To save our interior and help our AC work better in the hot California sun, we used STEK NEXseries window tint on all of our glass. NEX tint is a premium nano-ceramic window film that will not fade while delivering superior clarity and heat-rejecting performance. STEK NEXseries tint is manufactured with nano particles of graphene, which provides maximum heat rejection, blocking up to 94.59% of infrared light and 99% of UV rays. Graphene is a material composed of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, making it the world’s first two-dimensional material.
Graphene is a highly thermally conductive material, which makes it well-suited for this application. Graphene is also transparent, and STEK uses it in NEXseries tint to protect you and your vehicle’s interior from heat and UV radiation. NEXseries window tint has a limited lifetime warranty against fading, delamination, bubbling, and cracking.
We used 70 percent light transmission NEXseries film on our windshield to protect our skin and dash from UV Light and to reduce thermal loading to the interior. We used 45 percent tint our our side window and 35% in our rear. Just from driving around a bit so far we can tell that our car is cooler and we don’t have to turn up our AC so high to keep the car cool while driving.
Finally, AeroWerkz applied a layer of STEK Final Coat ceramic coating to our DYNOshield-protected car. STEK’s Final Coat is a premium ceramic coating specifically designed to be compatible with STEK’s paint protection films. Final Coat underwent years of development to be able to bond at a molecular level with STEK’s already hydrophobic topcoat found on DYNOshield and other DYNOseries of PPFs. Final Coat improves the slickness, depth, and warranty of STEK paint protection film installation. Final Coat is also compatible and safe for painted surfaces, wheels, and trim.
Final Coat ceramic coating is extremely hydrophobic, allowing water to bead up on the surface of the film or paint, and remove a lot of the dirt, dust, and other environmental contaminants, keeping your vehicle cleaner between washes. The hydrophobic nature also makes it easier and quicker to wash the vehicle. Final Coat effectively acts as an additional, extra hard layer of clear coat, providing more scratch resistance and richness, enhancing the surface underneath. It can also be applied to both gloss and matte surfaces. On gloss, the surface will pop even more, whereas on matte, it will bring out a slightly more satin sheen, making it a good choice even if you have matte paint or DYNOmatte paint protection film. Final Coat is a perfect match to DYNOseries PPFs, getting Final Coat applied over your STEK Paint Protection Film installation will increase the warranty of the film from 10 to 12 years.
Now that our car is thoroughly protected against anything the road or track can throw against it, we will next start considering how to mod our car without messing up it’s streetabilty!
Souces
STEK USA
AeroWerkz
15 comments
I wondered who would want a GR Corolla with an Auto but when you really dissect what the car is, it leans more to a fun road car than a track beast. I like the idea of a build showcasing creature comforts and occasional track day fun as opposed to an all-out transformative build on what is a brand-new platform, just to get YT views. Did Toyota add a OEM arm rest for the auto atleast?
I kinda disagree with the logic… I think a manual is more import to a fun street car than a fun track car. unless we’re talking a slow 4 spd slushbox that never does what you want it to, a 2 pedal track car can still be tons of fun… but going 2 pedals over 3 on a street car, you gotta make up A LOT to get near the same fun factor. then again a crappy shifter and super long ratios can ruin a 3 pedal car too. (talking cars in general, not GR Corolla specific)
ever drive a manual in our traffic? gets old quick.
sure, but I said fun street driving, not traffic street driving. if I had to drive in heavy traffic regularly I’d rather have 2 cars that add up to 40k than one 40k car. one for traffic and one for fun. but hey, if the GR Corolla is the traffic car… thats not bad…
I agree. Done my fair share of excruciating manual driving in CA Bay Area and LA traffic, but I feel the benefits of enjoyments out on an open or twisting mountain road more than make up for it.
The auto is what comes on the TRC race cars and turns faster lap times than the manual. That seals the deal.
It is a motorsports derived transmission and it is used in the TRC cars. It does faster lap times than the manual. good enough for her
I applaud the courage to get the auto. Having driven the manual GR Yaris in everyday traffic, it does get old quick.
But on twisty backroads, I wouldn´t want anything else.
The GR Yaris has the same kind of forged carbon roof, but is covered by a carbon-look vinyl from the factory, so the Corolla roof even without the PPF looks better.
The auto is faster on the track and in fast driving. After that, I don’t care.. With the PDK in my Porsche and GT-R, I am not going back.
In my locale, a FULL STEK PPF wrap “Starts at,” $10k. Just the front end alone is “Starts at,” $4k. Insane. I can leave the city and save maybe 10%. But still, that’s a lot.
I have a friend who drove a BMW 3-series for years that was manual in LA traffic. So, you know, about 25-30 miles, an hour and a half each way. She eventually had to give up driving stick because of knee pain. Lots of Porsche PDK owners for this reason.
I get it, little car, lots of power, decent handling out of the box, and a stick. “hot hatch,” they call it.
At the same time, given the pedigree and experience of the owner, it’s not out of bounds to say, I have a track car, now I want a quiet easy car with all the creature comforts.
I share the same I5 as you guys, we have a 405 that is equally as awful. I at times wish to have an auto as my daily. Funny thing, my project car is an auto! I enjoy driving my wife’s car, also an auto. I have dreams of converting my project car to a T56 or TR6060; but as an auto in traffic it’s rather nice.
I have heard of windshield protection films before, but have never heard of their short warranty or propensity towards scratching or hazing or whatever. Kinda bums me out, unless it’s a super inexpensive and easily replaceable type of product.
I think this is such a cool hatch! Hoping you and Krista like it and give us more follow up on driving impressions, real world results, etc. Thanks!
Wow I’m amazed how long the PPF last, that’s definitely a worth doing on your nice car.