to clear bra or not to clear bra

I

imported_tuffluck

New member
i'm considering this on the front bumper only in order to prevent rock chips, etc. on a dark colored car i feel this is almost a must, or just expect to get a repaint every other year on the bumper.



what's the process of putting one on, and how many of you guys recommend it? do you polish the bumper yourself and then take it in to a shop, or do they do it for you? i just have this fear that i would take it to them, they would wash it and then swirl the hell out of it, and then put the bra on and you would see insane swirls underneath the bra and could not do anything about them.



thanks for the help...if you have any suggestions for places to go in dallas, that would be awesome.
 
tuffluck said:
i'm considering this on the front bumper only in order to prevent rock chips, etc. on a dark colored car i feel this is almost a must, or just expect to get a repaint every other year on the bumper.



what's the process of putting one on, and how many of you guys recommend it? do you polish the bumper yourself and then take it in to a shop, or do they do it for you? i just have this fear that i would take it to them, they would wash it and then swirl the hell out of it, and then put the bra on and you would see insane swirls underneath the bra and could not do anything about them.



thanks for the help...if you have any suggestions for places to go in dallas, that would be awesome.
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Not sure what the grill you linked has to do with a clear bra, but I personally hate PPF (clear bra) and will never apply it to one of my cars again.



When clear film is install correctly (full panel wrap), it's not so bad, but I still don't care for them, and they can make my job a LOT more work, especially when they are done using pre-cut films.



Why I think they are a waste:



-The film may not chip, but it still pits just like the paint, and looks terrible over time.

-Plastic bumper covers rarely chip, and for the cost of a good clear film install on them you could have the entire bumper repainted later.

-I put 18" film on my hood and fenders....now I have tons of chips beyond the film and it looks stupid, at least without the film it would be uniform looking.

-Stretch marks! Nothing worse than seeing a film on your car that look like it just went through 9 months of pregnancy!

-Edges, edges, and more edges! I hate them!

-Defect removal is more difficult and can be much more limited.

-Texture/appearance difference (not so bad on some newer films)



If you choose to get it done I suggest wrapping the whole panel and having all edges wrapped leaving little or no seams. I utterly despise pre-cut film! Many shops (at least in my area) are becoming lazy (or simply lack skill) and they cut corners with their installs...there is no reason I should be seeing tiny triangle relief cuts on the front edge of hoods! Once you try to polish a trashed black vehicle that has pre-cut film all over it, leaving .05-.13 inch gaps between the film and the panel edges, rather than wrapping over them, you will know why I hate them. Basically it means there will be film edges between the bumper cover and the fenders, around the head lights, grill, and fog lights, side mirrors, ect...





Just my $.02

Rasky
 
when i typed "front bumper" it automatically pasted it as a link. i did not link to that at all...i have no idea what the link even is. it probably linked again in this post.



thanks for the useful post. i know some people don't mind them, and i'd be curious to hear from them also.
 
The clear bra I had on my old Honda from the dealership worked amazingly well. Made numerous long highway trips with it and never received a single rock chip. Maybe there are inferior thinner films out there that pit, but mine looked good as new when I sold that car. My Acura now has literally dozens of rock chips in the bumper cover and front of the hood. It really could use a respray, but I'm trying my hand at touch up paint detailing with it first. If I cared enough, I'd get that bumper, hood, and fenders resprayed and get a good 3M clear bra on it for sure. Just be sure to tape up the trim of the bra when polishing/LSP application :)
 
RaskyR1 said:
Not sure what the grill you linked has to do with a clear bra, but I personally hate PPF (clear bra) and will never apply it to one of my cars again.



When clear film is install correctly (full panel wrap), it's not so bad, but I still don't care for them, and they can make my job a LOT more work, especially when they are done using pre-cut films.



Why I think they are a waste:



-The film may not chip, but it still pits just like the paint, and looks terrible over time.

-Plastic bumper covers rarely chip, and for the cost of a good clear film install on them you could have the entire bumper repainted later.

-I put 18" film on my hood and fenders....now I have tons of chips beyond the film and it looks stupid, at least without the film it would be uniform looking.

-Stretch marks! Nothing worse than seeing a film on your car that look like it just went through 9 months of pregnancy!

-Edges, edges, and more edges! I hate them!

-Defect removal is more difficult and can be much more limited.

-Texture/appearance difference (not so bad on some newer films)



If you choose to get it done I suggest wrapping the whole panel and having all edges wrapped leaving little or no seams. I utterly despise pre-cut film! Many shops (at least in my area) are becoming lazy (or simply lack skill) and they cut corners with their installs...there is no reason I should be seeing tiny triangle relief cuts on the front edge of hoods! Once you try to polish a trashed black vehicle that has pre-cut film all over it, leaving .05-.13 inch gaps between the film and the panel edges, rather than wrapping over them, you will know why I hate them. Basically it means there will be film edges between the bumper cover and the fenders, around the head lights, grill, and fog lights, side mirrors, ect...





Just my $.02

Rasky
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Spot on. Your opinion is worth much more than $.02. Clear Bra prices have gotten out of control. Unless you're protection some pretty valueable paint that is a bi*ch to color tint, I would go riding bare back.
 
