you feel- I’ve been there……
Hosss

Hosss,

Wow...granted I'm not there to see it in person, but you sound like the perfectionist I am. Can you tell me where the edge of the film is on the upper bumper where it is indented for the headlights? Does it wrap over that rather sharp edge and up to the headlight with no cuts or wrinkles? Or does it stop just at that edge but is invisible? I've got another guy locally who comes highly recommended ...but am going to check out his work first to see more than just one of his jobs. Then I'm going to make sure he completely understands the type of job I expect. If you have any more detailed pictures of various corners etc...could you PM me so I can use them for explaination of what I WANT? I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks...any more detail you can offer as to how your job was done that you were happy with would be great. By the way...yes, I remember reading your post...how did you handle the money you paid for the original **** job?

Hasss...was that picture before or after the install? Can't even tell there is something on your bumber...invisible it is.

after.... this guy does makes a great kit.....