Xpel headlight protection
05-20-2002, 12:03 PM
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Xpel headlight protection
Does anyone think headlight protection is necessary on our TL's? Is the plastic lens cover any stronger than glass ones? Thanks!
05-21-2002, 11:35 AM
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Re: Xpel headlight protection
Originally posted by TL
Does anyone think headlight protection is necessary on our TL's? Is the plastic lens cover any stronger than glass ones? Thanks!
Does anyone think headlight protection is necessary on our TL's? Is the plastic lens cover any stronger than glass ones? Thanks!
05-21-2002, 06:15 PM
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Hey, I wonder how well Xpel paint protection (the 3M Scotchcal stuff for paint) will work on our plastic headlights? I went to purchase hood and bumper protection, and they gave me an extra roll of the stuff free for use anywhere. I'm thinking under the mud guards, and perhaps lights?
05-21-2002, 07:11 PM
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let me tell you about xpel or stongard...
i put stongard on my headlights for a long trip. i had it on the car for 5 weeks. i found that the heat from our lights eventually starts to yellow the film. i removed it from the headlights , and one of the shields left some adhesive on the lens that could not be removed , and actually ate into the lens!? don't ask me how this happened, but it left a nasty occlusion on the lower end of the lens that was left on as actually part of the lens! permanent like! i bought a new lens housing, $190.00! 
for what it's worth: on the road, i don't think anything would break the bulbs, just crack the lens, if that! so , caveat emptor! kman
for what it's worth: on the road, i don't think anything would break the bulbs, just crack the lens, if that! so , caveat emptor! kman
05-21-2002, 09:28 PM
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Re: let me tell you about xpel or stongard...
Mine have been on for 3 months, no problems, no color change. I use stongard.com stuff, its made by 3m, but seems better quality.
Originally posted by kman156
i put stongard on my headlights for a long trip. i had it on the car for 5 weeks. i found that the heat from our lights eventually starts to yellow the film. i removed it from the headlights , and one of the shields left some adhesive on the lens that could not be removed , and actually ate into the lens!? don't ask me how this happened, but it left a nasty occlusion on the lower end of the lens that was left on as actually part of the lens! permanent like! i bought a new lens housing, $190.00! for what it's worth: on the road, i don't think anything would break the bulbs, just crack the lens, if that! so , caveat emptor! kman
i put stongard on my headlights for a long trip. i had it on the car for 5 weeks. i found that the heat from our lights eventually starts to yellow the film. i removed it from the headlights , and one of the shields left some adhesive on the lens that could not be removed , and actually ate into the lens!? don't ask me how this happened, but it left a nasty occlusion on the lower end of the lens that was left on as actually part of the lens! permanent like! i bought a new lens housing, $190.00!
for what it's worth: on the road, i don't think anything would break the bulbs, just crack the lens, if that! so , caveat emptor! kman
05-21-2002, 09:42 PM
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how often do you drive with your lights on?
i keep my headlights on alot during the day, and the long trip when the lights were on for 9 hours straight 4 different times might have had something to with it? kman
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05-22-2002, 12:28 AM
#8
Burning Brakes
Re: let me tell you about xpel or stongard...
Originally posted by kman156
i put stongard on my headlights for a long trip. i had it on the car for 5 weeks. i found that the heat from our lights eventually starts to yellow the film. i removed it from the headlights , and one of the shields left some adhesive on the lens that could not be removed , and actually ate into the lens!? don't ask me how this happened, but it left a nasty occlusion on the lower end of the lens that was left on as actually part of the lens! permanent like! i bought a new lens housing, $190.00! for what it's worth: on the road, i don't think anything would break the bulbs, just crack the lens, if that! so , caveat emptor! kman
i put stongard on my headlights for a long trip. i had it on the car for 5 weeks. i found that the heat from our lights eventually starts to yellow the film. i removed it from the headlights , and one of the shields left some adhesive on the lens that could not be removed , and actually ate into the lens!? don't ask me how this happened, but it left a nasty occlusion on the lower end of the lens that was left on as actually part of the lens! permanent like! i bought a new lens housing, $190.00!
for what it's worth: on the road, i don't think anything would break the bulbs, just crack the lens, if that! so , caveat emptor! kman
The Stongard material on my headlights is too thick to be considered "film." Did you put the thick stuff on your headlights or did you use the thin stuff that goes on your hood -- on your headlights? Also, I had mine professionally installed -- that may or may not make a difference... but it comes with a warranty that way. It's been 8 months and no yellowing to be found.
Let me know which type you used.
V.
05-22-2002, 02:05 AM
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Re: how often do you drive with your lights on?
Originally posted by kman156
i keep my headlights on alot during the day, and the long trip when the lights were on for 9 hours straight 4 different times might have had something to with it? kman
i keep my headlights on alot during the day, and the long trip when the lights were on for 9 hours straight 4 different times might have had something to with it? kman
05-22-2002, 06:54 AM
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lights on fo safety!
important for other drivers to see you coming as much as possible! being lit up is good! i use my heads and my piaa 1700's during the day, cars with there lights on during the day always catch my eye! good defensive measure!. especially at those intersections where someone is making a right into your road! i always flash my high beams aswell when i see one of those sneaky idiots trying to pull a risky right on red move into oncoming traffic!! 
kman plus with all the old people down here that can't see over the wheel , i figure being procative is the way to be, the greys are totally oblivious! 85 year olds with DL's! it is SCARY what you see down here! 1/2 the time they don't know wether they are in park or reverse, and the gas is the break, & they are driving through the storefront of a denny's!
kman plus with all the old people down here that can't see over the wheel , i figure being procative is the way to be, the greys are totally oblivious! 85 year olds with DL's! it is SCARY what you see down here! 1/2 the time they don't know wether they are in park or reverse, and the gas is the break, & they are driving through the storefront of a denny's!
05-22-2002, 08:07 AM
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Re: how often do you drive with your lights on?
Originally posted by kman156
i keep my headlights on alot during the day, and the long trip when the lights were on for 9 hours straight 4 different times might have had something to with it? kman
i keep my headlights on alot during the day, and the long trip when the lights were on for 9 hours straight 4 different times might have had something to with it? kman
05-22-2002, 04:09 PM
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Re: Re: how often do you drive with your lights on?
Originally posted by SilverBulletCLS
I use mine alot, not during the day though, but morning and evenings. I also live in HOT Texas, so it gets hot here as well. Not sure.
I use mine alot, not during the day though, but morning and evenings. I also live in HOT Texas, so it gets hot here as well. Not sure.
05-22-2002, 07:18 PM
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I probably won't do the headlights, since I just have the thin stuff for paint. I'll cover the area under the front mudguards for sure though. I have yet to start, because today we have snow in Calgary!!
I have another question tho. If you look at the Xpel kit for the 99-01 TL bumper, you will notice that they divide it into two parts (left and right halfs). I'm wondering, for those of you that have it installed, how much of a gap did you leave in the middle between both halfs of the material? Should I just try to get them as close as possible? Thanks!
I have another question tho. If you look at the Xpel kit for the 99-01 TL bumper, you will notice that they divide it into two parts (left and right halfs). I'm wondering, for those of you that have it installed, how much of a gap did you leave in the middle between both halfs of the material? Should I just try to get them as close as possible? Thanks!
05-22-2002, 10:15 PM
#15
Three Wheelin'
i tried applying the Stonegard stuff. Its really very thick and unlike the thinner Xpel film, it cant be applied with a liquid solution. no matter how carefully i did apply the film i ended up with small bubbles and lines. I wasnt very happy with this and Stonegard was very nice about it and refunded my money. Seems to me the Xpel stuff would be the way to go if you are going to apply film. Using a solution (they recommend a alcohol and water mix) you should be able to squeegie out any imperfections. With Stonegard, thts impossible to do. Once it sticks down thats it.
05-23-2002, 12:18 AM
#16
Burning Brakes
Originally posted by 2002acuraTL
i tried applying the Stonegard stuff. Its really very thick and unlike the thinner Xpel film, it cant be applied with a liquid solution. no matter how carefully i did apply the film i ended up with small bubbles and lines. I wasnt very happy with this and Stonegard was very nice about it and refunded my money. Seems to me the Xpel stuff would be the way to go if you are going to apply film. Using a solution (they recommend a alcohol and water mix) you should be able to squeegie out any imperfections. With Stonegard, thts impossible to do. Once it sticks down thats it.
i tried applying the Stonegard stuff. Its really very thick and unlike the thinner Xpel film, it cant be applied with a liquid solution. no matter how carefully i did apply the film i ended up with small bubbles and lines. I wasnt very happy with this and Stonegard was very nice about it and refunded my money. Seems to me the Xpel stuff would be the way to go if you are going to apply film. Using a solution (they recommend a alcohol and water mix) you should be able to squeegie out any imperfections. With Stonegard, thts impossible to do. Once it sticks down thats it.
However, I watched the guys put on my Stongard stuff and they were keeping the area wet with something (don't know if it was water or something else). Kinda reminded me of how the window tinters did my windows... only they were doing my hood, etc.
V.
05-23-2002, 08:32 AM
#17
Three Wheelin'
I asked Stonegard before i put the headlight protection on whether i could/should use a wet solution and they said NO. The film used on the paint protection (clear bra) is much thinner and has a different adhesive. The headlight stuff is much thicker he said it has a different adhesive. He said they have experimented with solutions themselves but without good results. He said it would definitely cause the edges to lift up around the corner area of the light where the turn signal is.
05-23-2002, 11:00 AM
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Proper method is no water on headlights. The 1st installers I used used the solution alcohol and water mixed. They fogged up after a short time. I had to buy new ones and install them myself with the proper method. No problems since. I also reinstalled a new hood piece myself with the solution, worked well!
Originally posted by vperkins2
Well, since I admittedly have very limited modding skills I usually pay others work on my car. Keeps my bloodpressure down and gives me someone to come back to and get things fixed.
However, I watched the guys put on my Stongard stuff and they were keeping the area wet with something (don't know if it was water or something else). Kinda reminded me of how the window tinters did my windows... only they were doing my hood, etc.
V.
Well, since I admittedly have very limited modding skills I usually pay others work on my car. Keeps my bloodpressure down and gives me someone to come back to and get things fixed.
However, I watched the guys put on my Stongard stuff and they were keeping the area wet with something (don't know if it was water or something else). Kinda reminded me of how the window tinters did my windows... only they were doing my hood, etc.
V.
05-23-2002, 04:35 PM
#19
Burning Brakes
I didn't watch them put on my headlight protection so I can't talk about how they did it. I only saw 'em putting on some of the other pieces.
Sounds like SilverBullet knows his stuff! Thanks for clearing up any misconceptions.
Later,
V.
Sounds like SilverBullet knows his stuff! Thanks for clearing up any misconceptions.
Later,
V.
05-23-2002, 05:54 PM
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The shop I bought the clear bra gave me a solution called "Rapid Tac". They recommended it over baby shampoo/water and rubing alcohol/water that the Xpel site recommends because it provides more lubrication during installation, and also sticks better at the end.
Today I saw a TL with a clear bra in my area, and it looked horrible!! The material was pealing at the ends, and it looked very yellow! Hopefully, it was just dirty and not well maintained.
Today I saw a TL with a clear bra in my area, and it looked horrible!! The material was pealing at the ends, and it looked very yellow! Hopefully, it was just dirty and not well maintained.
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