t_in_maine

I just got a quote for 3M Paint Protection Film from Wheel Dynamix in Natick, MA (who came highly recommended), for $695 + tx. I absolutely believe in the benefits of having this done, but WOW, I wasn't expecting the price to be QUITE that high. That's for the standard kit: partial hood, mirror backs, bumper and front fenders. If I wish to get any more protection on the wheel wells or rocker panel, that's considered custom and is priced accordingly. Additionally, if I want light lenses done as well, (headlights and fogs), that's an additional $100. YIKES.

n8dog82

dont quote me on this, cause I dont know the exact number. I think when the dealership gets one done it costs around $300 (maybe closer to 400) so maybe there is some negotiation room available of that $695.

ATSX

not smart to compare dealer price to consumer price. a dealer might want to get 5-10 cars done. a consumer just wants his/her car.

i was quoted $350 for headlight, sideview mirror, inner door handles (the cup of the door). if i wanted the hood and front bumper along with the above listed, they wanted $600.

the price you and i got is the ideal price to pay. hence the reason why i did it myself. not the bumper (yet).

Sclass88

I remember you PMed me a while back about this. I got mine done, (including headlights and mirrors) for only $595. It was done by a compnay right in Danvers, MA, which is about 45 minutes south of the Maine/NH boarder and like I told you before, I HIGHLY recommend them. Very professional. Give them a call and see what they say.

Autobahnd North
153 Andover St (Rt. 114)
Danvers, MA 01923-1450
(978) 739-4262

And congrats on your new car, if you got it!

n8dog82

actually, we get like 1 car done a month if that

derekh25

I paid $320 for the mirrors, hood and door edges.

theElio

I paid $535 installed for bumper, side mirrors, and part of the hood. Nothing on my headlights.

BRH

If you're buying the car new. that price is definitely negotiable. I got the standard package that you describe, plus all of the lights (including fog lights) for $400 when I bought my car two months ago.

keg1997

Same for my car but only $495....

yeefuchew

Has anybody tried the do-it-yourself 3M film protection kit with much success?

Sclass88

I met a guy at my dealership once (prior to having mine installed) who showed me his clear bra that he installed himself. He did a nice job on it but he said that it was very labor intenseive and that an amatuer could not do it themself. He said that he had had some experience with a knife and that helped him.

I wouldnt recommend doing it youself unless you are experienced with a knife and trust youself not to screw it up. Good Luck!

kky

Just in case Canadian TSX owners are reading. I got my hood (1/3) and front fenders done for $195 + tax at a 3M authorized shop. $535 + tax would get me bumper and mirrors as well. Dealer asked for $300 for hood and fender, $550 for hood, fenders, bumper and mirrors.

t_in_maine

I did consider this, however I've read in more than a few places that the AutoBahnd film is not as good as some of the other films. The other place that I got the quote from came very highly recommended as well.

helraiser

I'm a Canadian owner and I got the hood, front fenders, mirrors (excluding signals) and headlamps done for $200+taxes. If I want the bumper done it's another $200ish+taxes.

This was using 3M stuff.

I don't know waht the dealer was offering cuz they already hosed me on other stuff and I didn't want any of their "extras".

98civex

I just got my 3M Clear Bra installed today here in Dallas...I paid $470 for the front bumper, fenders, hood, side mirrors, door handle cups, door edges, and headlights and foglights (he used a thicker material on the lights) on my new 06 TSX. The installation was awesome. Took him about 3.5 hours to do everything and I watched the entire install. I'm very happy that I got it done!!

fourpt5

I had reasonably good success for a first timer. Labor intensive, you bet! At first, I wasn't very happy with the job, but after listening to all that rock salt hit my car this winter, I'm glad I made the effort.

vidgamer

Yeah, I installed my own too. It does not look as good as if a professional, but it is Good Enough. You can't really see the flaws unless you get up on it. Basically, the edges don't always line up where they should, and there are a few flaws where it isn't completely "invisible" due to stretching, etc.

It is extremely hard to do. Even when it's pre-cut to fit, the film needs to be stretched and applied in a way that you probably can only do well if you did it a few times and got the hang of it. I think if I did a couple of more cars I'd get pretty good at it. ;-) But if you're really picky about how the end-result is going to look, don't think about doing it yourself. If you're kind of handy, it might be worth a try. I found a low cost online kit that used 3M film, and I'm crazy enough to give it a shot, and I'm pretty satisfied. Perfection is not something I'm worried about achieving. :-)

yeefuchew

Thanks for letting me know. Yeah, I'm not seeking "perfection," just "protection"