[Chamorro85]

Shipping & handling.

Wow...well I said it was a dumb questions didn't I...damn lol.

 

[Chamorro85]

So Shawnski,

For the exterior stuff did you do any disassembly or was it all done as is? Most shops talk about taking stuff apart for the 'correct work to be done'. I can imagine with their warranty and shops reputation its a little different than us doing it ourselves. Curious of any additional tools/materials you would recommend for the exterior work.

 

[Shawnski]

So Shawnski,

For the exterior stuff did you do any disassembly or was it all done as is? Most shops talk about taking stuff apart for the 'correct work to be done'. I can imagine with their warranty and shops reputation its a little different than us doing it ourselves. Curious of any additional tools/materials you would recommend for the exterior work.

No disassembly on the exterior although the grill surround might have been easier laying on a bench than upright on the car. The inside radii were brutal for me to see with my glasses. And some spots were really challenging, especially the little chrome strips in the door handles which actually rub against each other and make wrapping the ends extremely difficult. One word of caution if you do them; they are apparently glued onto the door handle because when I heated up the vinyl they got really loose, so I really backed down on the application of heat. IMO the exterior pieces I did really didn’t need to come off; it wouldn’t have made them any better.

The wrap shops have time, space, lots of vinyl, and customers money to work with, so I think you’re right that the good shops will go the extra mile to disassemble pieces to get the best look and fit. My work is by no means perfect, but it’s better than some DIYs I’ve seen. Others on this forum have done some truly kick-ass work with vinyl and I’ll leave it to them to chime in on tools/materials/techniques, but I didn’t use anything but scissors, a modelers X-acto knife, and a credit-card type squeegee that came with the wrap. Now, if I had paid someone and it turned out like mine did, I’d be perturbed, and probably not recommend them or go back. But since I did it myself, I guess my standards were a bit lower! Ha!

One thing that’s got me a bit worried is how it’s going to withstand a NE Ohio winter. Time will tell.

 

[maydk65]

The shop that did my exterior, did not disassemble to lay the vinyl. He really had a hard time because previous owner ceramic coated everything. But, he got it done.

 

[Chamorro85]

That helps a lot Shawnki, much appreciated. All of the wrapping technique stuff that I have seen they bring the edges of the vinyl around the edges just a bit so wasn't sure how tedious that was without disassembly.

For you maydk65, are you taking about vinyl just the chrome or did you have them wrap the car?

 

[maydk65]

Just the chrome.

 

[Wojtas]

Inspired by folks on this forum, I decided to cover my chrome with 3M carbon fiber vinyl. Since my son just got a 2018 in white, and he always wanted to black out the trim, we did his first, then mine. We found it difficult at first, but it got easier as we gained experience and confidence, of course. I liked the outcome so much I decided to do the interior trim. I always loved the blue metallic trim in my 2010 Sport, and wished the bland black & grey of my 2017 had a snazzier option. So I ordered the 3M Black Rose to go with my Burgundy Velvet paint. So far I’ve wrapped the door and vent trim, and I’ll redo one door because I finally got the hang of it. I’m going to do the center stack trim too. I wish I had done this a long time ago!

Hi Shawnki,

I didn't know but I have been waiting for that. Looks awesome!!

GREAT JOB! and great interior continuation of your unique color!!!
I know how time consuming is that but decide to do the same with 3M glossy Black. I have to do one more time, but after full disasebmly all of the parts.

Got the center stack done.

View attachment 28360

Beautiful!!!
I still admire

 

[Wojtas]

the small vent on the drivers side three times

I did only once (1,5h) nightmare. I have to correct this 😒 haha

I am thinking of wrapping the steering wheel and cluster either but it will be PITA... I put the vinyl on the steering wheel but without disassembly and looks like drunk guy did this

 

[Shawnski]

I did only once (1,5h) nightmare. I have to correct this 😒 haha

I am thinking of wrapping the steering wheel and cluster either but it will be PITA... I put the vinyl on the steering wheel but without disassembly and looks like drunk guy did this

Thanks so much for the compliments! I used up most of the large pieces left over from doing the door and dash so I tried using the small scraps to do the pieces around the steering wheel and instrument cluster…turned out poorly to say the least! It’s not helpful to use pieces that are small and irregularly shaped, and not being able to reach and see them well, working around the steering wheel, made it even more difficult!

 

[Shawnski]

 

[Wojtas]

View attachment 30739 View attachment 30740

details always make a huge difference🤩

 

[Shawnski]

Forgot to add picture of the center console with carbon fiber vinyl…

 

[Wojtas]

It looks so damn good! Now you can say that you are wrapmaster
I am waiting for warmer days and I have to do the same

 

[Shawnski]

It is totally worth the effort! Everyone who gets inside comments on it!

 

[Wojtas]

Hi @Shawnski,

challenge accepted

I used my favorite one 3M 2080 Glossy black.

1) At ifrst I have decided to wrap covers for radio and central console

2) but then I realized that with stock color of radio it did not look good.

3) so I decided to wrap the radio either (nightmare - more then 3h, but again for me personally worth the pain)

 

[Shawnski]

Oh wow, Wojtas!! You definitely accepted and accomplished the challenge! How did you cut the holes for the tiny indicator lights for control buttons?? That’s what kept me from doing my radio.

 

[ZenFFS]

It goes without saying, but I loudly applaud everyone's effort/work and damn sexy results!

 

[Wojtas]

That’s what kept me from doing my radio.

I had the same concerns

At first, I used the smallest flathead screwdriver I had at home to push in the vinyl wrap and make the oval border

then I used scalpel to cut it

 

[Shawnski]

Wow, good work! I did my work without removing the pieces from the dash. So, after seeing your pictures, it turns out that I mistakenly thought that those tiny light lenses were an integral part of the radio face, not that the face had tiny holes through which they peeked. I agree that in your case the gloss black doesn’t coordinate with the stock plastic on the radio face. In my case I feel like the stock plastic doesn’t clash with the metallic burgundy or the black carbon fiber, which is lucky for me because I think covering it with the burgundy would be too much color and the carbon fiber vinyl is too thick, along with its texture, it would never work around the tiny light holes or very tight radii of the buttons. That gloss black covering your entire center console just looks “rich” - like something you’d find in a Jaguar or Land Rover! I think your “all black” theme is very sophisticated looking! Since I’m always happy to encourage others to spend their money and time 😉 I suggest that 3M has some really great looking “stainless” and metallic finish vinyls in a huge range of colors and if you could find one that near-matched your caliper color to cover the O.E. plastic carbon fiber trim bits, that would be an incredible look!

 

[Wojtas]

Can't stop moving . I hope I will not go too far with wrapping everything

this piece I have to do it in the car

I think, I will go also with these ones: