Quote:
Originally Posted by BRZ88
3M or Xpel Ultimate...which one is the superior product? I've been hearing xpel ultimate is the top of the line product currently.
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Here's some info I've gathered from talking to installers/reps from both companies. Please correct me if my info is wrong.
3M Scotchgard
3M's original material. 5 year warranty which includes if product yellows. 3 layers: adhesive on bottom, urethane in middle, clear coat on top. More closely matches your car's finish due to the clear coat.
3M VentureShield
VentureShield is a company acquired by 3M a few years ago. Same 5 year warranty as Scotchgard except yellowing isn't covered. 3 layers: adhesive layer on bottom, urethane in middle, hardened urethane on top. The harder top layer won't be as shiny as your car's clear coat but may protect better against impacts/dings and makes it ideal to use on headlights/fog lights. Due to the hardness, it limits the how stretchable/adjustable it is to install around complex bends/bulges and, hence, cannot be cut as close to panel edges so less coverage (but we're talking millimeters).
Note: All 3M pre-cut patterns nowadays are compatible with either of the two products. So the more flexible ScotchGard will be cut to lines constricted by the less flexible VentureShield.
XPEL
There are 3 types: Standard, Xtreme, and Ultimate (their newest, most premium type). I am not familiar with the composition layers of their materials but Ultimate's top layer is a clear coat and supposedly "self-healing" whatever that means. And the adhesive layer is grid-like which allows air bubbles to move around over the course of a few days after installation and escape to the edges. This grid is visible from certain angles under low light conditions. XPEL was at one point (and maybe still is) the official clear bra vendor of Porsche Club Great Britain and Porsche Cars North America. XPEL Ultimate has a 10 year warranty (I forget if it covers yellowing) and that's the one I currently have on my car simply because they were first to come out with pre-cut patterns before 3M.
I've had Scotchgard and VentureShield in the earlier 2000s and they never yellowed over the 5+ years I've had them. These 3M and XPEL products have been sold to the masses for years. People who buy these type of products tend to garage their cars which limits exposure to moisture/rapid temperature change and makes them less likely to yellow. I don't think one is definitively superior to the others. There might be some gimmicky differences on the surface/adhesive but the essential core material seems the same to me. Bottom line: You can't go wrong with whichever product your choose.