Lixiang L9 – PPF film protection

Lixiang L9: Wrapping with Polyurethane Paint Protection Film

The Chinese car brand Lixiang L9 impresses with its practicality, driving qualities, and comfort. Driving it under any road conditions is always enjoyable and convenient. This hybrid crossover, compared to the previous model Li One, boasts greater power, a longer range, better equipment, and more advanced autonomous technologies. The Lixiang L9 is a spacious family vehicle that can compete with models like the BMW X7, Mercedes-Benz GLS, and Range Rover. Its design is as magnificent as its features, and few can argue with that (though, of course, that’s a matter of taste). Therefore, it’s only natural that one of the main desires of any owner is to maintain its beautiful appearance for as long as possible. This issue can be easily resolved by wrapping the Lixiang in film.

Why is protective film the best choice? Firstly, with film, it’s easy to change the car’s color, and the wait isn’t as long as when ordering this additional service from the factory. Secondly, the film helps preserve the visual appeal of the Lixiang. The body will be protected from damage caused by gravel, branches, and washes with low-quality or dirty brushes. The film can protect against stains on the paint layer and chemical substances.

This is precisely the request that the owner of the brand-new Chinese crossover will make to our detailing studio. Their decision to wrap the Lixiang in film was driven by the desire to protect the glossy finish of the body parts from chemical and mechanical damage. The client also wanted to give the exterior a unique touch. Since we use original, high-quality film, such protection can last up to 10 years.

Protective film for the Lixiang L9

The long-lasting protection is also justified by our craftsmen’s approach to performing the task. Each of them has practical experience of 20 years and constantly updates their professional skills, so they know all the nuances of working with film material.

The combination of the craftsmen’s experience, the quality of the materials, and the responsible execution of the service guarantees the best result in wrapping. Even after years, the car will show no signs of wear—its top-notch appearance will be preserved for the entire period of use, and no one will even notice that it’s a film. It will visually appear to be its unique paint job. This can be compared through photos, examining individual body parts of the Li Auto L9 up close.

Which protective film is best for the Li L9: criteria for material selection The reliability of the protection and the car’s design features after wrapping will depend on the material the client chooses. We offer two film options, each suited for specific purposes.

Vinyl film This type is usually used for styling. Car owners can choose vinyl film with different textures and colors. Additionally, thanks to the vinyl coating, one can add pearlescent or chameleon effects to the body finish, which will look truly original. However, vinyl is less effective as a protective coating. It protects against minor scratches from branches, sand, and chemical stains, as well as bird droppings. Vinyl shows good frost resistance—down to -30 degrees—and heat resistance—up to +70 degrees. A Lixiang L9 wrapped in vinyl will maintain its design advantages for 2-5 years—the lifespan of vinyl films. After this period, the coatings need to be replaced. In terms of styling, this allows for more frequent design experimentation, but for long-lasting protection, this duration is insufficient.

Vinyl film

Polyurethane film This can feature original design solutions—either glossy or matte for Lixiang. The density and strength of this material are aimed at achieving practical goals. A Lixiang L9 wrapped in polyurethane film has enhanced resistance to mechanical damage.

Advantages of such a coating include:

Temperature resistance ranging from -70 to +100 degrees
Comprehensive protection against various types of mechanical damage: scratches, corrosion, chips in the original paint
Reliable protection of the paint layer from minor impacts during fender benders, parking, and off-road driving
Resistance to chemical agents
Self-healing properties—scratches on the film quickly smooth out under heat, for example, under sunlight.

An owner who decides to wrap their Li L9 in polyurethane film will ensure reliable protection for 5 to 10 years, depending on the manufacturer’s recommendations. Different brands of the material may have thicknesses ranging from 150 to 210 micrometers. The thicker the material, the more reliable the protection of the body parts, and the longer this protection will last.

Wrapping services for the Lixiang L9 at CarEngineering studio The car body is always exposed to external factors during operation. To protect it, we offer two wrapping options:

Partial wrapping. In this case, only the most vulnerable body parts of the Lixiang L9 are wrapped, namely:

Windshield pillars
Mirror covers
Door handle cups
Headlights
Bumper
Hood
Roof strips.

If you choose this method of wrapping for the Lixiang, all the listed areas will be reliably protected, but the remaining body elements will not be covered. To minimize the likelihood of damage, we recommend ordering ceramic coating. This composition will not provide 100% protection but can safeguard the paint layer from bird droppings and chemical components and provide water-repellent properties.

Full wrapping. The entire surface of the Li L9’s body is wrapped in film, except for the rear lights and interior parts. These elements can be additionally covered as part of a separate service. With complete wrapping, the car becomes nearly impervious to impacts from branches and flying stones. The likelihood of chips, scratches, and other defects in the body coating is eliminated. At the same time, the vehicle acquires an ideal appearance.

To avoid unwanted consequences and costs related to repainting and restoring the body coating, we recommend wrapping the Lixiang L9 with protective film. For this purpose, we offer two wrapping packages.

The choice of wrapping package should consider the frequency of use. If the car is used infrequently, a partial wrapping package will suffice. But when the car is in regular use, it’s better to order a full wrap for the Lixiang L9.

To enhance the effect of both partial and full wrapping, we additionally offer the Anti-Chrome service. This involves applying a protective coating of black vinyl. This wrapping is done on the grille, window frames, and logos. Using Anti-Chrome helps provide even better protection for the chrome elements from scratches.

Features of wrapping the Lixiang L9 in our studio The quality detailing performed by CarEngineering experts is done in absolute cleanliness. Before each new wrapping process, we conduct a wet cleaning. This is necessary to ensure that there is no dust or debris in the room. Even a small grain of sand under the film can cause defects in the form of irregularities.

In the working area, we maintain stable temperature and humidity. This greatly improves the quality of the result, and the film adheres securely to the Lixiang L9’s body. We also pay attention to preparing the car itself. For this, we check for chips, corrosion, and scratches. If such defects are found, we polish the damaged areas. If the car’s paint condition is perfect, we immediately proceed to the next stages. First, we will need to remove some body parts: the bumper, mirrors, moldings, and door handles. This allows free access to hidden areas of the body. It’s important to note that such disassembly enables better cleaning of the body during the preparation stage and subsequently allows for better wrapping in hard-to-reach areas.

Next, the process of wrapping the protective film on the Li Auto L9 involves preparing the entire surface of the body. Preparing the car for wrapping consists of the following stages:

Washing with special detergents. These help remove traces of bitumen, dirt, wax, and oil from the paint.
Degreasing, which ensures reliable adhesion of the film to the surface of the paint layer.

High-quality washing guarantees the best wrapping results. Next, we proceed to the practical part of the wrapping—applying the film evenly and carefully to all areas and parts of the body.

For this, our craftsmen cut the material to size with a slight allowance for the edges. To avoid the risk of bubbles, protrusions, irregularities, and folds, the material is carefully smoothed out with rubber squeegees.

The Lixiang L9 process of wrapping in film

To ensure the film adheres securely and for a long time, we always create edges. This is done after the final cutting. A wrapped Lixiang with edges is more durable and can withstand impacts from stones and high-pressure water streams during washing.

Once the final work is completed, the car remains in the studio at a stable temperature until completely dry. This process usually takes up to 24 hours. The next day, the car owner can pick up their wrapped Li L9 from our studio.