| This Dodge 4x4 is still relatively new, and with the 3M Scotchgard protective film, it will stay looking that way.
One of the joys of owning a new truck is the paint looks great. In fact, it will never look better than it does straight off the showroom floor. There's not a chip or rock ding to be seen on the unblemished surface. But life on the road is hard, especially for the front end of your vehicle. When going 60 mph, even a small pebble acts like a BB shot from a gun. The painted surface it hits doesn't stand a chance, and missing paint is usually the result. There is a way to keep those damaging rocks away from your delicate paintjob, though, and the best part is that you won't even see it working.
3M has a long history of protecting surfaces. From carpeting to entire cars, 3M offers something that will make your vehicle last longer before succumbing to the elements. To protect the paint on your truck, there's 3M's Scotchgard paint protective film. This film acts as a clear barrier between that airborne debris and your paintjob. At 8-mil thick, the film is able to withstand “the screwdriver demonstration”—which entails one 3M rep holding a piece of the film while another tries to jam a screwdriver through it. We've seen it live, and we can attest to the fact that the film elongates to a severe degree without the screwdriver actually poking a hole in it. So you have to figure that nothing short of structural damage to the bumper or hood will cause any problems once the 3M Scotchgard film is in place.
| The Scotchgard protective film comes in many different widths, so there’s a size for every application.
The film is applied wet, like a big decal, but once the water solution is squeegeed out, it's on there tight. The film can be removed, though, if needed. This Dodge will only be getting the front end covered, but we know that AeroTect, an official 3M representative located in La Verne, California, has covered entire cars in the film.
We were at AeroTect recently while the crew was adding film to this Ram 4x4, and we got to see firsthand how the film is applied. As stated earlier, the front bumper facia and the leading edge of the hood received the Scotchgard film. AeroTect has a database of the majority of late-model trucks and cars in its computer. The info is sent to a large plotter/cutter that cuts out the exact shape of the needed pieces, so all that's left to do is apply them to the truck. Sounds easy, and the AeroTect guys make it appear so, but we're sure it's harder than it looks. AeroTect and 3M will happily sell you the pieces in kit form so anyone at home can do it themselves.
| 1. This is the screwdriver used to demonstrate the resilience of the 3M product. Even at this pressure, the tip of the screwdriver never actually poked through the film.
But this Dodge owner also wanted to spice up his ride. Being a big fan of racing, he thought a set of racing stripes would be great. For that, AeroTect used another cool 3M product. If the Scotchgard is like a decal, then the 1080-Series vinyl wrap is a like sticker. In this case, AeroTect applied the stripes to the hood in a nice, flat black, but the company can literally wrap an entire car in the stuff. Have a white truck and want it to be another color? No problem. 3M offers the wrap in a wide variety of colors and surfaces. Personally, we like the brushed metal look and the carbon fiber, but a flat black truck is always cool. There's even a wrap that flattens the look of the paint. Have a black truck (or red, blue, whatever) but rather than the shiny paint, you want it to look flat? No problem. Check the 3M or AeroTect websites for all the options.
The wrap is 3.5-mil thick and features what 3M calls Comply, which allows trapped air to be vented. That means there's no need to attack it with a needle, as there are no air bubbles to mar the surface. Even the adhesive is pretty trick in that it is actually tiny beads that only crack open when a paddle is applied during the actual install process. Up until pressure is applied to it, it can be moved (albeit slightly) if something off-kilter happens when positioning it.
| 2. With an extensive database of vehicles, AeroTect probably has the template for your ride.
"When going 60 mph, even a small pebble acts like a BB shot from a gun. The painted surface it hits doesn’t stand a chance, and missing paint is usually the result."
