Although paint protection film has gradually gained favor among car owners, the biggest reason that prevents them from paying for it is that it is harder than climbing Mount Everest to choose a cost-effective car cover in the film market where fakes are rampant. How can we help car owners analyze and guide them to pay from a professional perspective?
一. How to choose paint protection film?
First, you can judge the quality of the paint protection film by the touch. The high-quality car cover is soft and has very good ductility. It can show the ideal state according to the car body at will. It can be used repeatedly, while the ductility of the poor car cover is not so good.
Second, smell
Secondly, you can judge by smell. If you smell a strong smell of chemicals, it can be roughly explained that the material is inferior and may have side effects in the later stage. Good materials will not have any.
Third, look at flame retardancy
Finally, you can judge whether the car cover is flame retardant based on chemical reactions. If the car cover is not flame retardant, it is easy to leave scratches on the car paint when encountering fireworks. High-quality invisible car cover has flame retardant effect. You can find a video to see it clearly.
二. What materials are invisible car covers made of? What are the good materials? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
(1) PU material
3M rhino leather was first introduced in the world in 1966 and was used by the public in 2004. It is mainly used in OEMs, door buckles, side skirts, rear fender bottoms, front and rear bumper corners, etc.
(2) PVC material
PU is difficult to break through to a height of 1.52 meters during the initial manufacturing process, while PVC material can easily do so and is thin and easy to stretch. However, its disadvantages are also as obvious as PU, including many scratches, discoloration, yellowing, oxidation, etc.
(3) TPU material
The world's first 1.52-meter-high TPU was developed by XPEL in the United States in 2009. The advantage of TPU substrate is thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer rubber. It is known for its automatic scratch recovery and soft stretchability! However, its disadvantages are the same as PU, such as yellowing and discoloration.
(4) TPU+ coating
The 2.5MIL thickness overturns the history of all paint protection films in the industry, and is more resistant to yellowing, oxidation, and corrosion.
(5) New generation of TPU, instant restoration technology
Currently, many brands on the market use Japanese substrates because the price of American raw materials is relatively high. It breaks through the traditional TPU coating technology (one TPU coating, one PU coating) and greatly reduces the cost. The surface coating particles are small and the density is strong, which can make TPU instantly restore scratches at room temperature.
The disadvantages are also obvious. After 30-40 days, it seriously absorbs dust and dirt, especially when using asphalt to deal with insect corpses after running on the highway. The film surface becomes dry, not smooth, and sticky, and it is even worse after spraying asphalt in summer.
Imported car covers generally have four layers in total:
The first layer is a 0.5mil polyurethane transparent film layer, an elastic polymer used to eliminate dust adhesion, pollution and surface scratches: the main function is an anti-fouling coating
The second layer is a 6mil special polyurethane film, which is particularly tough and can be stretched to recover elastically: combined with the first layer, the main function is repair
The third layer is a 1.6 specially developed acrylic copolymer, which has strong adhesion to the paint surface and strong removability: the main function is to remove without residual glue
The fourth layer is a 2mil frosted polyester anti-sticking layer protective film: it is a layer of primer protective film that needs to be torn off during construction.
The best material is TPU+coating, followed by a new generation of TPU (TPU+PU), TPU is second, and finally PVC and PU.
三. What are the construction steps of invisible car cover?
Step 1: Wash the car carefully. Washing the car before applying the invisible car cover is an essential part of the film application process. Use different towels to wipe different locations to minimize damage to the car paint. Some black spots that are difficult to remove should be cleaned with volcanic mud. This step must be done well and is also crucial, directly affecting the final effect of the car cover.
Step 2: Car film plate making. (Non-special car special invisible car cover), accurately cut the paint protection film to ensure that each piece of paint is protected by the paint protection film.
Step 3: Cover the cut film on the car body, complete each step carefully, and ensure high-quality construction.
