CX-5 Clear Bra anyone?
- Thread starter EricF
- Start date
I wouldn't cut it. The more seams you have, the more wax and dirt build up will occur, and the worse it will look.
It really does look nice CX-5um! and on White you cannot even notice it's there. You did a great job with that, what does the rear film cover exactly? the whole back? I can't find that anywhere.
My VentureShield arrived yesterday, waiting for tornado warning free weather before I install. I don't have a garage so I'm doing this early morning before the sun hits my side and it's still cool out. I know it's not recommended but I got no choice. Just for the heck of it I wanted to ask what just the install would cost and I got quotes of $450-700 from about 8 places for the front bumper, hood and mirrors only, yeah right like I'm a sucker. A couple of the shops wouldn't even give quotes unless i bought the film directly from them! one guy in his exact words said "I don't even bother with people who bring their own film in" so I didn't have good things to say to him after that which involved a few curses but whatever. This weekend looks like a washout so maybe sometime next week.
My VentureShield arrived yesterday, waiting for tornado warning free weather before I install. I don't have a garage so I'm doing this early morning before the sun hits my side and it's still cool out. I know it's not recommended but I got no choice. Just for the heck of it I wanted to ask what just the install would cost and I got quotes of $450-700 from about 8 places for the front bumper, hood and mirrors only, yeah right like I'm a sucker. A couple of the shops wouldn't even give quotes unless i bought the film directly from them! one guy in his exact words said "I don't even bother with people who bring their own film in" so I didn't have good things to say to him after that which involved a few curses but whatever. This weekend looks like a washout so maybe sometime next week.
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Hey there! I finally got my CX-5 two days ago and was thinking about getting some protection film on the front. I live in Katy, TX so I was wondering if you could give me more information on what it cost to have the films installed and if you could post some pictures!
Thanks
Took me the course of 2 days. Maybe 5-6 hours total. My wife helped me with the larger pieces. If I had to do it again I would rather not purchase the mirror and lower hood kit. Instead I would've used bulk film and trim as needed.
The rear was merely covered using extra bulk film I had laying around in my garage. I purchased 3M based Bulk film (ventureshield) for my VW and had extra. Basically I installed 6x20 inch piece below the license plate. It went over the edge by 1/2 inch. I tucked that 1/2 inch under the lower hatch. I then used a heat gun to heat shrink the film on the inside part of the hatch door. When I close the rear hatch I tend to place my hand on the section below the Mazda logo. I then installed a piece of film in that section since I've got a titanium ring that easisly scratches stuff.
Finally a non rainy day scheduled for tomorrow. I will be installing the 3M Venture Shield partial hood, mirrors and full front bumper. The hood will probably be simple as hell but the bumper piece will take up most of my time.
Just completed installing the Venture Shield below are some pics. Didn't come out perfect but it's decent and beats paying someone else upwards of $500 to do it. I messed up on some parts, the film wouldn't cooperate especially by the fog lights. See for yourselves. Did this outside, no garage or anything started at 6am finished around 9:15.
Can barely see it here, look for the line
Here on the bottom part of the foglight you can see where I messed up with the film not wanting to stay down
Can barely see it here, look for the line
Here on the bottom part of the foglight you can see where I messed up with the film not wanting to stay down
Thanks, could have been better though, also scratched the film slightly on some parts with the squeegee. The film only covers the painted surfaces around the fog light. I'm going to buy the headlight and fog light kit also that goes over the lenses themselves.
Wow I can't even tell you've got film based on these pics. That includes the close up pics too. Plus nobody's going to squat down and stare 5 inches away from your foglight so I wouldn't sweat it too much. Again good job.
Fog lights- If precut will be a peice of cake for you.
Headlights- keep it wet/sprayed down when you squeege plus if your squeege is hard plastic consider wrapping your squeegee with a moist towel to avoid scratching. I started on the end closest to the grill first. Once I was satisfied with placement I gradually moved on to the section near the fender. You have to do a combo of stretching and gentle heat to get it to wrap around that rectangle section that sticks out. If you mess up don't sweat it just remove and start over. If you see bubbles DO NOT WORRY lol. Its normal. The cloudiness and bubbles dissipate in about 2 weeks. I've done a headlights on 4 cars. Its normal. Good luck and great job so far.
