Cannot recommend Windshield Skin protectors for Mavericks

[ctag]

Coming from an old car to this truck, I know what a difference years of little micro scratches and pocks in the windshield does to visibility and rain shedding. I'd like to postpone that as long as possible for my Maverick, so I spent a pretty penny on a year-and-model-specific protective layer from winshieldskins.com.

I apply my own tint, and have gotten pretty good at it. I know how to clean glass and prep my garage, turning off any fans and misting the air to pull lingering dust down first. I followed the vendor-specific installation directions as well.

So the first thing to note is that this stuff is not like window tint, it's a gel-like film that stretches as you smooth it onto the windscreen, and with the stretching immediately none of the edges match and then the stretching tension causes a ton of little pockets where the soapy water is evacuated and the film sticks prematurely. Had to gently coax each square inch of it to float on fresh soapy water and then squeegee down.

Once installed there were already tears in the film where the wiper blades had to rest (since they won't stand up with the hood down), and a huge number of bubbles that cannot be coaxed out of the film because it has a gel-like give and won't force them out like normal tint.

Installation was a wreck, and too expensive to re-do. I like the idea but the product is terrible to work with.

Bubbles right in the driver's FOV:

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[Cancunbadlands]

Professional installed missing

 

[ctag]

Professional installed missing

It is sold as a DIY kit.

 

[710-oil-614]

Unfortunately I'm going to have to blame installer error here. If you had never used the product before you should expect a learning curve, regardless of past experience.

Is the product good? No, probably not. I would never apply a film on the exterior of a window so it is a non starter for me, but there is just so much that can go wrong with tint/film when not done in a completely controlled environment regardless of the steps you took.

You aren't a professional, and you got less than professional results

 

[Chops]

Unfortunately I'm going to have to blame installer error here. If you had never used the product before you should expect a learning curve, regardless of past experience.

Is the product good? No, probably not. I would never apply a film on the exterior of a window so it is a non starter for me, but there is just so much that can go wrong with tint/film when not done in a completely controlled environment regardless of the steps you took.

You aren't a professional, and you got less than professional results

You are NOT giving me confidence as I prepare to “rattle can” my Air Design hood scoop Velocity Blue myself instead of paying a professional or even an experienced amateur.

At least I have not attached the hood scoop yet. And my sense of Wabi-Sabi runs deep. But still, you cause concern in me.

 

[ctag]

Unfortunately I'm going to have to blame installer error here. If you had never used the product before you should expect a learning curve, regardless of past experience.

Is the product good? No, probably not. I would never apply a film on the exterior of a window so it is a non starter for me, but there is just so much that can go wrong with tint/film when not done in a completely controlled environment regardless of the steps you took.

You aren't a professional, and you got less than professional results

Again. This product is sold as a do it yourself system. I went above and beyond during the install and the material ripped, spalled, and wrinkled. Posting to caution other owners who may not understand what they are getting into, and not for "professionals would do it better" tautologies.

 

[710-oil-614]

Again. This product is sold as a do it yourself system. I went above and beyond during the install and the material ripped, spalled, and wrinkled. Posting to caution other owners who may not understand what they are getting into, and not for "professionals would do it better" tautologies.

Totally fair.

Some of us knew ahead of time the product was crap and avoided it. So I guess I'll just stand on that.

 

[h1k3rb]

With the power off you can pull up on the wipers toward the top of the windshield and they will move so you can then lift them off the windshield. They will stay in that position until you push them back down. I use this feature all the time when squeegeeing off the windshield.

 

[Waterick]

With the power off you can pull up on the wipers toward the top of the windshield and they will move so you can then lift them off the windshield. They will stay in that position until you push them back down. I use this feature all the time when squeegeeing off the windshield.

If you do this, make very sure you do not put power on until you have returned the wipers back to the windshield. Severe paint damage to hood edge will result if you do.

 

[NewnHot]

Thanks for the warning based on your experience.

 

[ctag]

Totally fair.

Some of us knew ahead of time the product was crap and avoided it. So I guess I'll just stand on that.

Absolutely.
And I want to apologize for my tone in the reply to you, I was frustrated about work issues yesterday and let it change how I read your post.

