Best way to protect front of new car when driving back
 

I'm purchasing an FR-S that is quite far from where I live and will have to drive it back close to 1000 miles. Any suggestions on how to protect the front of the car for the drive home? I was thinking of just having the dealer leave the white protective film on the car, but I'm not sure if that is a good idea on the hood since it might heat up and melt to the car or something. Alternatively I was thinking of using some blue painter's tape as that is a common trick for track days but again I'm not sure if the paint will get damaged for such a long drive. Any suggestions?

If you're really worried I'd say go with the painters tape. I've seen people cover their cars in the stuff, driving fast in the desert heat all day and they came off fine. I'd be more iffy on the plastic.

painter's tape or plastidip

stay away from big trucks (18 wheelers) they throw a lot of rocks at you. It will probably be hard to do, since they are all over the interstates. Rock chips in window = no thanks.

painters tape.

I posted it again so you know it's the best/easiest/cheapest/simplest.

Bro... It's a 25k car. Stop being so paranoid...

even if the car was 10k i would still wrap my front end especially driving on the interstates

Other than scheduling for a clear bra installer to install the same day you take delivery, blue painter's tape is the next best thing. I put tape on mine when I picked mine up from a dealer 50 miles away and kept the tape on for 2 weeks til the bra went on (clear bra patterns didn't exist/were still being designed at the time).

If you want a clear bra, Scion offers it as an accessory for the FR-S: http://www.scion.com/cars/FR-S/acces...wAll&view=grid

Im keeping the factory tape on until i get the car opti coated.. Had to request it though and had it added to delivery agreement/contract whatever.... It doesnt stick to bonnet from heat lol....... It sits at shipping yards in the sun all day until delivered to dealership.. This is a pic of one heading to dealership from port with tape on...http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/y...z/Picture2.jpg


Ive told them to leave seat covers on too..........

but opti-coat alone does not protect you from rock chips and road debris

I know but protects from bird sh*t, dust, contamination etc.... Sadly car will see plenty of stone chips overtime from track drift days but u do what u can to keep it looking it's best... Each to there own..

yup true true. i plan on doing opti coat as well over my front end clear bra

talk about maximum protection!! lol

I wouldn't worry about the drive back home. Paint will get chip when you drive a car. It is just a fact of life and the sooner you realize that the better. I used to be like you also constantly worrying about the car and for what? Just drive it and enjoy it.

With that being said, if you just feel a whole lot better if you can protect the car for that drive home, then get some clear shelf liner from a place like Target or Walmart. Much better than painter's tape. It comes in a big sheet so its easier to apply. Thicker than painter's tape and won't leave any glue residue. Also looks a whole lot better since its clear.

Coming from a Honda Civic... lmao

I just got a clear bra installed yesterday, feels good to know the car is all nice and pampered now. Should I take off the exhaust tips now???@??

got me thinking to get the clear bra from the dealer too -- i didnt get it yet but i guess its a good investment - not sure exactly how much that costs ..

I picked up my car about 1200 miles away and painter's tape worked great for me. I even had a leaky dumptruck cut me off and absolutely blast my car with rocks for while until I could get out of the way, there still wasn't even a single chip.

Here are my cars - http://imgur.com/a/sohzZ
The "after" picture of the Speed is after 1.5 days of nearly non-stop rain - it literally rained all the way from Florida to Indiana. The BRZ looked about the same when I got it home thanks to an almost complete lack of rain.

A couple tips:
Buy the 3M branded stuff.
Don't buy the edge lock stuff, even the 3M. It leaves a fair bit of residue.
Buy some bug and tar remover to help with removing any residue.
Rip off the pieces that come loose unless you want them slapping your paint all day.
Remove the tape slowly to make sure it doesn't try to take any paint with it. It shouldn't, but better safe than sorry.

Good luck! Enjoy the car and the drive home!

"Bro"?


really?

Drive in reverse.

I am going to keep painters tape on my entire car to preserve the paint for 10 years.

The really conscientious drivers will not drive their cars outdoors. Many are building extra long pharmaceutical-industry-grade cleanrooms to drive their vehicles in a safe environment.

Pfft, i never had any clear bra or anything done to my car.
The time i considered putting it on, was the time there was a small stone chip on my hood. So i was like, bah....i cant put a clear bra on with this rock chip on...so i never got it put on.

And now the front of my car looks horrible with the scrapes and chips. I would highly recommend it as soon as possible.

Of course no clear bra right off the dealer showroom (and use tape, plastic, etc) IS being a bit paranoid i must say...