Clear Bra still viable?

[slyphen]

So i been thinking about clear bra for quite a while, but was never able to pull the trigger due to some emergency unscheduled expenses. I had my BRZ for 13 months now and of course there are rock chips and scruffs all over, especially the front bumper.

What i'm wondering is if its still possible or worth it to put clear bra on. Of course I will need to send it to a professional detailing shop to get rid of all the rock chip and scratches before installing the clear bra and everything add up is going to be close to 2k... (full frontal package)

Maybe its better just to get the paint touched up and chips fixed and get opti-coat or something similar?

just need to hear some opinions.

[WhiteFRS69]

the scratches can be polished away

in order to get rid of the rock chips the correct way, the areas affected bye rock chips will need to be repainted

they do offer like touch up paints etc etc and it will still be noticeable IMO

opti coat is a great product to use but it wont protect from Rock chips, only a clear bra will do this

[Ammunition]

I would probably just wait until tax season and get the whole bumper repainted, and a clear-bra, or just set aside a few bucks each month and do that when you've saved up enough.

Opti-coat can help reduce the chances of minor scratches and chemical etching, but it won't stop the impact of chips.

Decent touch-up can cost a pretty penny, and still will never look right - you have several options, but if you want it to look right and protect it, your best bet would be to get the front bumper repainted, and put a clear bra over it after that.

[iJeff]

Originally Posted by Ammunition

I would probably just wait until tax season and get the whole bumper repainted, and a clear-bra, or just set aside a few bucks each month and do that when you've saved up enough.

Opti-coat can help reduce the chances of minor scratches and chemical etching, but it won't stop the impact of chips.

Decent touch-up can cost a pretty penny, and still will never look right - you have several options, but if you want it to look right and protect it, your best bet would be to get the front bumper repainted, and put a clear bra over it after that.

My new car is getting its bumper repainted due to damage before delivery. I'm stuck with a 30 day wait before I can install a clear bra. I'm guessing there will be new chips by then.

[Turbo95eg6]

I waited till about 1000 miles to put mine on, def had some chips that had to be touched up. Overall the bra makes the touch up spots less noticeable.

[wil5bart]

If you are decided to put clear bra on your ride, choose Suntek or Xpel for quality and durability though they are a bit pricey.

[airwak]

How many people have the dealer installed clear front bra? I got mine installed from day one instead of the opti coat (I wash and wax car every weekend) and almost had buyers remorse. But over time I think I made the good investment. It's really only noticeable on the hood from within 5 feet

[Turbo95eg6]

Originally Posted by airwak

How many people have the dealer installed clear front bra? I got mine installed from day one instead of the opti coat (I wash and wax car every weekend) and almost had buyers remorse. But over time I think I made the good investment. It's really only noticeable on the hood from within 5 feet

Opti coat doesn't protect like clear bra. I'd ease up on the washing since it can cause more wear and tear on your paint. Try once ever few weeks, and there is no need to wax it that much if you're using quality products.

[airwak]

The washes are pretty necessary here in cali, after a week the pollen and dust make the care look horrible, but I use an extremely careful two bucket method with hand wash. Also I don't go full out carnuba wax every week. I will wax every once in a while and just use a spray detailer when I'm feeling lazy. Thanks for the heads up though I hadn't thought of the washes being rough on the paint.

[Turbo95eg6]

Not necessarily rough, but as long as you're washing it properly then you'll drastically improve the lifespan of keeping your clear coat swirl/scratch free.

[Benschneider06]

I found the paint on our front bumpers not to hold up so well. I drive 30 minutes to work everyday and after about a month of driving that distance I started to see some wear and tear on my SWP BRZ. I went and got the front of my car wrapped in Xpel Ultimate Paint Protection film. Ran be about $700 but it was the best investment I've made on my car so far.... The stuff is amazing and you can barely see it.

Kind of fun to ask people to try and find it at car shows!

[iJeff]

Originally Posted by Benschneider06

I found the paint on our front bumpers not to hold up so well. I drive 30 minutes to work everyday and after about a month of driving that distance I started to see some wear and tear on my SWP BRZ. I went and got the front of my car wrapped in Xpel Ultimate Paint Protection film. Ran be about $700 but it was the best investment I've made on my car so far.... The stuff is amazing and you can barely see it.

Kind of fun to ask people to try and find it at car shows!

Did you do your hood too?

[Benschneider06]

Originally Posted by iJeff

Did you do your hood too?

It goes halfway up my hood and halfway down the fenders so the line is equal. I wasn't willing to shell out any more than $700 to cover a spot on my hood that probably wouldn't be in the direct line of highway debris fire.

You could probably get the same job I had done for a couple hundred cheaper. I wanted the best of the best as far as the film went. Plus the shop was very professional.. having wrapped every super car you can think of!

EDIT: I also recommend getting your headlights wrapped. Keeps them protected from sunlight damage and rock chips as well.