[Xalainbonusx]

Hey guys!

So I'm new to the forums, but I decided that I'd go ahead and make an account to help people out on here for whoever wants to do their own vinyl wrap. I'm transferring up to UCSB for school and decided I wanted to change up my car a bit and protect my paint. I have a 3 series 07 328i Sparkling Graphite Coupe. Ive been thinking about dipping it but vinyl is always a better choice as i noticed that plasti dip breaks down pretty easily when exposed to different harsh chemicals. Oil, tire cleaner, goo gone and other stuff decomposes the plasti dip fairly easily and vinyl should last longer. So that being said, I Invested around $600 and just went for the full wrap!

I'm currently uploading a YouTube video for more details so you guys can see the process of how hard it really is and the technique used to get a clean wrap going. The other guys who wrap have their stuff fast forwarded and they make it look really easy, but its quite difficult for a normal person with no vinyl experience. This project requires a great amount of patience, perseverance and time. Do it in a clean environment and in a garage. Feel free to ask any questions on this whole process!

Overall, 50+ hours of work that went into it. It was tough but I got through it. My fingers were hurting really bad after, but I got the hang of it. I can probably do it perfectly now and in half the time, but i must say I did an alright job

What I took apart.
- Door Handles - It was scary, I took it off not knowing if i can put it back on, but its pretty simple to replace it
- Shark Fin - Heat it and use dental floss to loosen the adhesive, and be generous with the goo gone here. Theres a T20 screw you need to take off underneath with the clear shark fin, and then remove the cords attached with a flat head screw driver, clean off the residue.
- Spoiler Lip - same thing with the shark fin, heat up, dental floss, goo gone, clean up.
- Tail Lights, 10mm and 8mm sockets under the carpet cover. pop the carpet covers out.
- Turn Signals - push them towards the rear of car and pull out
- License plate - phillips screw driver
- Emblems - patience.. pry tool, flat head, tape, cloth, use the cloth on the paint and try to pry it up and just slowly work your way around loosening it. The hooks are on the left and right side, thats where you'll want to put pressure, careful not to scratch or dent your car. Rear emblem has adhesive so do the shark fin process, heat, loosen, goo gone, pry around, take your time.

Everything else was good enough to tuck in.

Vinyl Used
- 3m 1080 Scotchprint Matte White.. 50 Ft by 5 ft bought from Auto Vinyl Solutions ($480)
- Non branded CF wrap (--10ft for CF and other stuff. (Roof and Misc..) ($100)

Tools
-Heat gun
-Olfa Knife
-3m double sided tape
-Magnets
-Painters Tape
-Plasti Dip
-Squeegees (wrap it in cloth so it doesn't scratch the vinyl)
-Clay Bar
-Rubbing Alcohol
-Micro Fiber Cloths
-Fast Orange Hand Cleaner
-Goo Gone
-3m Edge Sealer
-3m Primer

Prep
- Wash it really good, you don't want anything under your vinyl especially if you plan on keeping it on for a while. You don't want to trap any dirt that can ruin your paint. Wash all the places where you tuck the vinyl in as well.
- Clay Bar the whole car
- Give it a rubbing alcohol bath and right before you place the vinyl on the panel wipe it down again with rubbing alcohol. make sure there isn't any dirt, but honestly sometimes its inevitable to get something under the vinyl. NOTE! when you do get something stuck in the vinyl its not over, simply spray the vinyl with water, get it real wet and use your fingernails to remove the dirt!

How to wrap (MOST IMPORTANT**, always cut extra, make sure every edge is covered, don't ever touch the heat gun to the vinyl, don't ever heat the vinyl for too long, 2-3 seconds was perfect. GENTLY lift up vinyl, don't tear, and be careful with the sharp olfa knife, (light pressure won't scratch the paint)


- You're going to have to learn on your own and be versatile with the vinyl but here are some tips. (the video i put up will help as well)
- Before squeegeeing, lay down the vinyl as if you're making your bed. If you can have a friend help you stretch the vinyl over the panel that would be a lot easier. I did this all by myself, my girlfriend just helped cut. So how i did it was I peeled the edge corner out first and then stuck the vinyl onto the car and peeled the release liner (paper back) while it was still on the car and lifted and repositioned the vinyl until the creases and wrinkles were at a minimum, then squeegee from the middle outward and when you wrinkle the film, lift that portion up and heat it for like 2 seconds. DONT melt the vinyl.
- Cut extra for tucking in. Use hard edge of the squeegee to do that.
- Take your time and don't give up, there were a couple of times when I was completely over it and just wanted to blow my car up, but just take a break, go eat something that makes you happy, go for a swim and come back to it. hahah thats what i did!
- The end will justify the means if you are patient.

