Clear Bra Advice

[Davesta619]

Placed my order for a '14 BRZ. First thing I'm going to do is clear bra it. I've read that subaru's paint is thin and easily damaged. So is it worth it to clear bra the entire car or did you just get the front end? What brand did you use and why? And what is a reasonable price for clear bras (SoCal, San Diego)? Thanks!

[spitfire481]

just do the full bumper/fenders/hood/headlights. no real need to do the whole car. i prefer xpel, never had any issues with it. i have also used venturesheild as well with good results

[ftc~brz]

don't do it! any of it!

spend the money getting it opticoated or something similar instead.

Every frZ owner (I have met) that has the clear bra has either tried to remove it or is going to remove it soon.

I had thought about it until I saw it in person and the seams are more distracting than rock chips.

the one on the back lip of the bumper to protect against scratches of stuff going in or out isn't so bad, but the ones on the front of the car are meh.

[whaap]

I too have read all the comments about thin/cheap paint and as far as I'm concerned they're fairy tales. I've got over 12,000 miles on my FR-S and I have yet to find one paint chip on the front of my car. I know that luck plays a large part in this but there's nothing thin or cheap about the paint that's on our cars. I'm sure a large part of this is because I don't tail gate or drive like a demon.

[Burrcold]

I had a ton of tiny rock chips on mine after only a few months of driving, and my car was opti-coated from almost day 1 (not that opti-coat does anything for rock chips).

I eventually got both fenders, full hood, and full front bumper done in 3M clear-bra. I am completely obsessive compulsive when it comes to cars, and let me tell you that you can not tell it's on there. The only time you can see the seams are if you go right up and look a few inches away. Most of the seams are tucked anyway.

Been on for a few months now, and not a single rock chip. Get a good quality clear-bra and good installer, and you won't even notice.

[SliverBrz]

I bought a precut ventureshield kit, and installed it myself lol.

cheap, its not perfect but i know underneath my paint is =)

[shiumai]

absolutely worthit IMHO. i have xpel on the full front bumper, headlights and mirrors. only wish i had more surface covered. i'd also consider the rocker panels just in front of the rear wheels - for some reason i get rock chips there. others have had the same experience.

[Carrozzeria]

We have it on a couple of our cars, and only on one can you tell. And even that one we feel is worth it! We've seen what nicks in the bra itself, we cringe at the thought of it being the paint on any of the cars!

[White64Goat]

FYI It will show on a white car more than darker ones.

[LeeMaster]

My previous car had mad rock chips all over it, so I knew this car needed some when making the purchase. It's a peace of mind knowing your car has clear bra and not have to worry when youre zipping 45+ mph at rocks and debris from the car in front of you. I live in a snowy state, so we get construction here every year after the winter, and you all know how dirty roads can get with all those loose barrier cement particle things....

[Young_makaveli]

Imo I don't like having a clear bra ..find it expensive

Just be careful when you drive

And theres always ways to repair rock chips that are not expensive

Good luck

[TONYpepperon1]

I don't know why ppl are saying they want to try to remove it. I have xpel ultimate on full nose. Love every bit of it. Expensive - yes. Easy to clean and maintain - you bet your ass. Bugs and bird poop come off just as easy as water does even without bug and tar remover. It also makes the car have a just waxed look all the time (obviously when there's not dirt all over it). Best part, you would NEVER be able to tell I had it on unless you went hunting for it. Just seamless. Bottom line: worth every penny.

[speedy racer]

Originally Posted by SliverBrz

I bought a precut ventureshield kit, and installed it myself lol.

cheap, its not perfect but i know underneath my paint is =)

I did DIY venture shield under 300, looks Great.

[dem00n]

Originally Posted by ftc~brz

don't do it! any of it!

spend the money getting it opticoated or something similar instead.

Every frZ owner (I have met) that has the clear bra has either tried to remove it or is going to remove it soon.

I had thought about it until I saw it in person and the seams are more distracting than rock chips.

the one on the back lip of the bumper to protect against scratches of stuff going in or out isn't so bad, but the ones on the front of the car are meh.

Opticoat doesn't protect against rock chips, its just an overhyped sealant.

Sounds like a bad clear bra job, don't go cheap.