[Updated with Pics![Long Post!] Carbon Black X5: STEK Dynoshield and GTechniq ceramic

[windycitycy]

Wow! Beautiful!

[Supraman66]

I am going to report you for posting BMW porn!

Sweet pics my man, just sweet.

[X519]

Originally Posted by windycitycy

Wow! Beautiful!

Originally Posted by Supraman66

I am going to report you for posting BMW porn!

Sweet pics my man, just sweet.

ha ha, thank you both !
It is a beautiful SUV, hard to do it and the paint justice with pics ...

[Penguino]

Originally Posted by X519

ha ha, thank you both !
It is a beautiful SUV, hard to do it and the paint justice with pics ...

What's the camera setup?

[X519]

Originally Posted by Penguino

What's the camera setup?

Sony A7R3 + a bunch of lenses :
Sony FE 85 1.4 GM
Sony FE 50 1.4 Planar
Zeiss ZM 35 1.4 (with Novoflex adapter)
Canon 200L 2.0 (with Sigma MC11 adapter)

No tripod used yet for these shots. All hand-held and Auto-ISO with shutter speed set to 1/2x focal length for clean shots.

Some pics shot with Highlight priority to preserve highlight detail and to take advantage of the Sony Sensor DR in the shadows.

[BMW_Cyprus]

Originally Posted by X519

Going to do GTechniq CSU Black package (CS Ultra + two coats of EXO V4).

How many layers of CSU did you apply (prior to applying 2 layer EXO v4)?

[X519]

Originally Posted by BMW_Cyprus

How many layers of CSU did you apply (prior to applying 2 layer EXO v4)?

One coat.
CSU is meant to be the base layer , to be put directly on top of paint, or on PPF. So one base layer is all you'll ever need - you don't need to layer it up further, and it's got a long curing time of 12-14 hours.

The top layers, such as EXO V4, the paint sealants (C2 V3) and the quick detailers (QD) can all be layered up multiple times however.

[BMW_Cyprus]

Thank you X5219. Appreciate your input.

[imyb]

Hi,

I have an M50D in Carbon Black, picked it up couple of days ago.
Did you only get the front upto side mirrors in PPF and ceramic coating on all the car or just front?

Your finish looks sweet

Thanks

[X519]

Originally Posted by imyb

Hi,

I have an M50D in Carbon Black, picked it up couple of days ago.
Did you only get the front upto side mirrors in PPF and ceramic coating on all the car or just front?

Your finish looks sweet

Thanks

Thanks
Answer is closer to your first option. Selective PPF + ceramic coating on full car.

Selective application of PPF = full front, mirrors, door handles & cups, side skirts and lower part of side doors, rear bumper and on the metallic M-sport door entry sills to minimize scratching. Essentially covering the high traffic areas or where I expect some minor dings from small rocks/stones. I want to add spacers to my wheels to make them stick out a bit more, so had to plan for this PPF coverage up-front.

Enjoy your new M50D, congrats !

[imyb]

Thanks, I did think a full on PPF treatment would be over the top.
Even with a partial PPF treatment, I'm looking at 4 days without the car which will be a struggle. The ceramic coating would probably add more days. Does that sound about right?

I'm avoiding car washes until I can schedule this in.

Originally Posted by X519

Thanks
Answer is closer to your first option. Selective PPF + ceramic coating on full car.

Selective application of PPF = full front, mirrors, door handles & cups, side skirts and lower part of side doors, rear bumper and on the metallic M-sport door entry sills to minimize scratching. Essentially covering the high traffic areas or where I expect some minor dings from small rocks/stones. I want to add spacers to my wheels to make them stick out a bit more, so had to plan for this PPF coverage up-front.

Enjoy your new M50D, congrats !

[X519]

Yes, you need to budget at least 2-3 days for the coating. It is the base layer coats that require patience and skill while applying and shouldn’t be rushed. The curing time for the base coat is around 13-14 hours. Once this has settled in, then the top coats are layered on for additional gloss and hydrophobic properties. The top coats are generally good around 4 hours. The exact curing times vary with the actual products used by the detailer.

