I was wondering whether or not anyone has installed the optically-clear plasic film to the Element's headlamp lenses for protection against a stray rock cracking the lenses?

8)

3M makes the material, various companies convert (cut) the material into shapes for convenient installation.

www.xpel.com is where I purchased mine online.

try this:

http://www.autosportcatalog.com/index.cfm?fa=p&pid=332&addcar=1

I'm about to order the E kit from Xpel $109 I think on their web site gives you the hood and fender corner pre-cut film... I'll let you know how it applies, looks.

Just ordered all the kits for my E, all are pre-cut (hood, fender, door edge, headlamp) also ordered a sheet of headlight film to cut out circles for the fog lights. You can buy their film by the foot, 4' of 6" I think is under $50 but I figured for the extra $50, having it cut to fit would be cheaper then me messing it up! I'll update after I get it and install but have seen it on Mercedes and BMW's and it is very difficult to see, question is how does it wax, wear, etc. Already have one chip in my hood edge so figured this will be good for the upcoming winter.

ID Name Qty Unit Total
-----------------------------------------------------------
P0223 2003-2003 Honda Eleme 1 $109.95 $109.95
H0223 2003-2003 Honda Eleme 1 $33.95 $33.95
P9910 Door Edge Guard kit 1 $4.95 $4.95
H9906 12 inch x 12 inch Cut 1 $15.00 $15.00



Sub Total: $163.85
Tax: $0.00
Shipping--FedEx TwoDay $8.50
TOTAL: $172.35

Just bought all three E Xpel kits, headlight $34, foglight stock $12, clear bra $109...

Experimented with the fog light (cut circles out of 12"x12" sheet, dry apply, no problem) and the headlight shields (wet apply). Was a little worried as you mist the adhesive side with a 25% alcohol 75% water solution, my mister atomized the water and left microscopic bubbles under the shield even after "firm" wiping, this is how you squeegee the liquid out from the center to the edges...

After one week, all the microscopic bubbles have evaporated (they must have been liquid not air) and the shield is crystal clear. A definite must prior to winter if you drive where salt and gravel is put on the raod, the E headlights are almost vertical to the road.

Going to try the clear bra next, I have to have a rock ding fixed on the front edge so it seals flat. Anyone know how to repair a rock ding or is a professional required?

The larger the "bubble", the longer it takes to go away. But it does go away! :)

Mine are 100% clear after a week and a half...

Hi everyone!

Did anyone make a template of their lights. I want to buy the x-pel ones because my fog light has a chip in it but I want to make sure I cut it right for the fogs.

Thanks!

I just ordered the sheet for my foglights. I have to cut them right or else I am going to have a problem. Any recommendations?

I purchased the precut set from Griot's (included head lights and fog lamps). I installed the head lights a week ago. The instructions to liberally wet the head light with the positioning fluid CANNOT be over-emphasized. After a hairdryer warmed the first cover- I rather clumsily peeled the paper and promptly got one sticky side edge partially attached to the middle. Relieved to find it possible to pull it apart, I laid it on the head light but found it difficult to move. The positioning fluid had run off and/or started to dry. Fortunately, it did finally make it to the correct position after pushing and squeeging (sp?).

The second cover went on easily. The small air bubbles dissappeared after a couple of days and if you don't know the cover is there- you will not notice it. Adhesion all the way around each cover seems quite good, and the material is absolutely clear.

My commute through several miles of road construction seems less threatening now.

I also have some 2" wide rolls of the material (also from Griot's) and will be applying some to the front of the hood as soon as the E gets its next good wash.

Yes, simply draw a circle on the back paper with a protractor is you have one or trace a similar sized item and cut slowly with sharp scissors... i found that the idea you will "move" or "slide" the sheild is iffy at best. Plan and try to lay the sheilds on exactly as they are going to go and avoid that whole situation.

I got the x-pel sheet and cut my lenses out. They work great and are invisible. I highly recommend them. I 'm going to get the headlight ones too.

I think someone out there needs to create little grills for the fog light sockets. Those of us who are planning on going with a cold air intake would greatly appreciate it. Also, CAIs will prevent the use of the Honda fog lights, so why not cut out the sockets for a rammed air affect. Chrome side grills for the sockets would look great, in my opinion. ATgrills, Cloud Rider, are you listening?

