[NGEE]

So I'd read several nightmare threads about shadowline trim wrapping. I saw the pictures on www.shadowlinetrim.com, and thought "geez, that looks easy". I'd wrapped my interior trim, so I had some experience. I figured I'd give it a try.

I bought a 3" x 30' roll of MATTE black vinyl from shadowline for $25 including shipping. That's enough to wrap the E90, with a little left over, provided you cut a section in half lengthwise (1.5") for the window perch trim. I actually think it's enough to wrap it all without cutting a section in half, but you won't have much left over for recovery if you make a mistake.

Took me about 3 hours to complete one side, but the result is perfect.



Here are some thoughts:

This is much more difficult than it looks. It's nothing like the 3M wrap you put on interior trim - it's much thinner. It's *ALL* about stretching. You've really got to stretch the film over the curves to get it tight. Also, it would be a much easier job with two people - one to stretch the film over the trim, and another to unroll the film as you go.

I started to use a heat gun, but then abandoned it. The film is too thin - the gun easily burns through it. I found that the heat gun was not necessary, since you can easily stretch this film.

Looking at the pictures on the company website, they did not stretch the film over onto the car. I found that by stretching the film over onto the car, the cutting was much easier. I stretched it over like this:



Also, the film instructions said to use a credit card to tuck the film into corners and gaps. I found this tool was perfect - I bought it from metrostyling when I purchased my interior film. It has a thin plastic side for making sharp creases, and a thicker felt side for tucking into gaps.



When I was done I used a pin to prick a few small air bubbles, then used the heat gun to heat the wrap up and smooth it down with a cloth.

Happy with the result!

[wheen]

Any particular tips to share about the bottom trims? Those don't have nice gaps to tuck in the extra material, so I thought cutting close (and damn perfect) might be the only way to make them look good. Was that the case for you?

[JesseJames]

Good job

[Cletus989]

should I try this or plasti dip?

[NGEE]

Originally Posted by wheen

Any particular tips to share about the bottom trims? Those don't have nice gaps to tuck in the extra material, so I thought cutting close (and damn perfect) might be the only way to make them look good. Was that the case for you?

I started by putting the windows down and flipping the mirrors up. The window perch trim was the easy part. It tucked easily into the channel on top (rubber seal for the window), but you're right - on the bottom you have to cut it perfectly. That's not difficult though, using the tool I showed. It gives you a crisp crease and you just lightly run an exacto or razor blade along the seam.

The difficult part of the bottom trim is under the mirror - you really need to remove the mirror to do the job perfectly.

Actually, I lied in my post by saying that the result was perfect. In fact, the underside is the most difficult part of the upper window trim, because you can't get a good stretch. I have some wrinkles there. No one will ever see it, but it does kind of bug me.

But otherwise, it looks and feels like real shadowline trim, at a 95% discount

[NGEE]

Originally Posted by JesseJames

Good job

Thanks man!

[NGEE]

Originally Posted by Cletus989

should I try this or plasti dip?

If you have some experience with wrapping, I'd say give it a shot. If not, you might try your hand at wrapping something easier, like interior trim that you can remove and wrap.

I'm guessing plastidip is much easier, but I can't vouch for the look and feel.

[NGEE]

I wish I could report that the other side of the car was much easier since I now have some experience with it. It was a *little* easier, especially on the straight parts. But the biggest challenge is stretching the film on the underside of the top drip edge trim - tough to get a good stretch, especially since the trim is concave underneath. Expect some wrinkling.

My biggest advice to those who want to try: get the 4" roll! It will give you plenty of overlap on top and bottom to work with and stretch.

I'm enjoying those shadowlines tho!

[Blindside_137]

Stretching that stuff is so key. I used matte black a few years ago and it worked perfectly. I'm redoing it now with gloss and it's an absolute nightmare. The gloss shows each and every imperfection and is so much harder to work with. I might have to take it to a professional wrap shop.

But great job!!

[NGEE]

Originally Posted by Blindside_137

Stretching that stuff is so key. I used matte black a few years ago and it worked perfectly. I'm redoing it now with gloss and it's an absolute nightmare. The gloss shows each and every imperfection and is so much harder to work with. I might have to take it to a professional wrap shop.

But great job!!

Thanks! How did your matte black hold up over time? Did you buy it from shadowlinetrim.com? How difficult was it to remove?

[Blindside_137]

It has surprisingly held up perfectly, and I even have a convertible so the trim pieces are always moving.

Unfortunately where the rear window of the top tests on the rear quarter panels, the trim it has started peeling up. And another area was scraped when I had warranty work done. Also when I waxed the car I got some on the matte vinyl by accidnet and it made the areas where wax made contact appear a bit dull compared to the other areas. So for those few reasons that's why I wanted to redo it. Removing it was just a little tedious but fairly uneventful. I'm not sure if some remained tucked into the trim or not.. Only way to know for sure would be to remove the trim then remove the vinyl.

