Anti-gravel protection of the body of the car: reviews of motorists. Protection with anti-gravel film

For sure, each of us saw numerous scratches and chips on the bodies of cars. And even a slight defect can significantly spoil the appearance of this or that machine. What is most interesting, chips and microcracks occur already at the first weeks of operation of the car. Therefore, if you want to keep the attractive appearance of your iron friend as long as possible, you should be interested in the anti-car body protection of the car. Reviews about it and an overview of this protection - later in this article.

What it is?

Anti-gravel protection is a small layer of film that covers a certain part of the body of a vehicle. Sometimes it is glued along the entire perimeter of the paint coating (the so-called complex treatment).

What gives this film to the car? Thanks to anti-gravel protection your vehicle will be less exposed to external factors. This is corrosion, and ultraviolet rays, and even road dust, which forms noticeable defects on the paintwork.

Varieties

It is worth noting that the car's anti-glare protection can be of several types. It is generally accepted to distinguish three types of films:

1. Polyurethane.
2. Cast vinyl.
3. Liquid anti-gravel.

To find out the features of each, consider their properties separately.

So, the polyurethane film. Where is it used? Such anti-gravel protection of the car is mainly used on the front of the body. This is the hood, bumper and mirrors. Sometimes anti-gravel film protection is made by manufacturers still on the conveyor belt. However, not all companies resort to such a procedure, and therefore drivers have to think for themselves how to protect their car. Of course, one should not limit oneself to polish.

Compared to other types of protection, this film has a large thickness, and therefore is installed on more vulnerable parts of the body. The responses of the drivers say that it is able to protect the car not only from the effects of insects and road dust, but also from the impacts of stones flying from under the wheels of oncoming vehicles. Also this kind of films perfectly protects the car paintwork from the branches. This is a very big plus for those who like frequent trips to nature. In terms of its properties, polyurethane protection is very flexible. Therefore, it easily falls on the most hulking parts of the body.

Also motorists note the high protection of the film from the influence of ultraviolet radiation. Despite its transparency, it reliably protects the paintwork of the body from sunlight and preserves the original color of the car for many years.

Now vinyl anti-car body protection. The drivers' comments say that it perfectly copes with its functions in the field of wings and wheel arches. The thickness of vinyl film is less than polyurethane. However, this does not mean that it is more vulnerable to external factors. Like polyurethane, vinyl film perfectly protects the body paintwork from UV, gravel, stones and road dust. But it is not recommended to apply it to too raised areas.

Liquid protection appeared relatively recently, and therefore is not used as often as tested vinyl and polyurethane films. Although this anti-glaze varnish has been recognized as the best innovation in the States in the field of materials for protecting the body of machines. It is also transparent, but its application technology is different from the two previous cases.

What is good anti-glare protection film?

Compared with polish, films have a lot of advantages, some of which we now list. First, it's a permanent body protection. If the polish acts only temporarily (2-3 months), the anti-gravel auto protection prevents the penetration of UV rays and rubble all year round. In addition, it is very difficult to determine exactly whether a layer of polish remained on the body or not. It happens that 80% of the PCB is, and the remaining 20% is missing. In this case, the smaller half of the body remains defenseless, and sooner or later the first chips and microcracks appear on it. Well, once the coating is no longer subject to negative influences, the need for repainting the car completely disappears.

Secondly, the body protection with anti-gravel film will save your car from the negative consequences of minor accidents. Now, with the slightest touch of the bumper on the curb or another car when parking, you do not need any additional alignment.

Thirdly, with anti-car body protection, you do not need a constant polishing of the car. Now, in order to refresh its appearance, it is enough just to wash the dirt off the surface of the machine. And protection is provided by anti-gravel film. It scratches and chips more rarely than on the top of the paint.

Thus, the anti-glare protection of headlights, bumpers and hood allows you to protect body parts from the following factors:

1. Ultraviolet rays.
2. Alkaline and acid chemistry.
3. Gasolines, solvents and alcohols.
4. Insect pincers.
5. Consequences of minor accidents.
6. Scissors, scratches and other deformations of paintwork.

Properties of polyurethane and vinyl film

What is the difference between the anti-gravel protection of the body of a car? The drivers' comments mark the high service life of this film. As practice shows, anti-grave protection is able to stay on the body up to 5-6 years, and yet still perform all of its functions by 100%. Also, this film is not afraid of frequent high pressure sinks. In the sun, it does not become cloudy or yellow, but remains as transparent and invisible as before. Also, it does not require additional care, and this saves your time and money. In addition, with anti-gravel film, the risk of rust is completely excluded. But it is corrosion that is the most terrible enemy of the body of cars and SUVs.

How is the film installed? Preparatory process

Works on the installation of "anti-gravel" are made at specialized service stations and in dealerships. By the way, many showrooms offer additional services for installing a protective film on a new car. And this is very correct, since already on the first 100 kilometers the car body starts to be covered with micro-tints and cracks. The very process of applying is simple, but very painstaking, and therefore requires special skills and experience. How is the car prepared for pasting "anti-gravel"?

