gr8fulRed

anyone have any experience with a "clear bra" for their car? I've seen these on many Lexus, BMW's etc in my area and have been considering having it put on my car. Any idea how long they last and how well they protect? Also, once the useful life is gone...what effect does it have on the paint once the bra is removed??!

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

Clear bra (aka paint protection film) is a very common add-on for vehicles these days.

There are many film manufacturers out there, but the higher end film will be the self healing film from Xpel or Suntek.

Clear bra is incredibly effective at protecting your paint from damage caused by minor impacts from road debris, thus leaving your paint chip free year after year after year. Many owners opt to go with a partial kit which covers the front bumper, partial hood, partial fender, and mirrors... I would highly recommend considering a full front end kit which covers your entire front bumper, entire hood, and entire fenders. This full kit will be more expensive, but it will be nearly invisible as there will be no cut lines across the entire panel, and the protection is considerably better!

Higher end film, such as the previously mentioned Xpel Ultimate and Suntek films, come with a very impressive warranty. 10 years for Xpel Ultimate and 5 years for Suntek based on their websites.

Once the clear bra has served its life and you wish to remove it, it will be pretty straight forward assuming it was installed properly. Clear film is removed with either an adhesive remover/solvent, steam, or some combination of the two. The bra will peel off of the car revealing the perfectly restored paint beneath it.

Long story short... if you have a new vehicle, or a used one that is in good shape, and you want to prevent rock chips and other types of normal wear and tear that comes along with driving, clear bra is certainly worth the investment in my opinion.

I will caution you that the installer makes a HUGE difference. Here is a quick overview of a bad install on a Dodge Challenger we worked on. You can see all of the defects in the clear bra that should have been avoided by a veteran installer.


Let me know if you've got any other questions.

-Zach

Allen K

iTrader: (4)

Completely agree with Zach, I wouldn't buy a car without adding a clear bra at this point. All paints seem to chip so much easier now and you can't even tell it's on with the higher end films (assuming full front install). The main thing is to find a reputable installer though. My guy was a perfectionist and when I had a little lifting on the side skirt, he fixed it up in about 20 minutes.

I had an older 3M film on my IS and it did start to yellow after about year 5, but it wasn't all that noticeable. Plus the films have gotten a lot better since then as well.

Mors

I had a reputable installer put on a high-end self-healing clear bra (full frontal) on my 2015 Obsidian Black RX. That was the first thing I did. I didn't even take it home before that was installed.
That was 16 months ago. Still can't tell it's on there by looking. It was pretty expensive to get done due to the size of the car, but I still think it's completely worth it. Every time I wash the car, I wish I had the entire car covered; although, that would have cost a ton more.

Agree with the other 2 posters 100%. Make sure it's a high-end newer film. Find someone that has been installing it for years. Get references if you desire.
For what it's worth, i had Norm at Invisibra in Dallas put mine on.
The car must be prepped correctly prior to installation.

I won't buy a new car without having this done after seeing the results. My wife's car doesn't have it (4 years old now) and it has rock chips like crazy down to the metal.

VTsuckah

iTrader: (1)

PPF was the first thing I had done to my is350 when I bought it. It has done a great job with protecting my paint when I was daily driving the car. The only problem that I have is some yellowing. With SFP, it is pretty noticeable. I have a lifetime warranty, so I'll have it replaced next spring. All in all, it was the best thing that I could have done to the car.

rhyle07

Expensive yet Xpel and Suntek won't turn yellow easily and they have self healing feature.

4482

I've had them on my cars since 2004 with not one problem.
Once you've had a car with a clear bra you will always want it installed on your new cars.

ron36330

I now have my 4th car with the clear bra (LS-430, SC-430, LS-460 & Toyota 4-runner). I concur with previous posters. I would not own a car without a clear bra. Remarkable service & increases resale value.

doodlebug

I feel that a clear bra is a necessity if you want to avoid front damage from rock chips and the like.

I was on the interstate the other day and there was a dump truck loaded with sand about 3 lanes over and 100 yards in front of me (the load was not covered???) and I could hear the tiny assault on the front of my car. I merely cringed instead of totally freaking out like I would've had I not had the PPF protection.

~Money well spent~~