3M Clear Bra on 997.2 TTS
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,057
From: inside someone warm
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The porsche is a tank in its build resistance quality. However the front fascia, hood, and windshield are stone magnets. If the paint wasn't strong it would be a visual disaster before you brought her home from Dealer purchase.
Also check the front radiators from time to time.. Keep the ducts clean, why the $150k Porsche did not come with a protective radiator grille still boggles my mind.
Also check the front radiators from time to time.. Keep the ducts clean, why the $150k Porsche did not come with a protective radiator grille still boggles my mind.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 366
From: ct
Rep Power: 58
Be sure to check the films out on a similarly colored car. The 3m shield has a built-in "orange peel" effect that adds a certain amount of orange peel to the car. They do this to make the film texture match 99% of the manufacturer's paint standards. HOWEVER, on a porsche, my car especially, had 0 orange peel, perfect paint IMO. The front hood done in 3m looks odd, and reduced the "mirror' effect to a peel-y looking thing. I was very disappointed when I saw it.
Venture shield, while I've read isn't as durable, does not do this. Check em both out, you don't want to be surprised after you pay 1K for someone to orange peel the front of your car.
Venture shield, while I've read isn't as durable, does not do this. Check em both out, you don't want to be surprised after you pay 1K for someone to orange peel the front of your car.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 469
From: Los Angeles
Rep Power: 38
Be sure to check the films out on a similarly colored car. The 3m shield has a built-in "orange peel" effect that adds a certain amount of orange peel to the car. They do this to make the film texture match 99% of the manufacturer's paint standards. HOWEVER, on a porsche, my car especially, had 0 orange peel, perfect paint IMO. The front hood done in 3m looks odd, and reduced the "mirror' effect to a peel-y looking thing. I was very disappointed when I saw it.
Venture shield, while I've read isn't as durable, does not do this. Check em both out, you don't want to be surprised after you pay 1K for someone to orange peel the front of your car.
Venture shield, while I've read isn't as durable, does not do this. Check em both out, you don't want to be surprised after you pay 1K for someone to orange peel the front of your car.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 366
From: ct
Rep Power: 58
That may be, with their absorption of Venture shield, but how do you know what they will use?
Maybe they have 1000' of it like my installer, who was recommended by my dealer. Moral of the story, LOOK at the film they will use, on a car.
Maybe they have 1000' of it like my installer, who was recommended by my dealer. Moral of the story, LOOK at the film they will use, on a car.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,617
From: Orange County Socal
Rep Power: 159
I've had both on my car. I switched my 997tt over to 3M this past week from Venture Shield and my Panamera has the Venture Shield on it. Venture is definitely a clearer film with less orange peel. There is no question about it. You will also see no stretch marks with Venture. 3M is more difficult to apply and does have a tendency to leave stretch marks.
The reason I switched is because 3M has a clear coat on it versus Venture that does not. That is part of the reason why you see more orange peel on the 3M. However, 3M is much more durable than Venture. I recently had some real small bird droppings on my hood and front bumper. I removed it that day. It still left a stain on the Venture film and it could not be removed. On a black car, that is a no no. Since 3M has a clear coat on it, things like bird droppings can be easily removed as long as you don't let it sit too long.
The reason I switched is because 3M has a clear coat on it versus Venture that does not. That is part of the reason why you see more orange peel on the 3M. However, 3M is much more durable than Venture. I recently had some real small bird droppings on my hood and front bumper. I removed it that day. It still left a stain on the Venture film and it could not be removed. On a black car, that is a no no. Since 3M has a clear coat on it, things like bird droppings can be easily removed as long as you don't let it sit too long.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,057
From: inside someone warm
Rep Power: 382
I've had both on my car. I switched my 997tt over to 3M this past week from Venture Shield and my Panamera has the Venture Shield on it. Venture is definitely a clearer film with less orange peel. There is no question about it. You will also see no stretch marks with Venture. 3M is more difficult to apply and does have a tendency to leave stretch marks.
The reason I switched is because 3M has a clear coat on it versus Venture that does not. That is part of the reason why you see more orange peel on the 3M. However, 3M is much more durable than Venture. I recently had some real small bird droppings on my hood and front bumper. I removed it that day. It still left a stain on the Venture film and it could not be removed. On a black car, that is a no no. Since 3M has a clear coat on it, things like bird droppings can be easily removed as long as you don't let it sit too long.
The reason I switched is because 3M has a clear coat on it versus Venture that does not. That is part of the reason why you see more orange peel on the 3M. However, 3M is much more durable than Venture. I recently had some real small bird droppings on my hood and front bumper. I removed it that day. It still left a stain on the Venture film and it could not be removed. On a black car, that is a no no. Since 3M has a clear coat on it, things like bird droppings can be easily removed as long as you don't let it sit too long.
Former Vendor
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 314
From: San Antonio, TX
Rep Power: 0
Just to clarify a few things:
The film thickness is the same on 3M, Venture and XPEL. All are 8 mil (0.008 inches).
The orange peel on a film is because of the liner (backing paper) it is mated to in the manufacturing process. Anything that uses a paper backing is going to have gobs of orange peel. No way around that, because the texture is taken from the paper to the adhesive during the coating process. That texture then shows up in the installed film because of the tiny differences in the thickness of the adhesive throughout the roll. Plastic liners give you the smooth texture free surface that you want on this kind of car. The liner on our Premium film is completely optically clear, which translates into a completely optically clear film with no orange peel.
Our Premium film is also clear coated, which means it can be buffed just like paint should you ever need it.
Not all films swirl easily. This is a function of the durometer (hardness) of the surface. If the film is soft and pliable, it will resist swirls and scratches because it "gives" when something hits it.
Hope this helps!
The film thickness is the same on 3M, Venture and XPEL. All are 8 mil (0.008 inches).
The orange peel on a film is because of the liner (backing paper) it is mated to in the manufacturing process. Anything that uses a paper backing is going to have gobs of orange peel. No way around that, because the texture is taken from the paper to the adhesive during the coating process. That texture then shows up in the installed film because of the tiny differences in the thickness of the adhesive throughout the roll. Plastic liners give you the smooth texture free surface that you want on this kind of car. The liner on our Premium film is completely optically clear, which translates into a completely optically clear film with no orange peel.
Our Premium film is also clear coated, which means it can be buffed just like paint should you ever need it.
Not all films swirl easily. This is a function of the durometer (hardness) of the surface. If the film is soft and pliable, it will resist swirls and scratches because it "gives" when something hits it.
Hope this helps!
Former Vendor
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 314
From: San Antonio, TX
Rep Power: 0
Don't take my word for it though, you can see the definition here.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 229
From: Australia
Rep Power: 30
I've noticed the same thing. Now I think about it, I recall the installer telling me to expect this.
Mil is an abbreviation for thousandths of an inch, not millimeters. 8 mil means 8 thousandths of an inch. This type of film is also sometimes measured in microns (thousandths of a millimeter), where the thickness is roughly 200 microns.
Don't take my word for it though, you can see the definition here.
Don't take my word for it though, you can see the definition here.
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 15
From: Alberta, Canada
Rep Power: 0
If your car is white or lite colored I would recommend against 3M because it leaves a yellowish tinge. I have a white P-car and used "venture shield" instead of 3M. You wont notice it unless you get very close to the car and are looking for it. And without it, I would have some major rock chips to the front. Highly recommend!