With the power off you can pull up on the wipers toward the top of the windshield and they will move so you can then lift them off the windshield. They will stay in that position until you push them back down. I use this feature all the time when squeegeeing off the windshield.

If you do this, make very sure you do not put power on until you have returned the wipers back to the windshield. Severe paint damage to hood edge will result if you do.

I didn't know this, thank you and thanks for the cautionary statement!

Thanks for the warning based on your experience, but that's not a Maverick.

I may be misunderstanding, but that is definitely my MY25 maverick I tried installing the product on.

 

[notfast]

it's a gel-like film that stretches as you smooth it onto the windscreen, and with the stretching immediately none of the edges match and then the stretching tension

The product description literally says:
"Our Standard 8mil Super Stretch windshield protection film..."

To me, that sounds like they didn't account for the stretch when they pre-cut the product. I had something similar with Lamin-X PPF "bug guard". I got the precut kit, but by the time I stretched it over the contours of the vehicle's hood, the edges basically didn't line up. For the next car, I just got a 4" wide roll, applied it, and carefully trimmed it to fit with a razor blade.

I would never apply a film on the exterior of a window

Same, but that's because plastic is softer than glass, so I could only imagine the swirl marks and wiper streaks on the film after a short while.

For the cost of the product, I'd rather just budget for replacing the windshield periodically. It's the same reason why, other than the bug guard, I don't do Lamin-X on the headlights or clear bra/PPF. I find it easier and less expensive to either do rock chip touchups or just get the front bumper repainted than to get PPF done and then later removed and replaced.

If you're ever that concerned about your car looking like crap, I suggest perusing your local CarMax or other used car lot and seeing the condition of typical late-model used cars. Just by washing and waxing it regularly, your car will look better than 80% of those on the road, even with rock chips and parking lot bumps.

You are NOT giving me confidence as I prepare to “rattle can” my Air Design hood scoop Velocity Blue myself instead of paying a professional or even an experienced amateur.

Unless you also plan on rattle-canning some adhesion promoter and other preparation products, I suggest you get it painted professionally. Rattle canning your lawn chairs with one-step Krylon Fusion is one thing. Rattle-canning parts on your car that will be subject to being micro-sandblasted in a category 1 hurricane for tens of thousands of miles needs something more durable. Otherwise the paint will chip and flake off.

 

[James K]

Coming from an old car to this truck, I know what a difference years of little micro scratches and pocks in the windshield does to visibility and rain shedding. I'd like to postpone that as long as possible for my Maverick, so I spent a pretty penny on a year-and-model-specific protective layer from winshieldskins.com.

I apply my own tint, and have gotten pretty good at it. I know how to clean glass and prep my garage, turning off any fans and misting the air to pull lingering dust down first. I followed the vendor-specific installation directions as well.

So the first thing to note is that this stuff is not like window tint, it's a gel-like film that stretches as you smooth it onto the windscreen, and with the stretching immediately none of the edges match and then the stretching tension causes a ton of little pockets where the soapy water is evacuated and the film sticks prematurely. Had to gently coax each square inch of it to float on fresh soapy water and then squeegee down.

Once installed there were already tears in the film where the wiper blades had to rest (since they won't stand up with the hood down), and a huge number of bubbles that cannot be coaxed out of the film because it has a gel-like give and won't force them out like normal tint.

Installation was a wreck, and too expensive to re-do. I like the idea but the product is terrible to work with.

Bubbles right in the driver's FOV:

I'm like you and would have attempted it. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[MaverickNoticer]

Mav wipers won't stay in the raised position if you raise them with the hood down? That's not good news. I assume it's that way for all Mavericks. Seems like a bad& weird design choice.

 

[Chops]

Unless you also plan on rattle-canning some adhesion promoter and other preparation products, I suggest you get it painted professionally. Rattle canning your lawn chairs with one-step Krylon Fusion is one thing. Rattle-canning parts on your car that will be subject to being micro-sandblasted in a category 1 hurricane for tens of thousands of miles needs something more durable. Otherwise the paint will chip and flake off.

The paint kit has 3 cans. A primer (adhesion promoter?), Velocity Blue, and a Clear Coat (hurricane protection?). I’ll practice a bit on the underside, and if I screw up the topside I can always bring it to a pro to “repair”. Or I can make it into a outdoor patio table

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