Installed Xpel headlight films (with pictures)

[sciphi]

I installed Xpel headlight films onto the Cruze and Fit this weekend. The Cruze was by far the easier of the two cars. I installed the Cruze films first, then tackled the Fit. A heat gun was required to install the films. It was the one tool that made the installation possible. Using lots of solution, reading the directions, and watching a few YouTube videos of installations helped greatly.

Here are the Cruze lights after 2 days. There are still a few bubbles. This is from sitting out in the sun, with no driving.

This is our Honda Fit. The Fit was a much harder installation due to the curvature of the headlights.

Just to reiterate: the heat gun came in invaluable for stretching/shrinking the film to fit. If I didn't have one, the installation wouldn't have been possible. I took my time and used lots of solution to help move the film around before final placement.

Overall, it came out okay, and I'm glad to have learned a new skill.

 

[chad8]

Why would u use stupid film on new headlights?

 

[JT1]

Originally Posted By: chad8
Why would u use stupid film on new headlights?


Most likely to keep them in like new condition. Not really rocket science here.

 

[Dave Hess]

Looks great, I would pay you to do my cars.

Why don't cars have a lens film from the factory ?

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: chad8
Why would u use stupid film on new headlights?


To keep them looking new, and to protect against rock strikes. The bumper covers need to come off both cars to replace headlights. Not a task for the faint-hearted.

Obviously you don't get it. If you did, you wouldn't have posted an insulting comment.

 

[jcwit]

Looks good, will the bubbles go away in time?

I've considered to doing it to my vehicles but haven't dont it yet. Great preventiave maintence.

 

[BBuzecky]

I'm not gonna post any insults, but I don't get it. There are products out there that can clean headlights to pretty much showroom condition, this is assuming your headlights need it in the future. With some basic work, such as polish and wax like you would paint, you can keep all your lights in nearly perfect condition. With the exception of a few nicks 88,000 highway miles will bring, my lights are perfect. I couldn't deal with seeing bubbles on my headlights for the life of my ownership period. To each their own, just my take on it.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Looks great, I would pay you to do my cars.

Why don't cars have a lens film from the factory ?

My E430 had a thin layer of protective from factory, but overtime that protective had a haze from the sun UV's and the heat of the halogen light.

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: BBuzecky
I'm not gonna post any insults, but I don't get it. There are products out there that can clean headlights to pretty much showroom condition, this is assuming your headlights need it in the future. With some basic work, such as polish and wax like you would paint, you can keep all your lights in nearly perfect condition. With the exception of a few nicks 88,000 highway miles will bring, my lights are perfect. I couldn't deal with seeing bubbles on my headlights for the life of my ownership period. To each their own, just my take on it.


The bubbles will go away in a week or so as the remaining solution evaporates off. It's just the nature of the product from everything I've read.

I've done the whole polish/wax routine with my previous cars, and it got old fast. The sun must be strong or the air really polluted in my area, as they would fog over again in a couple of months. This time around I'm trying a different tack for keeping them clear. The film also protects against foreign object damage. The Fit has foglights that already have film on them. One of them took a 70 mph hit from a very large bolt. The foglight stayed intact and functional despite the bolt breaking the plastic foglight surround. It already saved us a $200 foglight.

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Looks great, I would pay you to do my cars.

Why don't cars have a lens film from the factory ?

Thanks! The Honda had a rigid film from the factory that was already punctured and beginning to haze. This should stop it in its tracks.

 

[Malo83]

I keep my lights waxed regularly and never had any problems with fade.

 

[bigmike]

Haters gonna hate.

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: bigmike
Haters gonna hate.


Pretty much.

 

[chad8]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Originally Posted By: bigmike
Haters gonna hate.


Pretty much.


No hate here. I think that putting glue and plastic over a clear poly lens is a dumb idea.
It is not going to protect it from rock strikes nor is it going to stop them from hazing .
It probably does cloud your lens enough to lessen the brightness.
I think you fell for a good marketing scheme .
Not the first or last person to do so.
Done so myself many times.
Nor do I think you are dumb for doing it. To each their own. We all make choices. Some better than others.
I am entitled to an opinion especially if it informs others.

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: chad8
Originally Posted By: sciphi
Originally Posted By: bigmike
Haters gonna hate.


Pretty much.


