Agreed for me as well. However, I can see how the "matte" option, if ever made available for the Ranger, could help those complaining of screen glare.
Make a nice damper gift box!
IDK I don't get the screen glare either. We have over 300 days of sun here and I've never had an instance where it was so bad I needed one.
I drop my phone occasionally and maybe I've just been lucky but it's never cracked. I just dropped it last week while I was trying to carry to much out from the job to my truck. It landed right on the edge on the garage floor and I was certain it would've cracked but it didn't. I think these newer phone screens are a little more durable than past ones too.
Great job on your report! I am interested to see pics of the dash upgrade and definitely interested in pics and write up on your overhead console.Disclaimer:
I am not a professional reviewer, but I know enough to disclose that I received an unsolicited message from a forum sponsor, Screen Protech, to which it was inquired if I would like to try their product. In exchange I would write a review about said product. I warned them that I had no problem with that as long as they understand it is always possible it would not be a favorable one. To their credit they did not hesitate to affirm that honesty is the only outcome they were interested in. So that attitude alone scored them some brownie points.
The Review:
Let me start off by saying it is a very simple and very straight forward product so this review is not going to be anything mind blowing. If you are the kind of consumer that likes to watch some social influencer on YouTube talk 20 minutes about something as simple as say, an aluminum oil dip stick, then click the back button. I will give Screen Protech the courtesy of something a bit better than "ugh ugh spray, stick, squeegee, done!" I will try and keep it as short as I can.
It is a film that protects your center console screen and your gauge cluster. Ok if you want to imagine it I am standing in front of a white board with a bunch of engineering diagrams and math equations breaking down the mil thickness and price per square centimeter you can. It is no different a concept than what millions of consumers buy for their smartphones. If you have ever worked with vinyl wrap, model airplane decals, or other phone protectors good news; same concept.
What you get:
- Set of film protection pre-cut to your vehicle model.
- Spray bottle with their in-house solution already in it (add water). You use this to clean the area first, then as a lubricant for installing the films.
- Cleaning cloth (pretty nice one too)
- Typical yellow squeegee identical to the kind most vinyl companies send with their products
Now I will say, and this will be the most geeky part of the review, that the package they send all this in clearly shows they have pride in their product. It is a thick shipping tube with a black design with their various information and logo on it. They did not even skimp on putting the usual cheap white caps that usually come stapled on the ends of shipping tubes like this, instead opting for one sealed side and a slide on cap on the other. In my opinion this is a subtle way of showing they are proud of their product because of the investment in something so mundane as the shipping container. This sounds stupid, but I am actually going to save this container for storage of something in the cabin area of my truck.
I am not going to show photos from installing it, they have video instructions directly on their website, and honestly it so so easy a small child could do it if you bribe them with some oreos and milk for their hard work.
You spray the wizard sauce from the bottle onto the screen, wipe it clean with your wizard cloth, spray some more, then take the backing off the film and install it. Once you manipulate it into position you get your little 5 cent yellow squeegee and working from the middle out in all directions press the film in place while also dissipating the solution out. That is it, done.
They sent me an extra set of film in-case I was a screw up I guess. I actually ended up cutting the extra film and using it on the 7" tablet on my custom ceiling console. So that was a nice turn of events.
Price:
People here that are familiar with me know this is the category where I can really levy some heavy and often rather blunt opinion on the matter, for right or for wrong. If I know a far cheaper alternative is out there that works the same or close to it I will say so. If I think a company is exploiting the price tag because of lack of competition or because they know instagram queens will shill their stuff, I will say so.
With that said, the product is $55.00 dollars. For another $15.00 dollars you get a second set of film in case of a mishap. This is for either the 4" center console screen or the 8" version along with gauge cluster. To put things in perspective, using the iPhone as an example, the average price for an established brand screen protector is in the range of $20.00 - $30.00 dollars. So dollar for dollar Screen Protech's price is actually better than similar industry standard pricing by cost per size.
Final Thoughts:
- I don't have photos to share at the moment, my interior trim is disassembled as I am about to put a fresh vinyl wrap on it. I don't believe it would do Screen Protech justice to showcase their product on a stripped down interior. I will upload some photos to this review once that is finished.
