Rochester

iTrader: (8)

Work in progress, but here’s what I’ve got so far. Sharing the experiance, is all. Opinions are always allowed, because forum.

Long before I bought my G a few months ago, I planned on doing something with the recessed, lower valence area of the rear bumper. While I think the 2007-2009 version of the G had the far better bumper design, I have what I have in my 2011.

Plastic rear valence body kits weren’t an option because I think they’re too busy, too tacky. I looked into painting, but that was too expensive. I considered PlastiDip, but that’s not the kind of quality I wanted. So that left vinyl.

BlueBat sells a very reasonable vinyl kit for $45. Maybe I should have bought his, but there’s a vinyl shop not 3 miles from my house, so I was thinking a professional approach would work.

Originally, I wanted a "smoke" look, but after seeing a sheet of matte black against the car, that won me over, and they installed it today. Overall, I like the look. Unfortunately, the quality wasn’t what I was hoping for. The cut-lines are crude, the left and right corners don’t match one-another, there’s a patch on one corner, etc. The shop reduced my price significantly because I wasn’t pleased… from $125 to $70.

Here are the pics:

sniper27

iTrader: (2)

which is why you should have went with Bluebat's precut overlay. looking at it from behind is not too bad. you should consider not having the vinyl wrap all the way up the bend.

2011G37JOHNBEST

excuse for my lack of knowledge, but why do we need this vinyl, is this for protection against rock chips?

Tazicon

iTrader: (1)

Its just for looks.

ashmostro

iTrader: (3)

I agree with sniper in that I think it's a bit too large. I also can't believe I'm saying this but i think the matte finish is detracting from the clean look of the white.

I like the idea but not the execution. Sorry dude...

jesse550

I like it man! Looks good!

SwissCheeseHead

iTrader: (6)

Sorry OP. I think it was $70 not well spent escpecially since the shop did a half a$$ed job. It looks out of place on the sedan. I would peel it off and stick with white but that's just me.

Rochester

iTrader: (8)

I know what you're saying, but disagree on cut location. Applying the vinyl below the curve would look really awkward compared to up and under the lip. IMO.

Where does BlueBat's lay down? And do you know how it wraps around the corners?

This.

No problem.

Thanks.

Rochester

iTrader: (8)

I won't parse words... I am very disappointed in the quality of the application. I expected a vinyl shop would be better than this. Hard to tell from the pictures, but the cut lines are ragged. And the corners suck. And there's a patch on one side.

Step back only a few feet, (like these pictures) and it looks fine. But study the details up close, and it's disappointing. I was shooting for "perfect", and that's not what happened.

First up, I'm going to try and fix the edges with a matte black vinyl pinstripe, which I'll pick up today. The intent is to create that straight line that's missing. Either way, I'm going to live with it for a while before deciding what to do on a more long-term basis.

As for $70 being well-spent or not... you don't know unless you try. And $70 is nothing to get worked up about.

ashmostro

iTrader: (3)

Totally agreed. Don't mod if your goal is to save every penny- that's not why we do it.

SwissCheeseHead

iTrader: (6)

That's cool if you guys have money to blow. I, for one, would not support a "professional" shop by paying them to do a sh1tty job. Also, I like to do it right, the first time, so again, if you've got money to play with, I wish I was you. I mod, I'm on a budget, but that doesn't mean I cheap out.

OP, I'm glad you're trying to salvage what they've done. I wouldn't for a second accept their quality of work. I would for sure bring it back and have them do it again, but again, that's you and I'm me.

sniper27

iTrader: (2)

It looks like it lay right below the bend. I like it better because like the other guy said, it doesn't make the black part look too big.

https://www.myg37.com/forums/body-in...installed.html

sniper27

iTrader: (2)

I know you don't like an actual diffuser piece, but FWIW, mine does not wrap all the way up the bend also. Gloss black for your comparison.

Rochester

iTrader: (8)

Yes. That's very cool.


Having the shop re-do the wrap is an option. The benefit would be lessons learned from the first attempt... such as using two pieces, rather than trying to stretch a single sheet corner to corner. Whatever I decide, I need to live with it for a while before rushing into a decision.

Want to have some fun, cheesehead? Read your post out loud, and emphasize the word "I" really loud as you do it. Just saying.

Rochester

iTrader: (8)

Thanks, sniper! That does give me pause to reconsider the bolt-on valence. Feel free to post a few more pictures, if you have them. Straight-on, perhaps.

Did you have it painted gloss black?