Clear Bra Options
 

Update: XPEL now has paint protection film kits for the BRZ: http://xpel.com/products/paint_prote...=36&model=3627

Their competitor 3M Scotchgard/VenureShield kits should be coming out next week.

Pretty sure its dealer outsourced for Subaru.

clear bra is pretty thick, protects well, i like it, best on asphalt

Dealer farms out the work. Opted to go with another local company that has a great reputation and quoted a much lower price.

What I'm wondering is do these 3rd parties cut with a BRZ template sourced from a universally accessed database or do they manually mock it up when you bring your car in?

I remember the clear bra for one of my past cars was cut from a template pulled up from a computer but the BRZ is so new that I'm wondering if templates for it exist yet.

I read here the other day that the template does not yet exist for the BRZ. I cannot confirm this myself though. If true it makes the quality of the install that much more important.

i was told today by an installer that it will be 2-3 weeks fir a BRZ template to be ready.

My installer had to do this by hand as well.

I originally got the Scion clear bra on my car, but I am not satisfied with it and the dealer is having their 3M guy come in (scheduled for this Monday) to re-do everything. I assume he will be doing it by hand.

I called up a local clear bra specialist. He doesn't have templates for the BRZ. He was upfront and said that in these cases, he'd have to cut the bra while it's already been applied to the car (he prefers not to do that but sometimes has to in cases of some older/rare cars). I've had it done this way on my Celica A-pillars and when I decided to take it off, I found fine lines in the clear coat. I'd be weary for anyone getting these cut manually.

On the bright side, this guy *can* get templates done fairly quickly and accessible to everyone. He is going to contact his vendor (http://www.xpel.com) tomorrow. They go to a dealership, mock it up, digitize it, then apply the template to the car to make any fine adjustments all in 1 to 2 days. So all clear bra specialists who use Xpel should have it in their system middle of this week!

I have a question about the Clear Bra.. If its on for a few years.. and is removed does the paint discolor underneath? Are there lines where the bra was after its been removed? Can you wax over it? Sorry I have these questions.. just never thought about having it done before.. but with this car being so low.. well i'm thinking about it ..lol

The paint would be perfectly preserved underneath. There will not be lines but you will notice a difference in color and condition (swirl marks etc). A good detail can even all that out. Clear bra can be waxed and polished. It swirls and oxidizes over time just like paint and can be corrected accordingly.

Can anyone post some of the quoted costs they have been getting from installers?
I am looking to schedule this as my first mod! So far, I think the local dealer is quoting about $600.00 (done by a 3rd party installer on-site). I think it would cover the front bumper, side mirrors, partial hood.

It seems like a fair market price, but I'm not sure how much cheaper it would be off the dealer's lot. :iono:

$525 for the typical package (front bumper, 24" up the hood, front section of fenders, side mirrors).

your 1,000 th post... CONGRATS!!!

yeah it does protect paint very well, i plan on removing the bra, wet sand a very small amount of the clear coat and get another new coat of clear coat then buy a new bra to preserve the paint

Thanks! I guess $600-ish seems like a fair deal from the dealer and also get it protected from day 1.

The guy thats (re)doing mine says he typically charges $595 for 24" of the hood, the bumper, fenders and side mirrors.

I had him do the leading edge on the a-pillars, the trunk opening (removed the tacky SCION branded one), behind each wheel, behind the door handles, and the gas cap area. He cut everything free hand too, and it looks perfect. Im very pleased with the outcome.

Update on the templates: Xpel actually does not have access to any BRZs. Their template designers operate in San Antonio, TX and are looking for any owners to volunteer their cars. I started this thread for details: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7867

I also called 3M (they supply both Scotchgard and VentureShield products) and have direct lines to their template designers in Boston and LA. The LA guy says they *should* have the template done early next week and supposedly there is ample access to cars to test fit each progressive draft.

