Is clearbra worth it?

[slyphen]

So i've been looking to get my brz clearbra. I've got a few dings and scratches from flying pebbled during car meets and i was devastated. I Went to NW Auto Salon in Lynnwood WA and for a full frontal wrap they quoted about $1700. Is it worth it? are there good shops around the seattle areas that would do for a slightly cheaper price with good quality?

Here is what i was trying to get done:
Full detail - $375
Paint touch-up(for those rock chip dings, i already have the paint) - $70
Window tint - $325
Full frontal clearbra - $1725

all together about $2500.... worth it? (i do want to keep the car for a while)

edit: to clearify, i'm doing the full front, including the entire hood, fenders, bumper, headlights and mirror.

[stugray]

I am pretty sure that my clearbra is more like $200.
You are getting raped.

I can vinyl wrap an entire car for less than $500

They mustve thought you had a maserati gran turismo

[evan]

I would say no and here is my thought process:

The parts of your car that aren't protected after clearbra are going to wear (swirls, scratches, fade, etc) differently. Either clearbra all of it or not. It's akin to using a phone case that leaves the front unprotected. After 2 or 3 years, the front half will show wear and the protected half not.

Better suggestion (albeit more expensive): Get the whole car vinyl wrapped.

[thehapaone]

Originally Posted by stugray

I am pretty sure that my clearbra is more like $200.
You are getting raped.

I can vinyl wrap an entire car for less than $500

They mustve thought you had a maserati gran turismo

clear bra is a thicker vinyl and also clear typically 500-600 for a bumper and half hood with that the 1.7k seems crazy also that window tint and detail price are crazy...normal detail ~200 normal tint ~200 tell that shop you don't own a ferrari

[stugray]

Originally Posted by thehapaone

clear bra is a thicker vinyl and also clear typically 500-600 for a bumper and half hood with that the 1.7k seems crazy also that window tint and detail price are crazy...normal detail ~200 normal tint ~200 tell that shop you don't own a ferrari

They did clear bra on my last two cars for $200.
I bought the BRZ used and it alrerady had it, so I dont know the cost there.

And I was just pricing vinyl wrap and clear bra material.
Materials alone for bra ~$100

[thehapaone]

Originally Posted by stugray

They did clear bra on my last two cars for $200.
I bought the BRZ used and it alrerady had it, so I dont know the cost there.

And I was just pricing vinyl wrap and clear bra material.
Materials alone for bra ~$100

Yeah material is cheap its the labor that makes the price I'm sure some shops will do it cheaper but its typically around 5-600 from the quotes I got around Portland with that said I can get a full vinyl wrap for less that 1.7k

[slyphen]

for a little context. the shop is definitely a high end shop. I just want a good quality work done, but i can see why they charge more than other people(they do a lot of super cars as well). I will keep looking around and see if I can get a cheaper price. I saw some companies would drive to your place and do it there, i'm just not sure if the quality will be up to par.

[thehapaone]

Originally Posted by slyphen

for a little context. the shop is definitely a high end shop. I just want a good quality work done, but i can see why they charge more than other people(they do a lot of super cars as well). I will keep looking around and see if I can get a cheaper price. I saw some companies would drive to your place and do it there, i'm just not sure if the quality will be up to par.

definitely do it at a shop they need a "clean" environment to install in your garage will have more dust and crap than their shop-

[RobertPaulson]

that's a lot for the clear bra but i'm assuming you're going with the full front (full hood and fender) Window tint at 325 isn't bad if you're getting the ceramic film that helps reflect UV rays (and keeps the inside of the car cooler)

full detail and paint correction is on par with their services, NW auto salon is one of the best in our area and who i went to see to get my car its original detail a week after buying and just before getting clear bra installed by accutint in bellevue http://www.accutintbellevue.com/

Now from my research in our area here's are the cost (keeping in mind this is from nearly 2 years ago when i first bought the car)

1/3 front clip (front bumper, lights, 1/3 of hood and 1/2 side fenders, edges of door and inside the door handle cove) 500 (low side with bad ratings) to 699 (great ratings and personal recommendations)

adding a full hood is typically 500 more however when i got mine done accutint was doing a special and i got it done for 300 more. adding full side fenders was another 200 and a pillars were 100.

What i had done is front bumper, lights, full hood, 1/2 fender and the small door stuff which with the special came out to 999 and i have to say it has been 100% worth it. more than once i've come out from work to find a nice big pile of bird shit on my hood that would have done serious damage to the pain and another time i was following a buddy, and i wasn't close, and a rock shot out from his tire, hit my hood then my window chipping my window. hood was perfect.

[RobertPaulson]

oh and in case you are worried about seeing the clear bra, go with the full hood at the very least, i did the 1/3 on my last car and hated seeing the line in the hood once the car was dirty.

however you can't really tell from a distance you have a bra on anyway

[Decay107]

FWIW, I have clearbra on the front 1/3rd from the previous owner. It's helped with minor rock chips and the like, but the transition from smooth paint to orange peel clearbra looks like absolute shit within 5 feet. If I were to get it done myself, it would be the whole hood or nothing at all.

[RobertPaulson]

Originally Posted by Decay107

FWIW, I have clearbra on the front 1/3rd from the previous owner. It's helped with minor rock chips and the like, but the transition from smooth paint to orange peel clearbra looks like absolute shit within 5 feet. If I were to get it done myself, it would be the whole hood or nothing at all.

sounds like the previous owner didn't get paint correction done before the clear bra was added.

[slyphen]

Originally Posted by RobertPaulson

that's a lot for the clear bra but i'm assuming you're going with the full front (full hood and fender) Window tint at 325 isn't bad if you're getting the ceramic film that helps reflect UV rays (and keeps the inside of the car cooler)

full detail and paint correction is on par with their services, NW auto salon is one of the best in our area and who i went to see to get my car its original detail a week after buying and just before getting clear bra installed by accutint in bellevue http://www.accutintbellevue.com/

Now from my research in our area here's are the cost (keeping in mind this is from nearly 2 years ago when i first bought the car)

1/3 front clip (front bumper, lights, 1/3 of hood and 1/2 side fenders, edges of door and inside the door handle cove) 500 (low side with bad ratings) to 699 (great ratings and personal recommendations)

adding a full hood is typically 500 more however when i got mine done accutint was doing a special and i got it done for 300 more. adding full side fenders was another 200 and a pillars were 100.

What i had done is front bumper, lights, full hood, 1/2 fender and the small door stuff which with the special came out to 999 and i have to say it has been 100% worth it. more than once i've come out from work to find a nice big pile of bird shit on my hood that would have done serious damage to the pain and another time i was following a buddy, and i wasn't close, and a rock shot out from his tire, hit my hood then my window chipping my window. hood was perfect.

Thank for the info! i'll check out accutint and see what their prices are. I definitely trust NWAS for detailing so i might do what you did. and yes it will be full frontal just like yours. there are a few chips and scratches from going on mountain runs with a pack of cars which I REALLY need to get touched up before getting it wrapped so $500 to get her preped might be worth it.

[Decay107]

Originally Posted by RobertPaulson

sounds like the previous owner didn't get paint correction done before the clear bra was added.

It's not the paint that is the problem, but the texture difference between the paint and the clear-bra right in the middle of a panel. All clear bras I've seen have a slight orange peel finish.