dmanpizza

I will be picking up my ES300h in the next few days and am debating on having a clear bra installed.
Does anyone have any experience with clear bra products?
I have a few concerns but would like to do something to keep the front end from getting all nicked up.
What brands are good?
How long do they last?
Will they discolor over time?
Do you need to use a special cleaner for it?

caboal

I'm no expert, but I put one on my car. I have had several and they really help the front bumper stay nice.

The dealer wanted $1500 and went down to $1000 when I told him I already had an appointment to get one for $700. I don't know that it was any nicer than the $700 one.

3M brand is considered the industry standard.

I have never had one discolor.

I use a polymer sealant or any wax that is not abrasive. You don't have to. I treat my car finish very well and can't seem to ignore the clear bra. No special cleaners, just nothing aggressive or abrasive. You won't need anything special since they clean so easy.

5-10 years is normal for a clear bra.

I just hit 5,ooo miles on my ES300H

dmanpizza

Thank you!

PTmobile

3M is a lower level film. Suntek and Xpel Ultimate are the best two films on the market BY FAR. They are self healing and MUCH smoother than 3M. 3M may have originally developed PPF but they have fallen way behind in the last 8 years by not improving their film. I test out every film that comes into the market and would never touch 3M.

jonmanch

I have a clear bra on a 2008 Infiniti M35X, and it looks as good today as the day it was installed. It has saved a lot of nicks from people bumping into my bumpers when parking. I think my brand was called Armor Guard, but I am not sure.

I can't find any place in my area that will only put it on bumpers now. The kits seem to come for the front bumper, front half of the hood, and the facade of the sideview mirrors. I only want the bumpers done, so I have skipped it on my ES.

lesz

Do you know if the "official" Lexus clear bra option is installed at the factory, or is it a dealer installed option? Also, do you know whose product Lexus uses on that option?

With having to drive on lots of roads with loose gravel, I really considered getting a clear bra on my ES, but, being concerned about both variation of product and variation of the skill of those who might do the installation, I decided to take a pass. The area that I was most concerned about protecting was the front few inches of the hood. What I've found is that, even though I don't especially like the look of the valence panel between the grill and the front of the hood, that valence panel is the same "rubberized" material as the bumpers, and it does seem to be much more resistant to stone nicks than sheet metal would be.

Those prices seem to me to be pretty steep. As an option from Lexus, the MSRP of the clear bra is only $429, and I'm sure that invoice for it is somewhat lower than that. And, when I checked with someone who installs them locally, the price quoted to me was less than $500. The only way that I can see a dealer asking $1000 or $1500 would be if it was a dealer installed option and if the dealer, as they typically do with dealer installed options, was marking it up by a few hundred percent to pad their profits.

CodemanGS

Just about to get my ES back from the Body Shop. ( See No 'UL??, on 300h ' ) I had a '07 GS350 and the front bumper became VERY pitted from road 'stuff'. I have had one of these on a prior '07 RX350, and it looked very nice, for the entire ownership. Did its job VERY well. I am getting a full clear bra on my ES 300h. I will have my Car back middle of next week. More to follow.

caboal

The $429 MSRP for clear bra is only the strip on the hood. When I first saw that price, I was determined to find one in stock with the Factory bra. I was real impressed with what a good job they did on the bumper. You couldn't even see it. Then I realized I couldn't see it because it wasn't there. Of course the sales guy didn't even know.

KennyLexus

IIRC, the so-called factory clear bra comes in 5-pieces. (1) covers about 1/3 of the hood; (2) pieces cover the left and right corners of the fender; (2) more pieces cover the left and right mirror housing. And it's a so-called dealer installed option...in most cases, the installation is farmed out to a detail shop.

The salesman told me that they would have to send my car to the detailer to get the factory 5-piece clear bra installed. So, after doing some research, I found that I could get the full clear bra installed for around $600. This includes (along with the 5-piece kit) the whole front bumper, door handle cups, all door edges, and a few more pieces.

It was the very first mod I got the first week I had it...worth every penny! Still looks good and protecting well.

Arty101

The $429 is the price of the product, and doesn't include the installation. I went to a body detailer specializing in the ClearBra (rated highly by Yelp) and got the hood, side front fenders, front and rear bumpers, mirrors and handle cups installed for around $700. It took all day to install.

It's holding up well with no issues other the one I've caused. I highly recommend it if you're planning to keep it for a while.

lesz

I don't doubt that dealers are adding a charge to install the clear bra, but, if they are doing so, they are using that installation charge to pad their profits. At my Lexus dealers, for the several vehicles in their inventory that had clear bras, the total price was $429 with nothing more added on for installation, and, if you check sites like Edmunds, they show a total price of $429 without an add-on for installation.

Arty101

Lesz- In hindsight, I think you're right, $429 is awfully high for a piece of plastic over the hood. It must be the installed price. My dealer didn't have any installed on their cars and wanted to push the outside vendor's service for a full front coverage for a lot more.

So is this a factory installed item?

SW17LS

I've seen the factory kit, its nowhere near as nice as a custom or even a templated aftermarket kit. I would not consider the factory kit.

I have Ventureshield (3M) installed on mine and am very happy. Will be a must have on every vehicle going forward. Bumper, mirrors, bottom third of the hood and front fenders, $700. Going rate around here.

PTmobile

$429 for the hood, fenders, and mirrors is very high. Your better off getting a local shop to do it. You will get a better product for a lower price. Most of the Lexus vehicles I see get those areas covered when the car comes into port. They have a company called Gulf States that does the basic installs all day long. But they don't do the bumper (very critical area) or the lights... and the level of work they do is poor at best. Also the factory rear bumper strip is not paint protection film. Its actually vinyl and will not last very long. I cant believe the profit mark up they have in those kits.

SW17LS

I agree with you on the front kit, but I had the Toyota rear bumper appliqué (same as the Lexus one I'm sure) on a Prius and it was as new after 7 years...