Wanted to get opinions from folks on whether or not to get the Clear-bra on bumpers, hood and headlights? Is it worth it? What's a typical installation cost?

 

It's definitely worth it. You'll get paint chips without one and those can be a pain to get rid of. Typical install will run $600-800 for bumper, headlights, partial hood, partial fenders and mirrors.

 

+1 I didn't do it on my current car, and regret it. The front of my car is littered with hundred's of paint chips and the only way to fix it is to repaint the front hood & fender/bumper, which is crazy. I added the "AutoBahn" front film to my order, which I understand they install at the dealership. Not sure if the headlights are covered, but the front of the mirrors, front end of the hood and the while front fascia are covered.

 

Sounds like its a worthwhile investment.

 

definitely worth it. to the OP who lives in CA, one of the best places that has locations in both Norcal and Socal is Premier (do a google search). They are pricey, but they do an excellent job. I have brought two of my cars there for full hood installation ~$500. Expensive but they wrap around the edges which will save you in the future because if you ever wax your car, you can get wax build up on those edges

 

I'd get it....though it also depends on your roads, how you drive, how much you drive and car color.

To me Lexus flat colors are weaker paint, its not as many layers. Like black. I do believe their pearl coats are thicker and they don't chip as much.

 

When i had my whole front end repainted, and lights replaced, i figured it was an older car and i wouldnt get it for 400 buck, a year and a half later, i completely regret my decision

 

you also might want to consider this: to clear bra a majority of your front end would cost anywhere from $500-$900 on average. But paint chips fall under comprehensive for your insurance. Most people have low deductibles for comprehensive, like $200 is most common. So your front end may look like crap, but it should only cost you $200 to repaint the whole front end, and you can continue doing that 3 times before you get to the cost of your clear bra.

 

At My dealership, it's called Venture Shield. Every car I see it on I have to do a double take, because it makes the hood look like it has a Maaco paint job. My question is why, to keep the front of your car from looking shi*ty, does one spend good money covering it with something that looks shi*ty?

Also, I have personally found several cases where the film on the mirror was causing a whistling noise at highway speeds.

--dennis

 

Ventureshield is an excellent choice. Just like every clear bra on the market, yellowing is less than a issue but staining is. You need to wax it just like you wax your paint. Besides, try not using wax/sealant which has color pigment.

For CT front bumper, it is considered a bit difficult install. You need to find a good installer. Some poor installers are incapable, and may use a blade to do something on the paint and end up having a lot of paint cuts. You won't see it until you take off the clear bra for whatever reasons because the cuts are usually around the edges of the film where they line up with the contour of the paint surface.

I, for one, had the poor installer who scratched both of my side mirrors with 3-4 feet long scratches a few years ago. The kit is already a pre-cut kit but sometimes people's mind are wandering and used the wrong tool ---- a blade instead of a squeegee to seal the edges of the film.

Paint protection film is a very good investment. After 5+years, my front looks new and I hardly remember what was my last time I had to use a touch up paint!

 

Thanks for pointing that out. I'll make it a point to inspect the install the dealer does closely, to fix any issues up front, prior to driving off the lot.

 

350.00 and best thing u can get!!

 

Wow, that's a great score. What product did they use and is it the front hood, front of mirrors and front bumper?

 

Lexus installed it's 429.00. Dealer installed from my dealer was 699.00. Film for the car can be had for about 200.00 complete if you know a good installer. The dealership told me the factory installed stuff isn't as good as 3m. ( no clue)

Depends where you live any snow get it......I'd get it anyway no matter where I lived. I had mine done it came out excellent. I also bought the door edge guard and installed it myself and did my back trunk lid. Do the mirrors too if you can find it. I want to do the runners too... keeps the road salt and dirt from sandblasting it.

I did my wifes G35c about 7 yrs ago or more......looks like new still. I also did her headlight with a thicker material that has kept them clear. Some people don't like panty lines......the new 3m is barely visable. My bumpers you cannot see it at all unless you get down and look the hood you can somewhat.

Ask your dealer......mine is also guaranteed for 5 yrs IIRC.

 

The lower you are to the ground (like the CT) the worse the chips seem to be. I will probably do it when I get mine. Drafting people (aka tail gating) to increase mileage will REALLY chip up your car if you don't have it.

Using a quality film will make it hard for people to even know it's there. I have to point out the seams on my other car for people to even see it.