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      12-24-2012, 12:24 AM   #1
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M5 Exterior Detailing and Optiguard protection

I just got back from Greenville, SC for the PC redelivery of my M5. Now I need some help regarding having the M5 exterior cleaned properly for Optiguard protection application. Also if anybody could recommend a place to do the detailing and Optiguard application in the NY metro area (NJ or CT included). Somebody who has had good experience with the detailer would be super. Also could anybody care to give comments regarding having clear bra done on the hood and other areas that may be prone to scratches, etc.
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      12-24-2012, 12:37 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nybimmerfan
I just got back from Greenville, SC for the PC redelivery of my M5. Now I need some help regarding having the M5 exterior cleaned properly for Optiguard protection application. Also if anybody could recommend a place to do the detailing and Optiguard application in the NY metro area (NJ or CT included). Somebody who has had good experience with the detailer would be super. Also could anybody care to give comments regarding having clear bra done on the hood and other areas that may be prone to scratches, etc.
Phil at Detailers Domain
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      12-24-2012, 05:30 AM   #3
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Definitely Phil at detailers domain. I had a new car prep and optiguard done. He is as good as it gets. Great guy as well. No one else will ever touch my cars. Where in ny are you?

I'm actually thinking of having him do my clear bra as well. I was on the fence about doing it but Phil showed me some of their work and it looked great. All the seems we're hidden.
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      12-24-2012, 08:56 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ArtE36M3 View Post
Definitely Phil at detailers domain. I had a new car prep and optiguard done. He is as good as it gets. Great guy as well. No one else will ever touch my cars. Where in ny are you?

I'm actually thinking of having him do my clear bra as well. I was on the fence about doing it but Phil showed me some of their work and it looked great. All the seems we're hidden.
Thanks, for the info. I will definitely check him out. I am in Queens, next to Utopia parkway, about a block and a half from St. John's University campus.
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      12-24-2012, 09:44 AM   #5
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You can also try Detailing Dynamics in Mineola, NY. Search them on google.

I had them install clear bra on my E90 M3 when I got it, they did a good job. They also specialize in detailing. They are great to deal with and are very accommodating.

They do a ton of high end cars, when I was there they had a bunch of Lambos and Ferraris in for detailing and clear bra.

Detailing Dynamics is much closer to you than Detailers Domain, which is in Norwood, NJ.
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      12-24-2012, 06:37 PM   #6
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A friend suggested 22PLE VX1 instead of Optiguard. I know Optiguard has been the standard and it seems that many have been satisfied with it. My friend who used to have Optiguard on his Porche and Bimmer has changed coatings and is a convert to 22PLE and swears by the results. He believes they (the results) are much better than what he got from Optiguard. Care to comment on this? I tried to search in this forum about 22PLE and there is only 1 short thread about it in "Aftermarket Installs in Houston".
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      12-24-2012, 07:14 PM   #7
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I have the 22PLE on my SG and so far it is fantastic. The shine is deep and glassy even after 2 rainstorms and no washing. This is my first experience with 22PLE but I have extensive experience in other products. However I cannot compare to Opticoat or Optiguard as I never tried those either. My last product was AQuartz and at the time it was a superior product to anything else I've used; Menzerna, Swissvax, etc. The 22PLE is better than the AQuartz in that it repels dirt and dust do much better and the depth of shine kept getting better as it cured over the first 2 weeks. I was told it should last about 3 years so we will have to wait and see as far as durability. I did the complete 22PLE treatment; paint, glass, and wheels (inside and out).
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      12-24-2012, 07:15 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nybimmerfan View Post
A friend suggested 22PLE VX1 instead of Optiguard. I know Optiguard has been the standard and it seems that many have been satisfied with it. My friend who used to have Optiguard on his Porche and Bimmer has changed coatings and is a convert to 22PLE and swears by the results. He believes they (the results) are much better than what he got from Optiguard. Care to comment on this? I tried to search in this forum about 22PLE and there is only 1 short thread about it in "Aftermarket Installs in Houston".
I'm familiar with it.

22PLE is a product which Esoteric Detailing has introduced to the US market. Esoteric is run by one of the most respected detailers in the US.

However, everything I have read about the product, including the manufacturers own description and specs, suggest this product is virtually identical to the CQuartz nano-ceramic coating. I used this on my 550i and on my GS460, and here's my take:
1) Its is a very thin coating. You have to layer it to add durability and strength. I used 3 layers on my cars which means it takes a lot more labor to apply, and even then it had less microns of depth than a single coating of OptiGuard.
2) It may be glossier in finish. It's hard to be certain, but my sense is there is slightly more gloss from the nano-ceramic coatings.
3) It doesn't provide as much protection. When the paint marring builds up (as it will eventually even with these coatings) you will need to polish it and then reapply the coating. In the nano-ceramic coatings you will lose some clearcoat to do this just like you would with a wax or sealant. With OptiCoat you won't because the Opticoat/Optiguard is thick enough to act as a sacrificial clear coat.
4) Optiguard and CQuartz have been around longer and there are cars that have been using it for 4 years. 22PLE doesn't have the track record, so their claims of durability are not yet proven.

All this said, I don't think it matters which you use. If I were choosing I would likely use CQuartz Finest or OptiGuard, but I would equally be willing to defer to the installer if he doesn't have experience with these products.
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      12-24-2012, 07:27 PM   #9
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I forgot to mention the 22PLE was applied over XPel Ultimate with no problem.

