Annoying Lens and Piano Black Scratches

[rockymtncole]

Not the first to bring this up but, dang, the gauge cluster and piano black surfaces get micro scratches no matter how careful you are. I keep my vehicles as pristine as possible and this infuriates me. Minor thing but a huge annoyance to me. I bought the protective film package from Screen ProTech and it has made all the difference in the world. I messed up one application (dropped it and got all dusty on the contact surface) but was otherwise really simple to apply. You have to wait a couple days for the haze to go away, so don't freak out. Make sure to look at it from different angles to get the bubbles out before it dries. Use the spray! Won't mask 100% of scratches but in almost all lighting conditions its 90% better and now protected. Kit comes with gauge cluster, knobs, AC control screen, seat heater buttons, etc. Spendy, but amazing quality. Pic isn't the best but you get the point.

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[127.0.0.1]

all I can see are the edges of the film, and that ain't my bag

 

[Joe Dirt]

Years ago new guy that would not take his car out if inclement weather was threatening! Also if he came to a area on the road that had a puddle or water collecting he would pretty much stop and find a driveway to go in and work his way around it!

 

[Joe Dirt]

I do understand some of your concerns, I was at Pismo Beach one weekend around the Oceano Dunes and left my windows cracked slightly and my entire car had gritty sand in it. Not to mention every thing that I owned had grit and sand in it as well as every orifice! That was an older 3rd gen.

 

[sstarrx2]

I might suggest serious therapy!!

 

[axxman]

Totally get it, I cannot justify the screen tech pro kit (yet) as my 4runner came with the 14inch screen protector already installed. so in the mean time, I had some leftover xpel from my mountain bike kit and I just cut pieces to fit so that it would be protected in the mean time. I want to do the instrument lens as well, but that would require disassembly to do it right and I just don't want to do it to a brand new car. My previous car was a 21 Rav4, its instruments lens was completly scuffed up and cleaning it just made it worse. I plan on buying a brand new plexiglass and installing a screen protector then swapping them out in a few years.

I realize to some this may sound extreme, but those people probably would not understand Sharks with laser beams attached to their heads either.

 

[Nodak]

i would get the screen pro tech kit if you want an AIO kit for all the little surfaces beside the 2 main ones.

 

[axxman]

I may go that route eventually, but at this point I dont need the 14 inch screen protector and having done bikes, phones etc for myself and friends, I know the only way to do the job on the Guage cluster would be to remove everything and work on it in my office, I am not going to do that at this point. if they sell the screen tech pro pieces separately, I would probably get that, but I have some xpel and I have a friend with a laser cutter so I think I will do that for now. I am sure there will be other kits eventually.

 

[Nodak]

after using it on the 23 tundra and the 25 4runner (screen protech kit)

the main 14in display matte finish is super easy to install. the pita one is the MID screen (gauge cluster)

only thing i can say, is spray heavily and then spray heavily again. slide it around and one you get it into place make sure you spray the part facing you heavily so your squeegee slides easily to get bubbles out. that inverse curve is a pita to get bubbles out.

i had mine in the 25 4runner for 3-4 months and i finally got that last bubble out without punching a hole to relieve the air out. (dont believe screen protech saying the bubbles will disappear within 7-14 days in the heat). i think screen protech uses a thicker overlay than others so the bubbles will take quite a while to disappear letting the vehicle sit in the summer heat to dissipate the bubbles out

i tried the small overlays for the 23 tundra, but they just wouldnt stay put correctly after trying twice (i bought the extra set for $15)

they come free with the 14/12 in overlays but i didnt even try with the 25 4runner. i still have them but meh.

 

[josiahg52]

Totally get it, I cannot justify the screen tech pro kit (yet) as my 4runner came with the 14inch screen protector already installed. so in the mean time, I had some leftover xpel from my mountain bike kit and I just cut pieces to fit so that it would be protected in the mean time. I want to do the instrument lens as well, but that would require disassembly to do it right and I just don't want to do it to a brand new car. My previous car was a 21 Rav4, its instruments lens was completly scuffed up and cleaning it just made it worse. I plan on buying a brand new plexiglass and installing a screen protector then swapping them out in a few years.

I realize to some this may sound extreme, but those people probably would not understand Sharks with laser beams attached to their heads either.

My tint guy installed the full ScreenProtech kit, including the MID, while doing tint all around for $20. No disassembly required, looks great.

He said there really wasn't enough solution included and the sprayer didn't have enough spray volume. It was enough and fine for the smaller pieces but he used his own solution and sprayer for the MID and infotainment screens.

 

[Nodak]

My tint guy installed the full ScreenProtech kit, including the MID, while doing tint all around for $20. No disassembly required, looks great.

He said there really wasn't enough solution included and the sprayer didn't have enough spray volume. It was enough and fine for the smaller pieces but he used his own solution and sprayer for the MID and infotainment screens.

lol comparing a professional to us back yard mechanics is not a fair comparison.

i dont ever expect to be even close to a professional in doing those screen overlays, hence i just lived with the bubbles until they eventually dried out after 4 months.

luckily i sprayed enough behind the overlay to ensure no bubbles stayed around permanently but the time frame was tooth and nails waiting vs my semi ocd on waiting.

 

[josiahg52]

lol comparing a professional to us back yard mechanics is not a fair comparison.

i dont ever expect to be even close to a professional in doing those screen overlays, hence i just lived with the bubbles until they eventually dried out after 4 months.

luckily i sprayed enough behind the overlay to ensure no bubbles stayed around permanently but the time frame was tooth and nails waiting vs my semi ocd on waiting.

I was really commenting on replying to the claim that disassembly was "required." It's not, but of course, would make it easier to apply the film, although it complicates the entire process. I was fortunate.

 

[Nodak]

I was really commenting on replying to the claim that disassembly was "required." It's not, but of course, would make it easier to apply the film, although it complicates the entire process. I was fortunate.

yeah i am not taking that apart, i have seen what it entails and i am not going near that train wreck

toyota has made it to the point you have to pull even the center console and dash to even work in the middle area. i could imagine what it would be to pull that display.

 

[josiahg52]

yeah i am not taking that apart, i have seen what it entails and i am not going near that train wreck

toyota has made it to the point you have to pull even the center console and dash to even work in the middle area. i could imagine what it would be to pull that display.

It's almost like they don't care how difficult it is to repair or of it's repairable at all.

 

[Nodak]

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