My Model S 85 fully wrapped, pictures from the process...

Wow. The extra level of care and detail is impressive. I have XPEL ultimate on almost all surfaces of my car and 3M tint. Neither installer took this level of time or care. Looks fab. Congrats!

A

I saw the car in person and it looked great. I couldn't even tell that there is clear bra. I seen some other guys who also does xpel, but I see lines everywhere near the mirrors, bumpers, etc. Great job!

AEdennis, your MS looks stunning ! They did an awesome job. Did you shop around before deciding on Glistening Perfection? Do you happen to know how many MS's they have done?

I'm shopping for a clear bra installer, & thinking about going with Ultimate Shield, but looks like Glistening Perfection can give them a run for their money. By the way, how much did they charge you? You could PM me if you don't want to post publicly. I've gotten quotes from a few places ranging from $3500-$5200.

Wow, that is a superb detailed job. Very nice!

AEdennis said:

Thanks...

The most difficult part is keeping the car in the same condition. My wife is quite exacting and expects me to keep the car in the same shape. I've opted for semi annual visits to keep the S and Roadster in tip top aesthetic form as well (along with regular hand washes with my own elbow grease every few weeks).

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Thank you for the opportunity Dennis for letting us do what we excel at. We had a lot of fun on the Model S and Roadster and are very happy with how it all turned out. Now sit back and enjoy caring for your Teslas

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ribsandbbqbeef said:

AEdennis, your MS looks stunning ! They did an awesome job. Did you shop around before deciding on Glistening Perfection? Do you happen to know how many MS's they have done?

I'm shopping for a clear bra installer, & thinking about going with Ultimate Shield, but looks like Glistening Perfection can give them a run for their money. By the way, how much did they charge you? You could PM me if you don't want to post publicly. I've gotten quotes from a few places ranging from $3500-$5200.

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PM sent. I will say that those prices are on the low side and I'd make sure to check out the work of the companies quoting you. Make sure to find out what film they're using. With those prices, you can bet not a whole lot of the car is being removed and not much can properly be tucked around edges for a seamless install. A lot of pre-cut is being used as well instead of custom or semi-custom installation.

Ultimate Auto is a very reputable company and their work is top notch. But like I said, we offer a different level of service that isn't always for everyone. By the time we've prepped, disassembled, and reassemble, and did final work, it's taken about 3-4 times the time to install the clear film. That's all skilled labor and majority of what we charge is to cover that time/labor. Hope that makes sense.

I've seen both Dennis' cars and the results show the amount of care in installation. He paid a premium, though, for that level of service.

For comparison, I paid $7500 for a full wrap in Xpel Ultimate up here in Seattle. That included removal of all trim pieces, nose cone, etc, and all edges wrapped and tucked. Also includes lifetime waxes to keep it looking good and me marketing it to others.

Not cheap, but you get what you pay for. I've got a year on the film now and it still looks brand new. No swirls or scratches. Pretty amazing for a black car. Totally worth it for the peace of mind and prestine look.

Absolutely incredible job. I have Xpel pre-cut kits covering every available painted surface, but the rear hatch and deck lid has no kit. We tried to do a custom piece of Xpel, and even removed the labels, trim and brake light housing, but my installer was unable to do the Xpel over all of the curves...mostly because I think he tried to do it singlehandedly, without people to help stretch it over the rear trunk radius. Bummer that Moe's shop is thousands of miles away!

I'm a complete newbie to a luxury car and am expecting my MS in late February. I've been seeing threads about clear bras, optic coats, Xpel, etc. should I be getting a clear protective film put on my new car since I didn't opt for the one tesla offers? It never occurred to me that I would really want or need it. Do most people get some kind of a protective film for their Tesla?

Is there somewhere I can learn about the differences between the various brands and types of protective coats?

thanks.

WOW! Makes my front-end/quarter panel wrap seem meager.
Smart, and meticulously done.

Phillymomof4 said:

I'm a complete newbie to a luxury car and am expecting my MS in late February. I've been seeing threads about clear bras, optic coats, Xpel, etc. should I be getting a clear protective film put on my new car since I didn't opt for the one tesla offers? It never occurred to me that I would really want or need it. Do most people get some kind of a protective film for their Tesla?

