It looks like we've about nailed down the 3M film install event to Saturday Sept 8th. If you are interested in protecting your S2000 with the clear 3M film (sold under the names Stongard, Invinca-shield, X-pel, etc.) we are hosting an install event in Kansas City (centrally located) and flying in the top installer Alan Seligman.

Alan is known worldwide for his first class install work and is highly sought after by some of the world's most reknown car owners. He's installed the 3M film on everything from Ferraris and other exotics to RV's. Alan is working with us on this event to provide a discounted install rate, but in order to do so we need a minimum of 4 cars at the event. If you do not currently have a kit for your car, Alan is also a reseller for Invinca-shield and can be contacted at invincaman@aol.com or 407-927-1900. If you have a kit already Alan is installing most kits for between $125 and $175 depending on the car/kit. Normal install prices are $200 and up.

Kits are available for most cars, trucks and SUVs and you can find out information about the various kits at the following websites:

http://www.invinca-shield.com
http://www.stongard.com
http://www.xpel.com

An example of Alan's work can be seen at:
http://www.spyderweb.net/invinca2.htm

If you have any questions or are interested in having your car protected during this event, please email me and I'll do my best to respond as quickly as possible.

I've personally had Invinca-shield on 3 different cars and can attest to its ability to keep your car looking like new, stopping rock chips, bug splats, etc from damaging your car.

Thanks for your time and attention and I hope to see you at the install event on Sept 8th! I have a digital camera and will be taking pictures which can be posted here or anywhere else on the web.

 

My advice, from looking at cars with Stongard:
-- Watch the installer like a hawk. They sometimes alter the kit by cutting it on your car. The kits are made by having one installer make a template on one car, which is then used as the master and copied for all S2000's. How he stretches the film is unique and sometimes hard to replicate. I was told that the S2000 kit is the worst to install right.
-- Check your car over carefully when it is finished. Check for lifted edges around wheel wells, around the mirrors, at the corners of the various bumper openings. Check for edges which are not fully sealed down. Check for strips of Stongard hanging underneath the front bumper (proving that the installer cut the film on your car).
-- Make sure that the installer installs all of the pieces (tow hook covers, door handles, mirrors, especially).
-- The installer in Phoenix also works on Ferraris, Porsches, etc., etc., etc., was the national champion at the tinting installer convention, etc., etc., etc.. That doesn't mean that he didn't make mistakes on the cars that I looked at. There were lifted edges with dirt stuck to the film, large puckers on the mirrors and around the wheels, film left raised around the bumper openings. All very visible and very ugly.
-- Before anyone jumps on me about this, like with the Stongard headlight fiasco, I have pictures.

 

very very DITTO!!!

I went to Detailwerks in Campbell, CA, as I was told by Stongard they were the only authorized installers of this product in the San Francisco Bay Area. And guess what?

THEY SUCKED!!!!!!!!!

There are:

1. Air bubbles and pockets
2. Lifted edges
3. Bad alignment at the edges
4. wrinkles
5. the mirror pieces suck
6. dirt is now getting under the lifted edges.

Don't ever go to them. They don't know what they're doing. And this is not like buying a defective TV, its not like you can return it and get a new one. Once its on there, you can't take it off and redo it. And its not like they're going to pay $400 for a new kit and redo your install.

Ughhh

 

Guys,
I concur with your assessment that some installs suck and that some installers do a better job than others and that you need to look over an install and make sure you are satisfied with it. A couple of points.

1) It is OK to cut the material ON the car, as long as you simply score the material and don't cut all the way through. Alan is a pro at this, I've seen him do it without incident. That doesn't mean that mistakes don't happen, I'm sure that in some instances they do. Alan guarantees his work.

2) Lifted edges aren't a problem if you get them back down soon, if you leave them up for weeks and get lots of dirt under them then yeah probably better to trim them off and forget about it. Again, I agree with watching an install and checking and rechecking over the first 24 hours to make sure everything is as it should be.

I have no doubt that the S2000 kit is a tough one, hence the need to get a good installer like Alan to do it. In case you are concerned about Alan's warranty, he backs up Invinca-Shield's 5 year warranty AND he was nice enough to replace a piece for me that *I* screwed up free of charge because he was corncerned that I'd be 100% satisfied. Don't take my word for it though, call Alan and talk to him yourself. I'm just getting the event together for those who might be interested. I can't imagine driving a nice car without this stuff though unless you really like rock chips, etc.

Hope to see some S2K's there so we can get some pics of an install to post here.