General consensus: Stoneguard protection
Discussion
May I ask what is the general consensus for purchasing a professionally applied stoneguard protection on the front of your AM's?
I'm thinking about getting it done on the front part of my car but am concerned that it'll be noticeable? Can you tell by looking at the car if it's been applied? Can you still get a liquid finish on the car after washing/polishing?
As we know the water based paint used on the V8 Vantage isn't great and I'd hate to have to look at stone chips on the bonnet if I didn't get it done.
I'm thinking about getting it done on the front part of my car but am concerned that it'll be noticeable? Can you tell by looking at the car if it's been applied? Can you still get a liquid finish on the car after washing/polishing?
As we know the water based paint used on the V8 Vantage isn't great and I'd hate to have to look at stone chips on the bonnet if I didn't get it done.
If you have new, perfect paint, then yes I would have it done again. You really need the car detailing to remove all swirls first. You dont polish it after though as polish is abrasive
at best, put a light coat of wax on the plastic coated panels
If done properly on perfect swirl free paint then its hard to tell....so long as you dont use a dusty polish on the rest of the car and let it build up on the edge of the film
Ive had a black car for 5 years and done 50K miles without the film...it was peppered by year 2 and looking worse for wear/needed a respray at year 5
after respray, I had the film applied and it still looked like new 40K miles later
However, the finish under the film will only be as good as the day the film is applied...so get the car detailed first and film applied immediately at the same place, in dust free environment
at best, put a light coat of wax on the plastic coated panels
If done properly on perfect swirl free paint then its hard to tell....so long as you dont use a dusty polish on the rest of the car and let it build up on the edge of the film
Ive had a black car for 5 years and done 50K miles without the film...it was peppered by year 2 and looking worse for wear/needed a respray at year 5
after respray, I had the film applied and it still looked like new 40K miles later
However, the finish under the film will only be as good as the day the film is applied...so get the car detailed first and film applied immediately at the same place, in dust free environment
I may live to regret it but I've not had it done and probably won't. My daily cars do get the odd stone chip but nothing I can't live with and my only experience with the films has been poor. Cost of application after a detail is over a grand based on what I've been told. My current 6 series got hit on the side by a stone that left a small dent (quite a bang) and that wouldn't have been protected.
I would certainly recommend applying Venture Shield. First one had it on , no problem. Second didn't, the front end looked as though it had been shot repeatedly with a 12 Bore. Present car has it on , no stone chips worth mentioning.
One other thing your AM dealer will tell you that it is not possible to fit stone guards behind the front wheels. With a little bit of ingenuity and a stanley knife they will! Their fitment is highly effective in stopping chipping to the rear arches.
One other thing your AM dealer will tell you that it is not possible to fit stone guards behind the front wheels. With a little bit of ingenuity and a stanley knife they will! Their fitment is highly effective in stopping chipping to the rear arches.
Ive had stone guards on my 2006 car from about 6 months old , they do help a bit in the arch areas but not really sure I would have them if I had full film kit on the sills etc
My car is pretty peppered now and really needs a front end respray after 66k miles of road use with the odd trackday
My car is pretty peppered now and really needs a front end respray after 66k miles of road use with the odd trackday
V12woollie said:
Got stone guards behind the front wheels on the V12V. No knife needed, they fitted right on. They are designed for V8Vs but fitted fine.
Simon you are right AM's stone guards will fit Vantage V8's but not those fitted with the wider sills as in V8S. With a bit of fiddling though they will. My local dealer quoted me a fitting cost of £200 plus V.A.T plus the costs of the guards. 
I purchased non genuine parts and had them fitted by my mechanic, £92 all in. 
robgt said:
V12woollie said:
Got stone guards behind the front wheels on the V12V. No knife needed, they fitted right on. They are designed for V8Vs but fitted fine.
Simon you are right AM's stone guards will fit Vantage V8's but not those fitted with the wider sills as in V8S. With a bit of fiddling though they will. My local dealer quoted me a fitting cost of £200 plus V.A.T plus the costs of the guards. I purchased non genuine parts and had them fitted by my mechanic, £92 all in. I fitted my stone guards to my SP10 with the wide cills. Went straight on with no problem.
I had Ventureshield on my previous vantage but went for Paintshield on this one. Paintshield is quite a bit more expensive but the video of the wire brush scratches just disappearing swung it for me. It's virtually invisible and if you get the whole bonnet and wings done you avoid the edge of the film running across them.
I had a look at a car in Cardiff for someone on here and that had a much thicker film on it which was a lot more obvious.
I had Ventureshield on my previous vantage but went for Paintshield on this one. Paintshield is quite a bit more expensive but the video of the wire brush scratches just disappearing swung it for me. It's virtually invisible and if you get the whole bonnet and wings done you avoid the edge of the film running across them.
I had a look at a car in Cardiff for someone on here and that had a much thicker film on it which was a lot more obvious.
Y100 said:
Paintshield every panel on Vesuvius, self healing, it is amazing stuff. 
+1 XPEL Ultimate self healing film fitted by Paintshield in Peterborough. Well worth it. I only had front end including wings, sills and rear arches covered as I felt they were most at risk. However I'd seriously consider every panel next time. Without doubt detail the panels to be covered first.Not with the paintshield stuff. That's one of the main reasons I tell everyone to go there. It's self healing, so providing the paint has been made swirl free by someone like my good self, you'll in theory not get any for the life of the film. With the less advanced film favoured by others, you'll have a really swirly film often half way up the bonnet and the rest if the paint looking nice, which isn't good.
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