Is there somewhere I can learn about the differences between the various brands and types of protective coats?

thanks.

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This forum is an excellent place to read up on this subject as the owners and vendors are very knowledgeable. Every MS we've worked on, with two exceptions, has had us do a clear film on either the whole front end of MS or the entire MS. Reason being...most have purchased their MS and plan on keeping it for years. It's the prudent thing to do for reasons of protecting against rock chips, scratches, scrapes, bumper scuffs, etc. It WILL add resale value depending on who does the work, the film used, and the quality of the installation/coverage.

Currently the two brands that are on the cutting edge based on clarity, performance, and warranty are XPEL Ultimate and Suntek TopCoat. Expect to pay a premium for the material and the installation, but it could be quite possibly the first and last time you'll do the wrap. That's why I encourage clients to seek out the best installers in the industry based on their geographical location and pay the premium because it's a one-time expense that is amortized for as long as you own your MS. This is assuming you do proper maintenance and care for the film.

A good question someone asked was regarding insurance. We charge quite a premium over other installers because of the scope of work we do. I tell all my clients to submit our invoice to their insurance agent and keep it on file as reference for when there's a time you need to replace the film due to a collision. Every vehicle we've wrapped, and if involved in a collision, the insurance company has covered replacing the film 100%.

Please let me know if there's any other questions you have.

Phillymomof4 said:

I'm a complete newbie to a luxury car and am expecting my MS in late February. I've been seeing threads about clear bras, optic coats, Xpel, etc. should I be getting a clear protective film put on my new car since I didn't opt for the one tesla offers? It never occurred to me that I would really want or need it. Do most people get some kind of a protective film for their Tesla?

Is there somewhere I can learn about the differences between the various brands and types of protective coats?

thanks.

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Hi Phillymomof4, I highly recommend XPEL Ultimate wrap because the paint of the Model S is *VERY SOFT*. This means that if you go through a car wash, or even if you baby it and wash it by hand, you WILL get microswirls in the paint which can then only be fixed by having a paint correction done on it by a pro. That will get rid of the microswirls, but unless you protect it somehow, you'll only end up getting them again. MANY of us in NJ have had our XPEL Wraps done by Lee @ Leeberbs https://www.facebook.com/leeberbs which is not too far from you (you're probably closer to him than me!). He's become our local pro XPEL installer around here. He's done dozens and dozens of Model S's now, and has even installed a NEMA 14-50 and listed himself on plugshare too He is definitely a pro, and VERY meticulous about his work. I was the first Model S he had done. I found him by going to the XPEL sight and looking at certified and trained pro installers in our area and I do my research looking at reviews and BBB etc and he was the best of the best. And even his prices are great too (much cheaper than California prices!). His full time job is doing this on very high end vehicles. I went back to him to tint my car and that time he was working on a brand new 911 Turbo S. He did my XPEL Ultimate & Madico Charcool 20% and VERY satisfied with that work. We all highly recommend him.

XPEL Ultimate is the best wrap on the market. It's warranty is double it's competitors as well (10 years instead of 5). XPEL Ultimate has "self-healing" properties that if there is a scratch under sunlight and some water it will "heal" and the scratch will go away. No other wraps can do that. With this wrap, it's much easier to wash a car, you don't have to worry about scratching, etc. Drying is easier too (I even use one of those water blades to quickly wipe the water off teh car after washing). If you go to Lee just tell him Dennis sent ya! He also has a paint detail/correction guy so if you've had your car for a while, and you want to wrap it, or if it's new but you do have microswirls, I highly recommend having his guy do a quick paint correction before the wrap. Then your car will stay perfect forever

AEdennis said:

The new post requesting the best method to protect the Model S got me thinking to update the TMC crew on the stuff we did to our Model S AFTER our weekend pickup from the Fremont Factory.

Here are pictures of my Model S that MoeMistry completely refreshed and wrapped the entire vehicle using XPEL Ultimate, applied Huper Optik window film to all glass surfaces, and finally applied a nano coating to the glass and paint to further protect everything. We basically drove the car up to Sonoma, then down from the factory and drove straight to Glistening Perfection's studio in Orange County.

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Could you post how MoeMistry got access to the taillights to remove them? We've been puzzling over that on this thread, trying to determine how we can tap into the back-up light wiring to flip the camera image from front to rear when the car is put into reverse.

yobigd20 said:

Hi Phillymomof4, I highly recommend XPEL Ultimate wrap because the paint of the Model S is *VERY SOFT*. This means that if you go through a car wash, or even if you baby it and wash it by hand, you WILL get microswirls in the paint which can then only be fixed by having a paint correction done on it by a pro. That will get rid of the microswirls, but unless you protect it somehow, you'll only end up getting them again. MANY of us in NJ have had our XPEL Wraps done by Lee @ Leeberbs https://www.facebook.com/leeberbs which is not too far from you (you're probably closer to him than me!). He's become our local pro XPEL installer around here. He's done dozens and dozens of Model S's now, and has even installed a NEMA 14-50 and listed himself on plugshare too He is definitely a pro, and VERY meticulous about his work. I was the first Model S he had done. I found him by going to the XPEL sight and looking at certified and trained pro installers in our area and I do my research looking at reviews and BBB etc and he was the best of the best. And even his prices are great too (much cheaper than California prices!). His full time job is doing this on very high end vehicles. I went back to him to tint my car and that time he was working on a brand new 911 Turbo S. He did my XPEL Ultimate & Madico Charcool 20% and VERY satisfied with that work. We all highly recommend him.

XPEL Ultimate is the best wrap on the market. It's warranty is double it's competitors as well (10 years instead of 5). XPEL Ultimate has "self-healing" properties that if there is a scratch under sunlight and some water it will "heal" and the scratch will go away. No other wraps can do that. With this wrap, it's much easier to wash a car, you don't have to worry about scratching, etc. Drying is easier too (I even use one of those water blades to quickly wipe the water off teh car after washing). If you go to Lee just tell him Dennis sent ya! He also has a paint detail/correction guy so if you've had your car for a while, and you want to wrap it, or if it's new but you do have microswirls, I highly recommend having his guy do a quick paint correction before the wrap. Then your car will stay perfect forever

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Agree with almost everything you said.

Tesla paint, or any paint for that matter, can be cared forso that swirls and scratches are minimized WITHOUT having to install a clear film. It comes down to technique. However, you will spend WAY more time caring for it if unwrapped.

Suntek Top Coat IS self healing as well. XPEL Ultimate and Suntek topcoat are the only two I know of that are self healing. I wanna say Avery nanofusion is too, but I'm not 100% sure. Ultimate is however the benchmark others are compared to. In the end, the way we run our business, warranty is with our company, not the film. As long as the film is cared for and we know it, we'll warranty it no matter what happens or how long it's been...within reason of course

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artsci said:

Could you post how MoeMistry got access to the taillights to remove them? We've been puzzling over that on this thread, trying to determine how we can tap into the back-up light wiring to flip the camera image from front to rear when the car is put into reverse.

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Removing taillights is quite tricky.

Assuming you want the whole rear taillight bar removed:

1. There are two 8mm nuts that have caps on them, that needs to be removed from the side of taillights
2. Then, the last two are inside the back of taillights, so easiest way is to pop out the handle inside the trunk area and pop out the button assembly for closing the tailgate
3. If you cannot access that way, you'll need to open up the whole tailgate cover from inside the car. They're on poppers, so you'll need the proper tool for popping them out. Be careful when it drops as there are several wired connections. Two man job
4. Remove the bolts for license plate lights and backup camera...I believe T20/T25 bolts
5. The whole rear light bar, once the four bolts are removed on each side, is held in place with pressure points that need to be popped out from the back while pulling from exterior with a plastic pry tool
6. There is double-sided tape behind the TESLA lettering that is gently adhered off
7. Be very gentle with the whole thing because once everything is loose, the sides with lights are heavier than the middle chrome piece and you may run the risk of snapping the whole light bar if tilted either direction too much...definitely two man job

If you just wanna remove the side tail lights:

1. Remove the carpeting assembly
2. You'll have access to the 3 nuts that are 8mm to remove light. Use the deep socket
3. Passenger side has one extra long bolt/nut with big washers near the edge that also needs to be removed
4. Takes a little finessing and wiggling, but if you do all the above, the whole thing should pop out and expose the wiring

On the next Tesla, I'll take some photos for you guys and post it

Let me know if this was what you're looking for

MoeMistry said:

Agree with almost everything you said.

