Soft Plastic Window Pillars - Swirls & Scratches | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Soft Plastic Window Pillars - Swirls & Scratches

Hey guys, I just recently washed my 2019 Explorer Sport and noticed the swirling on the black soft plastic window pillars where the front and rear doors meet as well as the corner of the rear window by the hatch.

I already scheduled an appointment to get it corrected and have some x-pel film applied to those parts so I do not have to worry about it. It really bothered me when the sun came out finally (I live in Michigan, lol) and the swirls were all I could see on my brand new explorer.

Any of you have experience with this issue as well as the Xpel film and any recommendations? Thanks in advance!

PS: I am also thinking about gettin the ceramic coating put on it so I dont have to wax it myself constantly. Have any of you used it on your explorers? Pros and cons?

Any recommendations in regards to clear bras? Worth it or nah?
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Hey guys, I just recently washed my 2019 Explorer Sport and noticed the swirling on the black soft plastic window pillars where the front and rear doors meet as well as the corner of the rear window by the hatch.

I already scheduled an appointment to get it corrected and have some x-pel film applied to those parts so I do not have to worry about it. It really bothered me when the sun came out finally (I live in Michigan, lol) and the swirls were all I could see on my brand new explorer.

Any of you have experience with this issue as well as the Xpel film and any recommendations? Thanks in advance!

PS: I am also thinking about gettin the ceramic coating put on it so I dont have to wax it myself constantly. Have any of you used it on your explorers? Pros and cons?

Any recommendations in regards to clear bras? Worth it or nah?

I know nothing about Xpel. Never even heard of it.

Some clear bras are amazing. You really can't see them unless you look at it just right. I would imagine those are expensive. Like pretty much everything in this world, you get what you pay for.
 






Hey guys, I just recently washed my 2019 Explorer Sport and noticed the swirling on the black soft plastic window pillars where the front and rear doors meet as well as the corner of the rear window by the hatch.

I already scheduled an appointment to get it corrected and have some x-pel film applied to those parts so I do not have to worry about it. It really bothered me when the sun came out finally (I live in Michigan, lol) and the swirls were all I could see on my brand new explorer.

Any of you have experience with this issue as well as the Xpel film and any recommendations? Thanks in advance!

PS: I am also thinking about gettin the ceramic coating put on it so I dont have to wax it myself constantly. Have any of you used it on your explorers? Pros and cons?

Any recommendations in regards to clear bras? Worth it or nah?

The ceramic coating is outrageously expensive. Like 5k+. And that's not including the paint corrections any (reputable) shop will do before touching your Explorer with the coating.
 






Ditto. The paint coatings I gather are very helpful to protect better, for a while. But the cost is very high, and what I've read suggests it doesn't end up being useful for as long as advertised. People that have paid for it later say it would be equal or better to simply take good care of the car, and wax it once or twice a year. I agree with those thoughts.

BTW, most plastic parts can more easily be improved, than the painted surfaces. Polishes and compound products will cut the plastic surface easily, and can be used well to remove scratches and swirls. Always try a very mild polish products first, by hand with a soft cloth. I've done a ton of scratch removal from plastics. It just takes a little patience and a couple of polish products. Harder plastics can take real compounds, others are softer and typical polished will remove scratches or swirls. Good luck,
 






Right on. I had a quy quote me ceramic coating $350 which should last for a year or $450 for 2 years, but I was a bit skeptical and wanted to do some research my self. He's got great google reviews for his detailing business but as RhinoQuartz mentioned, $5k is quite a big difference from $500. Wonder if there are different types.

Rhino, if I may ask, where did you get the $5k number from?
 






Right on. I had a quy quote me ceramic coating $350 which should last for a year or $450 for 2 years, but I was a bit skeptical and wanted to do some research my self. He's got great google reviews for his detailing business but as RhinoQuartz mentioned, $5k is quite a big difference from $500. Wonder if there are different types.

Rhino, if I may ask, where did you get the $5k number from?

That was what I have heard of high end shops quoting for a ceramic coating. Maybe I'm just full of it, but I'm very skeptical of less than a grand for ceramic coating.
 






I have a 2016 Black Sport and had the Xpel clear bra put on the entire front (from the doors forward, hood, fenders and the entire front bumper cover). I'm still not sure if it's worth the money $1200.00, there is no paint chips, but you can see small swirl marks in the Expel. If you read about Expel it says it's "self healing" I don't think that's true since I can see the swirl marks in it.

The swirl marks in the soft black plastic "A" - "B" - "c" pillars can be buffed out, I use a soft black pad on my Flex polisher with a fine polish to remove them.
 






That was what I have heard of high end shops quoting for a ceramic coating. Maybe I'm just full of it, but I'm very skeptical of less than a grand for ceramic coating.

I hear ya Rhino, I am skeptical myself so I'll keep reading up on it. Im researching and seeing that it can pretty much cost between $500 and $2000, depending on the kind of coating you want. Not sure, but I'am considering giving it a try. Need to do more research though.
 






I have a 2016 Black Sport and had the Xpel clear bra put on the entire front (from the doors forward, hood, fenders and the entire front bumper cover). I'm still not sure if it's worth the money $1200.00, there is no paint chips, but you can see small swirl marks in the Expel. If you read about Expel it says it's "self healing" I don't think that's true since I can see the swirl marks in it.

The swirl marks in the soft black plastic "A" - "B" - "c" pillars can be buffed out, I use a soft black pad on my Flex polisher with a fine polish to remove them.

Yeah, not really sure I want to do the whole "bra" thing just yet, besides, I do most of my driving in the city so not as much debris flying around.

In regards to the soft plastic pillars, I found a detailing place that will buff them out and correct the swirls before applying the xpel film on it...for $120, which doesn't seem to bad for me, if it will save me from future scratches and swirls.

Those pillars, being that they're black and soft plastic without much protection (compared to the rest of the body), really stand out in direct sun light. I couldnt bare to look at it, it was all I could see after washing it. I know, I'm a bit obsessed, but its my baby, and its new!
 






I hear ya Rhino, I am skeptical myself so I'll keep reading up on it. Im researching and seeing that it can pretty much cost between $500 and $2000, depending on the kind of coating you want. Not sure, but I'am considering giving it a try. Need to do more research though.

I personally don't think it's worth it, considering the costs that I've seen for "reputable" shops. I have a local one who quotes about 500-600, and only a few hundred more for paint correction.

I should stress, I am simply an uninformed peon, but it seems to me that it's kind of a wash either way between waxing and ceramic coating. Waxing needs to be done more often and is time consuming, but cheaper.

Either way, you're still washing your car. Now, when someone invents a coating that I don't have to wash or undercoat my car for a few year, I'll be first in line for that.
 






Back
Top