My detailer does Opticoat as well and his opinion was that for a "daily driver" he'd recommend the Opticoat but for overall clarity and shine 22PLE is the best he's ever dealt with. I'm sure you can't go wrong either way. As long as the paint is prepped properly and the detailer is experienced you will get an outstanding result. Phil at Detailersdomain domain is probably one of the most experienced shops you will find.
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      12-24-2012, 07:45 PM   #10
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stealth.pilot and utmiken, thank you very much for all the info you have provided. Now I need to decide which paint protection to go with. It was much easier when the only one I knew was Optiguard but now I have a choice. I just emailed a detailer that does 22PLE for a quote and will be calling DetailersDomain or Detailing Dynamics for the Optiguard.
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      12-24-2012, 07:52 PM   #11
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FWIW....I've been following the detailing forums for years and if I lived close enough to Phil I'd use him in a heartbeat with whatever nano-coat he's using. Clear bra as well.
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      12-25-2012, 09:51 AM   #12
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Anyone know of exceptional detailers using these products in the Chicagoland area?
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      12-25-2012, 10:06 AM   #13
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nybimmerfan

I had the clear bra on my second M3 it was hardily noticeable. My second M3 was purchased slightly used and since I planned a very long trip with it I did not mind the clear bra. Only when you look real close can you notice the bra, it does create a slight change in exterior body color.

On my now new M3 I will not have a clear bra installed.
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      12-26-2012, 03:56 PM   #14
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Phil at Detailers Domain emailed me and was informed that they do not use Xpel Ultimate but rather Ventureshield. Per my research, Xpel Ultimate seems to perform better, is self-healing and several microns thicker thus provides much more protection than Ventureshield, hence my preference for Xpel.
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      12-26-2012, 05:44 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M3RD
nybimmerfan

I had the clear bra on my second M3 it was hardily noticeable. My second M3 was purchased slightly used and since I planned a very long trip with it I did not mind the clear bra. Only when you look real close can you notice the bra, it does create a slight change in exterior body color.

On my now new M3 I will not have a clear bra installed.
The film has evolved a lot in recent years. I'm extremely pleased with XPEL Ultimate.
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      12-26-2012, 06:47 PM   #16
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Best films I've used to date have been Avery Nano Fusion (grey Audi Q7) and the Xpel Ultimate (White Lexus RX and the M5). Both have been optically very clear. It's very tough to distinguish which panels are covered and which are not.
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      12-26-2012, 07:00 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob///M5 View Post
The film has evolved a lot in recent years. I'm extremely pleased with XPEL Ultimate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by utmiken View Post
Best films I've used to date have been Avery Nano Fusion (grey Audi Q7) and the Xpel Ultimate (White Lexus RX and the M5). Both have been optically very clear. It's very tough to distinguish which panels are covered and which are not.
Thanks guys. Those pieces of information just strengthened my resolve to go with Xpel Ultimate.
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      12-26-2012, 10:04 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nybimmerfan
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob///M5 View Post
The film has evolved a lot in recent years. I'm extremely pleased with XPEL Ultimate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by utmiken View Post
Best films I've used to date have been Avery Nano Fusion (grey Audi Q7) and the Xpel Ultimate (White Lexus RX and the M5). Both have been optically very clear. It's very tough to distinguish which panels are covered and which are not.
Thanks guys. Those pieces of information just strengthened my resolve to go with Xpel Ultimate.
Be sure to wrap the rocker panels under the doors. Completely invisible wrap with zero seams, and they take a beating on this car.
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      12-29-2012, 10:55 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nybimmerfan View Post
Thanks guys. Those pieces of information just strengthened my resolve to go with Xpel Ultimate.
Actually I have found Suntek PPFC to be better than Xpel Ultimate. I had the Xpel on my 2012 550i and Suntek on my 2013 M5, and the Suntek is significantly better optically. Both are self-healing.

In Atlanta and Miami where I live, all the high end clear bra shops plus the local Ferrari dealers switched from Xpel Ultimate to Suntek PPF-C within the last year.

I'd highly recommend you go with Suntek.

In addition, when you talk to the clearbra guy - 2 things to manage closely:
1) There are several patterns for the front bumper in the Xpel template catalog (Xpel makes the cutting software). Be careful which one you choose. One has more visible seams on the front bumper than the other.
2) There are 2 ways to computer cut the film. regular size, and oversized for wrapped edges. They should do the latter.
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      12-30-2012, 07:53 AM   #20
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stealth.pilot, thanks for the forewarning regarding the Xpel template. The detailer I am going with does not use factory cut templates/patterns but from what I was told and saw Xpel in rolls cut to oversized proportions of the specific area of application to allow for overlaps -- quite customized -- ergo, the higher price tag compared to a regular installer. I was at their shop and was very impressed at the work they were doing to paint protect with Xpel very high end cars.
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      02-02-2013, 10:09 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M3RD View Post
nybimmerfan

I had the clear bra on my second M3 it was hardily noticeable. My second M3 was purchased slightly used and since I planned a very long trip with it I did not mind the clear bra. Only when you look real close can you notice the bra, it does create a slight change in exterior body color.

On my now new M3 I will not have a clear bra installed.
Is this still the case with certain films? Ive not had any paint protection yet, but my biggest concern has always been discoloration or variation due to coverage/non-coverage.
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      02-02-2013, 10:17 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nybimmerfan View Post
Phil at Detailers Domain emailed me and was informed that they do not use Xpel Ultimate but rather Ventureshield. Per my research, Xpel Ultimate seems to perform better, is self-healing and several microns thicker thus provides much more protection than Ventureshield, hence my preference for Xpel.
So is Venture Shield not a preferred option for clear bra? I was planning on using Phil at Detailers Domain.
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