Surprisingly, I may have been the first to have figured this one out. Check out the plumbing section of building supply places. I put perforated black ABS "drain covers" into my foglight coutouts. The tubes are three inches in diameter with a 1/4 inch flange (you don't have to be super neat doing the cutout because the flange will cover up boo-boos). What's more, if you cut out the openings just slightly small, they force-fit in without any other form of attachment. However, you could use small screws through the flanges if you were paranoid. The tube end extends about two inches into the back side of the opening, so there's material available to attach whatever cold air pickup setup you decide to go with. These drain covers are also available in chrome (with round or square perfortions, as I recall). I've only seen the black ABS ones in round perforations, but there may be other styles out there.

I ended up using some 1 3/4 by 4 3/4 inch rectangular foglights that I had laying around unused for years which happened to fit perfectly into the "grid" pattern of the lower grille. I had originally been thinking of installing air horns in the foglight openings, and had been looking for some kind of grilles for them, but it got a little too challenging, so I just mounted the air horns basically where the original horn was and put the perforated tube ends in just because they looked good. The black contrasts just slightly with the bumper material color, and makes my black Element look subtly different from anyone else's.

80 mm computer fan grills fit perfectly.

Computer tower grills? Why didn't I think of that, thanks a whole bunch.

I installed the kit and put on 3.5" diameter 3M material (40 mils thick, made for headlights) for protection. I am protected!

I have extra material if anyone who lives around me need it.

The factory glass lenses say "Raybrig" I would check direct with the manufacturer to see if they offer replacement parts.

http://www.raybrigusa.com/
1-800-463-3009

If you're looking for the quality fit+finish of Honda fogs, definitely use the protectant film at installation to protect your purchase.

Usually there is a warranty from the supplier for the 3M protection of the lens, I don't know if it applies for bulk material though (as opposed to their die-cut shapes specific for a vehicle.).

I personally carry $0 deductable comprehensive insurance. Any damage to glass or from vandalism is completely covered without making your insurance go up for a claim. I would use this if something was substantial enough to break the lens.

You can find 12"x12" sheets at www.xpel.com

The 15 material is for the painted body, the 40 mil material is for headlights.

Don't use dull scizzors, this material requires sharp blades to cut smoothly. I had no problem at all.

is a 12x12 sheet enough to do both fogs, i don't have a tape measure on me and it's too cold out there to go and measure it anyway, can anybody save me the trip outside to measure the stock fogs?

Yes, 12x12 is enough to do nine 3.5" diameter circles (4.5 fog light pairs).

I bought 2 sheets and have all this leftover....

I have the xpel protectors on my fogs and they work great. They are the same as the 3m ones or probably are them. I highly recommend them. The winter was very harsh this year by me and the Boxy took a trashing. She has to go for a paint job monday because the guys who installed my 2nd windshield put a scratch in the fender an a 4 incher to the metal on the top. Not to mention that the water that leaked from the first install put water stains on the center console. She's getting everything fixed and will be good as new. 4 months old and 20,000 miles.

My concern is that I knew people who used Stonegard on their S2000 headlights and apparently the adhesive destroyed the lights.

I still might take a chance, because if two foglights can't make it through one winter...they are useless.

I have an S2000 and I've used xpel on the headlights from new (have it two years now). I have not noticed any damage from using the film, please ellaborate. Was it from impatient removal? There may be a removal technique to minimize damage if removed. I have emailed XPEL to see what they recommend.

Note: the fog lamps lenses are made of glass. It would be nearly impossible for adhesive to chemically damage glass.

Hello Xpel,

I am a customer, and I have a couple questions.

(1) I would like to know what the instructions are for removing 3M headlight
film that was applied with the wet method.

(2) Is there any known effects of the adhesive on the polycarbonate-type
lens material? If so, how can it be rectified?

Thanks,

Paul

Paul-

If you ever feel the need to remove the X-Pel headlight protection material,
simply begin by heating the material with a hairdryer and then slowly pull
by the corner gently lifting the film from the lens. If any adhesive
remains on the light upon removal, simply use any adhesive cleaner that is
safe for the surface and wipe clean. There are no known affects of the
adhesive. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact
me.

Regards,
Michael Mayall
Reflex Enterprises, LLC
Toll-Free - (800) 447-9928 x201


So there you have it.

There is also a free video at the xpel site that I got prior to installing mine. But like Paul said I haven't heard anyone damaging there fogs from it.

Mailman just delivered my order of InvisiGard headlight protection kit. It came without directions ,which I secured online & printed out. 5 pages of instructions (Yikes) !!! :( I paid about $50 bucks for what seems like very little. I hope this stuff works & is worth the bucks & grief. Anyone out there try this yet ?? ... Imput appreciated !!