I have a good ol' fashioned vinyl bra for one of my vehicles back when it traveled often on the Jersey Turnpike. I just put it on before I knew I was making the trip and removed it later or before I washed it. I always put a strip of blue painters tape on the paint of the hood underneath where the bra positioned to avoid marring. Worked okay. The majority of my local driving wasn't rock trip prone so I didn't have to use the bra then. Either way, clear or vinyl, there is always some kind of PITA associated with using them but I'd rather put with them then fill in chips.
 
I love clear bra!

C63-3.jpg




Good times!

20110319-_MG_4415.jpg




Clear film on door edges....my favorite!

20110305-_MG_4321.jpg




C63-4.jpg




My car as I removed the PPF crap from it....notice the pitting in the sun? My bumper cover was never wrapped, but is still virtually free of chips, though pitted like the film is...Howvery, the metal hood beyond the film is peppered with large chips.

IMG_0961.jpg








Did I mention that I hate PPF? :D
 
thanks. it looks like a lot of nays, not so many yays. anyone else? my bmw looks like crap on the front bumper. even if the 3m clear bra didn't look amazing, i still think it would look better than what it looks like now.
 
Despite the bad press about clear bras, I do find the material useful and a can't live without accessory on certain parts of the car, namely the door handle cups,



I immediately put on 3M Venture Shield guards when I got my Accord. It's really one of few clear bra accessories a complete novice can install without problems. Did my best with this crappy software to scribble in red where the cup shield is. I'm very satisfied.



DSC02264.jpg




I also have a custom cut trunk deck strip that didn't come out as nicely and I have Xpel strips on the interior door sills. They come on a roll. They came out okay.
 
I'll cast my single vote in favor of the 3M clear bra. I've got it on the front of my black car (bumper area,side view mirrors), nothing on the hood. I maintain it with my normal final sealant and some AW in between (of course, I keep the sealant away from edges). For micro marring, 3M recommends dumping IPA over the area and lightly spreading it, and the marring will disappear as the alcohol evaporates. I like the 3M bra.
 
bill57 said:
I'll cast my single vote in favor of the 3M clear bra. I've got it on the front of my black car (bumper area,side view mirrors), nothing on the hood. I maintain it with my normal final sealant and some AW in between (of course, I keep the sealant away from edges). For micro marring, 3M recommends dumping IPA over the area and lightly spreading it, and the marring will disappear as the alcohol evaporates. I like the 3M bra.
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so did you polish the paint underneath it first, and then beg the detail shop that installed the 3m bra not to touch the paint underneath? just worried, especially with dark colors, they are going to wash it and do a poor job or use a terry cloth and scratch it to hell, put the clear bra on, and then you're going to be left with visibly marred paint under the thing.
 
The installer told me to "clean" the surface, and that he would prep it with IPA, so I did not apply wax or sealant just prior to the clear bra application. I did "touch up" some small nicks a few days before (the car was not brand new). I was satisfied with the final product, as installed.
 
Clear bra is a must have, especially on dark colored paints. I have had way too many customers regretting not putting it on and now it's too late. As far as prep work goes we polish the areas prior to installing, but the adhesive will still cover all swirls when film is on, just make sure to find a competent installer in your area.
 
I drive 24-30k mikes a year. I can handle the small annoyances that come from taking care of a wrapped front end more than chips in my paint. Definitely a trade off....



My 2011 Volvo has venture shield on it and I love it.
 
Rather than a clear bra, when I had the front fascia on my 2002 Lighting repainted, I had my body guy shoot it with this stuff:



prodpicb316.jpg




So far, it's been wonderful! Can't be told from clear coat and not a mark on it yet.



newmods3.jpg




Jim
 
Deep Gloss Auto Salon said:
I drive 24-30k mikes a year. I can handle the small annoyances that come from taking care of a wrapped front end more than chips in my paint. Definitely a trade off....



My 2011 Volvo has venture shield on it and I love it.
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Yeah, I guess I had no issues maintaining my own car...it was the clients that came in with trashed black cars that annoyed me. In most cases you simply have to polish over the edges and deal with cleaning it out as taping off leaves a very noticeably line.
 
Clear bra can be something excellent that you love, or an eyesore that you can't stand, depending on the type of film you use, the skill of the installer, and getting the coverage that works for you.



Orange peel texture is not something you should have to deal with. There are quite a few companies that offer very optically clear films these days. Unfortunately, there are some that use old technology that still have a lot of texture.



Stretch lines and adhesive disturbances (fingerprints and smudges) are avoidable. It's all about taking your car to an installer that knows what he or she is doing and using a film that doesn't have an overly aggressive adhesive.



Care and maintenance. Urethane films will require some special care, as they have an adverse reaction to many of the petroleum distillates found in today's waxes, quick detailers, and bug & tar removers. Kerosene, Naptha, Toluene, and Zylene essentially dry out the urethane, open up the pores and turn your clear bra into a giant dirt magnet. If you have ever seen a hazy or discolored clear bra, this is likely the culprit. Instead, try using natural waxes and sealants, as they will help keep your film looking great for years to come. Many manufacturers even offer a product specific solution for clear bra care and maintenance.



Coverage options are almost limitless. With today's technology, installers that use the more advanced precut pattern programs can wrap any edge, just like a bulk installer can. Knowledge is definitely power when it comes to purchasing clear bras, as there are a wide range of products and installer skill levels. Call the film manufacturers and they should be able to explaint the benefits of their film to see if it is a good fit for your needs, as well as point you in the direction of the best installer in your area.
 
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