Please keep in mind that the longest time needs to be invested in preparing the paint and correcting for any fine scratches or swirls, even on a new car! Then you have the PPF and then finally the ceramic coating. I highly recommend you get this done by one installer or detailer from start to finish. I’d budget about a week for this, given how much money this costs, so that they take the time to do it right and are not rushed. I agree that this is painful, but it's better to get it done with as early as possible.

Definitely good to avoid car-washes, better to have a dirty car than get it scratched and swirled up big time ! Feel free to post pics after you are done . Quite an exciting process to see

[teefive]

thanks for posting the great pics! have a CB 40i on order with a similar spec ... M sport, Ivory, fineline trim. checking out those pics makes the wait even more difficult

[Dr. Jekyll]

Wow you're a great photographer! BMW could / should use your photos, well done!

[RVAGuy]

Originally Posted by X519

Hi all,

Long post - sorry! I've searched and tried to read most of the threads here about PPF and Ceramic coatings, but I still have some questions. Would appreciate your feedback on this as I will be getting my new X5 in approximately a month's time.Thanks ahead of time for the forum members' support here.

[Update: Pics are below in Post #20!]

Have gone for Carbon Black 40i (M-sport) + Ivory Merino extended leather on the interior. 21" staggered tires setup. Based in Dallas, TX.

1) Prep: I will be taking this straight from the dealer to a detailer and will be starting with paint inspection, detailed prep and polishing as the first set of steps (among others as needed)

2) PPF: After comparing STEK versus SunTek Ultra versus XPEL , I plan to go with the STEK Dynoshield film. *Claimed* warranty of 10 years against delamination, yellowing, bubbling and cracking.

I like it because of its smooth finish, high gloss and built-in hydrophobic properties. I am not fond of potential orange peeling from the XPEL being added to some pre-existing baseline orange peeling in the factory paint. there are reports of it being reduced/fixed in the latest version (XPEL ultimate plus), but I am not fully convinced and don't wish to take a chance.

So in order of personal preference, I am prioritzing the PPF films as follows: STEK > SunTek > XPEL

[skalberti, thanks for your data points here and on #6!]


3) Ceramic coating: Next, I plan to have the GTechniq Crystal Serum Ultra applied (professional application only; 10h rating, *claimed* 9 years) topped with EXO v4 coating for a combined effect of further enhanced gloss and enhanced hydrophobic properties.

Because I am a complete novice at detailing, I want the first steps to be done right and by a professional who knows what they are doing. My hope is to able to do this myself in 2-3 years when these ceramic coatings have to be reapplied. Plan is to buy the supplies and then apply it myself at my garage. This way, I have an upfront (high-ish) cost but a lower cost to sustain and preserve the coatings.

4) Windows: can I get some recommendations please? thinking of clear tint with UV protection in the front windshield and in back windows + back windshield [ the latter are pre-tinted anyway], and then have the front two days tinted to match the rear if possible.

TX laws have a > 25% light transmission requirement, so I don't know if this will limit being able to match the rear tint. I've read reports of the back windows being at 15-20%, and if so, I may have to live with the fronts being a little lighter than the rear - which is how it comes from the factory anyway - so this is not a huge show stopper.

But need a film with good UV and heat rejection properties to deal with the heat here in the south.

5)Grille: thinking of replacing factory grille with an IND one (chrome outline, black slats, and mid-section painted CB) . Given the small surface area - does it make sense to even bother PPF-ing this ? If I have chips on the black front slots, will it expose the chrome underneath? If so, is it better to wait from BMW factory M parts till end of next month?

6)Installers (DFW region):
Looking at DFW Clear Bra based on skalberti's positive feedback [thanks!]. But open to other recommendations as well!
Also the STEK website lists this same company and same address under a different name/URL (http://www.clearcoatfilm.com/) - this is the only STEK listing AFAIK in the DFW area.

7)Interior care: ( will be doing this myself)
Leather: Going to use BMW products suggested at the beginning and then switch to either Sonax or Zaino for subsequent applications. [Thanks Mystro!]
Trim: I have chosen the Fineline wood glossy trim: any recommendations to protect and preserve this?

