Best place to buy CLEAR 3M BRA?

[yellowboxster01]

Originally Posted by zackwatt

I have never liked the clear bras, I can always see them and I think they look like poo, especially once they age a bit. I would never try to install one on my own. Also, the Stealers charge an arm and a leg to install them. $650.00 from BMW on an M6. THAT IS RIDICULOUS! You could repaint your front at least twice for that. My solution, If the rock chips bother you that much, make a quick visit to the body shop for a respray.

If it's a quality bra, you will not be able to tell except at the edges.

I would have it professionally installed also.

With a respray you're still going to have two different colors of paint. $325 for a respray? Where at Maaco or Scheib? Bumper Plugs charges $275 just to paint the bumperettes.

[OldBlevins]

I've had a Clear Bra on my Honda Accord (which is a light gold color) for three years now, and it's still as clear and difficult to see as when they put it on. I've been very happy with its performance, though if I look closely I can see the seam across the hood.

Now I'm trying to figure out whether to go with the Clear Bra for my Boxster or if the spray-on ArmorCoat is a better bet. The valence on the Boxster is a little more complex than my Accord.

Old Blevins

[porsche986spyder]

Originally Posted by OldBlevins

Now I'm trying to figure out whether to go with the Clear Bra for my Boxster or if the spray-on ArmorCoat is a better bet. The valence on the Boxster is a little more complex than my Accord.

Old Blevins

ArmorCoat spay-on? What is that? Sounds good.

[zackwatt]

I think what comes down to is, I've never seen a real impressive clear bra. the only good one I saw was on a Ford GT, it was really good, but god knows how much the owner paid. I'm always open to new things but, for me the real turn offs for a clear bra are in no particular order are:

High Cost
Difficult to install
Must have no rock chips present before the install or you will get bubbles
What do you do when you wax the rest of your car, how will the area look
Any kind of nicks through the bra itself will look even worse then a chip itself
Freshly painted surface always makes me happy

Please tell me if these are just misconceptions

I might have stretched it about the $325 respray, but I know people who have done it. Got a friend with an M3 and he got his hood resprayed for about $325, and it looks great!

[eVoMotion]

Has anyone found a mfr that makes 55" wide rolls to cover the full width of the front hood? My installer has not seen anything more than 46".

Cheers.

[Chills]

The PO had a clear bra put on my car. I don't know how old it is but it looks great. It's held up great and has deflected numerous rocks and other debris. I will definately get one put on any future Porsche.

In the pic below does the bra look like crap? Can you even see it?

It looks like that in person, too.

[eVoMotion]

PS...we have a clear bra on our Soob and it saves us in the winter for sure...and during the summer time random road cr$p. Definitely putting it on the "new" S, just want to determine if I can get a full sheet on a hood or not. The line on a silver car will not be as noticable as on our black car, but full hood would be nice regardless.

[blinkwatt]

Originally Posted by yellowboxster01

With a respray you're still going to have two different colors of paint. $325 for a respray? Where at Maaco or Scheib? Bumper Plugs charges $275 just to paint the bumperettes.

BumperPlugs is overpriced on almost everything. I got my bumperettes sanded and painted for $150.

[1JB]

I have a clear bra on our MDX that went on the week I bought it and has been on for 5 years. It was professionally installed for $850 in 2002 and looked fine then. After about 3 years it became noticeably worse but it has protected the paint. I did not put one on my new Boxster because it is noticeable even when new. The seams are visible and it is never as smooth as the painted surface. My car is a garage diva however and is not a daily driver so I've resigned myself to just repainting if it ever needs it. It's a tradeoff but I decided that even a small nick here and there would be less visible than the bra after a few years. I am thinking about removing it from the MDX but am a bit concerned about what may happen to the paint if I do.

[choeglund]

Originally Posted by 1JB

I have a clear bra on our MDX ...

Just curious, do you know what brand of material was used on your MDX? Also, how would you describe the deterioration? Yellowing? Cracking?

[Raybox]

Stay far away from STARSHIELD in Irwindale, CA

[zackwatt]

Forget clear bras all together!

[rick3000]

^ Why? Please, elaborate.

[1JB]

Originally Posted by choeglund

Just curious, do you know what brand of material was used on your MDX? Also, how would you describe the deterioration? Yellowing? Cracking?

It was 3M film installed by an authorized installer. It hasn't yellowed or cracked. It has gotten some opaque marks and lines where it seems to have shifted a bit over time. By shifting I mean it there seem to be little seams here and there. I'm guessing it expands and contracts between the cold winter and hot summers. The car has always been kept in a garage. It also has more of an orange peel look and what looks like abrasions. My guess is that since it is a soft material and it sits on front of the car and mirrors going at 70mph it eventually shows the stress of hitting bugs and whatever else, more than paint with an overcoat. I've got cars just as old and the paint looks great.

That being said when I remove it the paint should look good as new. I just hope it doesn't look a lot better than the rest of the paint. I'm going to take if off the mirrors first with a blow dryer to see how easily it comes off.

[yellowboxster01]

I've got a stone guard on my front bumper, can you tell?

[OldBlevins]

Originally Posted by yellowboxster01

I've got a stone guard on my front bumper, can you tell?

I have ArmorCoat and it's just about as visible. I like it better than the Clear Bra I have on my gold Accord.