Vairox

Exactly, that damage looks fairly typical of the crap that gets slung up from Cali roadways/highways all day long. I've made contact with some pretty nasty stuff in my wrx, but that just added character and I didn't care but in my 350 I've learned to stay way back from people. I don't see how a clear bra is going to stop pebble size or larger rocks hitting your bumper at a high rate of speed (probably 100+ mph factoring in your forward speed and the rocks forward speed toward you being flung from a tire) and causing damage, they probably work great for preventing fine scratches from sand sizes particles but unless it's as thick as a CD I can't see it preventing damage from legit projectiles.

CobraGSF

iTrader: (2)

get a clear bra ASAP to prevent further damage. I put mine off for about 5 months into owning my car and the New York winter was relentless. got a couple bad chips myself. Although I do agree whatever hit you there seems pretty big, idk if a clear bra would have helped prevent that, but im sure it would have helped considerably.


I disagree, got half my hood done on my white fsport and honestly its not that noticeable even when dirty. my car has been filthy from all the pollen and rain. and the clear bra really isn't noticeable unless you look really close. I think rock chips look way worse than a line dude...LOL, but as they say, to each their own.

davyjordi

^^ agreed.

ckim037

Just my 2 cents if you are paying someone else to do your clear bra for you; make sure they are reputable. If you live in the IE in California, do not get any work done from "Invisible Edge." The owner guaranteed his work before the work order and won't honor it after the job has been done and he agreed to reschedule for a touch-up/redo.

Now I have tons of tiny little bubbles plaguing my obsidian hood. Can't see it when the sun isn't directly hitting my hood, but as soon as the sun comes up higher... damnit. T.T

The worst part is that I paid him $1,500 for the material and labor (money I should have spent for F-Sport exhaust and a coat of Opti-Coat). In hind sight, I should have done more research before committing.

Even with my gripe with shop owner's service, the clear bra (Xpel Ultimate) works pretty damn great. I can safely say that the OP's damage would have been much less severe (easier to touch up) if you had PPF. I work near a very industrial area, I deal with too many semi-trucks on my daily commute. One of them picked up and shot a nice piece of blown semi tire on the road (size about one's fist), while I was crossing to another lane behind it at about 75mph. The tire left two noticeable tear on the bumper PPF, but the bumper and the PPF mitigated much of the shock and damage. I peeled some of the PPF to pleasantly find that there wasn't any noticeable scratches on the bumper paint.

Vairox

How do you touch up the clear bra when a rock takes a chunk like it did the OP's? you're going to have both a rock chip and a missing piece of clear bra

ckim037

Sorry for not being clear. I meant to say that it would have been much easier to touch up the paint once the Clear Bra is no longer usable. You're paying to best protect your car from rock chips up front or you're paying to fix any damages later. Either way, we have to take care of it (unless one has little care for one's car appearance/condition).

davyjordi

ideally, the clear bra would have deflected and/or taken the majority if not all of the impact and so the clear bra section would be replaced or repaired and the car itself would be left untouched.

i had a large chunk of blown tire come at me in my previous 2is and it damaged a number of areas on the clear bra but left the paint untouched. i just had the clear bra section replaced -- so much easier; no need to deal with paint matching and the clear bra usually isn't damaged much if at all unless you hit something huge. the PPF is super resilient.

smardav

I have tons of rock chips on my front bumper too. Oh well, its a car. Whatever. Lol

cino

iTrader: (1)

After fixing the rock chip, get Xpel Ultimate clear bra, and you're goo to go.

jennypenny

i am being quoted for $2000 for front bumper and headlights.

XPEL Ultimate with 6 years installer warranty

jaznraz

iTrader: (1)

Wow, those are some pretty massive rock chips. I think the only way to properly fix them is to head to the body shop.

Yes

That's extremely high from what most people have been paying. I paid $1500 for bumper, full hood, full fenders, and mirrors. My installer (authorized Xpel dealer and installer) would have only charged $310 to cover the bumper.

doodlebug

I saw a post that I think was on a different car forum. Some driver got hit in the front end by a tire, either a near collision or a rogue tire, I can't remember which. There was no body damage, only cosmetic. The picture that followed was one half of the bumper all gnarly and black from the tire and the other half of the bumper had the clear bra pulled off. No damage to the paint; it was a pretty amazing shot.

That does sound very high. I paid $700 for full bumper, partial hood, partial fenders and mirrors. I only had two authorized installers in my area and only one had the software. You should have many more choices living in California so I would definitely get more quotes. I also thought Xpel Ultimate comes with a 10 year warranty.

jennypenny

It's the only installer I know in my country......

wednesday

I had one (wrapped edges) full bumper but only half hood on a glacier frost IS and it never looked "*** ugly." I never had any problems with dirt in the edges but I take pretty good care of my cars and I had a reputable business install it. I keep one on my cars because it beats the heck out of rock chips and love bug etches in the paint.

AdvanSLF

LOLOLOLOLOLOL there's only one xpel installer in the entire US (country)? lol. you probably meant county. use the link below..

http://locator.xpel.com/search/clear...tes/California