Thanks Roadie..

I,ve already taken one hit on the right headlight,resulting in a deep scratch. I saw the post on no replacement for the foglight .. It was headlight protection I sought ,the fogs came as a free ride. But after looking at the material ,I wonder if it was cost effective. If I was pressed for a discription ,i'd have to say ."It ain't much" Will it protect ? is my concern. I expected more. :cry:

Did you get thick plastic sheets cut to fit on the lights? The theory being that the plastic will absorb the impact forces. This makes most sense with the glass headlight covers, such as on my '97 RAV4. The Element's lights are supposed to be made from a quite strong plastic already, so it is hard to say how much protection these sheets add. Still replacing the whole light unit is not cheap.

paulj

Did you get thick plastic sheets cut to fit on the lights? The theory being that the plastic will absorb the impact forces. This makes most sense with the glass headlight covers, such as on my '97 RAV4. The Element's lights are supposed to be made from a quite strong plastic already, so it is hard to say how much protection these sheets add. Still replacing the whole light unit is not cheap.

paulj
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Yes paulj ..It's heavy but I'm not certain what Mill. I'll need to go back & check it out. I think I just blew 50$ but who knows?
I'll give it a shot & find out.

I was just wondering if anyone had tried it yet.

Thanks ..

i ended up getting the xpels, rather than the invisiguards, only $43 for the 4-light kit delivered.

while i really got them for the fogs, i did notice while installing the headlight covers that there were a lot of deep scratches and heavy pits on the plastic headlight covers. probably from a bunch of off-road fun, but still not what i wanted. i'm glad i have them on there now.

while i really got them for the fogs, i did notice while installing the headlight covers that there were a lot of deep scratches and heavy pits on the plastic headlight covers. probably from a bunch of off-road fun, but still not what i wanted. i'm glad i have them on there now.[/quote]
__________________________________________________ ___________________

biocube... Thanks for the info ... I was going for it anyway but now I feel like I won't be wasting my time..

Roadie.

I bought the Xpels set, headlights and hood cover, which sounds similar to what you have. I am happy with it so far. pretty much invisible. Here is what it looks like installed...
http://www.elementownersclub.com/uploads/files/HE9615frame.jpg

yah, pretty much invisible!

i had a couple of cheapo headlights broken out on the freeway on my previous truck. I would rather not repeat that on the pricey Element headlights.

Hey Florida Roadie!

I haven't purchased an X-Pel protector, but here is their link to how to install with pictures:

http://www.xpel.com/support/default.asp

Click on Photos for detailed information on installing Wet or Dry, etc. They even offer a free video if you supply them with your information. :wink: Good luck to you!

Hey Florida Roadie!

I haven't purchased an X-Pel protector, but here is their link to how to install with pictures:

Thanks cotton ,but I purchased mine already & it arrived the two days ago. I was just curious if anyone had tried it yet & what they thought of it.

if it was a bear to put on ,I was going to wait till I had more time.Apparently you need to do a lot of stretching of material to get the proper fit. There's 5 pages of instructions for 4 lens cocers. Damn !! :?

it took me about an hour to do the four lights

run the lights to get them hot and do it in the sun

wash surfaces thoroughly with soap/water, then rubbing alcohol

wet your hands with the alcohol, then remove the paper backing and wet the sticky surface of the xpels

apply to light roughly on center, then squish to exact center using the plastic squeegee, and squeegee out the remaining alcohol.

fyi, mine were 90% dry underneath immediately, but it took a week for them to get completely clear.

fyi, mine were 90% dry underneath immediately, but it took a week for them to get completely clear.
biocube----Thanks for the info.. :lol: How long did you wait till you used your lights. I have my fogs wired as DRL. ..
Thanks again Roadie.. 8)

i used them immediately.

it just takes a long time for the diluted alcohol that is trapped underneath the xpels to completely dry off. so it looks like you have little steamy spots underneath for a week or two, but it doesn't affect the light out. it is really a minute amount, just what you can't finally squeegee out.

have fun

yah, what they said up above.

READ ALL the instructions carefully. Give yourself plenty of time. I started with the smaller pieces for practice and worked up to the bigger chunks.

Use LOTS of water/alcohol/whatever is recommmened on your hands and basically float the thing on the hood/lights. Squeegie carefully working towards the edges, but as someone said, don't sweat the small pockets of trapped moisture, they will breath out after a week or so.

I noticed the hood cover leaves the edge of the hood exposed still. Just a tiny bit but that is an area I have seen get beat up on other vehicles, so I used some pin striping tape to protect the leading edge. Very discreet but actually a rather nice effect.

I just installed the Xpel headlight covers. I'd installed such covers on a RAV4 a couple of years ago. The Element installation, if anything, was easier, due to the relative flatness of the lights. Cleaning the lights before installation probably took the most time.

While the headlight plastic is supposed to be pretty tough, you have to replace the whole fixture if broken, to the tune f $200. Since I'm going to be driving on some chip-sealed roads this summer, I decided the Xpel covers were worthwhile insurance.

paulj

Thanks to paulj--Honu --Mike & all the others with advice on installing headlight & fog light protection ..
Today I finally got around to installing the material provided. After gathering, de-natured alcohol,baby shampoo,2 squirt bottles,untreated paper towels & scissors , I got to the job of actually installing.

I found the product provided by Auto Trim Design to leave a lot to be desired for quality. The material was way under cut for the fog lights & the headlight material ,pre-cut ,had multiple miscuts & tiny abrasions on the interior of the material.
As advised ,I started with the smaller of the job ,fog lights. After trying multiple times to stretch the material to fully cover the lights ,I realized there was no way to make it work. The instructions states that the material stretched & would have enough give. To Auto trim I say Bulls--t.. I put the precut material on as best I could .Which "Ain't Much " for protection.

I then advanced to the headlights ,only to find that they didn't need any stretching. If anything they were cut to size. The instructions advised that they were .75 " undersized. Again bulls--t . These supplied pieces were much easier to do ,only because I became less precise & caring. The material was crap & it cost $50 bucks on Ebay from "AUTO TRIM DESIGN" ..If you are going to go this route to protect your lights .I advise not to use "Invis-a-guard " from Auto trim.

P.S. As I stated earlier in another post. They supply no instructions .You need to go to the mfg. site & print out 5 pages of balony.

again i want to reiterate my endorsement of the Xpel protectors.

they were fine quality, the correct size, and the install was pretty easy to do.

plus, they were really nice to deal with by email (they neglected to include the fog-light covers originally, but shippped them out as soon as i notified them).

www.xpel.com $35 plus about $8 for fedex

biocube ..Are your fogs OEM ? How close to lens size were the covers ?

My fogs are OEM & the covers left about 5/16th " exposed all around the outside . :cry: Thanks for the Xpel info... :lol:

yup, mine are oem. there is a small (maybe 3/8") area around the outside that isn't covered, but it is 'knobby' there, so i don't think a cover would stay on anyway. Also, the chance of a hit there cracking the lens seems small, since the glass is very thick there, as it curves to make the side.

i've seen people buy the big sheets and cut them to size (grade school protractor, anyone?) and sell the excess circles for $5 or so, here and ebay. the big sheets aren't that expensive, if you want to go that route, from xpel.

good luck

Thanks biocube.. My purchase was the complete lights kit. The pre-cut wasn't complete or clean lines.

It sounds like we have about the same amount of fog light lens exposed.
I agree that the risk of a damaging hit to the unprotected area is small. But for $50 bucks they could have provided better coverage. It sound like the Xpel is a better product at a lower coast. I guess it's a live & learn world . The job is complete & it appears that the coverage is tight so I'll kick back & see what happens. :?

Thanks ..

ordered those vinyl headlight protectors for the element , those are pretty exposed and i wonder what the cost would be if they needed replacement from stones and whatever. seems like a good product from weathertech, same outfit that has the bug deflector. anyone else out there have them?

I got my Expel foglight covers today. I ordered them from Wilson Wong off of Ebay. $7.75 and it took less than a week to order and receive. Clean with Windex, wet lights with water along with your fingers, peel, stick and smooth out with a towel. Invisible and very durable. I'd like to get some protection for the headlights too but not at forty bucks. Anyone have a less expensive vender?

got mine today from mats.com, made by weathertech. they went on real easy with the alcohol/water solution and the squeegee that came with it. fit perfectly. the instructions suggest using a hair blower but down here in south fla. i didnt need one, its very warm daily here! i also got the ones for the foglights(came with it) but dont need em. anyone want em?

Hi,

Just finished covering my Pilot Fog/Driving Lamps with 7 color Led rings in Light Protect Film. I got the film from a buddy who owns a bodyshop. I'm uncertain of the brand but it appears to be good quality and very clear. It stretched well using a hairdryer.