First the machine is completely washed out. Moreover, even new cars are subjected to this operation. After that, the body is checked for any minor impurities. These can be traces of insects, resin, bituminous stains and so on. After the paint coating is treated with abrasive clay. The latter, thanks to its properties, perfectly removes even those contaminants that can not be noticed with the naked eye. Usually this clay is mixed with a special soap solution or cleaner.

If scratches and microcracks are found on the car body, their masters are polished using paste. By the way, after the completion of these works, its remains are also thoroughly washed out.

It would seem that the body is already completely washed, otrikhtovan from chips. It's time to start work. But no. Beforehand, before applying the film, the surface of the body is thoroughly degreased. Special remedies completely remove the remnants of car shampoo that was used previously when washing. The finishing preparation is carried out with the help of a glass cleaner, which also cleans and degreases the surface well.

Direct pasting

How to install anti-glare protection? Auto after performing all of the above procedures is treated with a mounting mortar, which in future will avoid the formation of bubbles on the film.

At the next stage the wizards remove the film from the substrate and choose the place where it should be installed. It can be wings, bumper, mirrors, thresholds and even a roof. Then it is put on the surface. The film is also treated with a mounting mortar. Then begins the most painstaking work - forcing bubbles and mortar from under the surface of the body. This is necessary for the glue to securely bond with the vinyl (and, of course, the body with the bubbles is not as attractive as without them). Unnecessary components are driven out with a squeegee at an angle of 45 degrees. Bubbles are removed with insulin syringes with a solution of isopropyl alcohol. The puncture site of the film is carefully smoothened with a tissue. When working with a syringe, it is important not to damage the car paintwork. Well, if there are bumps on the pasted surface (for example, if they are side mirrors), then to simplify the work, the film is stretched slightly. It is worth noting the following: the more embossed the shape of a certain section of the body (where the "anti-gravel" is applied), the harder it is to do the work. Therefore, very often motorists turn to installing specialized films in specialized centers.

Upon completion of installation work, specialists wipe the film dry with a clean cloth. After that a special polish is put on the surface of the anti-gravel protection, which will give the water-repellent properties. In the event that scratches on the surface of the film (for example, with a careless fit), they can be removed with a mounting hairdryer. A hot air stream is directed to the damaged area, after which the vinyl surface will again become as smooth and shiny.

Above, the film can be covered with a special layer of lacquer, which prevents the formation of yellowing and other deposits on the body surface. If the installation technology was observed exactly, the life of this protection will be about 5-6 years.

How is vinyl customized?

The anti-hail protection of the hood can be pre-cut by the template of a particular brand and model of the car or it can be applied in the form of a sheet. In the latter case, the film is adjusted by cutting excess edges with special patterns. But most of the time the workshops are assembling ready-made protections that correspond to the size of the area of one or another part of the bodywork.

Rules of operation

After installing the anti-gravel film experts recommend not to wash the machine for 4-5 days. This is necessary for the adhesive layer to bond better with the surface of the paintwork. After these days, this type of protection does not need additional care.

In which room should work be done?

It is worth noting that the quality of the work performed depends not only on the professionalism of the SRT staff, but also on where the pasting was made. So, in what room can you install anti-glare protection?

First, it must be bright and warm. The air temperature in this room should not be less than +18 degrees Celsius. In this case, the presence of drafts is excluded. Secondly, this place should be clean. Excessive dust can interfere with the installation of anti-glare protection. With constant movements of the masters of its particles can get under the film, where it will be very difficult to remove. The clothes of the installers should be without lint. Third, you need to pay attention to the hands of the master. They must be sterile clean both before and during installation. If there is dirt on the fingers, it will inevitably fall on the adhesive layer of the film. To remove its particles, like dust, is almost impossible.

Where better to install "anti-gravel"?

The frontal parts of the car are the most vulnerable to stones, rubble and road dust. These are side mirrors, body wings, a bumper and a hood. Also do not forget about the trunk and thresholds. In these places, scratches and chips are very often present. Well, it's best to make a comprehensive body protection. So you maximally save the paint and varnish coating of your car in its original form.

It should be noted that anti-gravel protection of the bottom is made by treatment with a special bitumen solution (so-called anticorrosion treatment of metal). It, unlike the pasting of the body with a film, can be made independently. The main thing is that bitumen particles do not hit the painted parts of the body. By the way, anti-gravel protection of the bottom of the car perfectly prevents the appearance of corrosion on metal surfaces. But the main part of rust appears exactly there, as the bottom most of all suffers from stones, dirt and other road debris.

Cost

How much does the anti-car body protection of a car cost? The owners' comments indicate that a full (complex) pasting costs about 40-50 thousand rubles. This amount already includes the film itself and the cost of the installers' work. When complex pasting with vinyl , the following body parts are processed:

1. Bumper.
2. Headlights.
3. Doors.
4. Hood.
5. Rear view mirrors.
6. Internal and external threshold.
7. Front and rear bumper.
8. Roof.
9. Front and rear fenders (on both sides).

You can make a partial pasting. It will cost less. For example, the anti-car protection thresholds of the car cost about 1600-2000 rubles, and mirrors - about 1000. The cost of booking two headlights is about 1500 rubles. The roofing will be the most expensive - about 5 thousand rubles.

So, we found out how the car is protected with anti-gravel film, whether it really gives a result and how much this service costs on the SRT.