Frequently Asked Questions
Can it be removed?
Yes. It can be removed easily and will not damage the paint. To remove the film, you must heat the surface to approximately 150 F while working a corner of the film with your fingernail. Once you have enough of the material free from the surface to hold on to, slowly pull the film from the paint.
Will it really stop rocks from chipping the front of my car?
Yes. The material that it is made from was originally designed by 3M engineers to protect the leading edges of aircraft propellers and rotor blades from rock chips. It is a much easier task to protect your vehicles paint than it is to protect a propeller moving at nearly the speed of sound.
Can I see a line where the shield stops?
A line is slightly visible where the shield stops, but the three alternatives to that line are a bug shield, a bra, or rock chips.
How hard is it to see on the car after it’s applied?
The material is about 99.5% clear. On any color darker than stark white, you can’t see the film. On a stark white car, you can see that .5% of color, but it still is “invisible” at a short distance.
How long will it last? When will it need to be replaced?
Our product is warranted for 5 years, though the material has an average life span of about 7 years. Except for rock chips, the same factors that affect the life of your cars paint affect our product. Whether or not the car is garaged and whether or not it is kept washed and waxed will make a big difference.
Does the film really self heal imperfections?
Yes, the clear coat employs special elastomeric polymers that “heal” over time eliminating swirl marks and other fine scratches without having to do anything.
How is the kit installed? Is it sprayed on?
The plastic material comes to us in a large roll. Our machines cut the plastic into shapes designed to fit various parts of your car. These pieces are then applied to the vehicle in a very similar fashion to that of window tint. The pieces and the painted surface are wet with a solution and moved into position, then the solution is squeegeed away.
Will my paint fade differently under the shield?
No. The material does contain an inhibitor to prevent the plastic from reacting to the sun’s UV rays, but this does not prevent the UV rays from passing through the plastic into your paint.
Is this safe to use on the new water based acrylic paints?
Yes. The material has no harmful effects on water based acrylic paints and still provides the same level of protection
Can I take my car through a car wash or have it waxed?
You can do anything to the shield that you normally do to the rest of the car’s finish. The shield will accept wax and polishes just as your paint does and will last longer with regular applications.
Wax builds up on the edges when I wax my vehicle?
A soft, damp terrycloth towel, Q-Tip or soft brush will remove any wax build-up that may occur.
