[pruettfan]

Looks great, the funny thing is your car is painted my favorite color but the flat black looks cool and since it is reversible it is a really cool mod. Heck if you had a leased car and wanted to make sure the paint was protected this might not be a bad way to do protect it.

[PTinVT]

I'm betting the flat-black trend will pass in a few years, but if you enjoy it in the meantime, more power to you. Esp. if it can be done cheaply and reversibly. You crazy kids and your wraps

Props to OP for patience and skills. If I ever attempted something like that, they'd probably find me weeks later after I accidentally glued myself to the garage floor...

[Bakeme521]

That is so awesome, I can't see covering my AW but damn that looks sweet.

[IancoleTX]

Originally Posted by express705

whats with that exhaust tip

I was getting ready to dog you for crapping in the thread, but then I went back and looked.. and damn, what's with that exhaust tip?

[CarForHire]

Great job.

[Alan@PYSpeed.com[retired]]

Originally Posted by IancoleTX

I was getting ready to dog you for crapping in the thread, but then I went back and looked.. and damn, what's with that exhaust tip?

Hahahah

[lpphreakx06]

Good job

Harbor Freight heat gun FTW

[2006Z33]

Great job! good look, very impressive. I've been thinking about doing it myself (best price i was quoted is $1400 with a mad hookup). Where did you get the vinyl?

[djaemac]

WOW! so many comments from just a day!... Thanks for all the great comments. I really appreciate it!...

As for the material, my friend makes stickers on the side, so he orders loads and loads of vinyl and i just bought 25 yards of Oracal brand flat black vinyl from him.


so this will be my little DIY since there's not really much to mention =)


THINGS YOU NEED:
Vinyl (about 25 yards give it take..also depending how much you mess up)... measurements for the vinyl i got were 25 yrds and 48 inches wide....

2 qts of application fluid for the vinyl

I used a felt squeegee so it wont scratch the surface of the vinyl.

I also used a heat gun from Harbor Freight... $10 FTW!!!!

1 XActo knife and scissors

AND LOTS OF PATIENCE!!!!!


I fully detailed the car prior to vinyling including:
- Full car wash, Clay bar'ed the car, and waxed just to be sure the car was flawless.

It is important to make sure there are no specs of dust, bugs, dirt, or anything that would affect the vinyl application onto the car...


Applying:

1. Start with the easiest parts first (for me, it was the roof, trunk, and hood)

2. Cut the vinyl to the size of the section you are going to start on and make sure you cut an oversized piece just in case for stretching the vinyl.

3. Spray the application fluid all over the area you are about to vinyl, and peel off the backing of the vinyl and apply it to the section.

4. Be sure you squeegee the vinyl slowly because if you're too rapid, that may cause creases and lots of air bubbles; this is where the heat gun comes into play. With creases, just lift the vinyl back up and heat the area which you creased, stretch the vinyl until there is no more crease and reapply the vinyl. ALWAYS SQUEEGEE FROM MIDDLE OUTWARD...

5. The vinyl may keep coming up at the edges, this is due to the application fluid. Let it dry and you may continue to squeegee the vinyl down.



Now for the curvy areas!!!!

This is where you may need some help from a person or two...

FOR THE BUMPERS:

1. do not use application fluid when vinyling the bumpers or the most curvy areas of the car. If you do, it will be a Bi*ch to apply it.

2. Use A LOT of stretch and heat for this application

3. Start middle outward; squeegee the middle area of the bumper on, and have someone pull on the vinyl away as you heat the vinyl and squeegee it down. Do NOT over heat or overstretch the vinyl as it may lose its flat black appearance.

FYI: There will be a lot of bubbles on the sections where you do not spray the application fluid. NO WORRIES! try to get the bubbles as small as possible, and when you're done, let the car sit out in the sun and the bubbles will magically disappear!! (with the help of a needle from time to time) =)



when starting this project, you'll learn more and more as you keep vinyling sections of your car.

I learned as i went, and you all will too! (if you decide to tackle this)


Try vinyling a piece a time. I vinyl'd a section a day because that took all my patience in a day..

In the end, you'll be satisfied. This is a pretty straightforward DIY, so if there's any other questions, feel free to PM me.

Thanks again everyone!!!!!

[shoes]

Originally Posted by IancoleTX

I was getting ready to dog you for crapping in the thread, but then I went back and looked.. and damn, what's with that exhaust tip?

Looks like a 'turn-down,' for lack of a better term. Friend of mine had it done on his SUV.

They basically point the exhaust to the ground so the sound will echo off the ground in all directions (making it 'louder') - instead of the exhaust exiting straight backwards where the sound will be concentrated only behind the car.

I could be wrong though!

Excellent wrap OP!
The door handle areas look tricky... I wouldn't even know how to tackle those spots.

[mycoupe]

how did you do the rear quarter and up over the doors in one piece? Or do you have a seam somewhere from using two pieces?

[Tiago@VRSF]

I've been interested in doing this as well. Do you have any closeups of the door handle area?

[djaemac]

Originally Posted by shoes

Looks like a 'turn-down,' for lack of a better term. Friend of mine had it done on his SUV.

They basically point the exhaust to the ground so the sound will echo off the ground in all directions (making it 'louder') - instead of the exhaust exiting straight backwards where the sound will be concentrated only behind the car.

I could be wrong though!

Excellent wrap OP!
The door handle areas look tricky... I wouldn't even know how to tackle those spots.

correct! =)

and its 3" piping from front to back

[djaemac]

Originally Posted by mycoupe

how did you do the rear quarter and up over the doors in one piece? Or do you have a seam somewhere from using two pieces?

there is a seam at the top of the doors, but everything pretty much blends in

[djaemac]

Originally Posted by tvieira24

I've been interested in doing this as well. Do you have any closeups of the door handle area?

car went in for service at the dealer today...
i had the exhaust lifters replaced about 2 weeks ago, and sadly the mechanic did not do a well enough job and now its smoking and leaking oil =(

on top of that, they broke my carbon fiber lip in half and they still haven't replaced it ....THANKS SD BMW!!!

so i'll post pics of door handles when i get it back =)

[Re1nkE]

thats awesome. i admire the patience...i usually just get pissed and start to break stuff

[nesrevival]

...damn you are pro..

[chrisE92]

Wow, looks like you're a natural at this. I would not have the patience to go through with an entire wrap.. $120 is a really really good price for all the material though. If I could get it for that cheap I'd give it a shot too lol.

[Johnny Lin]

Looks awesome, great job

[catch]

wow! amazing!!!
i want to do my hood, roof and trunk... I wish I could find vynal that cheap and had that kinda skills!

[riot]

Props for undertaking this, it looks like you did a great job.

I think people will be interested in knowing the source of the vinyl, online, Home Depot, whatever (me including).

For those who have chrome window trim, how well do you think this will apply to that?

[jaceaholic]

wow that looks really sick.. and nice diy write up..