PPF on 2021 CX-5

[Chas]

I was able to get some 3M Scotchguard Pro Series Paint Protection Film (PPF) 10 year warranty, installed on a White 2021 CX-5 Signature.
1. Partial Front protection includes front bumper, partial hood, partial fenders, mirrors, tucked and wrapped
2. Piano Black B and C Pillars - to prevent the bad scratches everyone talks about
3. 4 Inside Door Sills - to protect from shoe scrapes - top of door sills, including 1/2 inch fold over the outer edge
4. Top Rear Bumper, top of bumper - to protect from cargo accidentally hitting the top of the bumper including 1/2 inch fold over the outer edge
5. 4 door handle cups - to protect from fingernails and rings
The installer is the most important part of the process, and I found a good one.

 

[Gozo]

How’d they cover the mirror caps? Try as I might to get the PPF to stretch around the curve to cover the top, front, and inner side with one continuous piece; I still had to make a cut and flap a section around. Can we get a close up view from the front inside view?
Looks real nice. Keep it clean and shiny.

 

[hal2]

Side view mirrors are split down the middle so there's no hard curves. I'll try to get a picture when I get home

 

[sm1ke]

Looks great!

 

[Chas]

How’d they cover the mirror caps? Try as I might to get the PPF to stretch around the curve to cover the top, front, and inner side with one continuous piece; I still had to make a cut and flap a section around. Can we get a close up view from the front inside view?
Looks real nice. Keep it clean and shiny.

They have a cut so there is no excess material on the compound curve

 

[Gozo]

They have a cut so there is no excess material on the compound curveView attachment 233788

Ah, OK. I wound up doing very much the same. I was thinking somehow they stretched or shaped it around the cup without a relief cut and wondered what magic they applied.
It does look sharp in white. My last white car always looked dirty real quick. It lived outdoors, so it didn’t take much.

 

[murky]

I got most of the areas done in the first post. With hindsight, I may have done the whole hood and front fenders (I have chips in the uncovered areas). And the rear cargo door. It had an encounter with the garage door opener. For the first several months, I knew there was potential for conflict, and was careful not to open or close the garage door with the hatch up. Then, preparing for a trip to the coast, my wife made it happen. It left several inches of deep scratches that I covered with Dr. Colorchip, okay.

I've since fixed the garage door by cutting off the extra material extending from the J link that connects the door to the carriage. Also, even though it clears, I zip tied a microfiber cloth to the lowest portion just in case.

But with a bike rack, I worry that the door may get actuated while the bikes are up. I don't know of any way to disable the door auto open.

I had my PPF put on by a skilled detailer. But the dealer had done some areas already, the mirror backs, door cups, and door edges. The dealer did a terrible job. Its unconscionable that they want to charge people for that. They apply it to all the cars for the markup. I didn't ask for it, and it wasn't listed on the vehicle inventory, so I didn't pay for that, or the flashy brake lights. I'm glad I didn't, or I'd be extra pissed about how its failing to hold up. There are bubbles, and general sloppiness, especially in the door edge film.

But almost 3 years in the film is still pretty much invisible and seems to be doing a good job. It did a good job protecting my bumper when it had a disagreement with the bike rack on the back of another car that it met.

 

[hal2]

Or like this for the mirrors. My installer had a separate piece for the front/vertical oart and the top/horizontal part. But the [ic in the above post is how my last car was done. In person, the seam cannot be seen and there is no lifting around any of the curves.

 

[Glee217]

Anyone know when the door edge ppf is lifting and gets a little dirty, is it ok to use water & soap solution and a tooth pick/toothbrush to clean it and then followup with tack solution (90% water & 10% (70% iso alcohol)) or 3m spray adhesive?

It is a 21 GTR with stock door edge ppf.