When Jeep revealed the Wrangler Rubicon 392, we knew we needed to replace our ’20 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with one of these incredibly special and capable machines, but when we went to sell the ‘20, we were concerned with the number of scratches and “desert pinstripes” that covered the rig.
While we were able to pull the vast majority of them out with a comprehensive detail, the clear coat was only so thick and there were only so many times the scratches could be detailed away.
Wanting to protect our much more expensive ‘23 Jeep Wrangler 392, we knew there had to be a better way to keep our paint looking nice. We had seen a few temporary products that were intriguing, but we really wanted a more permanent solution.
A traditional wrap was out of the question, because we weren’t looking to change our vehicle color and we have had previous experiences with wraps that degraded over time in the UV. Paint protection film (PPF), often used on exotics, was another option, but we weren’t sure if they would hold up to mud, rocks, and the constant scraping of branches.
During our research we came across a product from XPEL, a leader in paint protection film, called Ultimate Fusion. This film is an optically clear, high gloss film with a hydrophobic coating that repels both water and dirt.
A ceramic protectant is also fused into the product and a self-healing top layer eliminates light scratching and scuffs in the sun. Best of all the product comes with a 10-year warranty against yellowing, cracking, blistering and delamination. It has been tested with environmental extremes in mind and is engineered to withstand UV exposure, temperature swings, and bird droppings.
While we consider overlanding a more extreme use case for the product, we were assured that Ultimate Fusion was up to the task. After picking up our Wrangler 392 from American Expedition Vehicles, in Wixom, Michigan, we headed over to certified XPEL installer Lingenfelter Auto Spa in Brighton, MI to be educated about the process of installing the film.
One thing we learned is that there are a lot of nuances to the installation of XPEL, so it is important to have it done by an authorized installer that has been trained on the best application practices.
For our install we used an 8mm version of the film. Other thicknesses are available, as well as different finishes, such as with the smooth satin Stealth line.
On our trip home to California, we encountered sustained winds in excess of 40 miles-per-hour, with gusts in excess of 70 miles per hour, for several hundred miles across Utah and Nevada. This massive wind storm sand blasted the windshield, completely ruining it and all we could think about was how badly our new PPF was damaged.
As the wind died down and the sun came up, we pulled over to assess the damage to the Jeep and were shocked to see the PPF had done its job and despite a sparkling windshield, all of the protected painted surfaces were just like they were when we left Michigan and the wrap was no worse for the wear.
After more than a year and 17,000 miles of daily driving, cross-country trips, several multi-day overlanding trips, and a constant onslaught of tree branches and rocks, we have been incredibly impressed with how well this paint protection film has held up.
From multi-vehicle trips where the Wrangler still looked clean after a day on the trail, to an absence of desert pinstriping, the Jeep is so much better having had the XPEL PPF installed. We’ve been on several trips with friends where someone has remarked that it looks like our rig went through a car wash at camp compared to everyone else’s.
While there have been a few bigger rock hits that have gotten through the film, it has done a great job of protecting the underlying paint, including the rear fender flares and leading-edge body panels.
Overall, we are incredibly impressed with the performance of the XPEL product, and for an expensive vehicle that serves double duty as your in-town daily driver, and well as your weekender adventure rig, it’s a great way to protect your investment and make cleanup easier for when you get back into the city.
Bottom line: the product works and we highly recommend it if you have the budget.
SOURCES
XPEL: xpel.com
Lingenfelter Auto Spa: lingenfelterautospa.com
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This article originally appeared in OVR Issue 10. For more informative articles like this, consider subscribing to OVR Magazine in print or digital versions here. You can also find the print edition of OVR at your local newsstand by using our Magazine Finder.
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