Paint Protection Film - Ventureshield

[ForzaWhitesGen2]

Just getting my car ready to P/Ex, Yes for a new 911. Anyway, I thought my experiences with Ventureshield Paint Protection Film installed on my current car versus older car may be worth sharing.

Previous Car
I had Ventureshield fitted (June 2006)on my 55 plate 997 C2S in Seal Grey brilliant installation and was really happy with it. It washed over really well, didn't mark, and the Swissvax I used on the car worked well on the film.... Some pictures on the detailers website (www.elitedetailer.co.uk)confirm what a great product/finish this really was. Sold the car with the film on it, hardly a mark or blemish on any of it.

Current Car
My current 997 C2S Basalt Black is fitted (Oct 2011) with the latest 3M Venturshield product.

Not impressed at all! It leaves fly/bug/insect residue, marks very easily, doesn't clean/detail up
the same way as it did on my older aforementioned vehicle. It looks shabby and has not aged well < 12 months. It marks all the time no matter how much time and effort I put into removing insects/dirt
etc....

The product HAS clearly changed (no pun intended) and in my opinion is not worth the money or the hassle.

The fitter/retailer has been asked to remove it, and he's saying it may take the paint off my previously restored front PU bumper (no worries with the first installation on the Seal Grey car)

They say it is a 'warrantied' product? alas I now wouldn't touch it with a barge pole...

[DSM2]

Sorry to hear that, and I would guess that your are right in saying the product has changed.

I had VS fitted to my 997S, Meteor, September 07. Still looks fine, hardly visible and polishes up well.

[Moosh]

I would agree that the new ventureshield is not as good as the old one. I complained about how easy it was to mark and was told that this was not an issue by the head of ventureshueld UK, (was politely told to go away). He told me that it was protecting the paint and that was all it had to do. I agree to a degree, but with the new stuff you have to be really careful even when you wash it. I also mentioned that it was advertised that it repaired itself if you get small scratches on it, which it does not! It is a problem as it can start to look unsightly after a while.

You also need a really good fitter for this stuff or you end up with creases and/or air bubbles under the ventureshield.

But I guess it is still better than having to spray the front every year

[ForzaWhitesGen2]

DSM2 said:

Sorry to hear that, and I would guess that your are right in saying the product has changed.

I had VS fitted to my 997S, Meteor, September 07. Still looks fine, hardly visible and polishes up well.

Yep that would be the original product, which as stated was very very good!

Anywy looking forward to getting the messy stuff off.... at least it should
have protected the paint??

[khushy]

Having used Armourfend for both supply and fit, for over 14 years - I noticed a couple of years ago that they moved from a 3M product to VentureShield.

My first view of the new product was not very positive, it needed a slightly different technique to fit it properly, but once mastered I found it much easier to fit overall - its more bendy, more forgiving and easier to cut accurately by hand.

I do think it scratches easily when comepared to the old 3M product but overall, its good and does its job well IMHO!

Sorry to hear you have had probs, but overall I would say that you are in the minority.

khushy

[tjlees]

I have 3M ventureshield fitted and so far very good. It cleans easily and polishes well. More importantly it has stopped the chips completely. Others on here have said it's not great on black cars - it seems fine on a blue car

However from my searches on here XPEL seems to be recommended http://www.paintshield.co.uk/ultimate-paint-protec... The company That fits it is also recommended and apparently do not cut in and damage the paintwork on fitting. For me it was three times the price of 3M so I did not go for it.

[NBTBRV8]

Ventureshield in my experience is terrible for bug marks, they just don't come out. It does seem to stop 90% of chips. It does work well though, the dealer nudged my bar on a service and without the film it would have required a respray. They paid to remove the film and have a new lot applied for which there was no problem.

[mhh]

I've got 2 year old Ventureshield on my Turbo S and it still looks almost brand new.

[Biggriff]

Had Paintshield on a number of cars and won't use any of the others. Always take it to the HQ to have it fitted and have been suitably impressed.

[tjlees]

Guam said:

tjlees said:

I have 3M ventureshield fitted and so far very good. It cleans easily and polishes well. More importantly it has stopped the chips completely. Others on here have said it's not great on black cars - it seems fine on a blue car

However from my searches on here XPEL seems to be recommended http://www.paintshield.co.uk/ultimate-paint-protec... The company That fits it is also recommended and apparently do not cut in and damage the paintwork on fitting. For me it was three times the price of 3M so I did not go for it.

