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How to wrap Z4 Coupe roof!

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Tcochrane92
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How to wrap Z4 Coupe roof!

Post by Tcochrane92 » Wed Apr 19, 2017 5:31 pm

Hello all,

Here's my experience with wrapping my E86 roof in black.
20170415_174443.jpg
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Difficult: 6/10

What you'll need:
- 1x BMW Z4 E86 :thumbsup:
- Vinyl wrap 3m x 1.52m - £35.89
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321614960363? ... EBIDX%3AIT
- Felt tipped squeegee - £1.90
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321508705192? ... EBIDX%3AIT
- Clay bar / clay mit - £10.94
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321803616839? ... EBIDX%3AIT
- Spray bottle filled with soapy water
- At least one helpful friend will make it considerably easier
- Heat gun / hair dryer
- Sharp craft knife
- Preferably a warm, dry day

Time to complete: 2-3 hours

1. Thoroughly clean & clay roof. I used a clay mitt for this (you can also get this exact one from Halfords). I highly recommend it. Make sure to lubricate with soapy water! Roof should feel perfectly smooth, like glass.

2. Lay vinyl over roof and secure half down with masking tape. I found it easier to do half at a time.

3. Peel back the un-fastened half of the sticky side of the wrap.

4. Thoroughly lubricate (with soapy water from your spray bottle) both the roof & sticky side of the wrap and then place vinyl onto roof.

5. Lubricate the top of the vinyl and methodically use the squeegee (felt side) to smooth the vinyl onto the roof (start from the middle!). The vinyl is virtually free to move on the roof, making it a lot easier to work with.

6. Use the squeegee to push out all the bubbles and create a smooth surface.

7. For creases: get a friend to pull the vinyl to smooth out the crease while you heat it up (with the gun until the vinyl appears to shrink), remove heat, smooth with squeegee. If you get a crease / bubble that you can't smooth out with this method, pull the vinyl up off the roof and lay back down with a bit of heat. Repeat two methods until perfect. Too much heat WILL damage the vinyl! So be careful. Only heat until it starts to shrink then remove heat straight away.
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8. Get that half nice and smooth and try to smooth out the edges as much as possible. They don't have to be 100% perfect yet.

9. Repeat for 2nd half.
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10. Using the craft knife, cut the vinyl along the front edge on the rubber strip. Cut about 5mm extra.
Last edited by Tcochrane92 on Wed Apr 19, 2017 5:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Current: Imola Red 400bhp 640d & Ocean Blue BMW S1000XR Sport SE
Past: Silver Grey Z4MR, Silver Grey Z4C & Titan Silver Z4 3.0i

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Tcochrane92
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How to wrap Z4 Coupe roof!

Post by Tcochrane92 » Wed Apr 19, 2017 5:37 pm

11. Tuck that 5mm extra vinyl under the rubber strip, making sure it's perfectly smooth.
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12. Repeat for sides, tucking the vinyl under the metal roof itself using the squeegee. Use heat gun will make it a little easier.
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13. Repeat for rear.
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14. Use heat gun to smooth out all remaining creases & bubbles.

15. Remove top protective layer of vinyl and marvel! :thumbsup: :driving:

Tips:
- For the beginning when you're constantly lifting and shifting the vinyl, keeping both the roof & sticky side lubricated will definitely help. It will dry out as it goes, slowly gripping more and more. Using the heat gun speeds this up.

- Having your friend pulling on the vinyl to make it flat on the roof while you squeegee it down helps.

- A thin credit card may help with the edges, with some heat.
Current: Imola Red 400bhp 640d & Ocean Blue BMW S1000XR Sport SE
Past: Silver Grey Z4MR, Silver Grey Z4C & Titan Silver Z4 3.0i

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mr wilks
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How to wrap Z4 Coupe roof!

Post by mr wilks » Wed Apr 19, 2017 6:22 pm

Great skills Tim & top marks for taking it on , bumper + roof look great :thumbsup:
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Tcochrane92
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How to wrap Z4 Coupe roof!

Post by Tcochrane92 » Wed Apr 19, 2017 7:38 pm

mr wilks wrote: Wed Apr 19, 2017 6:22 pm Great skills Tim & top marks for taking it on , bumper + roof look great :thumbsup:
Thanks Andy! :D
Current: Imola Red 400bhp 640d & Ocean Blue BMW S1000XR Sport SE
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Nanu
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How to wrap Z4 Coupe roof!

Post by Nanu » Wed Apr 19, 2017 7:47 pm

If you get half way through and decide your making a mess of it, can you abort and peel it off without causing any damage?

Just thought I would ask in case some day I want to try it.

I am presuming that with an E89 it should be easier to get the edges perfect as you can part lower the roof?

Do you then treat it as you would paint re polishing and waxing?

Nice job and very impressive :thumbsup:
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Tcochrane92
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How to wrap Z4 Coupe roof!

Post by Tcochrane92 » Wed Apr 19, 2017 7:55 pm

Nanu wrote: Wed Apr 19, 2017 7:47 pm If you get half way through and decide your making a mess of it, can you abort and peel it off without causing any damage?

Just thought I would ask in case some day I want to try it.

I am presuming that with an E89 it should be easier to get the edges perfect as you can part lower the roof?

Do you then treat it as you would paint re polishing and waxing?

Nice job and very impressive :thumbsup:
You can indeed, that's the beauty of using the soap water spray!

Maybe if you can stop the roof part way through the folding, it'll make it a bit easier? Hadn't thought of that :)

I'm not sure about polish, but i added a layer of carnouba wax when finished. Careful to try it on an off-cut first to make sure it doesn't react.

Thanks and hope that helps :)
Current: Imola Red 400bhp 640d & Ocean Blue BMW S1000XR Sport SE
Past: Silver Grey Z4MR, Silver Grey Z4C & Titan Silver Z4 3.0i

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Mr Tidy
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How to wrap Z4 Coupe roof!

Post by Mr Tidy » Wed Apr 19, 2017 9:45 pm

It really suits the car Tim!

But it's way too fiddly for me - I couldn't even get the stickers straight and smooth on a Yamaha petrol tank 30 years ago. :lol:

I'm guessing you may have more mods planned - looking forward to details!

ETA I just read your other thread - plenty more mods to come! :lol:
Coupes because stunning!
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
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Tcochrane92
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How to wrap Z4 Coupe roof!

Post by Tcochrane92 » Wed Apr 19, 2017 10:01 pm

Mr Tidy wrote: Wed Apr 19, 2017 9:45 pm It really suits the car Tim!

But it's way too fiddly for me - I couldn't even get the stickers straight and smooth on a Yamaha petrol tank 30 years ago. :lol:

I'm guessing you may have more mods planned - looking forward to details!

ETA I just read your other thread - plenty more mods to come! :lol:
:oops: :oops:
Current: Imola Red 400bhp 640d & Ocean Blue BMW S1000XR Sport SE
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FrankMc
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How to wrap Z4 Coupe roof!

Post by FrankMc » Wed Apr 19, 2017 10:57 pm

fair play for tackling it & having the patience

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