Fog lights- If precut will be a peice of cake for you.
Headlights- keep it wet/sprayed down when you squeege plus if your squeege is hard plastic consider wrapping your squeegee with a moist towel to avoid scratching. I started on the end closest to the grill first. Once I was satisfied with placement I gradually moved on to the section near the fender. You have to do a combo of stretching and gentle heat to get it to wrap around that rectangle section that sticks out. If you mess up don't sweat it just remove and start over. If you see bubbles DO NOT WORRY lol. Its normal. The cloudiness and bubbles dissipate in about 2 weeks. I've done a headlights on 4 cars. Its normal. Good luck and great job so far.
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what did you use to do the headlights?
I'm actually doing the following to our Sky Blue CX5
1) Opti-Coat 2.0... this will be for the full car, an extra layer of permanent sealant to protect the car, keep it shiny, and easy to clean. Read really good stuff about it and $60 for a kit that should be for about two cars http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-opti-coat.html
2) Lamin-x for headlights and fog lights... however I feel like the headlights are going to be a huge challenge because of the raised peak there is in the middle of the headlight.
3) Ventureshield kit from ebay
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puddle.jumper
Member
- :
- mazda cx-5 touring 2013
gio26nj, nice work on the ppf. thanks for sharing the results. 
one advantage of a black colour(or other non-white darker paint) versus white when it comes to paint protection is that the seams/edges of the film are less noticeable. white has a tendency(on certain films) of having slight discoloration more noticeable compared to unprotected areas aged over time (orange peel?). ventureshield is a good clear film from what i hear so it's what i ended up using too.
i've done a little research on protecting ppf and have heard of people using optimum opti-seal, dodo juice red mist protection, & certain waxes for added protection. they're on my list of what i plan to get next to help maintain it.
one advantage of a black colour(or other non-white darker paint) versus white when it comes to paint protection is that the seams/edges of the film are less noticeable. white has a tendency(on certain films) of having slight discoloration more noticeable compared to unprotected areas aged over time (orange peel?). ventureshield is a good clear film from what i hear so it's what i ended up using too.
i've done a little research on protecting ppf and have heard of people using optimum opti-seal, dodo juice red mist protection, & certain waxes for added protection. they're on my list of what i plan to get next to help maintain it.
Thanks I've been just waxing the whole car including the VentureShield with Meguiars ultimate liquid wax. Been just over a month since I installed and there's no peeling or anything still looks great. I still have not had a chance to buy and install the lens kits. Will do that soon as well.
I've been just waxing the whole car including the VentureShield with Meguiars ultimate liquid wax. Been just over a month since I installed and there's no peeling or anything still looks great. I still have not had a chance to buy and install the lens kits. Will do that soon as well.Thanks
can you recommend any tutorial video on tips when installing etc?
I watched a bunch of videos and tips on how to install and at the end went on my own. It really is not that crazy hard to do and I find it totally ridiculous that shops charge $500+ to install this thing! should be $100-200 tops to install.
This one is a great detailed video
This one is a great detailed video
I didn't have as much success trying to install the kit myself, my skills don't seem to be good enough to get it right. I only attempted to install the hood portion.
So I'm selling the rest of my clear bra kit... it's Ventureshield and includes
It's this kit
https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)
I'll sell mine for $190 + shipping.... I can take pictures upon request.
The hood portion is included, but I don't think it will be able to be of any use since I already tried to install it.
So I'm selling the rest of my clear bra kit... it's Ventureshield and includes
It's this kit
https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)
I'll sell mine for $190 + shipping.... I can take pictures upon request.
The hood portion is included, but I don't think it will be able to be of any use since I already tried to install it.
MazdaDriverNJ
Contributor
- :
- 2013 Mazda CX-5 Touring FWD
Gio - wow great job on installation, can barely see it's there!
Now that i've seen the pics and other things it can do (such protect from minor scratches), i am thinking i should get it.. i've had the car for a little over a month now, not too late, right?
Would you be able to come and help, since I'm also in NJ? I am quite handy but doing something for the first time is a bit challenging ..
Now that i've seen the pics and other things it can do (such protect from minor scratches), i am thinking i should get it.. i've had the car for a little over a month now, not too late, right?
Would you be able to come and help, since I'm also in NJ? I am quite handy but doing something for the first time is a bit challenging ..
