3M ClearBra - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

crod · 05-03-2011, 11:58 AM

Hey guys,

I am wondering if anyone around here has this on their car. The reason is I was talking to some people and they were mentioning in their cars the transparent film started to become yellowish. Did anyone experience that?
Also on the price, as my Boxster has the OEM Aerokit I installed the bumper is not the standard one so the ClearBra kit has to be customized what bumps the price up a little. I quoted it today (remember I am in Canada and by default we do get ripped off, just the way it is with this country) and price given was in the $700 range, give it or take it.
So yellowish issues aside, is it worth doing? I can get (as I just did) the bumper painted for $600 here, cheaper than the ClearBra. Yes, the bumper may get stone chips but I can simply repaint it every couple years and have a perfect bumper all the time (what the ClearBra does not give you as it does gets its share of marks, not to mention certain things may stain it as I was said).
So what do you guys think?

CR

Burg Boxster · 05-03-2011, 12:45 PM

what color car?

I had a clear bra on my Boxster (after I had it's nose repainted) and it did a phenomenal job keeping it rock chip free. However, it was Arena Red and I used the InvisibleMask.com brand not 3M. Here are the reasons:

1 - I had the 3M put on my wife's white car and yes, if not properly cared for every 3-4 months, it will start to yellow. Obviously notable on a white pearl metallic car but easily correctable w/ a good cleaning and polish

2 - The 3M product has more 'orange peel' affect in it than other brands and they use a yellowish adhesive. That being said, 3M apparently has reworked both a bit. A buddy just had is new white car done w/ 3M and truth be told, the adhesion agent is not nearly as yellow as it has been in the past. Nor is the orange peel as noticeable...

3 - InvisibleMask at the time had a product that was a little bit thicker than 3Ms offering. Not sure what they are today

So, IMNSHO, it depends a lot on what color car and being able to find a GREAT installer (not just a decent or good one) to make a difference. If you can't find a great installer, then honestly I would just get it resprayed every few years. A sloppy install would make one rather have rock chips...

Good luck

Norminhouston · 05-03-2011, 12:47 PM

I am going on three years with the 3M bra on my '08 Cayman S. So far no yellowing is evident.

crod · 05-03-2011, 12:54 PM

Thanks for the reply so far.

Mine is Slate Grey and yesterday while dropping it off for a full detailing, I saw a Carrera Turbo at the shop with the Clear Bra on it and looked very well installed and with no yellow tint whatsoever. After seeing that one, I started wondering if it was worth doing it or not.
And price-wise, what do you guys see for this kind of job?

Thanks!

CR

DFW02S · 05-03-2011, 12:56 PM

My experience with 3M over the past couple of years is the areas that I waxed are still clear. The areas that I didn't wax as often (wheel arches) have yellowed, not badly but I can see it.

t2-bxtrs · 05-03-2011, 12:56 PM

Fellow Boxstermate, i can understand where you're coming from price wise. On the question of is it worth it? it definetely would be worth it if you were installing them on a brand new vehicle, factory fresh paint job with no swirl marks,scratches or nicks, so it will look almost transparent to the naked eye, the only thing you would notice would be the lines where it would start/end ..
Most of us do want to keep our Box in pristine new car condition, but sometimes we do have to accept that it is a car to be driven and therefore would be subjected to nature's harsh effects.
In my case, to minimize the effect of scratches etc. i always make it a point of giving the car a good polishing and waxing to protect the paint and give it that new look shine..
If you do decide to install the 3M clear bra, you can browse the internet for 3MClear Bra and they are way cheaper if you install them yourself.
good luck,
t2

Johnny Danger · 05-03-2011, 01:44 PM

I had paint protection film installed on both the original bumper, as well as the current aftermarket one. The bottom line is, that it's done a phenomenal job of protecting the paint without any issues involving yellowing . In fact, I have it installed in other critical areas such as the side skirts and sections of wheel wells where it meets the bumpers .

Stroked & Blown · 05-03-2011, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Danger

.....without any issues involving yellowing.

How would you be able to tell?

jaykay · 05-03-2011, 04:40 PM

what product prevents yellowing and how does one care for the 3M film?

Johnny Danger · 05-04-2011, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stroked & Blown

How would you be able to tell?

You're a funny guy there Stroked & Blown ! Which by the way, sounds like the title to movie one might see on the adult channel !

jaykay · 05-05-2011, 05:50 AM

How tricky is it to install the 3M film on headlights yourself? Pelican has a kit.

J Tinsby · 05-04-2011, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crod

Hey guys,

So what do you guys think?

CR

I think the clear bra in general is a great choice, especially on a new car. Get it on there right away and you are good to go. Painting and repainting seems like a not so great idea but it's up to you.

As far as price that will vary from installer to installer and also on what material you choose to use on the car. Lately I have switched from 3M to Venture Shield Ultra film for my cars. The Ultra film has very little if any 'orange peel' unlike the 3M. As far as protection: my wife's SLK bumper managed to find a truck bumper with a trailer hitch on it. Whether she hit him or he rolled back we'll never know. BUT there was no damage to the bumper on the SLK, yes the film took the brunt of the sharp edges on the hitch! All I needed to do was replace the piece on the lower fascia and it's as good as new. The car is black and has had a clear bra on it from new like my 987. I believe in the product and have nothing bad to say about any of them, but I like what I like. Obviously the more popular brands would be more favorable to use imho.

Make sure you get your headlights done too, so miles down the road you won't be asking how to clean up the UV damage and sandblasting effects of driving

One last thing.. don't fall into the trap of trying to do it yourself if you have never worked with this material before, doing a Boxster with all the compound curves on it is NOT the place to learn. It gets expensive really fast if you are teaching yourself using 1 kit that you got from the 'net and you ruin it. Find a shop that does it, ask to see cars they have done and if you can, talk to the owners that had work done there. Find out what warranty they offer on their work and get it in writing! It really is an art to apply the film and have it look good so leave it to an expert.

You might want to check out Sticker City's webpage they sell kits pre-cut for most cars, Boxsters of course. The trouble you will have if you buy the kit, you won't find an installer that will put your kit on your car. They lose money because they can't do the mark up on the film as well as charge you an install fee.

Sorry I can't help you, Canada is a bit far for me to go :/

Regards from your neighbor to the South!

Quickurt · 05-04-2011, 03:55 PM

I had the entire hood done along with the standard set up on my DD - 2010 Honda Fit
My daughter just returned from a ten day trip to Texas to tell me she pulled behind a semi on I-10 just as a tire exploded. Pieces of the tire got the top 1/3 of the hood - dead center -, two spots on the front spoiler and across the passenger side corner of the bumper cover.
The 3M material is toast in all three spots, but I'm sure the paint underneath is fine.
I can find no evidence of it doing more than scuffing the surface of the film. I doubt the film can be rubbed out to remove the rubber impregnated in it, but the $369.00 I spent on the clear bra has just saved several times that amount in repaint expense.