The Lamps are dome shaped ovals with a halo ring around it. It was impossible to get the film to sit in the valley which the ring formed so I just "wrapped" the entire lamp and folded it over the back of the ring then secured it with silicone to make it waterproof.

This film is like thick contact paper but clear.

Now, for the Headlamps I purchased a kit from Xpel. It came with a small circular piece to fit the oem fogs but was way too small to fit my Pilots. I hope the Headlamp film is easier to put on and make lay flat than the Pilots.

Anyone else have similar experience with the film? Any advice tips greatly appreciated since I haven't done my Headlamps yet.

Thx,
Phil

The Element headlights are pretty flat, so applying the Xpel covers is relatively easy - just be generous with the diluted alcohol solution. No stretching needed.

I was considering ordering Xpel material for a friend's Toyota Echo, but Xpel rating that installation difficult. After looking at the Echo lights I would agree - they are quite curved, with the addition of an extra raised section for the turn signal.

paulj

Xpel is pricey, right? I'm thinking about getting something for my OEM fogs.

With shipping Xpel for the headlights and fogs runs about $50. I don't think they sell just the fog covers - but they are just simple circles of the material. If you can find a bulk source for the material it may be cheaper to cut your own.

paulj

You might want to try to buy from detail shops that apply tint. There used to be a local shop here in Bellevue that sold my over 20 ft of the stuff for an incredible price, too cheap for internet, including the the thicker material to cover the lights. Hopefully you'll have the same luck finding a similar deal.

Hey,

Congrats. Mines the same as yours but with side airbags.

You should definitely do the headlights too. Small price to pay since replacing them can be expensive. And even if they're not broken, they will get scratched and pitted after many miles of use with the xpel in place that won't happen.

Thx,
Phil

Yeah i decided to do it. it was not as hard as i thought it was going to be. how long did it take for the little water vapor to disappear after you put it on.

Thanks

I don't have foglights, but the Expel is great on the headlights and easy to install. Just don't panic about any small "fogging" when you first install it, assuming you followed instructions.
I installed the hood cover too..it looks great...well actually you really can't see either after they "settle in". The picture below really does have them installed.
http://www.elementownersclub.com/uploads/files/HE9615frame.jpg

it took mine 2-3 weeks, and that was in the summer.

don't worry though, it all comes out in the end.

I would assume it's going to take a bit longer here. the weather is starting to get pretty cold. next week it's gonna get colder. i guess have to wait and see how long it takes.

Don't plan on shelling out the $ for the Xpel
my friend works at a custom sign shop out in chicago and he just sent me some
YELLOW transparent vinyl for my oem fogslights ;)

wanted the yellow light for fog & to have a barrier for the lenses :)

and he's going to ship me a few sheets of clear for the headlights

i talked to Tmac about possibly setting up a group buy on some covers and if anyones in the chicago area maybe i can set you up with my friend for a test fitting so he can send them to spec

Type X: I'm very interested in any yellow film you might acquire. Since my foglights aren't round ( they're not in the factory holes either, duh ;-) ), blank sheets would really be sweet, if that's what you've got access to! Keep us updated, or PM me! :shock:

Type X: I'm very interested in any yellow film you might acquire. Since my foglights aren't round ( they're not in the factory holes either, duh ;-) ), blank sheets would really be sweet, if that's what you've got access to! Keep us updated, or PM me! :shock:

i have the yellow sheets
they came yesterday

i'll post pics of the install this weekend
i had this setup first with just GOLD ion bulbs on my 2000 civic ex and light output was great
however always wanted something to cover the lenses

so alot of guys were doing the film
and you can't beat free ;)

i take some pix tomorrow if i get a chance to do it
and my oem rear and front deflector instlal that just arrived

A thin plastic fiilm is really going to make a difference?

actually the headlight "film" is a THICK SLAB of material.

yes, its thick.

it does make a difference. its worth the $40 or so to protect those $300 fogs, which are made of glass, and do shatter. and they also protect the plastic headlamp housings pretty well (and at $250 each, it is worth it!)

A thin plastic fiilm is really going to make a difference?

Oh, yes! It is a thick, almost 1/8", resilient, clear plastic sheet that conforms to the headlamp or fogs. It protects by cushioning the impact of stones, etc. that could strike and damage the lens. I have had them on my wifes New Beetle for four years and they are still crystal clear and virtually invisible. I plan to purchase an '05 E next week (We have to have a Rallye Red one) and I will have them on there asap! It's money very well spent. Unfortunately I did not learn of this product until I broke a headlight lens the first week we owned the VW. OUCH!