But it's really held up very well and yes I had the shadowline roll. The faults weren't really due to the vinyl, just "abnormal" wear and tear.

[oogabooga]

I tried doing this today with Shadowline vinyl gloss black trim wrap. Spent about 1 hour and a half just doing a continuous piece on the upper trim starting from the rearview mirror and ending after the curve at the rear. Although I was able to get it to go around that tight curve at the end, I wasnt happy with the results as I had a few tiny little bubbles and marks in the vinyl at the beginning.
I gave up and peeled it off. I am going to get a professional to install it.
My advice is to use your thumb to smooth the wrap on. The tool (which I bought in addition to the vinyl) has a tendency to scratch the vinyl if you push too hard). Also, this stuff stretches very easily and also breaks very easily. just keep stretching and stretching the vinyl before laying it down to get around the curves. But honestly its a nightmare. I really want black trim and don't have the absurd amount of cash to pay a professional to do something silly like this but after trying the DIY route and not getting the results I wouldve have expected for how careful i was and how long it took me, the professional install seems like the only other way.

[NightStalker]

Originally Posted by Blindside_137

Stretching that stuff is so key. I used matte black a few years ago and it worked perfectly. I'm redoing it now with gloss and it's an absolute nightmare. The gloss shows each and every imperfection and is so much harder to work with. I might have to take it to a professional wrap shop.

But great job!!

Originally Posted by NGEE

Thanks! How did your matte black hold up over time? Did you buy it from shadowlinetrim.com? How difficult was it to remove?

Originally Posted by oogabooga

I tried doing this today with Shadowline vinyl gloss black trim wrap. Spent about 1 hour and a half just doing a continuous piece on the upper trim starting from the rearview mirror and ending after the curve at the rear. Although I was able to get it to go around that tight curve at the end, I wasnt happy with the results as I had a few tiny little bubbles and marks in the vinyl at the beginning.
I gave up and peeled it off. I am going to get a professional to install it.
My advice is to use your thumb to smooth the wrap on. The tool (which I bought in addition to the vinyl) has a tendency to scratch the vinyl if you push too hard). Also, this stuff stretches very easily and also breaks very easily. just keep stretching and stretching the vinyl before laying it down to get around the curves. But honestly its a nightmare. I really want black trim and don't have the absurd amount of cash to pay a professional to do something silly like this but after trying the DIY route and not getting the results I wouldve have expected for how careful i was and how long it took me, the professional install seems like the only other way.

thing is when it comes to complex shapes like the curve on a trim its tough for the vinyl to keep its original texture/color.

best way to wrap is the remove the pieces (bottom ones) i wrapped mines and it came out flawless.

also its best to buy large vinyl and cut into the shape of the trim(like the curve at the rear) and once wrapping trim with sharp knife as necessary.

BTW shadowline vinyl sucks after spending my time with it i ended up ordering 3m vinyl..way more durable and easier to work with literally

[93civEJ1]

Love Love Love threads like this. What is the benefit to doing the wrap instead of say Plastidipping and masking off??

[NGEE]

Originally Posted by 93civEJ1

Love Love Love threads like this. What is the benefit to doing the wrap instead of say Plastidipping and masking off??

Many prefer to plastidip, and it is much easier to do. I simply think the vinyl looks better and holds up better. However, it is not a very easy job. I'd recommend practicing wrapping other things first. The hard part is that the vinyl is only 3-4" wide, and it needs to stretch around the contour curves of the trim (which nearly makes a u-turn at the rear window). Practice first on straighter surfaces where you don't have to deal with those curves.

As others said, it might be easier to get a larger sheet of vinyl wrap, and cut it to the contour of the trim.

[93civEJ1]

Originally Posted by NGEE

Many prefer to plastidip, and it is much easier to do. I simply think the vinyl looks better and holds up better. However, it is not a very easy job. I'd recommend practicing wrapping other things first. The hard part is that the vinyl is only 3-4" wide, and it needs to stretch around the contour curves of the trim (which nearly makes a u-turn at the rear window). Practice first on straighter surfaces where you don't have to deal with those curves.

As others said, it might be easier to get a larger sheet of vinyl wrap, and cut it to the contour of the trim.

hmmm...ill have to debate on this or plastidip as I would love to make the chrome go away.

[Im8Up]

I went the Shadowline route on my e90. I really only found 2 places difficult. Obviously the curve on the back is the biggest pain and then under the mirror. It took me a few tries to get the vinyl to take to the curve but it looks good. If you have someone to help hold the vinyl it makes it much easier since you'll have 2 hands to work the vinyl vs. just 1. I wish they'd just make a kit specific to the vehicle that's precut and make everyones life easier. So far it has held up very well and looks 1000% better than that damn chrome!

[ethanjoon]

You did a really good job on this. I would have gotten too frustrated by what's going on in your second picture!

[wdeerfield]

surprised you went with matte instead of gloss.. results look great though!