Hi, I have been thinking about adding a clear bra to my Porsche. I was quoted 1200 from Jim Ellis but I thought that was kinda high. I had my m3 done a few years ago for right around 700. Have the prices increased that much in a few years? Also where is the best place to have this done in the Atlanta area? Thanks!

 

1200 is that for partial kit? If so it's a bit high. In the end all that really makes a difference is the installer as the film is constant. I have seen 500-700$ installs where you look at it and think why even bother. But 1.2k for partial is a bit high.

 

Yeah I believe that was for partial. It was 2ft of the hood, mirrors, and door handles. It seemed high which is why I declined. I wanted to price others and also full hood. Any reputable people in the Atlanta area? I have googled a few so I am starting there but would love a few first hand references. Thanks

 

As an installer I will tell you that is VERY high. The car doesnt take a lot of film so that is a price I would expect for the full hood/fenders coverage... not a partial. Its also a very easy car to work on.

 

You get what you pay for. Make sure you're able to see their work in person, not pictures.

 

Dans right. I used Premiere films in Calif. No precut for me although they offer it for less money. Custom install full front end. You can't evev tell it's on there. Job took 9 hours. Cost..... North of $2k. Seems cheap to me after having to repaint the front bumper and spoiler on two Porsches I've owned. We spend a lot of money on these cars and we wouldn't accept bad paint. Why accept a bad clear bra?
Do some homework on the installer.
Gllo luck.
Dave29
L

 

$1200 for precut by a proficient installer is very reasonable. Like everyone says, you get what you pay for. Also, prices will vary based on region, scope of work, installer's skill level, etc.

 

I can understand this to a point but i literally paid 700 4 years ago for an install that looked flawless at the BMW dealership. It just seems kinda ridiculous that in 4 years the price has gone up that much. I have seen it done and it's not rocket science. Sure it takes time, but someone with no more than a HS education can do. The precut 3M film can be had for 275.00 shipped online, with a markup already. So it is essentially 1k+ just for the install? If it takes 9 hours to complete, that means that the installer is getting 100$ an hour in labor? Just not seeing the logic there.

 

you can find cheap installers. often, the quality can vary.

also, the cars vary in terms of difficulty.

is this quote from the installer that did your bmw? if not, another quote is always worth a visit. dealers will refer you to the installer.

always shop around but never choose based on price alone. i saved 25% and got a better quality install.

 

No the quote is what I paid the dealership back when I bought my old m3 at the BMW dealer. The 1200 quote is what the dealership quoted at Porsche. I am going to try and get some other quotes. I want it done but I wanted to check around first around Atlanta before I commit.

 

Every dealership will have their own policy in markups. Very few dealerships do it in-house. Most just sub-contract the jobs out to their choice of vendors. Oftentimes, this choice is based solely on pricing so that they can obtain the highest margin. Unfortunately, this also means that you have multiple installers bidding for the same dealership. When this happens, you will likely get the least experienced installer performing the job.

What you are doing is right by searching out other options. Most importantly take a look at the work in person. For us, many of our new clients come in for consultation so that they can see the facility, see the work in person, and also have all their questions answered.

Also take into consideration that some states / regions' pricing would vary significantly. So when looking at comps, be sure it is for the same coverage and in the same area. Good luck.

 

Well it may not take a college degree to install film but it does take a lot of patience, attention to detail, and skill that is learned over years of installing to be done correctly. That is why there are not more shops doing it than there are. With that said I agree that $1200 is too high, way to high for a partial install. But you have to remember the dealer is marking the price up sometimes upwards of 100%... and all they do is sell it. I do a lot of dealership work and know this for a fact. Your best bet is to find a business that instals film and go look at their work. More than likely they will be the same guys that would have done it anyway... and your not paying the markup.

 

I am not saying that it doesn't take skill or patience to be done correctly. I think charging 100$/hour for what is essentially applying a plastic film to a car is silly. I know people with advanced degrees who make much less than that. That's all I am saying. I appreciate your response.

 

Xpel sells a pre-cut film for about $300, anyone have experience with this, and would it be cheaper to provide the installer with the pre-cut just have em do the install?

 

Just wanted to add my 2 cents as a 911 TTS owner that filmed the whole hood (venture), everything else is 3M scotch-front nose cone, full front fenders, rocker pannels, wheel well arches rear splash area. Did all lights with 3M HD film for lights. Film, was wrapped, headlight removed, marker lights removed and tail lights removed. Top notch job. Search my screen name and you can see the job they did.

I paid around 2K+ hard to tell becasue I did it with radar, jammer and other electronics and got a package deal.

You are buying a service not a product. The product is cheap. Find a guy who is as much a perfectionist as you and hire him. I wanted the best job a man could do and I hired Detailing Dymanics. I wanted perfection married to a guy who would service it if there was and issue.

I hit a chunk of flying tire and it left a mark on the top of my 1/4 pannel. Looked horrid. Went to DD, saw Eddie and he removed it with a cyclo and some special polish and it looks good as new. I was surprised at how well it recovered from the blemish.

You usually get what you pay for if you do your homework. Go off local car club reccommendations.

Good Luck