The 3M material is a very good investment, especially for those who decide to get a little excited with paint.

I got the headlight kit, but have not installed them yet. The directions are pretty clear that the temp outside should be above 60 degrees. Being in NY in February, it's not likely to be that warm anytime soon. I'll be going on a cross country trip soon and would love to get these on. Does anyone have experience in installing these during cold temps?

do you have access to a heated garage? and a blow-dryer? i think the main thing about the temperature is to have the plastic pliable so that it conforms to the surface of the curved lights well.

mine at least took a long time to finally dry, a few weeks, when the temps were in the 70s.

they do stay on when they still have a thin layer of water/alcohol under them, they just look a bit splotchy. but i don't think that interferes with the light.

no, once again, in NYC no garage to speak of. I do have a driveway, but heating it would be a waste. :-D

I guess i'll just wait till it warms up, i want them to be invisible (at least when the moisture between the film and lights evaporates; i don't want it to freeze and ruin the application.

When i did mine it was cold out. i just used a blow dryer and turned the headlights on. i did not have any problems putting them on. the only problem i had was that it took longer than the 2 weeks it says for the leftover condensation to go away. right now they look really good dont even know they are there. very happy with them

Robert

I purchased something similar from another vendor on ebay for my fog lights, and it has only been 2 months but so far so good. From a distance you can't see them, from very up close you can, but why would anybody be looking at your fog lights that closely? LOL

I bought the xpel film for my e when i first got it. after a few weeks of curing you dont even really notice that is there. i think i paid $39 for both the fogs and headlights. the website is xpel (http://www.xpel.com)

Robert

no prob travis, just dont get discouraged if you see little bubbles after your done. i did mine in the middle of winter and it took even longer than xpel had said. but after the weather warmed up a bit. all the bubbles dissappeared. good luck with them.

Robert

Stongard has been mentioned in passing and I want to say that I use it on any vehicle that I buy.

http://www.stongard.com/sgcontent/default.asp

As for removal without damage, I'm not sure why you'd want to remove it. I've read stories on several forums indication it is hard to take off. I've never tried to remove it so I cannot speak from personal experience.

My $.02

Taking a look at the X-Pel site it looks like the same material as used by StonGard. If the sketches are representative of the coverage, StonGard goes farther back on the paint. Also includes door edges.

X-Pel is less $, but doesn't include installation. On an Element, it sould be very easy to install.

To me it looks like either product is worth while. As you can tell, I am a fan.

Another optional area I've done on cars is the sill. Lot of sand, mud, and other dirt scratch the sill. I don't remember if Elements have a painted sill.

After having the foglight protection on my previous Element, I just remembered that my new E doesn't have it. I went back on hondasuv.com and found the original person that I got them from over two years ago off of an Ebay ad, and remembered he had a post for these protectors. I made contact with him and he's still in business and said he will have some made up in a couple of weeks. He'll be contacting me when they're ready. I think these are a must have. I'm making nothing from this but feel it would be a good thing to pass along to other E'mers who may be interested in this product. I've got his original post from the hondasuv.com site below and his name is Wilson Wong. If this is something that you think you may want, shoot him an email and let him know.


Protect your OEM fog lights from road hazards. To replace a cracked lens, you must replace the whole assembly, not just the lens. A fog light assembly cost about $70. But now you can protect the lens with a crystal clear protective film that has been precision diecut to fit right over the fog light lens. This 3M product will protect the lens from stone chips, gravel, and other flying debris and road hazards. It is the same material used for the clear mask/clear bra. It is easy to apply. Just peel and stick! Price is $6 + $1 for shipping and handling. Send payment to my email account pilotpads@msn.com via paypal. Any questions, send me a PM or email.

Like I said, I had them on my '03 SMM and they worked out great for those. I mean what are the chances that a rock or stone would hit just perfectly in that small area and crack the lense or break it all together? I say the chances are great when not having the peace of mind of having the protection you need for it. I'd rather have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Just like a condom. Did I say that?
Anyway, once on you can't tell that it's there. Smooth it out and it's on. The stuff is pretty thick when you feel it but it it doesn't hinder the look or light the emits from the fogs.

X-PEL (http://www.xpel.com/) makes a product for this, along with protectors for both the headlights and a clear bra (http://www.xpel.com/products/configurator.asp?prevtype=1&prevyear=2004&prevmake=15&prevmodel=757&prevsubmodel=2114&prevseries=0&type=1&year=2004&make=15&model=757&submodel=2115). A search using "XPEL" will bring up a bunch of previous recommendations for their products. They use a 3M film exclusively which seems to be quite good.