Goals in priority order:
a) Maximize and preserve overall paint gloss and finish.
b) Minimize highway chips ( PPF is expected to help here). I know this should be #1, but I am being honest here!
c) Make it reasonably easy to wash and maintain it clean - without need for extensive detailing (ceramic to help here). Hope on paint maintenance is to wash it off with water and wipe down with good quality towels or air-dry with a leaf blower, and maybe add a suitable product once a month to keep up the shine - I hope this isn't too naive !?! I need to see if my preferred touchless car wash nearby uses PH-neutral soap, in which case there might be bonus of using just a basic wash and air-dry wash package without any brushes or chemicals to ruin the coatings.

Questions:
1) Any holes in this approach ?
2) Does it make sense to PPF the whole car ($5k) or just focus on the front half of the car? (~$1.5k) including front doors and everything forward of it, including mirrors)
3) If i use the latter approach above, then won't it create an uneven paint finish/gloss on the car? Will this unevenness be further amplified when I ceramic coat the whole car?
4) 7 years from now, if me or someone else tries to remove or reapply the PPF, will it leave a bad residue?
5) Does STEK film include the adhesive (like Suntek) or is it separately added and installed (like XPEL used to have it)?
6) how difficult is it to remove an existing ceramic coating and reapply a new one? If i use Crystal Serum (pro applicaton only), can I downgrade to a more consumer grade version down the road? or given the plan, should I stick to consumer grade products right from the beginning ( = replace Crystal Serum Ultra above with CS Light?)

Thanks for reading all this and for any feedback!

I’m curious now that you are a year out how the coatings are working and what, if anything, would you do differently?

[X519]

Thanks for the kind words folks.

RVA Guy; one thing I would do different is full PPF instead of partial. No other regrets. Coating makes maintenance easy, washes are quick and I don’t need to do anything beyond a simple wash to make it look stunning.

For some, me included, this can be somewhat of an anti-climax, but when I did small experiments on other detailing products, they did not buy me extra gloss or shine, but only attracted dust. So a simple wash with Gwash is all I need.

[araje]

X519 - awesome pics. I am sure she is feeling pampered.
I will be following your recipe. Currently inquiring quotes from 2 certified installers listed in Gtechniq website for my area.

One of them recommended CSU black which is essentially CSU+EXO and Stek full front. He also mentioned that he will apply CSU to wheels as well. Did you do this too?
The most painful part is over and above the agonizing wait during production, he will take 3-4days for this whole process. He did tell me that it is advisable to bring the car the next day after delivery to him but its okay to take few days if I like since he will anyways have to do level1 paint correction.

The other one commented that Stek+CSU+EXO would be overdoing it since Stek is highest quality anyways. Now this has got me thinking. I would understand if I was doing Stek full body. However that is way too expensive for me. So since I am going only with full front, I am thinking its best to do CSU black for whole body. Do you have any suggestions?

By the way, I opted for Dark Graphite on 21" Y Style 744, coming towards the end of month.

Thanks.

[X519]

Araje:

Thanks.
Hmm, my suggestion would be PPF (front) + CSU Black (full body).
Yes, I did the wheels also- my detailer threw it in at no extra charge since he had some spare product left over.

I would also drop it off at the detailer as soon as possible after delivery. Yes, waiting is painful -but totally worth it- you will enjoy the finished product for sure. Just make sure you get the PPF and the CSU done by the same detailer if possible.

Maintenance afterwards is easier. Basic wash and drying is all you need to make the car continue to look great and bead water nicely. Keep in mind that the base coat is good for a claimed 9 years and the top coat (exo v4) is rated for 2-3 years. Resist the temptation to add further product on top of this ; you will not get any extra shine, but will compromise on the hydrophobic properties since the new product will be sitting on top of the EXO layer.

Enjoy your new ride

[araje]

Thanks X519.
So my plan is all set. Based on your suggestion I found a dealer here in AZ who is certified for both GTechniq and Stek Dynoshield installations.
They suggested that if I do both in one order, they have an excellent discount as well.

So its : Stek Full Front + CSU Black Full body (including wheels)
Window tints : mostly ceramic on top and will defer windows for later.

Some more questions - Did you do lights as well?
I saw your plan for 1x a week cleaning and maintaining. However, when you go on extended roadtrips - what do you do? I am sure you dont do drive-throughs.
Started a thread here on it : https://g05.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...51&postcount=1