Some info on clear bra shields brand differences
10-23-07, 11:49 AM
#1
Some info on clear bra shields brand differences
According to someone on another Lexus forum.
All you want to know about clear bra shields:
I just thought that I would clear up some misconceptions regarding clear paint protection. I have read alot of posts on this board, and being in that industry I thought I would explain some things. I am the sales manager for a large global distributor of paint protection films. We currently carry 3M, Venture Shield and Llumar. I am not trying to sell anything here. I could not sell to any of you even if you wanted to buy from me. We deal in large bulk rolls. I just thought that some industry backround and insite would help all of you make an informed decision regarding this product.
First, at the present time there are only two reputable brands of paint protection. 3M and Venture Shield. Avery, Llumar & Clear Shield are the other players, but they are way behind 3M and Venture. There are advantages and disadvantages to both of those brands as well that I will explain below.
3M
This is the grandaddy of this industry. They invented the product in the early 1990s to help the US Military prevent erosion of helecopter blades in the first Gulf War. When the helos started in the desert, the sand would literally sand blast the leading edge of the blades. So, this product was developed and applied to the leading edges of those blades and that fixed the problem. For the military, long term appearance did not really matter. So, when this first started to be used on cars it would turn yellow after 2-4 years. Since then, the product has been re-engineered several times in order to maintain the appearance for many years. The product is considered 8 mil thick, however it is really 6 mil with 2 mil of adhesive. The 3M product comes with a clear scratch resistant top coat. This allows the product to be very scratch resistant and seals the pores against staining from insects and dirt. The downside to this hard coat is that it has a slight orange peel look.
Venture
This product has been out for roughly 6 years and is the up and comer in this industry. The product is very clear and applies much easier than 3M making hard cars and more elaborate kits possible. This product is the only paint protection product that Scuderia Ferrari recognizes and authorizes. This product is also a 8 mil (6 mil material, 2 mil adhesive), but it does not have a hard top coat. The benefit to this is that the product has virtually no orange peel and looks fabulous on the cars. The negative is that with no hard coat it is easier to scratch and stain. Because of this, Venture requires you to clean the car frequently and protect it with a wax or Plexus type product to stay looking good. Many that already take car of their cars very religiously would appreciate the better looks of the Venture.
All that being said, I have 3M on my wife's Touareg and Venture on my 996. Both are great products, it just depends on what you want. I would especially recommend Venture on non-matallic paints though like Guards Red or Speed Yellow. On those types of colors the orange peel of the 3M becomes very noticable. On metallic paints, both 3M and Venture should virtually disappear if installed correctly.
Finally, please do not try and install this yourself! This product is very difficult to install well and why would you want your 996 looking less than it's best. You will pay anywhere from $500-$1500 for a good install with either of these films. The range is to take into account amount of coverage and skill of the installer. Do not try and save a dollar here. A bad job is worse than not having it done at all in my opinion.
===
All you want to know about clear bra shields:
I just thought that I would clear up some misconceptions regarding clear paint protection. I have read alot of posts on this board, and being in that industry I thought I would explain some things. I am the sales manager for a large global distributor of paint protection films. We currently carry 3M, Venture Shield and Llumar. I am not trying to sell anything here. I could not sell to any of you even if you wanted to buy from me. We deal in large bulk rolls. I just thought that some industry backround and insite would help all of you make an informed decision regarding this product.
First, at the present time there are only two reputable brands of paint protection. 3M and Venture Shield. Avery, Llumar & Clear Shield are the other players, but they are way behind 3M and Venture. There are advantages and disadvantages to both of those brands as well that I will explain below.
3M
This is the grandaddy of this industry. They invented the product in the early 1990s to help the US Military prevent erosion of helecopter blades in the first Gulf War. When the helos started in the desert, the sand would literally sand blast the leading edge of the blades. So, this product was developed and applied to the leading edges of those blades and that fixed the problem. For the military, long term appearance did not really matter. So, when this first started to be used on cars it would turn yellow after 2-4 years. Since then, the product has been re-engineered several times in order to maintain the appearance for many years. The product is considered 8 mil thick, however it is really 6 mil with 2 mil of adhesive. The 3M product comes with a clear scratch resistant top coat. This allows the product to be very scratch resistant and seals the pores against staining from insects and dirt. The downside to this hard coat is that it has a slight orange peel look.
Venture
This product has been out for roughly 6 years and is the up and comer in this industry. The product is very clear and applies much easier than 3M making hard cars and more elaborate kits possible. This product is the only paint protection product that Scuderia Ferrari recognizes and authorizes. This product is also a 8 mil (6 mil material, 2 mil adhesive), but it does not have a hard top coat. The benefit to this is that the product has virtually no orange peel and looks fabulous on the cars. The negative is that with no hard coat it is easier to scratch and stain. Because of this, Venture requires you to clean the car frequently and protect it with a wax or Plexus type product to stay looking good. Many that already take car of their cars very religiously would appreciate the better looks of the Venture.