Step 4: Use a baking gun to bake the paint protection film covering the car body to enhance the ductility of the film, thereby increasing the stretchability of the film, and at the same time dry the water inside to ensure that the car film is completely fitted to prevent bubbling.
Step 5: Edge finishing. First, fit the heated film, and then edge the film reserved at the corners of the paint surface.
Step 6: Drying and completion. If time permits, it is best to dry it overnight. The construction of the transparent invisible 360-degree protective film for the car body is completed.
四. How to choose a film shop? What kind of shop can I go to for film application?
(1) Try to choose a professional dust-free film construction workshop with complete tools and a professionally trained master craftsman.
(2) Word of mouth. Listen carefully to the opinions of your friends.
(3) Visit the store and watch the craftsmen work. You can understand whether the work is professional by observing the details.
五. What is the warranty scope of the car cover? In what cases can it be handled free of charge?
Warping, cracking, blistering, delamination and fading caused by non-human factors are within the warranty scope. Abrasions caused by human factors that cannot be healed are not within the warranty scope. The specific situation is subject to the actual situation.
六. What should I pay attention to after the film is pasted?
(1) After the film is applied, the adhesion is low in the early stage. Do not touch the edge with force. The adhesion reaches its maximum after 48 hours.
(2) There is a possibility of bubbles or blisters in the future. This is a normal phenomenon. If there is any problem, consult in time or go to the store for treatment. The water will be completely dried in two to four weeks.
(3) Wash the vehicle after the film is dry. It is not recommended to use a water gun to directly spray the joint between the film and the car paint.
(4) Avoid using objects with adhesives to stick to the film surface.
(5) Avoid using cleaning tools that can easily damage the film surface. Do not use a brush, abrasives or sponges with abrasives to clean the film surface.
(6) If the car body film needs to be removed, it should be done by a professional technician.
(7) If the film is dirty, it can be cleaned directly. Some difficult-to-remove parts can be polished with volcanic mud. Do not use a polisher.
七. What are the issues that car owners are most concerned about regarding invisible car covers and how to answer them?
(1) How deep of a scratch can the invisible car cover heal automatically?
The transparent coating can mainly repair minor scratches and common spiral marks. It can also repair scratches on the car paint caused by branches, stones or bullets. However, it also depends on the material of the car cover. If the coating is damaged, it will not heal automatically.
(2) What are the conditions for automatic repair?
Warm water, sunlight or heating at a temperature of about 40 degrees can automatically repair the car cover. The higher the temperature, the shorter the repair time, but the temperature cannot be too high.
(3) How many times can the transparent coating be repaired?
As long as the coating is not damaged, it can be repaired an unlimited number of times in principle. Regular maintenance can keep it for a longer time.
(4) How long is the warranty period of the car cover?
The warranty period varies greatly depending on the material and the characteristics of different brands of film. PU and PVC materials generally have a warranty of about two years, while TPU and TPU+ coatings have a warranty of five, seven or even ten years.
(5) Is it better to use a special car cover or to cut it by hand?
In fact, both have their pros and cons.
Special car special global unified standard cutting, factory cutting, no need to disassemble, no knife, just stick it directly, the construction time is short; the disadvantage is that if the data is inaccurate, there will be seams at the edge, which will accumulate dirt and leave marks over time, which may be more obvious when viewed closely.
Hand-cut full coverage, no edge left, no visible after sticking, better protection, need to disassemble, long construction time, moisture can only be completely dried in two to four weeks.
(6) What should I pay attention to when applying the film? How long does it take?
Give yourself plenty of time to apply the film, generally two to three days. The car film is wet, and the safest way is to let it dry naturally. Don't rush, haste makes waste.
(7) About the claim of car cover.
If both parties have an accident and the other party is fully responsible, you can use the other party's insurance to compensate. You must cooperate with the surveyor to collect evidence and take photos of the car cover brand and other information as important evidence for compensation and review.
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