No hate here. I think that putting glue and plastic over a clear poly lens is a dumb idea.
It is not going to protect it from rock strikes nor is it going to stop them from hazing .
It probably does cloud your lens enough to lessen the brightness.
I think you fell for a good marketing scheme .
Not the first or last person to do so.
Done so myself many times.
Nor do I think you are dumb for doing it. To each their own. We all make choices. Some better than others.
I am entitled to an opinion especially if it informs others.


Considering the film in question already saved me a Fit foglight from a highway-speed large debris hit, I'd say it works. The foglights are also not hazing, unlike the headlights that show the beginning signs of UV degradation. Another sign the film works. Based on my direct experience with the product on the Fit's foglights for the previous 2 years, it was logical to protect the headlights on both cars the same way.

If you can point me to another product that will offer the same benefits, I'd love to know. Not something to restore headlights AFTER the damage has been done. I've experimented with various headlight restoration products, and they've all needed constant touchup. This time, I'm trying to prevent damage in the first place.

Search my posts, I've posted before about headlight restoration and my positive experience with Xpel film.

Also, considering your first post on this topic contained the insult "stupid", it's fair to say your negative opinion was already formed, and you are looking for evidence to support your negative opinion. Please refrain from posting on this topic unless you have something constructive to say.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Originally Posted By: chad8
Originally Posted By: sciphi
Originally Posted By: bigmike
Haters gonna hate.


Pretty much.


No hate here. I think that putting glue and plastic over a clear poly lens is a dumb idea.
It is not going to protect it from rock strikes nor is it going to stop them from hazing .
It probably does cloud your lens enough to lessen the brightness.
I think you fell for a good marketing scheme .
Not the first or last person to do so.
Done so myself many times.
Nor do I think you are dumb for doing it. To each their own. We all make choices. Some better than others.
I am entitled to an opinion especially if it informs others.


Considering the film in question already saved me a Fit foglight from a highway-speed large debris hit, I'd say it works. The foglights are also not hazing, unlike the headlights that show the beginning signs of UV degradation. Another sign the film works. Based on my direct experience with the product on the Fit's foglights for the previous 2 years, it was logical to protect the headlights on both cars the same way.

If you can point me to another product that will offer the same benefits, I'd love to know. Not something to restore headlights AFTER the damage has been done. I've experimented with various headlight restoration products, and they've all needed constant touchup. This time, I'm trying to prevent damage in the first place.

Search my posts, I've posted before about headlight restoration and my positive experience with Xpel film.

Also, considering your first post on this topic contained the insult "stupid", it's fair to say your negative opinion was already formed, and you are looking for evidence to support your negative opinion. Please refrain from posting on this topic unless you have something constructive to say.



Not at all debating your decision... but I am curious as to how you can be 100% sure that the fog light was saved by the film??

 

[Chris B.]

Originally Posted By: chad8
Why would u use stupid film on new headlights?


Why would you post such a stupid comment?

 

[jcwit]

Originally Posted By: Chris B.
Originally Posted By: chad8
Why would u use stupid film on new headlights?


Why would you post such a stupid comment?


More than likely because he's uninformed and going by personal opinion only. I see he does use the term "probably" which sayes little.

 

[chad8]

Originally Posted By: Chris B.
Originally Posted By: chad8
Why would u use stupid film on new headlights?


Why would you post such a stupid comment?


Because its the internet and anonymous stupid comments are encouraged. I like to provoke responses and use stronger language to do so.
Remember , this is headlight film. If you went on the shark tank with this idea, they would laugh at you.
I just pointed out the obvious.

 

[sciphi]

GMBoy, I can be sure the film saved the foglight since the impact was strong enough to gouge a roughly 1/4" deep by 1/2" long scrape into the plastic foglight surround and break a mounting tab on the foglight. The foglight lens has a small spider crack on the corner. The film is the only protective barrier on the foglight. That happened about a year and a half ago, and the foglight's been fine since then. That's why I maintain the film protected the foglight.

 

[jcwit]

Originally Posted By: chad8
Originally Posted By: Chris B.
Originally Posted By: chad8
Why would u use stupid film on new headlights?


Why would you post such a stupid comment?


Because its the internet and anonymous stupid comments are encouraged. I like to provoke responses and use stronger language to do so.
Remember , this is headlight film. If you went on the shark tank with this idea, they would laugh at you.
I just pointed out the obvious.


So you admit to being a troll?