All that being said, I have 3M on my wife's Touareg and Venture on my 996. Both are great products, it just depends on what you want. I would especially recommend Venture on non-matallic paints though like Guards Red or Speed Yellow. On those types of colors the orange peel of the 3M becomes very noticable. On metallic paints, both 3M and Venture should virtually disappear if installed correctly.
Finally, please do not try and install this yourself! This product is very difficult to install well and why would you want your 996 looking less than it's best. You will pay anywhere from $500-$1500 for a good install with either of these films. The range is to take into account amount of coverage and skill of the installer. Do not try and save a dollar here. A bad job is worse than not having it done at all in my opinion.
===
Last edited by Joeb427; 10-23-07 at 12:01 PM.
10-23-07, 12:10 PM
#2
Thanks for sharing the pros and cons of the two brands. I heard that there's also the spray-on clear paint protection, I'm not sure how good is this product compare to the two brands you've described above. Especially for those who would like to have a full hood covered, for example, I think the spray-on would be a little bit more convenient to work with, as others are only come in pre-cut size. Appreciate for any opinions or suggestions you like to share.
Danny
Danny
10-23-07, 12:23 PM
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Excellent write up! I wish I had known about this back when i bought my car. After owning my IS250 AWD for one year my hood looks like it was 10 years old! I'm taking in for to have the hood repainted next week. Could you recommend someone in NJ to install the Venture film? Thanks.
Nelson
Nelson
10-23-07, 12:29 PM
#7
Excellent write up! I wish I had known about this back when i bought my car. After owning my IS250 AWD for one year my hood looks like it was 10 years old! I'm taking in for to have the hood repainted next week. Could you recommend someone in NJ to install the Venture film? Thanks.
Nelson
Nelson
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10-23-07, 12:32 PM
#8
Excellent write up! I wish I had known about this back when i bought my car. After owning my IS250 AWD for one year my hood looks like it was 10 years old! I'm taking in for to have the hood repainted next week. Could you recommend someone in NJ to install the Venture film? Thanks.
Nelson
Nelson
I had Ventureshield installed on a '07 Camry XLE I owned by a certified Ventureshield www.carbranj.com in Long Branch.Camry was white and I'd never put any film on white again.Edges get way too dirty if the car is used daily,especially in winter.The Ventureshield film is great,though.
Koz says there's a guy in Garfield who installs Ventureshield if that's closer to you..
10-23-07, 12:48 PM
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My pleasure.
I had Ventureshield installed on a '07 Camry XLE I owned by a certified Ventureshield www.carbranj.com in Long Branch.Camry was white and I'd never put any film on white again.Edges get way too dirty if the car is used daily,especially in winter.The Ventureshield film is great,though.
Koz says there's a guy in Garfield who installs Ventureshield if that's closer to you..
I had Ventureshield installed on a '07 Camry XLE I owned by a certified Ventureshield www.carbranj.com in Long Branch.Camry was white and I'd never put any film on white again.Edges get way too dirty if the car is used daily,especially in winter.The Ventureshield film is great,though.
Koz says there's a guy in Garfield who installs Ventureshield if that's closer to you..
nelson
10-24-07, 10:39 PM
#11
Lexus Test Driver
Tmag,
Depending on the scratches on the film, you may or may not be able to remove them completely.
Your best bet is to use Plexus cleaner as it seals the pores which makes the scratches less visible. It is actually recommended by VentureShield as stated in the "Care Instructions" of the film warranty card. (I also tried Plexus on the black window frame of my IS recently and it works quite well in removing most of the hairline scratches as well!)
By the way, just to add an update on Joe427's comment about Ventureshield lacking topcoat..
VentureShield actually has a new version of film with clear coat. I have compared them with the non-clear coat version and they seem to look brighter.
http://www.ventureshield.com/
So supposingly the new version should be less prone to staining, or at least on par with 3M in this aspect.
Depending on the scratches on the film, you may or may not be able to remove them completely.
Your best bet is to use Plexus cleaner as it seals the pores which makes the scratches less visible. It is actually recommended by VentureShield as stated in the "Care Instructions" of the film warranty card. (I also tried Plexus on the black window frame of my IS recently and it works quite well in removing most of the hairline scratches as well!)
By the way, just to add an update on Joe427's comment about Ventureshield lacking topcoat..
Venture
The negative is that with no hard coat it is easier to scratch and stain. Because of this, Venture requires you to clean the car frequently and protect it with a wax or Plexus type product to stay looking good. Many that already take car of their cars very religiously would appreciate the better looks of the Venture.
===
The negative is that with no hard coat it is easier to scratch and stain. Because of this, Venture requires you to clean the car frequently and protect it with a wax or Plexus type product to stay looking good. Many that already take car of their cars very religiously would appreciate the better looks of the Venture.
