UUronL

This is kind of silly. I do agree that it's better to go directly to the source, but the dealer -is- giving it to an installer who is specializing in it and likely licensed by 3M. More importantly, the place the dealer chooses has likely installed it many times on the car you just purchased. Of course there might be exceptions, dealers who just haven't made an effort to find a good sub, but I'd imagine most have picked the best available locally.

Half of the places I called said things like, "we've done one or two 5 series" as opposed to "we've done tons" which was the answer I got when I called the place I used. They explained in great detail the coverage, and the process - what differentiated their kits, etc... I called pretty much ever installer in the area, and each claimed to do BMWs from dealers. Most were full of it.

The place I used not only does the clear bras for the two nearest BMW dealers, they also do all of the cars for Ferrari/Lambo/Maserati of Washington, DC. They had a few in the shop when I took my car in. The work was really top notch.

realtyman

Been replaced once already. They don't want to do it again.
I know it's not the installer, but the product.

I guess when I get my M5 (or M6) I'll have to choose a dealer that will back the $500 product that they endorsed.

UUronL

I think that as good as the films have become, there's always a chance that it could yellow peel or crack. It's likely 3M, mine is from the same company and it is 3M. As far as standing behind it, you should know that Autobahnd has a lifetime warranty against cracking, peeling, and yellowing. That's actually more than pretty much any other installer - the rest only guarantee it for 5 years, which is the length of time 3M warranties against the aformentioned "defects". You should have a warranty certificate, and a sticker inside the frame that you can see when the driver door is open. If the installer won't honor this, then I'd say to write your state attorney general. That will yield the fastest remediation.

You got off light... Mine was $900, and that's -after- I talked them down $100. Everything costs more where I live though....

UUronL

BMW has it as an option. Check the accessories catalog. Most buyers don't opt for the BMW OEM because the dealers can't/don't/won't install it, and I don't think the coverage is very good.


Also, most dealers aren't smart enough to upsell this.


As to whether or not it's snake oil, the film was developed for military use - to coat the rotors on helicopters that would see desert duty. The sand was just eating them up. It's -super- effective real world military technology.


This nut fired a pellet at a treated mirror - it was traveling at 279.62 MPH. The film deformed, but the surface was completely unscathed. I've read that most of the impacts you'd encounter driving around will cause no deformation of the film, and certainly no damage to the paint underneath. Coating the lights is huge, since cracking the housing will mean a huge bill to replace it.


Look here:

http://www.automotivearticles.com/12...r_Bra_3M.shtml

realtyman

On my first one (note, they replaced it about a year ago - because it YELLOWED!) I actually had something (I'm assuming a rock) actually penetrate the plastic and actually chipped the paint. Do a search. There are pics of it in a previous post. I can just imagine what kind of damage there would have been if the film wasn't there. But the YELLOWING of the **Autobahnd Product** Sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :thumbsdown: