Clear Bra Maintenance/ Zaino or other products

[MultiMut]

Hi,

I just had a clear bra installed on the front bumpers, hood, fenders, and mirrors of my wife's new car (Infiniti G35 Sedan 6mt).

I use Zaino for my car's paint, and 303 Aerospace Protectant for Rubber/Vinyl/Plastic.

[Note a side comment on a question from a prior thread -- no need to Zaino a new car before clear bra. Clear bras won't adhere properly to Zaino, and any professional clear bra installer uses a cleaning solution first that would remove any wax or synthetic; I checked this question with both Sal Zaino and the clear bra installer]

For clear bra maintenance, what is the best product to use?

My plan/thinking was:

(1) 303 Aerospace Protectant is designed specially to protect rubber/plastic/vinyl, While I'm sure Zaino is also good on clear bra, 303 would probably be better suited to protecting the urethane clear bra film, and keep it pliable and colourless over the long-term.

(2) However, in areas where paint and clear bra meet, you want to ensure a uniform look both now and over the long-term (when you might remove the clear bra). Therefore, my thinking was use the same product on both the paint and clear bra where the two meet.

My plan is to use 303 Aerospace on the clear bra film on the front bumper area, and to use Zaino on essentially the rest of the car (all the paint, and over the clear bra on the hood/fenders/mirror).

Does anyone have any suggestions on the best product?
Is something like 303 Aerospace Protectant the best choice in areas where there is no concern about a different look between paint and clear bra)?
Is my plan good?

Thanks!

[fidelfs]

You culd send a PM to Deanski. He has something similar in his Lexus and using Zaino.

to Autopia

[Deanski]

Multimut:

Congrats on getting a clear bra! Best investment made!

Now, as for maintaining, you can use 303 OR Zaino, really does not matter as the film is quite forgiving so long as you do not rub hard or use abrasives.

Where it ends is always difficult to maintain as wax does get trapped. I've used a brush to remove the wax, or use painters tape to cover the end point.

I've used 303, Megs Plastix, Zaino, Souveran Paste wax and other items over it with no ill effects.

It's cleaning it that you run into problems. Bugs, tar etc get stuck, but if it was treated with 303 or Zaino, a good QD will remove it with a MF towel and VERY LIGHT pressure. Let whatever you use to clean it off soak it so you do not rub. Film is easy to scratch with wrong towels or hard rubbing even WITH a MF.

You are correct that during installation, they remove all wax, polish, oils etc normally with 3M Prepsol 70 before they attach the film to ensure a strong bond of the film to the finish.

Good luck with the clear bra.

Regards,
Deanski

[PAW]

I talked to Sal Zaino about this last year. You can use Zaino on the clear bra just avoid the edge. The clear bra is slightly poreous and you want to avoid it absorbing anything.

[MultiMut]

Thank you all for the warm welcome (registered sometime ago, but only posting for first time now), and the advice.

Just put one coat of Zaino on everything.... didn't want to leave the paint unprotected any longer. Glad to have the clear bra on and one coat of Zaino on new paint! Will add more coats before winter.

Overtime, I will try 303 Aerospace too, at least on the 3M clear bra film on the front bumper. Probably will just use Zaino on the film on the rest of the car.

Regards,

James

[T.C.]

You shoudl also try to clean the "Autobahn" or clear guard with a 50/50 mix of alcohol and water when it starts to yellow. I usually just wax right over the material after cleaning but am careful to avoid getting wax buildup on the edge. Hope this helps.

3M recommends nothing but straight wax....Non cleaning...and really nothing more....Make sure whatever you use is non-abrasive, and solvent free...........