XPEL is a San Antonio company, which means Texas trucks are what their film was developed against. We are an authorized dealer for the paint protection film, the window tint and the ceramic coatings.
XPEL was founded in 1997, incorporated in Nevada in 2003, and is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq under the ticker XPEL. We mention the Texas part because it is not marketing — the heat, the hail, the caliche dust and the highway gravel their film was developed against are the same conditions your truck sits in.
We are an authorized XPEL dealer for paint protection film, window film and ceramic coatings, and we install all three at 4020 Trey Ln in Argyle. We also run 3M, LLumar and SunTek tint film, so if XPEL is not the right answer for your budget or your shade, we will say so.
Thicknesses are XPEL’s published nominal figures, without release liner.
| Film | Thickness | Finish | What It Is For |
|---|---|---|---|
| ULTIMATE PLUS | 7.60 mil | Gloss | The flagship. Self-healing clear-coated polyurethane. The default answer for a full front end. |
| ULTIMATE PLUS 10 | 9.60 mil | Gloss | Thicker aliphatic polyurethane, low surface energy to resist staining. Rockers and rock strips on a lifted truck. |
| ULTIMATE FUSION | 7.48 mil | High gloss | Hydrophobic clear coat — sheds water like a coated surface, easier to keep clean. |
| STEALTH | 8.15 mil | Satin / matte | Turns gloss paint matte, or protects factory matte. Hydrophilic top coat for contamination resistance. |
| ARMOR | 23 mil | — | Heavy off-road and rocker protection. The thick stuff. |
| COLOR PPF | Gloss & satin | Color | Color change with PPF protection underneath it. |
Ranges span each line’s full shade lineup. The top figure applies to the darkest shade only. All figures are XPEL-published manufacturer data.
| PRIME XR PLUS | PRIME XR | PRIME HP | PRIME CS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technology | Multi-layer nano-ceramic | Nano-ceramic | Hybrid dyed-metal | Colour-stable dyed |
| Total Solar Energy Rejection | 52–71% | 42–66% | 36–59% | 24–45% |
| IR rejection, 780–2500nm | 67–70% | 55–64% | 25% | 11–32% |
| IR rejection at 1025nm | 92–96% | 73–85% | 32% | 12–35% |
| UV rejection | 99% | 99% | 99% | 99% |
| VLT range | 5–67% | 5–78% | 4–54% | 5–86% |
| Signal safe | Yes, no metal | Yes, no metal | No — metallized layer | Yes |
If a shop quotes you one big infrared percentage without saying which metric it is, ask. The 1025nm number is a single wavelength. Total Solar Energy Rejection is the one that tells you how the cab will feel in August.
One product per surface, rather than one bottle for everything.
| FUSION PLUS PREMIUM v2 | Paint, top tier — 8 year warranty |
| FUSION PLUS CLASSIC | Paint — 4 year warranty |
| FUSION PLUS PAINT & PPF | Coats over paint protection film — 4 year warranty |
| FUSION PLUS SATIN | Satin and matte paint finishes |
| FUSION PLUS LITE | Paint, entry tier — 1 year warranty |
| FUSION PLUS WHEEL & CALIPER | Wheels and brake calipers — makes brake dust wipe off |
| FUSION PLUS GLASS | Glass — 2 year warranty |
| FUSION PLUS PLASTIC & TRIM | Exterior plastic and trim — 1 year warranty |
| FUSION PLUS UPHOLSTERY | Interior fabric and leather |
Film is not maintenance-free and we would rather tell you now than field the phone call later:
The upside: XPEL states the adhesive will not damage paint or leave residue when the film is removed, and their published testing shows no detrimental effect from 30-minute immersion in acetone, gasoline, diesel, motor oil and IPA — which on a work truck is not a hypothetical.
Under Texas Transportation Code § 547.613: front side windows must let through 25% or more light and reflect 25% or less. The windshield may only be tinted above the AS-1 line or within 5 inches of the top, whichever is lower, and may not be red, blue or amber. Back side windows behind the driver are exempt. The rear window is exempt if the truck has an outside mirror on each side giving a view at least 200 feet to the rear — which every truck we see does. The statute allows a 3% tolerance. There is also a medical defense in § 547.613(e) for someone who needs shielding from direct sun; note it is a defense to prosecution, not a pre-approved permit, and we are not the right people to advise you on documentation — read the statute or talk to an attorney.