What was that on, as I know of no circumstance where that would be the case?

It was fitted on metallic blue mini. For a metallic basalt black Porsche it was apparently not good and you new that you had the venture shield on. When I was picking up the mini, there was a non-metallic black Nissan that did not look as good as the mini but I would not rejected it.

[tjlees]

Found the one from Porsche forum originally

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[tjlees]

Guam said:

tjlees said:

It was fitted on metallic blue mini. For a metallic basalt black Porsche it was apparently not good and you new that you had the venture shield on. When I was picking up the mini, there was a non-metallic black Nissan that did not look as good as the mini but I would not rejected it.

Sorry I dont understand that response genuinely? Which car was 3 times the price and what was it qouted on, kit type and filmstock?

At the time it was against the mini with paintshield uk quoting for the full kit for £1050, the quote did not specify the exact filmstock. The protection that I went for was ventureshield and £332.50 from the invoice.

[bunyarra]

Just had my XK done at Paintshield - the cost was definitely not 3x the price of an equivalent Ventureshield install. It was definitely worth a 3 hour drive to Peterborough; a thoroughly professional job with thoroughly nice people.

Watch the quotes are indeed for the same coverage and get it in writing if the price seems low (nearly made that mistake myself); a full front kit should mean the whole bonnet, bumper, wings and mirrors - not partial coverage.

Even with the Xpel film not completely cured, it is really, really hard to tell there is even film on it. And no orange peel in sight; highly recommended.

[tjlees]

Guam said:

tjlees said:

At the time it was against the mini with paintshield uk quoting for the full kit for £1050, the quote did not specify the exact filmstock. The protection that I went for was ventureshield and £332.50 from the invoice.

Aah I see, that price was for the whole front of the car <everything forward of the windscreen with a one piece clam> in Ultimate film.

That is not the same as what you got at that price. It sounds like you have the bumper and leading section of the bonnet.
It sounds as if there was confusion over the spec you were looking for I apologise for that misunderstanding.

So not like for like in any way, I was getting worried for a minute there

No confusion over spec for me. Paintshield uk at the time and according to them did not do a standard kit for the mini. Obviously bumper, foglights and headlights are separate pieces. The ventureshield kit was a full kit in there terms i.e prone frontal areas including wings front section, bonnet front section, complete bumper, headlights and mirrors. For Full bonnet wrap as you described it was another £166 apparently - but was not after this.

[ForzaWhitesGen2]

My main point is that they (3M) have changed the product, and in my view/experience
NOT for the better... I just cannot seem to get any marks off it no matter what...
yest the lets call it the 'original' was a super product that hardly marked at all.

Why change something if it aint broke?

No problem with the kits and the accuracy of the 'cut' and yes it still stops the stone
chips.... but its blatantly dirty/marked which doesn't do the appeal of my
car any good... Not sure its worse than incurring the chips in the first place....

[AndrewIC]

Bit of a thread resurrection here, does anybody have this currently on their car and how is it holding up, or a different product? I see it as a worthwhile product if it doesn't look terrible and prevents having to get the front sprayed every couple of years.

[paranha]

I was a Very early Paintshield customer at Grantham HQ , in November 2005.They were just getting started--and were going to do a front 30% protect on a Z3MCoupe, which I had already had resprayed twice.Went off for some breakfast, and came back to see them still Not fitting the kit.Seems their master cutting software was a USA production, which they were not happy with---so they wanted to re design for the "In the Metal" Z.

Great finish and off I went, a happy bunny---Over 8 years later-Still looks the biz and has saved many re-sprays, Good People to deal with.

[AndyBrew]

Paintshield end of story, the new stuff is amazing and the quality of the install is superb.

[Tripe Bypass]

AndyBrew said:

Paintshield end of story, the new stuff is amazing and the quality of the install is superb.

Xpel or MIRACLE?

[Johnthepotter]

I had Venturesield fitted on my Spyder from new in 2010. It is still perfect with no sign of colour change or "bug marks" and that's on a white car. I'd recommend it to anyone.