This last weekend I visited a boutique body/detail shop and inquired about the 2 popular versions of the clear bra. The gent made a good point: for the $700 (give or take) that it would cost me to have the front of my car protected, I could pay for a touch-up or re-paint job. I had the front bumper of our silver BMW repainted before we sold it & it cost me $300! It looked perfect & beautiful!

He also mentioned that over time, you can really see the film (foggy or yellowed); especially at the edges.

I was intent on having it put on but now I'm having reservations. I know some of you swear by it but I think it's a personal preference. Please don't blast me.

My $0.02

 

i highly recommend it...it is worth it in the long run. a re-paint is never the same. i will never own a car without it. does it yellow? only on a white car after time.

 

It yellowed on my Sapphire silver blue in 5 months. High UV light at this altitude I think. I took it off. I would suggest that you cover the headlights with the clear material though. It will protect them from the sand and gravel on the road, keeping them nice and clear looking.

 

What about the black bra? I saw one on a white Xfire and it looked OK! I am seriously thinking about one for the summer. ROAD TRIP, bra on, CITY, bra off! Your thoughts?

 

I had one of those black fabric/vinyl bras on a white 5. Ltr mustang I had in the early 90's. It looked great but I had problems with long term wear. If there was any flapping of the fabric from the wind... it would wear the paint. I diligently put coats of wax and tightened the slack to help the situation, but resolved to only have it on when driving through the desert. I guess the wear marks wouldn't be as noticeable on a black car. I think I'm over the 'fabric bra look'. Goin' bare these days.

 

I went the touch-up route. Sand is not an issue for us here, just rocks. Not a big fan of bras on anything for any reason. I had a paint chip on the roof from the interstate. Bra wouldn't have helped me there anyway.

 

Good enough. take andrew's comment from his perspective. He installs them and makes a lot of money doing it. I never liked the line on the car and fading and yellowing myself. Kinda looks like a great looking girl on the beach in a clear plastic raincoat(lol). If you do get chips I reccomend langka to fix up the chips for 40 bucks(kit and touch up paint) you can hide the chips pretty well.JUST REMEMBER if you use it don't let the paint completely harden before you try to level it.
www.langka.com they even show you how to do it on their web site. Anyone can do it.
Another tip. guys take your time and don't tailgate. Really cuts back on the chips. My go to work car is loaded with chips because I am really in a hurry, but my fun car I just cruise and stay back. Keeps the blood pressure down as well!
I have a black fabric bra(DC made) that I might use on a long trip, but if you read the directions you should never leave them on wet or overnight or they will scratch the finish.

Hey Uncle al, I agree with You on this but not On the Sept 24th OSU game we both had great recruiting classes but ours was quality over quantity and still better than yours.
http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=145&p=9&c=14

GO BUCKS

 

mr. buckeyedad....it has nothing to do with the money. my profession is real estate not clear bra installation. i was in the automotive detailing business for over 10 years and can appreciate one who likes to take care of their automobile. prior...i had paid others to install the 3m film on my cars. no regrets here...just a chip free car that is much easier to sell to an enthusiast.


400 bucks for langka! wow...i paid about $30. (works ok on a flat surface)

 

I've got to agree with Good Enough on this one. When I picked up my Crossfire it had a few paint blemishes, primarily chips on the hood and one nice door ding down to the metal on the left rear quarter panel right above the tire. Fortunately the panel wasn't dented so I did my research and found a detail shop. The website was extremely detailed and desribed every procedure offered and the benefits to expect. I also knew that the shop was in an area that would service primarily high-end vehicles. I sent an email and was contacted by the owner's son next day. We made arrangements for him to pick up the car at work (DCX headquarters) next day.

He called from the shop to tell me that he would have to repaint the entire rear quarter panel. The thought of a mismatched panel on an SSB car scared the heck out of me but he assured me he could get a perfect color match...so I took a chance.

When he came to drop the car off I couldn't believe the quarter panel was repainted...it was perfect even in dusk sunlight (which can really bring out any flaws in the finish). The rock chips on the hood were noticeable, but thats going to happen whenever you touch up a clearcoat metallic finish. He also added an additonal clearcoat to the entire car and waxed the heck out of it. It still shines up beatufully after a carwash.

All for $300...I was floored! I will have them pick up my Xfire once a year and add the clearcoat & touch up any blemishes for that price.

If anyone in SE Mich wants the name and contact at the detail shop...let me know an I'll post it or PM it to you.

 

Depends which rating service you look at although I have to say the Buckeyes did close well. Hope you guys got some offence. Wish we had got a runner. As you point out, should be interesting in the fall for some time to come. HAWKS ROCK.

 

if one truly added clearcoat to the cars factory finish...this would require the same preparation used to repaint an entire car. (sanding the surface...masking the car off...etc)

i highly doubt clearcoat was added to your car...maybe a teflon/clearcoat paint protection chemical such as a wax or polish concoction...or the equivalent of an expensive wax job.

but you are satisfied and that's all that matters.

 

You're right Andrew, I should have been specific that it's a clearcoat compound and not a hard acrylic or enamel clearcoat that was applied. Usually has a two year guarantee against chipping but due to our wonderful Michigan climate the detailer only guarantees one. I still think it's worth it though.

 

I have a Graphite XF with a 3M clear bra on the door mirrors, whole front bumper, headlights, fog lights, hood, and front fenders. A local tint shop ordered a pre-cut version made specifically for the XF (hood streaks) and the whole job, parts and labor, cost me $450. Well worth it. Repainting a car later will never look the same as the factory paint. The clear bra has already paid for it self. My car is leased and at the end of the lease, the installer will remove the bra revealing showroom-quality front end. The 3M product is warranted against peeling and yellowing for 10 years. The only color it could yellow on sooner is white cars. Hope this helps.

 

lets see some pics

 

Depends on the quality of your detail shop's color matching process. Once I get my digital camera replaced (so I can post something better than the crummy VGA pics my phone takes) I'll post pics of the repainted area and you can judge for yourself what is factory paint and what is not.

I would find it unlikely that an adhesive protectant would look the same as the factory finish...especially under direct light. Does it shine the same when you wax it? Are the surface abraisions in the clear bra more apparent?

I would also like the hear the experience of someone that has had the product removed to know that it truly will not affect the factory finish. Please post any if you can when you eventually turn in your lease.

 

The scuff marks on the clear bra are visible, but i'd rather have that than a scuffed up paint job. I have talked to a few people who have had there clear bras taken off without incidence. A really good paint job that matches the factory color is going to run you a few bucks.

 

As I have mentioned previously, I took the clear bra off the Crossfire after approx. 5 months. I peeled it by hand, very slowly. It did not mar the paint surface. The bra had yellowed, which I noticed when I took it off, not while it was on the car. A good touch up paint job can be done by a good competent paint shop and bazyar, if you need a good shop in Denver, I know of an excellent one that even managed to match and blend VW silver on a repair that I had done on a new Beetle.

 

I have black Vinyl Bra. They are about 200 dollars from chrysler. It fits tight, I read that you need to take off during rain. or while washing car. the dirt can be traped under any Bra and wear on paint. It looks good with the saphire color.