Best place to buy CLEAR 3M BRA?

[porsche986spyder]

Can anyone recomend a good place to buy the clear 3M bras for our cars. At a reasonable price. My front end is not stock of course, so I was hoping for a place that offers the clear bras for all makes and models of Porsche. My front end is a GT-2, 911.

[yellowboxster01]

http://www.invisiblemask.com/cgi-bin/products/browser.cgi?prevtype=1&prevyear=2003&prevmake=33&prevmodel=581&prevsubmodel=0&prevseries=0&type=1&year=2003&make=33&model=581&submodel=1538

[porsche986spyder]

Originally Posted by yellowboxster01

http://www.invisiblemask.com/cgi-bin/products/browser.cgi?prevtype=1&prevyear=2003&prevmake=33&prevmodel=581&prevsubmodel=0&prevseries=0&type=1&year=2003&make=33&model=581&submodel=1538

Thanks! Now I wonder how hard it is to put on?

[porschedude]

the front hood is very easy to install if you use lots of soapy water but the side mirrors and bumper are really tough cause of the curved surfaces. You must use a hair dryer to heat up the plastic as you pull and stretch. I know a pro who did it 3 times on the bumper and failed. I did not even attempt to put on bumper but i put one on the hood DIY...looks very nice and no more stone chips.

[porsche986spyder]

Originally Posted by porschedude

the front hood is very easy to install if you use lots of soapy water but the side mirrors and bumper are really tough cause of the curved surfaces. You must use a hair dryer to heat up the plastic as you pull and stretch. I know a pro who did it 3 times on the bumper and failed. I did not even attempt to put on bumper but i put one on the hood DIY...looks very nice and no more stone chips.

Does the 3M have a glossy finish to it? Or is it just plain clear and your car's paint finish is what makes it shiney/glossy? Reason I'm asking is because I have a few spots that I fixed using color matching spray paint over some small "dime size" rock chips. After it was fixed I could not get the nice gloss fisnish back so I was hoping that putting this stuff on top will give it the glossy look again.

[porschedude]

Porscche986Spyder....I sent you a PM. Please check your mail box.

[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.

[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.

[Chills]

Mine only goes 1/2 way up the hood. So far that's protected it well enough.

[choeglund]

3M film has clear coat just like your paint; some other brands do not. Other brands stretch easier over curvy surfaces. Pros use rolls and trim to fit, not pre-cut kits. Hood & fender tips are DIY but the bumper cover is NOT a DIY. Even the pro's have problems with orange-peel due to stretching, mostly noticeable on darker colors.

[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