Cannot recommend Windshield Skin protectors for Mavericks

[notfast]

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

If you've genuinely never done something like this before, I highly suggest you practice your techniques on similar materials using similar products before you try on the final piece. Even Duplicolor products will look great with a good technique, and it's inexpensive and widely available.

Most automotive exterior body parts are made of polypropylene, which has very low surface energy compared to other types of plastics, which makes paint adhesion tricky. Storage totes (like the black ones with yellow lids) and 5-gallon buckets are usually polypropylene and make good analogues.

The basic technique I'd suggest is:

1. Clean items with dish soap and water (optional)
2. Clean items with plastic prep cleaner, such as Duplicolor Prep Spray.
3. Scuff items with a light gray Scotch Brite pad until it has an even matte finish (this is where using a bucket might be better to practice than a tote)
4. Clean again with plastic prep
5. Apply adhesion promoter, such as Duplicolor adhesion promoter for plastic. This step is critical for polypropylene due to its low surface energy. Even the best primer and paint will just peel and flake off otherwise.
6. Apply primer. Sand if you want, but definitely wipe it down with plastic prep afterward.
7. Apply base color.
8. Apply clear coat. Do it within 30 minutes of the last coat of base. Do a fairly thin coat first, then lay down subsequent coats thick enough to the point that it almost runs. It should immediately look glossy and not like dry fog.
   1. If you don't lay the clear down thick enough, you'll have a piece that will look somewhere between chalkboard flat and eggshell matte, and it will never polish to a gloss because there isn't enough clear to polish.
   2. If you get sidetracked and more than 30 minutes has gone since you applied the last layer of base, wait 24 hours, scuff the base coat with a light gray Scotch Brite, wipe with plastic prep, paint another coat of base, wait for it to flash, and then begin applying the clear.
9. Let the clear coat cure for 24 hours before polishing (if it needs any) to a shine. Let it cure for at least a week (preferably a month or so) before waxing it.

If the plastic parts you want to paint are not intended to be painted (like they are dark gray textured plastic like the Maverick's rocker panels or rear bumper cover), that is totally doable and can be a long-lasting finish, but I suggest aggressively sanding the texture with like 100 grit sanding sponges, apply adhesion promoter, apply body filler, sand the body filler smooth, and then apply the base and clear.

Sponsored

 

[Chops]

Thank you much for the tips! I have “rattle canned” plenty, sometimes with crappy results grrr.

The Air Design hood scoop is matte black & great quality. I’m not going to paint the whole scoop - just 1/3 on each side leaving the center 1/3 black.

This is the kit I’m using. With their instructions & your tips - I’ll only have me to blame for cruddy results!
https://www.amazon.com/TouchUpDirec...osol/dp/B08BWL3GZC?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1

 

[Molarman]

I would disagree with the poster. I applied Windshield film on my previous Bronco Sport Badlands; just got my 2025 Maverick. My wife and I applied the film following the manufacturers instructions with a pre-cut kit. It was straight forward and an excellent result was obtained. We have other vehicles with professionally installed film on the windshield; the Windshield Skin looked just as good, if not better, and held up well. I'm considering applying it to my Maverick as the Bronco's windshield never was damaged even with pretty strong stone hits. This is just my experience with the product.

 

[Cougar70]

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

I had a similar deal on my wife's car, a Subaru Outback.
There are a couple of plastic pieces where the paint didn't stand up well to weathering over time.

The paint company provides different options, I chose the three can deal.
Sanded the pieces off the car, primed them, did a couple coats of color and then did the clearcoat and it turned out good.

Could a professional have done it better? Absolutely!
But it's 15 years old and you can't tell unless you're looking for flaws and considering the car has various parking lot dings, my paint job holds up very nicely.

 

[Phimosis]

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

My exact thoughts.

Between bugs and blowing sand and windshield wipers, I can't see this product maintaining its optical clarity for very long. I would rather budget $450 for a windshield replacement than $300 for a windshield skin.

And when it comes to professional installation, I'm happy to do low skill level things like oil changes. A home user will get the same result as a prosessional. But when it comes to high skill things, like painting, window tint, ppf and wraps, I'd rather have a professional do it because I know that if they mess it up, they will have to take it off and install a new one and they will have to eat the cost of the replacement.

 

[710-oil-614]

My exact thoughts.

Between bugs and blowing sand and windshield wipers, I can't see this product maintaining its optical clarity for very long. I would rather budget $450 for a windshield replacement than $300 for a windshield skin.

And when it comes to professional installation, I'm happy to do low skill level things like oil changes. A home user will get the same result as a prosessional. But when it comes to high skill things, like painting, window tint, ppf and wraps, I'd rather have a professional do it because I know that if they mess it up, they will have to take it off and install a new one and they will have to eat the cost of the replacement.

Think of how many people can’t even apply a screen protector the their cell phones

 

[ctag]

I definitely understand that, but I like learning new skills and being as hands on as possible with my vehicles. It took me about a half-dozen tries before I got really nice results applying my own window tint, but buying a whole roll of tint and doing it myself was still cheaper than going to a shop. And I still have half a roll left.

The big difference with this protective film is you only receive material for a single attempt, and it doesn't behave at all like tint.

As for cost, I saw some quotes online for ~$1400, which made this protector seem worthwhile. If the cost to replacement is actually lower then it definitely doesn't make sense.

An update post-install:

Pros:

• Rain beads up really well. Starts sheeting off around 40mph.
• The tears in the film from installation haven't opened back up, they are staying flat and together pretty well.

As for cons, the material is "clear" but not "flat" to look through. It creates a blurred texture and outline to anything you look at through it. Distracting, possibly dangerous. I tried capturing it with a cellphone camera, but the distortion is only really visible to the eye.

 

[Phimosis]

I definitely understand that, but I like learning new skills and being as hands on as possible with my vehicles. It took me about a half-dozen tries before I got really nice results applying my own window tint, but buying a whole roll of tint and doing it myself was still cheaper than going to a shop. And I still have half a roll left.

The big difference with this protective film is you only receive material for a single attempt, and it doesn't behave at all like tint.

As for cost, I saw some quotes online for ~$1400, which made this protector seem worthwhile. If the cost to replacement is actually lower then it definitely doesn't make sense.

An update post-install:

Pros:

• Rain beads up really well. Starts sheeting off around 40mph.
• The tears in the film from installation haven't opened back up, they are staying flat and together pretty well.

As for cons, the material is "clear" but not "flat" to look through. It creates a blurred texture and outline to anything you look at through it. Distracting, possibly dangerous. I tried capturing it with a cellphone camera, but the distortion is only really visible to the eye.

Theres 4 windshields, ending in part numbers E, F, G and H. A cheapXL windshield is $299.

A lariat acoustic glass with wiper park and all the other bells and whistles is $386

.

If you’re getting charged $1,000 for the 1.5 hour R&R time, you’re getting ripped off.

Sponsored