Yes, it's the same 3M xpel material and it doens't yellow or fade. I really liked it when I had it on my CyberWhites. You couldn't tell it was in place at all andI was completely satisfied with the look and material. That's why when I was installing my lower grill protector I looked at those OEM fogs and said to myself, "I'd hate it if something where to hit the lense and break or crack it". At least if something were to hit it and it was large enough to break it the film would hold it in place. I don't think you'lll have a problem with it and therefore I'm patiently waiting for Wilson's email that he has them in stock and ready for my order.

i've had the XPEL full-set on my lights for two years now. no fading, no yellowing, no cracked fogs or scratched up headlights.

the full set is only about $40.

just got my foglight protection "PilotPads" on Saturday and may they are nice! I used them on my CyberWhites on the '03 Element I had. Now I'm using them on my '06 TRP with OEM fogs and they are crystal clear. If you have fogs, take your fingernail and tap the lens before you put them on. You notice a high ping sound of the glass but once you put these pads on, the sound is considerably different sound and the feel is different from the shield but it's crystal clear. I feel much better now that I have these on my foglights. One thing that I did do was once I had the pads in place, I used a blow dryer and aimed it at the fogs while I was wiping them down to sqeegie the rest of the water from between the pads and the lens. These pads are awesome and I want to thank Wilson Wong for them and the discount he's affording the board for their orders.

All I can say is that I got the protection on mine and I'm glad I do. I had the pads on my last Element and never had a problem. I do know every little bit helps. When I did the CyberWhites I installed them just at the opening for the lights so they sat back but on the OEM lights they stick out about half way between the cut out and the front bumper opening hole for the lights. Makes sense to put something on them just in case a stone comes back and hits them just right to do damage. I haven't done anything on the headlights because 30k on my previous Element I didn't have any signs of damage, scratches or marks on them, They are made of a heavy gadge plastic but the fogs, that's glass. Just like having sex, better wrap it up. ;-)

Someone posted about the chances of having a hit directly on the foglight lenses. Well, I lost a lense within 2 weeks of having my lights installed and then on my big work van, I lost a lense after about 3 months so apparently impacts happen alot more often than we know!

IS this stuff still available? I need some!

Is the material the same as what's used for clear bras? I'm getting ready to clear bra my hood and front end witht the 3M 8 mil material. I have always masked my headlights and foglights along with the front end. It cost roughly $6 for a foot of the 18 inch size. ...

I'm not sure why people are being charged so much for this stuff. In fact, I got a piece of the 3M film free from a local auto detail shop - the amount needed for fog lights was not worth them charging for.

Has anyone used the protective headlight films made by Lamin-x. I was thinking about the blue or the slight tint. Anyone have any pics w/and w/o lights on. In your opinion do they degrade the light produced? Thanks

Been meaning to post this.
I added Hella driving lights behind my grill. Man, what a pain. Had to fiddle no end with the mounts. I wired the angeleyes to my low beams, so I have 2 blue circles with the low beams on. I wired the driving lights relay to the high beam so they come on with the brights.
Took off the gutter guard condenser protector and put in a black Grille Guy behind the plastic grill.
Painted some 2x2 window screen black, clipped it into an octangle with wings projecting, bent the wings over and taped with black electrical tape to be just about the same size as the foglight. Pushed them over the foglights. So far they seem to work fine, and they'll be cheap to replace if they rust. I did buy galvanized window screen and painted it with Rustoleum, so we'll see if it lasts the winter.
Excuse the dead bugs on the E. It's suicidal bug weather around here.
Does anyone know why we always black out our license plate number? I mean, you can just look at it in person and see it says "1SXYDUD" (or whatever!).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v21/ymcaclimb/front.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v21/ymcaclimb/guard.jpg

I noticed before I installed my foglights, that about 1/3 of the cars at work with foglights have a broken lense. We're kind of in the boonies, and there are a few gravel roads around, so I figure that's why.
So I made window screen foglight guards because I couldn't find anything better.
I just thought of the screens that you put in the drain pipe of your gutters-I think they are about the same size as the foglights and made of expanded aluminum. I'm going to Home Depot and look for them. Might be a more attractive alternative.