- I can't comment on longevity for obvious reasons. I am not going to start throwing objects at my center console screen to test a product that is worth far less than me having to pay for a damaged screen. However, if it works anywhere remotely the same as some of the protectors I have put on my phones over the years, it is a cheap piece of insurance that may save your bacon one day in some bizarre situation where your screen could be damaged, like a small child throwing a GI Joe (do they even make those anymore?) and hitting it. I dunno how much impact it will take.
- I like the clear film they sent just fine. There is no additional glare or anything with the regular clear film. On another one of the videos on the website a matte film is also shown. I don't see that as a choice option when I go to the Ford Ranger product page on their website. If it exists, as a personal choice, I would probably opt for that.
- I don't feel one way or the other about this product... yet. Some reviewers are cringe worthy; you know, the guys who are showing the enthusiasm of someone getting an IV line of red bull directly pumped in them and smiling corner to corner over a review of say, a cup holder or cheese grater. I get it, it is showmanship. Well, that is not me obviously. I can only offer my opinion on ease of install, product quality, and/or price. I cannot possibly comment on how effective it is as I am not a YT star who has a spare head unit and gauge cluster screen lying around to attempt to destroy the ones current installed. I will come back in 6 months and again in 12 months to report how things are holding up.
Keep in mind for $55 you do get protectors for both cluster And Nav screen so that's not too bad. I Love screen protectors on phones not gonna lie. Something like this would be good for long term protection as every 10-15+ yr old vic I've ever owned had slightly scratched up cluster plastic from folks not cleaning them correctly.
Yep, I use just a silicone case and drop my phone often enough. Never had an issue.IDK I don't get the screen glare either. We have over 300 days of sun here and I've never had an instance where it was so bad I needed one.
Annie has one on her phone but she drops it ALL the time! ?
While I don't judge anyone because stuff happens I don't see how some can shatter theirs? I've seen some that looked like a bullet hit them.
The bolded part is true and why I don't see the need for one. You've seen enough pictures of my Ranger to know I can clean mine the proper way. I have a mini California Duster I use on the inside followed by a really soft microfiber cloth. Not sure why others think taking some Windex and paper towels is the proper way to clean them. Especially with all the Youtube videos available now.
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While I don't judge anyone because stuff happens I don't see how some can shatter theirs? I've seen some that looked like a bullet hit them.
We have immense pride in our product so thank you for noticing! A lot went into creating this product and we are confident that anyone could do a side by side comparison with any competing products out there and we will always come out on top.
Maybe it's time to raise the prices ? Just messing! We keep our pricing competitive but also a little on the higher side in the industry because we are certain it provides more bang for the buck!
Hahaha maybe it's time we add a few new buzz words to our site! But in all seriousness, we prefer to be a no BS type of company. We will shoot straight and get right to the point. We know that once people try our product for themselves, they will be the ones to help spread the word about how incredible the product really is.
Our site is currently undergoing a major upgrade so we have uniformity with all of our products and offer the matte/anti-glare for everything. For now, unfortunately, it is not listed as an option on the Ranger (but at some point during this year it will be).
Be sure to follow the install instructions and I am sure it will turn out great! We would love to see some Before/After pics or hear your thoughts about our product once you have it installed! It is similar to tint (there will be micro bubbles and haziness for a couple of days, but that will all eventually clear up and your gauge and nav will look and feel amazing!)
It depends on how you look at it. I am sure the $19 product didn't come with a gauge cluster protector... so including that, $55 is right on par.
It is definitely a mind set kind of thing and we are extremely OCD and our product was designed for like minded people. It isn't for everyone but it does provide piece of mind to those who want it!
Once again, I am sure this didn't include the gauge cluster protection so seems like the price is still right on par.
We do have matte/anti-glare film HOWEVER, we do not usually offer it for the gauge cluster due to liability issues. IF you have a digital display we will send a cluster in our matte film but if you have an analog display, we do not want to assume that risk.
The matte option will soon be available for ALL of the products on our website. For the time being, if you would like to order a kit for your Ranger in our matte film, you can message me directly and I can create a custom order for you!
Did not know about this option at the time of purchase, but not sure my gauge cluster is going to be treated like a touch screen.
I think the idea of the film is it also prevents scratching while being cleaned.Did not know about this option at the time of purchase, but not sure my gauge cluster is going to be treated like a touch screen.
