clear bra
08-08-07, 02:50 PM
#2
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Unless you have done it before (and from the sound of it you haven't) or have someone with install experience, I would just have a pro. do it. I think the price depends also on how much coverage you want and of course price also differs from area to area. In my area I found a range of about 5 to 9 bills.
08-08-07, 04:43 PM
#4
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I installed the clear bra on my wife's 2005 Toyota Sienna minivan a couple of weeks ago on my own. She is blessed with no rock chips, scratches, etc. in almost 3 years of use, so I wanted to keep it that way if I could. Besides, I needed to practice before I attempted it on the IS.
The prep work takes the longest time (stripping the wax, cleaning off the bugs, cutting the pattern, etc.). The installation is a snap otherwise. There is an instructional video out on the web that was made by a 3M bra installer here in Houston. I'll post the link as soon as find it.
The main thing you have to watch out for during the install is finger prints on the underneath side of the bra or on the surface of the car. The bra can be lifted and cleaned before it dries if you find a finger print. Patience and a clear head when you do the install are the keys.
The cost of the film is next to nothing. I bough enough to cover the front of 5 cars for around $100. After I complete my IS, I'll post pics. After the IS, I'll be installing one on my dad's LS 460L. I plan to cover the entire hood of my IS by the way.
The prep work takes the longest time (stripping the wax, cleaning off the bugs, cutting the pattern, etc.). The installation is a snap otherwise. There is an instructional video out on the web that was made by a 3M bra installer here in Houston. I'll post the link as soon as find it.
The main thing you have to watch out for during the install is finger prints on the underneath side of the bra or on the surface of the car. The bra can be lifted and cleaned before it dries if you find a finger print. Patience and a clear head when you do the install are the keys.
The cost of the film is next to nothing. I bough enough to cover the front of 5 cars for around $100. After I complete my IS, I'll post pics. After the IS, I'll be installing one on my dad's LS 460L. I plan to cover the entire hood of my IS by the way.
08-08-07, 04:49 PM
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08-08-07, 05:03 PM
#8
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On my wife's van, I just pretent it isn't there. No problems with washing it or waxing it, but I always use microfiber cloths.
Some claim that it tends to get a bit yellow over a few years, but it can be removed and replaced with no resulting damage to the car's finish. I decided to learn how to do it on my own when I got quotes of over $1,300 to do the install that I would feel comfortable with (full front bumper, lights, entire hood, front end of side fenders, mirror backs, and front half of the roof). Yeah, I know I'm a bit OCD, but if you're going to go with the clear bra, then protect all the leading edges.
Also, if it gets damaged, I like knowing how to install it on my own so I don't have to pay some serious jack to get a new one.
08-08-07, 08:15 PM
#9
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$1,3000 just to install??? Thats crazy...heres some sites i found for the kits pre-cut already...https://www.stickercity.com/store/home.php?cat=2832
http://www.xpel.com/products/paint_p...=23&model=1376
http://www.xpel.com/products/paint_p...=23&model=1376
08-09-07, 01:59 AM
#13
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IS2504ME same question, where did you purchase the film and how did you install it? Did you make templates to cut out the film? It'd be great if somehow we coudl get ahold of the templates for the IS. Thanks in advance.
08-09-07, 02:05 AM
#14
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Did anyone buy these precut clear bra packages from these online retailers and install them sucessfully? Any recommendations or advice you guys could offer?