Pro's/Con's Clear Bra

trackster22

I am planning on taking a drive from coast to coast this summer. I don't want to get the front part of the car chewed up by rocks and such. I do not have a clear bra on the car. I spoke with multiple body shops around town and they differ on the clear bra. Some indicated they had seen damage/discoloration to the original paint with a clear bra, while others thought it fine. Any opinions from the experts on this site? Many thanks.

trackster22

jwick

Do you park outside most of the time?

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'10 G37T 6MT Graphite/Graphite - BP - G37T Build

ltullos

A good quality film + competent installer will give you the protection you're looking for without damage or discoloration. That said though there's plenty of hacks out there who will leave you disappointed. You should not have any trouble finding reviews and recommendations for good installers. Also be warned that even small chips and rough paint surfaces will look bad even with proper install. Films seem to magnify existing damage.

kenchan

ive been using clearbra on my different cars for years. no issue with discoloration on the paint in my case, but the bra can yellow depending on which brand and bra you use.

normal xpel slightly yellowed on me after about 3yrs.
i currently run xpel ultimate on my Z (self healing surface), no yellowing that i noticed.

im also running Scotch brand (3M) clearbra on the rockers of my Z and on my dd's front bumper. no discoloration yet that ive noticed.

i highly recommend you clearbra at least your front bumper before you get any major chips. GL!

FairladyZ10PG

I have 3m and I've had it for a little over 3 years. No yellowness yet. My car is garage kept and I wax it using 3m wax once every week. Only con I can see is that it's expensive.

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Chuck33079

Its fine if you have a good installer. Money well spent if you ask me.

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cooltoy

Subbed.

I always disliked that line that people leave on the hood, but kenchan's idea of just doing the bumper might eliminate that look.

I'll probably wait until I get my Amuse front or should I jest get extra paint /clear coats to help protect it?

Chuck33079

Just get the whole hood wrapped. Extra paint will still chip.

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cooltoy

$$$.

I'll think about it for sure.

CarbonSignal

We use one of our car on freeway regularly its 3m clearbra and with intense heat and weekly sand storms its holding great 2 years+, no peeling or yellow discolouration, highly recommended if you doing freeways

Get a plotter cut one its hardly visible at the edges, you should atleast full bumper, for hood 1/3 lower part is more prone to roadchips but very less compared to the bumper, if price is good get a stripe there, you can remove that hood part after the trip then

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trackster22

Great info everyone thank you very much, appreciated.

trackster22

damian_mb

3M clear bra...Regret not getting it on one of my previous cars so much chips it looked like my hood was deformed from all the touch up paint. A guy that did it for me said after 10yrs he finally saw yellowish color on the pearl white Lexus but I couldn't even see it.

I closed the garage door on my front bumper Z and if I didn't have the clear bra, I would of cried! Also tracked my Z and hit so many cones, and the bra kept the paint and bumper in prestine condition.

Get it, well worth the investment! If you take car of your car such as washes and wax then you should be fine and not worry about yellowing. Have bras on both my Z and WRX same day I took delivery, had a guy custom cut and installed.


He cut it based off of a roll of 3M bra and tucked, none of that pre cut BS where the bra ends by the hood/fender and hood/bumper

Realale

I have bumper, headlights and full hood with Xpel Ultimate with no issues at all. It does get a little dirt build up around the top edges of the bumper, where the bumper meets the fender.

kenchan

yah yah yah.... i installed my pre-cut xpel ultimate and it's fine, so there.




i do prefer using generic rolls though...

DarkJak

I'd definitely get the hood wrapped as well. I have a few chips on the lower part of my hood after a dozen or so trips between Nashville and Knoxville.

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