Removing taillights is quite tricky.

Assuming you want the whole rear taillight bar removed:

1. There are two 8mm nuts that have caps on them, that needs to be removed from the side of taillights
2. Then, the last two are inside the back of taillights, so easiest way is to pop out the handle inside the trunk area and pop out the button assembly for closing the tailgate
3. If you cannot access that way, you'll need to open up the whole tailgate cover from inside the car. They're on poppers, so you'll need the proper tool for popping them out. Be careful when it drops as there are several wired connections. Two man job
4. Remove the bolts for license plate lights and backup camera...I believe T20/T25 bolts
5. The whole rear light bar, once the four bolts are removed on each side, is held in place with pressure points that need to be popped out from the back while pulling from exterior with a plastic pry tool
6. There is double-sided tape behind the TESLA lettering that is gently adhered off
7. Be very gentle with the whole thing because once everything is loose, the sides with lights are heavier than the middle chrome piece and you may run the risk of snapping the whole light bar if tilted either direction too much...definitely two man job

If you just wanna remove the side tail lights:

1. Remove the carpeting assembly
2. You'll have access to the 3 nuts that are 8mm to remove light. Use the deep socket
3. Passenger side has one extra long bolt/nut with big washers near the edge that also needs to be removed
4. Takes a little finessing and wiggling, but if you do all the above, the whole thing should pop out and expose the wiring

On the next Tesla, I'll take some photos for you guys and post it

Let me know if this was what you're looking for

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Thanks, that's exactly what we wanted to know. When you get a chance photos would be great.

artsci said:

Thanks, that's exactly what we wanted to know. When you get a chance photos would be great.

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Cool...I'm doing a lighted T from you that one of our clients got. We just did his K40 and clear bra install, but held off on the pre-wire since no lighted T yet.

yobigd20 said:

Hi Phillymomof4, I highly recommend XPEL Ultimate wrap because the paint of the Model S is *VERY SOFT*. This means that if you go through a car wash, or even if you baby it and wash it by hand, you WILL get microswirls in the paint which can then only be fixed by having a paint correction done on it by a pro. That will get rid of the microswirls, but unless you protect it somehow, you'll only end up getting them again. MANY of us in NJ have had our XPEL Wraps done by Lee @ Leeberbs https://www.facebook.com/leeberbs which is not too far from you (you're probably closer to him than me!). He's become our local pro XPEL installer around here. He's done dozens and dozens of Model S's now, and has even installed a NEMA 14-50 and listed himself on plugshare too He is definitely a pro, and VERY meticulous about his work. I was the first Model S he had done. I found him by going to the XPEL sight and looking at certified and trained pro installers in our area and I do my research looking at reviews and BBB etc and he was the best of the best. And even his prices are great too (much cheaper than California prices!). His full time job is doing this on very high end vehicles. I went back to him to tint my car and that time he was working on a brand new 911 Turbo S. He did my XPEL Ultimate & Madico Charcool 20% and VERY satisfied with that work. We all highly recommend him.

XPEL Ultimate is the best wrap on the market. It's warranty is double it's competitors as well (10 years instead of 5). XPEL Ultimate has "self-healing" properties that if there is a scratch under sunlight and some water it will "heal" and the scratch will go away. No other wraps can do that. With this wrap, it's much easier to wash a car, you don't have to worry about scratching, etc. Drying is easier too (I even use one of those water blades to quickly wipe the water off teh car after washing). If you go to Lee just tell him Dennis sent ya! He also has a paint detail/correction guy so if you've had your car for a while, and you want to wrap it, or if it's new but you do have microswirls, I highly recommend having his guy do a quick paint correction before the wrap. Then your car will stay perfect forever

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Dennis, Sold!! I will call Leeberbs. Sound awesome. I definitely want window tinting so I'm glad he does it the XPEL and tinting. Thanks for the solid rec. I have to google his location now...