---Note that there will be a YouTube video. It will be more helpful at showing how the technique works.

--- Plasti Dip
- Mask off the entire car, you don't want overspray anywhere, its not fun to clean, make clean strokes until what you're trying to dip looks wet and glossy, that will be your first coat, do at least 4. The more coats the better it will peel and the stronger it will hold. peel the dip off where you don't want it on and you'll have a cleanly dipped piece.

** Cars a bit dirty, i took pictures before I washed and removed the stains from wrapping with dirty hands. I used the Fast Orange hand cleaner to remove the stains and it works
* Redoing Gas Tank cover to white, Shark Fin to Black, and fixing my front bumper..
will post updated pictures!! *

and finally. here are the PICTURES!!!

if you want detailed answers to your questions

Facebook.com/abonuss
Instagram -- alainbonus
email me at abonuss@gmail.com

[Elliott@DetailAddict]

For me, I would make the sharkfin black, the handles and the fuel door white.

Why did you leave gaps under the headlights and bumper inlets?

[just4kickz]

needs a lip. nice work tho

[just4kickz]

Originally Posted by Grant@DetailAddict

Why did you leave gaps under the headlights and bumper inlets?

looks like eye shadow hehe

[JV973]

It came out really good a lot good patience to do that





2011 335is

[Xalainbonusx]

Originally Posted by Grant@DetailAddict

For me, I would make the sharkfin black, the handles and the fuel door white.

Why did you leave gaps under the headlights and bumper inlets?

I was kinda just experimenting with what look good! I like the shark fin white I feel like it gives a good contrast from the roof. The fuel door and handles, I wanted to see how it would look with the CF, and black Plasti Dip. As for the headlights and bumper inlets. I messed the headlight up at the spot and cut too short..... and so I decided to just cut it at that curve for now, and since i messed that part up i decided to half ass the rest of the bumper since Ill be redoing that piece right when the other vinyl ships to me hahah

[INFURNO]

How well does this stuff coat over paint chips? Looks like something fun to try but my front bumper... has some miles on it.

[Xalainbonusx]

Originally Posted by INFURNO

How well does this stuff coat over paint chips? Looks like something fun to try but my front bumper... has some miles on it.

I had a number of rock chips on my hood and I don't even know where they are anymore. I had a door ding as well on my back left panel and its hardly noticeable. Its kinda like a mask :x hahaha

[Delusive]

Very nice outcome, wish I can do that to mines one day also it doesn't hurt to have a little fun when it's reversible

[Saad-e90]

Looks awesome! Wish I could do that to my e90 but no way I have the patience!

[Xalainbonusx]

Originally Posted by JS-NA.E92

Very nice outcome, wish I can do that to mines one day also it doesn't hurt to have a little fun when it's reversible

Thank you

Reversible is the key word! It gives you that safety net so we can have a little fun with it.

[dd243372]

Nice work.

[cssnms]

I give you props for trying, that's a lot of work!

[3s4u2]

Good description and lay-out! Nicely done.

[tmo24]

Is that plastidip overspray in the back tire in the very first pic? If so, you gotta clean that off ASAP! I like the matte white. I really wish you would have kept the shark fin black and the door handles and has door white. But if you like it, that's all that matters!

[Xalainbonusx]

Originally Posted by tmo24

Is that plastidip overspray in the back tire in the very first pic? If so, you gotta clean that off ASAP! I like the matte white. I really wish you would have kept the shark fin black and the door handles and has door white. But if you like it, that's all that matters!

I can't see what you're talking about with the overspray, but after i took these pictures I went through a detailed walk around and cleaned every smudge and overspray off! Regarding the shark fin, door handles and gas door I can always change it up! Wrapping that shark fin was not easy at all though haha the gas door can be replace in literally 5 minutes. My gf doesn't like it either haha but I'm kinda digging the back door handles. I'm gonna look at pictures with the white door handles and see if ill switch it up. I'm wondering if the white plasti dip matches the matte white vinyl i have on here. Dipping the handles was much easier than trying to wrap it. As well as the fin too. I could've just dipped that.

[manillaice]

nice work! looks sick!

[Xalainbonusx]

What do you guys think if I wrapped the fin in CF, or Dipped it in black? The CF gas tank is gonna go though.

[Slow_335i]

Front bumper killed it.

But still cool

[GOTMH8N]

looks pretty slick!

[iBoost]

Nice work. IMO it looked better stock though lol

[XYR03]

Nice job...I also finished wrapping my car matte white not too long ago. Have fun keeping it clean...its a PITA.