EdgeZ06

If anyone wrapping it in vinyl is having a hard time laying it down correctly, just let me know which areas they are. I wrap cars and can post a video or two on here on how to wrap certain areas of our car. For the grille area, some of you might have a hard time laying down vinyl in the valleys(grooves) of the grill, as well the corners. If there's enough people that need help with it, I'll post a short vid. Just let me know in this thread.

I'm an installer myself and that crevice/valley area of the grille you're talking about can be frustrating for certain types of films. If the white-ish hue you're talking about is what I think it is, then it was kind of necessary to make the film a little more sticky during the install process to avoid peeling up again. Unfortunately, these types of install problems can be common with the newer cars today due to modern exterior desings that are becoming more and more intricate. At the end of the day though, if the shop is a good one, they should be open to giving you some sort of discount or partial refund if the film is not what you expected.

You can clean up the edges by using a soft bristle toothbrush along the edges lightly while washing the car. Another way to remove wax would be to use a Magic Eraser along the edges. The Magic Eraser method takes a little longer but does does a good job of removing stubborn build up. The difficult part in using the Magic Eraser is scrubbing the edges without making too much contact on the paint.

I've tried messaging you but there seems to be an error. Is your mailbox full? Is there an email I can contact you at?

Hi Mike, How much would you sell them for if I pick them up from you? Thanks.

I used a Lake Country 6.5in white pad @ about 1500 rpm's in the beginning, then slowed down to about 900 rpm's during the last couple of passes. It took out a good amount of light swirls. If you're using a random orbital, I would recommend 4.5in white pads at the very least. The paint is hard enough to give random orbitals a hard time in my opinion so don't be afraid of being to harsh on the paint. Since you have a white Edge, a white pad, a random orbital, and m205(or equivalent) should suffice. Any other swirls that remain would be hard to find with that color vehicle.

Prinzll: were you wondering how thick the clearcoat is or how soft it is when correcting? To find out how it handles correction work, it's usually best to start with a polish and work your way up to correcting compounds. I haven't done any major correcting to my Edge because it doesn't really need it, but I have polished it with meguiars m205 and a rotary. My impression is that it's a medium grade clearcoat but then again I was using a rotary. If anyone is interested, here is the paint thickness measurements I took a while ago and resulted in 110 microns of clear coat (estimate): Measured on door jam with no clear coat (estimate) Measured on top portion of hood Measured after clear bra install

The pic of the land rover was just a random pic of vinyl wrap jobs that I have so I'm not really sure if it continues to the back. I don't think it does though.

Hi Lisa, Using vinegar to remove hard water spots may sound like a myth or home remedy, but its actually an effective method professionals use to remove them. Aside from polishing the car, these methods are the best in removing water spots, try it out and let us know if it worked: 1) Use a 2:1 or stronger solution of distilled water/distilled white vinegar 2) Try a 2:1 solution of distilled water/Isopropyl Alcohol You can mix and apply these mixtures using a generic spray bottle then wipe them off using a microfiber towel. If those methods do not work, the next step would be to puchase a clay bar kit(http://www.target.co...oz/-/A-13794542) which can be found at your local Target/Walmart. You might get a few different answers in terms of protecting chrome because each detailer has their own opinions on that matter. In terms of protection, a wax or sealant will do. However, a lot of the over-the-counter waxes or sealants you can buy will make the chrome look cloudy or dull. In my opinion, I don't really use protectants on chrome because I prefer the chrome to look at its best instead of somewhat protected and cloudy. I just make sure to use a chrome polish once a year.

In addition to all of the other recommendations for your question, you can use the "Sheeting Method" for the final rinse phase of your wash. This method will leave less water on your panels after rinsing compared to spraying it down. See the vid below for an example. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCeyTHyFbck If its in your budget, you can also purchase a "quick detailer" product and lightly mist the exterior one section at a time as you dry it with a microfiber towel. This will greatly reduce or entirely eliminate hard water spots after washing. The great thing about this method is that it doesn't take much additional time to do, but makes your vehicle look so much better in the end.

Hi HarryP, I'm a mobile detailer from NorCal and specialize in paint correction/restoration and paint protection film. What type of service were you looking for and what is the model/year of the vehicle you want detailed? If I can't help you out, I can definitely recommend you tp the most reputable shops in the area.

Depends on how skilled the detailer is and the condition of the paint. Without knowing the condition of your paint and assuming it will need a moderate-to-high amount of work done, I would say it would be in the $1000 range. I'm not really familiar with the prices in your area but since it snows there, you could get a great deal for paint correction work in the winter time.

To make your car look new again, you would have to find a detailer that knows how to perform "paint correction & restoration" work. It involves the use of a machine buffer and in some cases, wet sanding. The process of paint correction will remove light scratches, swirl marks, oxidation, and all of the other defects that makes your paint look dull, dirty, or just plain "old." Opti-Coat is used as a topper to seal in the shine. It should be applied after the paint correction work and will help in retaining the shine for as long as possible. Check out this video to see how much of a difference paint correction can do to your car: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5cmfRQ1IEA

Matte white looks great in pictures and when it's clean, but it gets dirty easily. I've installed matte white on a car and the door handles were constantly dirty due to dirty hands. If you want a white wrap, I suggest gloss white as it will not stain as much. If showing dirt is an issue for you, I would recommend applying Opti-Coat to your Edge, which is a permanent sealant. It will repel dirt and liquids so washing will become less frequent and less tedious. I also recommend you find a detailer that can perform quality paint restoration/correction work. When clients come in because they are tired of the look of their car, we usually perform a full paint correction to make it look brand new. It's a much more economical solution to wrapping the car and it restores the look to brand new(no more scratches and swirls). Clients get blown away by the results and didn't even know such a turnaround was possible without repainting it. Topping it off with a permanent sealant like Opti-Coat will keep it looking new for a long time.

I don't have any pics of the Edge being wrapped unfortunately. I've wrapped grills on the newer generation Edge model's, but that's about it. I use 3M vinyl and it's rated to last at least 5 years. It could last longer depending on how well it is maintained. For bad weather, I'd give it a good 3-4 years for the lower panels that are wrapped. The rock salt and ice is bound to do damage to those areas. What color were you planning on wrapping your Edge? In case you don't what colors are available, here is what is offered by 3M: http://multimedia.3m...QPbsQPbPPPPPP--