Protect Your Automobile's Paint

Stop road debris from chipping the paint on your vehicle. Protect the finish on the hood and mirrors of your vehicle from flying road debris by applying a special rubberized film. You can apply it yourself with a bit of practice, or you can employ a professional service for a guaranteed job.

Utilization of the protective film. Remove the adhesive backing and liner and spray the film.

Remove a portion of the liner from the adhesive side of the film, then spray the adhesive with the detergent solution. Then, place the wet, adhesive side down on the previously soaked hood. Remove the remaining liner and backing sheet, then spray the remaining glue.

New automobiles' low-slung hoods and aerodynamic side mirrors are highly susceptible to paint chips from flying road debris. Dealers place a thin, clear, rubbery paint coating over these areas to protect the paint. The coating effectively prevents paint chip damage, but it costs around $400 from retailers.

You can purchase the film online for approximately $120 and install it yourself in a few hours (or less, depending on the size of the vehicle). It is not difficult, but the practice is required. Therefore, get an additional set of the film for your mirrors and test it on them beforehand. Once you've mastered wetting, stretching, and squeegeeing the film around your mirror, you'll find it much simpler to install the hood.

For this 2011 Ford Flex, you can purchase a complete Aerogard film package (film, spray bottles, knife, and squeegee). Aerogard film is stretchier and more forgiving than other types, so it's worthwhile to pay a little more for it.

To prepare the two spray bottles, you will also need distilled water, isopropyl alcohol, and dishwashing soap. Follow the exact mixing instructions (or learn this the hard way).

Start by washing the entire vehicle and removing the grime from the hood and mirrors using insect and tar remover. Then, clean any remaining dust with a microfiber towel.

Allow at least 15 minutes for the film to "relax" on the clean hood (never on the floor). Then, apply the detergent solution to the hood.

Remove the adhesive liner and backing sheet, then spritz the adhesive side with the detergent solution. Then, place the wet film on the wet hood and squeegee outward from the center of the hood. As long as you rewet the film with soapy water, you can remove and reapply the film as often as you desire. Create as many water bubbles as possible. If you cannot remove the bubbles using a squeegee, leave them alone. They will vanish naturally over time. In contrast, air bubbles do not dissipate. Use a pin to puncture these, and squeegee the film.

The film is then applied to the mirror.

Squeegee, pull, squeegee, pull