Is a clear bra worth it?

[otahand]

Recently took delivery of a Carbon Black '03 M3. With 12k on the vehicle, there is some minor road rash on hood, bumper and front fenders. So, I have some questions on clear bras: Can they be easily removed? Will they crack or yellow? Will the underlying paint fade/oxidize differently than the rest of the car? Would you recommend a clear bra for this car?

Thanks!!

 

[flashinthepan]

Recently took delivery of a Carbon Black '03 M3. With 12k on the vehicle, there is some minor road rash on hood, bumper and front fenders. So, I have some questions on clear bras: Can they be easily removed? Will they crack or yellow? Will the underlying paint fade/oxidize differently than the rest of the car? Would you recommend a clear bra for this car?

Thanks!!

IMO. I passed after the parts manager at BMW had to have his car buffed after removing the clear film, I favor the occassional use of a bra for highway trips etc... I dont like the look of tape, even if someone else doesnt notice it.

 

[bobowick]

I have it on all three of my cars, and 3M offers a ten year warranty on the product. If you already have road rash, it will need to be touched up, or it will cause bubbles when they lay the film down.

I vote yes.

 

[SloopJohnB]

Well, YUH. DD or better!

 

[Premier Mobile]

*Can they be easily removed? Yes, the clearbra can be removed w/o damaging OEM paint. However, it is recommended to have a trained installer to remove it since 3M's film leaves a lot of adhesive residue.
*Will they crack or yellow? 3M's film has been known to yellow and fade in 2-3 year's time. This is why their warranty is only covered for 5 years.
*Will the underlying paint fade/oxidize differently than the rest of the car? As long as you regularly wash/wax the film and the rest of the car, the paint will remain the same. Some of today's best urethane manufacturer such as Venture is UV stable, which means it allows UV rays to penetrate the film. This will eliminate the two-tone effect that is prone to happen w/ traditional leather bras. Here's a pic of a car w/ Venture's film:

 

[Average Jae]

although i'm not the biggest fan of clear bras, if you do quite a bit of highway traveling, i'd recommend it. i thought about getting a bra to put on and off, but it is such a pita, and i feel i'll eventaually get too lazy, and keep it on there, making my car look rather crummy..

my fronts have small nicks and chips on them.. and i'm almost wishing i would dropped down couplea hundred when i picked up the car to get it done.. then again, i don't like the clear film look either.. so either way you lose a bit, but you just gotta go with what you can live with.

 

[MrElussive]

I think having a car bra (clear or not) on your car all the time is absolutely ridiculous and here's why:
If you use a strong wax on your car it will protect against a good amount of rock chips. If you do a lot of highway driving, then once you get to the point of when it's time to repaint the front end, just do that...costs only around $300 and you get brand new paint and you can specifically ask for stronger paint that PROTECTS against future rock chips!!
Car bras are for people who WANT to make their cars look ugly....I'm sorry, but I just don't agree with that.
The only time I support a car bra is on a long distance trip from point A to point B, but once you get to point B, take that shit off !!

 

[Premier Mobile]

Wax / Sealants are made to protect the paint surface from contaminants and oxidation. It will not protect the front end's red zones from rock chips regardless of how much or which type of wax is applied. It is true that the bumper could be repainted for $300-$400 from a professional body shop, but that is only the cost of repainting the bumper. There is also the headlights, front portion of the hood, and mirrors that are all prone to rock chips since these areas are all facing forward. Painting these areas especially the hood will cost another $300-$400. There is also the cars's downtime at the bodyshop.........between 2-3 days if they're quick at it. There is also the possibility that the paint won't match as well as the stock paint. Once these areas are sprayed new paint, this is actually the most vulnerable time period for paint as it is still soft. It will take 30-60 days before the paint is fully cured, which means chipping is even more likely right after the front end is repainted.

There is quite a lot of negative press on clearbras because of the film fading and yellowing. Most of these came from 3M's old films, which is very visible on the car due to its orange peel effect. Today's film by Venture, Llumar, and Madico are all ultra-clear and does not have any orange peel whatsoever. Even on dark colored vehicles, the clearbras for the above mentioned companies are not visible. Venture's film along w/ the other two are transparent, and does not alter the aesthetics of the vehicle and is virtually invisible. The purpose of urethane manufacturers such as Venture is to provide high-end vehicles with paint protection that is invisible and is easy to maintain - just wash and wax it as if it's not there. Plus, there's a lifetime warranty from bubbling, cracking, yellowing, and fading. Here are some pics to show how clear this film is:

 

[kathyjackie]

Hey PM
I'm researching the clear bra thing, I'm strongly considering an '05 Nissan Z, lots of forum posts on importance of paint protection on this car...I live in Phoenix, AZ, and was wondering if you know who is certified installer of the llumar product...Doing my homework before going to the dealer, want to take the car directly to have this done when I buy it-..searching online, no one listed as specializing in any clear bra application...appreciate any advice....