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Old Jul 18, 2024 | 10:32 AM
  #1  
ConanTheLibrarian's Avatar
ConanTheLibrarian
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Default Bugs!

Ok - I am about to date myself. Forgive!

Do they still sell car Bra's? Or something to cover the front end? I drive 120 miles per day. A lot of it is country driving. The front end of my car always looks like a bug grave yard. Its hard as he!! to clean. I dont like the looks of the bra's..but man, I dont know what else to do.

Any suggestions?

Anyone have experience with a good bug cleaner that wont ruin the paint? Any special covering or magic spell?? Help!!

Last edited by ConanTheLibrarian; Jul 18, 2024 at 10:38 AM.
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Old Jul 18, 2024 | 11:38 AM
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If you want to protect your paint, get PPF aka a clear bra. It's a clear vinyl wrapped on the car so kind of like a screen protector. Virtually invisible. I have my front/back bumper, 1/3 front of my hood and mirror caps. If I were to do it again, would definitely do the full hood. The line in the middle of the hood bothers me so much.

Note that bugs would obviously still stick to the clear bra but your paint will be protected.
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Old Jul 18, 2024 | 02:52 PM
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Old Jul 18, 2024 | 04:59 PM
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I had a car bra for my SC430, and it was a pain to put on and take off and looked awful. I messed with that for 14 years. When I bought my RC350 in 2014, I had a clear film put on the whole hood (not just the front third). After 9 years, the hood still looked like new, and it was hard to tell that there was a clear film there. I did the same thing for my 24 ES350 a few months ago.
I don't know if they still make car bras (the plural of bra, by the way, is bras, not bra's, which is the possessive), but in my experience they cost a lot, take a lot of time to put on and take off, look ugly, and aren't on there protecting the hood all the time.
As for the bug cleaner, Poorboy's Bug Squash is pretty much the choice of professionals. Spray it on, let it sit there and soften up the remnants, then wipe everything off. Inexpensive, and something that should be in everyone's garage who drives on the highway.
You can buy it here:
https://poorboysworld.com/bug-squash-bug-remover.html
In summary: get the clear film on the whole hood, installed by a professional detailer, and get a bottle of Bug Squash.
You're welcome.
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Old Jul 18, 2024 | 06:29 PM
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PPF and ceramic coating. Doesn't prevent bug splatter of course but the ceramic coating makes it a ton easier to clean and of course with PPF it never contacts the paint.

It's important to not let dead bugs sit on the paint as those bug guts will etch into the paint if not removed quickly.
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Old Jul 19, 2024 | 06:47 AM
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Bras can also retain moisture underneath them which over time will damage the finish.
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Old Jul 19, 2024 | 11:26 AM
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Or... you can just drive fast enough that the air in front of the car compresses to the point of forming a shield and airflow over the car whisks the bugs away.

Barring the hesitance or inability to reach near Mach speeds in your car, a clear PPF or ceramic coating is probably best as others have suggested. Dealing with a strap on is annoying.

Uh, a strap-on car bra, that is.
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