Update: XPEL now has paint protection film kits for the BRZ: http://xpel.com/products/paint_prote...=36&model=3627

my car actually used the xpel pattern templates. the fit is awesome. I had the work done this past weekend.

Pictures can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/leeberbs

Just got the 3M done on my FR-S. Steve Perez and Matt @ Invisishield did a great job (Houston).

$570 for the kit. Details here
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...0&postcount=11

Had the 3M film applied to my BRZ last week. It was done custom by a guy here in OH who does all sorts of cars and is the clear bra installer for MAG. PM me for his number.

He did half the hood, fenders to match, front bumper, headlights, mirrors, a-pillars, 6" of roof, and the top of the rear bumper where the trunk is. $905. No scratches on the car and he came to me to do the work. He spent 8 hours doing the job right.

Everyone should clear bra their car. The benefits far outweigh the downsides IMO.

How much did it cost?

The best way is to get a full sheet and getting it custom cut. Pre-cut's are more convenient, but bulk film gets around the edges of all the panels and really makes it unnoticeable unless at the edge.

Yep. I noticed the Scion stuff that was originally on my car was cut short by a 1-2mm, and it was very noticeable. When I had everything re-done, he wrapped the film around the edged (where possible) and you can barely see it, especially when the car is clean.

BTW, if anyone is in the Richmond, VA area (I believe he also does work in NoVa) and would like to have theirs done, I highly recommend Joe from Richmond Roadblock, 804-314-4234. He can go to you or do it at the dealer (I had no room in my garage so he did it in the delivery bay of the dealer). He is very thorough. There was an issue with the film he received to do my car, but he still wrapped it just for protection, then two days later when a new roll came in, he redid it.

3M or Xpel Ultimate...which one is the superior product? I've been hearing xpel ultimate is the top of the line product currently.

Here's some info I've gathered from talking to installers/reps from both companies. Please correct me if my info is wrong.

3M Scotchgard
3M's original material. 5 year warranty which includes if product yellows. 3 layers: adhesive on bottom, urethane in middle, clear coat on top. More closely matches your car's finish due to the clear coat.

3M VentureShield
VentureShield is a company acquired by 3M a few years ago. Same 5 year warranty as Scotchgard except yellowing isn't covered. 3 layers: adhesive layer on bottom, urethane in middle, hardened urethane on top. The harder top layer won't be as shiny as your car's clear coat but may protect better against impacts/dings and makes it ideal to use on headlights/fog lights. Due to the hardness, it limits the how stretchable/adjustable it is to install around complex bends/bulges and, hence, cannot be cut as close to panel edges so less coverage (but we're talking millimeters).

Note: All 3M pre-cut patterns nowadays are compatible with either of the two products. So the more flexible ScotchGard will be cut to lines constricted by the less flexible VentureShield.

XPEL
There are 3 types: Standard, Xtreme, and Ultimate (their newest, most premium type). I am not familiar with the composition layers of their materials but Ultimate's top layer is a clear coat and supposedly "self-healing" whatever that means. And the adhesive layer is grid-like which allows air bubbles to move around over the course of a few days after installation and escape to the edges. This grid is visible from certain angles under low light conditions. XPEL was at one point (and maybe still is) the official clear bra vendor of Porsche Club Great Britain and Porsche Cars North America. XPEL Ultimate has a 10 year warranty (I forget if it covers yellowing) and that's the one I currently have on my car simply because they were first to come out with pre-cut patterns before 3M.

I've had Scotchgard and VentureShield in the earlier 2000s and they never yellowed over the 5+ years I've had them. These 3M and XPEL products have been sold to the masses for years. People who buy these type of products tend to garage their cars which limits exposure to moisture/rapid temperature change and makes them less likely to yellow. I don't think one is definitively superior to the others. There might be some gimmicky differences on the surface/adhesive but the essential core material seems the same to me. Bottom line: You can't go wrong with whichever product your choose.