So after looking at the way my previous yellow fogs didn't match much of anything on the front of the E. Although they looked good and were nice for driving, they gave the front end to much of an after market look for me. I decided to toy with the idea of making them an amber color to tie in with the turn signals and side markers to give it a different look. The film I used was Oracal 8300 series, transparent vinyl in what they call dark yellow. It was very easy to apply using just hair dyer and one of those plastic blade things to remove any bubbles.

Let me know what you think....Good...Bad?

Looks great, but you do know it reduce light output with any film/tint, right?

Interesting approach, Jordoeighty4-0. Please do let us know how they perform, and age.

yeah it will reduce the output a little but I'm not too concerned with that, as for the aging I will keep posted but it claims to last for 5yrs exterior use, as for the heat, which will most likely decrease life, doesn't seem to be much of a problem. The applications for this vinyl are exterior signs and lighting so I'll be giving it a run for it's money dragging it a foot from the ground across town with excessive heat behind it!

The clear protective plastic on my fogs yellowed pretty quickly but hasn't cracked after four years. A darker shade might hold more heat in and get hotter itself, so it bears watching.

Would be cool to do a side-by-side with someone who has amber bulbs and clear lenses.

Not sure if this helps, but I used the product on my Audi when I installed euro-spec headlights on it. Very high quality product. I'm not to sure about using the tinted on headlights, that in my opinion would be dangerous since it cuts DOWN your light your putting onto the road. On the fogs or DRL's eh, your call to save to from the random rock etc. But they are a good company to get product from.

If your looking for a bit more protection than Lamin-X offers,check out Headlight Armor. I have their yellow protective vinyl on my factory fogs.:cool:

http://www.headlightarmor.com/

There's also x-pel, which is right down the road from me. All the same thing.

i used yellow lamin-x covers on my fogs for my nissan maxima. it is pretty thick(good for protection). it does change the color of the lighting(incase you didn't realize for some reason). i also, tried to take it off the fogs and whew!, it was on there good! I tried adhesive remover with a plastic razor blade and still had a little bit of residue left behind on my fogs(and i only had them on for a few months).
this is my experience with lamin-x .... hope it helps.

I bought 11mil thick HL and fog stick-on plastic protectors from Weathertech. Been 3+ years, a long trip from GA to AK included, and still no issues whatsoever. Don't remember how much, but, worth the price. :roll: :razz: :razz:

what I plan on doing is taking a piece of lexan im going to use 1/8" thick but you can prob use any size available. 3X small L brackets.

cut the lexan to fit the hole almost flush with outer edge and trim with a generic black door edge guard.

rivet or screw the 3X L brackets into each foglight recess. and use 3X black plastic push rivets to hold the lexan.

the lexan can be left clear or smoked. you could also use some of those color tints

and if they get destroyed its lots easier and cheaper then the foglights. 4$ for lexan over 100$ a foglight

it would also be an aerodynamic improvement having the foglight pocket made flush to bumper.

I will be doing it on a 2010 sc but when finished I will post pics. instalation should be very similar on all elements besides the 07-08 SC

heres a sample of the idea.
http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/attachments/5-0l-talk/97717d1272919615-1987-1993-mustang-gt-foglight-covers-i-made-dsc01479.jpg

Racer2000: what are you using to cut the Lexan?

the ones I did for the mustang I cut with a coping saw. it cut very easily and cleanly. but lexan is tough. took lots of sand paper cleaning up the edges.

but if you use the door edge trim it takes much less effort for a good look.

im using the trim on mine when I do it as the recess for the SC foglight is fairly strait but has a 45 degree bevel when it meets the bumper. so making the lens alil larger with the trim it should sit on that beveled area.

I think the non SC is just strait so it can be done either way. could even cut 3 tabs in the lexan when you cut the shape and bend them over with a heat gun for a more pro finish

Installed ones by Headlight Armor. These are fairly thick. I guess they help cause I see alot of scratches on them. Fit is so-so. One side fit perfect, the other side needed trimming. Was easy to install. Ones I have are clear.

I've had the Weathertech lamp guards on my E for almost 5 years! They still look like new, really protected the headlights. I thought they would be a more disposable item that I would need to replace but it would be worth it to protect the actual lights. They go on by activating the adhesive with a water/alcohol spray and a hair dryer to warm up the surfaces. Never really thought about them recently till this thread and I took a look at them and they are in great condition. Wish they made a big giant on for my dinged up windshield, I don't think that would work with the wipers though.

AGAIN.......I am in awe of all the help to be found here. Thanks Dan for the merge, it definitely helps to have all this info to help make the decision.

HT

09 CBP(Coulda Beena Pilot - but glad it isn't:grin:)