===
VentureShield actually has a new version of film with clear coat. I have compared them with the non-clear coat version and they seem to look brighter.
http://www.ventureshield.com/
So supposingly the new version should be less prone to staining, or at least on par with 3M in this aspect.
Last edited by AndyL; 10-24-07 at 10:41 PM. Reason: Adding quote to improve clarity of explanation
10-24-07, 11:24 PM
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great information! thank you very much.
so in essence, would you say that the 'orange peel' of 3m product, if applied to the tungsten pearl (silver) paint, would not be very noticable? i like the ruggedness of the 3m product - that would be the deciding aspect.
on the other hand, i consider myself to be fairly meticulous when cleaning/polishiing/waxing...would the venture guard be a better choice? would keeping a fresh coat of wax help out with the 'scratch prone' topcoat of the ventureshield product?
kepani
so in essence, would you say that the 'orange peel' of 3m product, if applied to the tungsten pearl (silver) paint, would not be very noticable? i like the ruggedness of the 3m product - that would be the deciding aspect.
on the other hand, i consider myself to be fairly meticulous when cleaning/polishiing/waxing...would the venture guard be a better choice? would keeping a fresh coat of wax help out with the 'scratch prone' topcoat of the ventureshield product?
kepani
10-27-07, 06:45 AM
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great information! thank you very much.
so in essence, would you say that the 'orange peel' of 3m product, if applied to the tungsten pearl (silver) paint, would not be very noticable? i like the ruggedness of the 3m product - that would be the deciding aspect.
on the other hand, i consider myself to be fairly meticulous when cleaning/polishiing/waxing...would the venture guard be a better choice? would keeping a fresh coat of wax help out with the 'scratch prone' topcoat of the ventureshield product?
kepani
so in essence, would you say that the 'orange peel' of 3m product, if applied to the tungsten pearl (silver) paint, would not be very noticable? i like the ruggedness of the 3m product - that would be the deciding aspect.
on the other hand, i consider myself to be fairly meticulous when cleaning/polishiing/waxing...would the venture guard be a better choice? would keeping a fresh coat of wax help out with the 'scratch prone' topcoat of the ventureshield product?
kepani
11-02-07, 10:25 AM
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Couple of questions, hopefully someone can help.
Great information,
I just purchased my 08 RX350 2 weeks ago, and had the dealer install the clear paint protection the offer through the lexus dealer. I got the entire front end kit, including the hood, bumper, head and fog lights, side view mirrors, and door handle wells. The products paper worked branded it as Rock Block. I can not find anythig on this brand on the web. I would imagine this is one of the brands you mentioned just re-branded. The dealer has a shop they use exclusively down the street from them and they did an excellent job on the install. When I went to pick it up I noticed just a couple very minor bubbles and they brought it down the street while I was there and it was back and perfect with in 15 minutes. I would definatley reccomend getting professional instalation. My RX is Flint Mica and I only see the line when looking up close. I am very pleased with this product. On past vehicled I have had new paint chipped far too quickly, so this was a must for me. One question I have is about washing the vehicle now. I have read that it is reccomended to hand wash the vehicle, but in CT during the winter this is not always realistic, and this is when I believe the vehicle would benifit most from washing off the sand and salt. Can anyone recommend a particular car wash type that would be OK durring the cold weather months? I also read that using a carwash with recycled water is not reccomended. How do you know which ones do and which do not? Any help would be greatly apreciated.
Thanks in advance,
CTtech
I just purchased my 08 RX350 2 weeks ago, and had the dealer install the clear paint protection the offer through the lexus dealer. I got the entire front end kit, including the hood, bumper, head and fog lights, side view mirrors, and door handle wells. The products paper worked branded it as Rock Block. I can not find anythig on this brand on the web. I would imagine this is one of the brands you mentioned just re-branded. The dealer has a shop they use exclusively down the street from them and they did an excellent job on the install. When I went to pick it up I noticed just a couple very minor bubbles and they brought it down the street while I was there and it was back and perfect with in 15 minutes. I would definatley reccomend getting professional instalation. My RX is Flint Mica and I only see the line when looking up close. I am very pleased with this product. On past vehicled I have had new paint chipped far too quickly, so this was a must for me. One question I have is about washing the vehicle now. I have read that it is reccomended to hand wash the vehicle, but in CT during the winter this is not always realistic, and this is when I believe the vehicle would benifit most from washing off the sand and salt. Can anyone recommend a particular car wash type that would be OK durring the cold weather months? I also read that using a carwash with recycled water is not reccomended. How do you know which ones do and which do not? Any help would be greatly apreciated.
Thanks in advance,
CTtech
11-02-07, 01:13 PM
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hey Joe, i had this install done 4 times on the front bumper of my 07 gray 250 and the installer is a 5 yr installer but it seems like he is pushing too hard or something cause when all is done i see marks under the clear bra as if he moved the glue. it looks like the car is scratch or something but when he takes it off its not there, i have had dust and small dirt get trapped under the film. whats up with that?