Yes. Under HB 3297 the safety inspection requirement for non-commercial vehicles ended January 1, 2025, and a $7.50 inspection program replacement fee applies at registration instead. Emissions testing still applies in emissions counties and commercial vehicles still require safety inspections. But no inspection does not mean tint is unregulated — § 547.613 is still fully enforceable at a traffic stop. We will build you a legal front and go as dark as you like behind the driver.
Four lines, and the technology is what separates them. PRIME XR PLUS is multi-layer nano-ceramic and the top of the line. PRIME XR is nano-ceramic. PRIME HP is a hybrid dyed-metal film. PRIME CS is a colour-stable dyed film. One thing worth knowing: XR PLUS and XR contain no metal and will not interfere with GPS, cell signal or your key fob. PRIME HP contains a metallized layer and we will not sell it to you as signal-safe.
Here is the honest version, because this is the number the industry lies about most. XPEL publishes three different figures and they are not interchangeable. For PRIME XR PLUS across its shade range: Total Solar Energy Rejection 52 to 71% — this is the number that actually predicts how the cab feels. Infrared rejection across the full 780 to 2500nm band: 67 to 70%. Infrared rejection at the single 1025nm wavelength: 92 to 96% — this is where the “98% IR” billboards come from, and it is one wavelength, not the whole spectrum. UV rejection is 99% on all four PRIME lines. Anyone quoting you a single huge percentage without naming the metric is selling, not informing.
ULTIMATE PLUS at 7.60 mil is the flagship gloss film and the standard answer. ULTIMATE PLUS 10 at 9.60 mil is thicker and designed to resist staining — a good fit for rocker panels and rock strips on a lifted truck that eats gravel. ULTIMATE FUSION is 7.48 mil with a hydrophobic clear coat, so it sheds water like a coated surface. STEALTH is a satin finish that turns gloss paint matte or protects factory matte. ARMOR is 23 mil for genuine off-road abuse zones. On a lifted truck the money goes to the leading edge of the hood, the front bumper, mirror backs, rocker panels and lower doors — that is where the debris actually lands.
Light scratches and swirls, yes. XPEL’s stated claim is that light scratches self-heal in 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature, faster if you pour 120°F water over the area. Their FAQ also states that deeper scratches which penetrate the film may not fully heal. So: swirl marks from a bad wash, yes. A gouge that cuts through the film, no.
It does not stop dents, door dings or collision damage — it is roughly 7 to 10 thousandths of an inch of urethane and it deforms with the panel. It does not make paint invincible; a hard sharp impact can cut through it. And here is the irony worth being straight about: rock and road debris damage is an explicit exclusion in the warranty. The warranty covers film defects like yellowing, cracking, blistering and delamination — not impact. The film is doing its job when it takes the hit; it is just not insured for it.
Paint protection film: 10 years on ULTIMATE PLUS and STEALTH, transferable with proof of original install date. ULTIMATE FUSION gets 10 years plus an additional 4 years covering oxidation, gloss loss, UV damage and fading — but it requires annual inspections within 30 days of the anniversary date, so put it on your calendar. COLOR PPF is 10 years and non-transferable. ARMOR is 4 years on vertical surfaces, 2 on non-vertical. Window film carries a lifetime limited warranty. Ceramic coatings: FUSION PLUS Premium v2 is 8 years, Classic and Paint & PPF are 4, Glass is 2, Lite and Plastic & Trim are 1. All of it requires professional installation by an authorized installer.
They do different jobs and they are not alternatives. Ceramic coating is a chemical layer measured in microns — it makes the paint slick, hydrophobic and easier to clean, and gives it depth. It provides essentially no impact protection. PPF is the physical barrier that stops the rock. That is exactly why XPEL sells FUSION PLUS PAINT & PPF — you coat over the film. If you are choosing one on a truck that sees highway gravel, choose the film.
The strongest reason is simple: no blade ever touches your paint. Hand-cutting film on the vehicle risks scoring the clearcoat, and that is not repairable. XPEL’s DAP software carries what they describe as over 80,000 precision-cut patterns and the largest pattern library in the industry, with edges and relief cuts engineered for the specific body panel. The honest counterpoint: computer-cut patterns usually leave a small unwrapped margin at panel edges, and some shops hand-cut to wrap those edges for a seamless look while accepting the blade risk. We use the DAP pattern as the base and will discuss edge wrapping with you on a case-by-case basis.