3M paint protector/invisible bra?

[MarMcc91]

Has anyone used those invisible bras for their car? is it worth it? I contemplated getting one but I hate seeing that line on my car and when they get really dirty, its noticeable (not so invisible I guess).. but my car is a daily driver and I drive the freeway alot (which tons of rocks and flying debris)..is it worth it?

[Tcoat]

I have one and it is worth every penny in my books.
Mind you if things hit too hard or are too big then they will cut right through it but as a DD in winter with all sorts of salt being thrown around I think it does wonders. You soon don't even notice the line and when it is clean it is almost invisible (unless you are truly anal and then you will probably see it all the time).

[WhiteFRS69]

totally worth it!

get ready tho to spend a nice amount for an install!

i regret not going with it when i got my car, the dealer even asked me if i wanted to and said no....

Front bumper, hood, and fenders are a must IMO

also to, depending on how old your car is, most places with do a single or two step polish, once the Bra is applied, any imperfections with be there until you remove the bra, which could also add to the price

[brandonblt2]

I would do it before you get to many stone chips. I am personally kicking myself for not doing it seeing as I have sooo many stone chips from only 25k miles from rural and highway driving. The paint on these cars is so thin and crappy. I will probably end up repainting the whole front in 3 to 4 years

[CatDaddysBBQ]

Originally Posted by brandonblt2

I would do it before you get to many stone chips. I am personally kicking myself for not doing it seeing as I have sooo many stone chips from only 25k miles from rural and highway driving. The paint on these cars is so thin and crappy. I will probably end up repainting the whole front in 3 to 4 years

This. I am in the same boat.

[MarMcc91]

Originally Posted by CatDaddysBBQ

This. I am in the same boat.

That's also the issue, i bought mine used so there are already chips :/ They aren't very visible though, I only get bothered when I am detailing my car. Should I get it painted first? and how long the they last?

[brandonblt2]

Originally Posted by MarMcc91

That's also the issue, i bought mine used so there are already chips :/ They aren't very visible though, I only get bothered when I am detailing my car. Should I get it painted first? and how long the they last?

I would fill them with touch up paint and get the paint polished to remove swirls before putting a clear bra over the whole front end, hood and fenders.

[vividracing]

I had my BRZ fully filmed except for the roof and trunk lid. When I can afford it I will cover them, too. Yes, the entire front, entire hood, entire side, and rear bumper.

It gets costly when you do large pieces. The largest being the entire side of the car as it uses one giant piece the height of the door and the length from behind the rear wheel to the front of the door.

But considering my car is a Galaxy Blue which is now a discontinued color, keeping it looking fresh is my top priority. The very same day I bought my car I had the entire front bumper covered. Essentially the paint on the front bumper has never been exposed to air since in my possession. The hood is still flawless as it was the 2nd thing I had done, and there are no scratches or imperfections in the paint as a result.

Your best bet is to get it repainted, then wait a few days to cure then have it filmed, if you care about appearance. Any chips pre-existing in the paint will still show under the film and if you're OCD enough it'll drive you nuts with the bumpiness.

PPF should last for as long as you have the car, or a big enough rock tears a gash in the film, that happened to me where something big enough hit the film and tore a hole in it about 1/2" around. I feared the worst, having to repaint it but when I had the film replaced, I discovered that there was no damage AT ALL! I was shocked to say the least. The film cost about $350 to replace, a fully repainted front bumper with install is more like $800.

If you have any questions about film, feel free to ask, I know pretty much everything considering I spent well over $2000 for my car. Lol

-RyanG

[brandonblt2]

Originally Posted by vividracing

I had my BRZ fully filmed except for the roof and trunk lid. When I can afford it I will cover them, too. Yes, the entire front, entire hood, entire side, and rear bumper.

It gets costly when you do large pieces. The largest being the entire side of the car as it uses one giant piece the height of the door and the length from behind the rear wheel to the front of the door.

But considering my car is a Galaxy Blue which is now a discontinued color, keeping it looking fresh is my top priority. The very same day I bought my car I had the entire front bumper covered. Essentially the paint on the front bumper has never been exposed to air since in my possession. The hood is still flawless as it was the 2nd thing I had done, and there are no scratches or imperfections in the paint as a result.

Your best bet is to get it repainted, then wait a few days to cure then have it filmed, if you care about appearance. Any chips pre-existing in the paint will still show under the film and if you're OCD enough it'll drive you nuts with the bumpiness.

PPF should last for as long as you have the car, or a big enough rock tears a gash in the film, that happened to me where something big enough hit the film and tore a hole in it about 1/2" around. I feared the worst, having to repaint it but when I had the film replaced, I discovered that there was no damage AT ALL! I was shocked to say the least. The film cost about $350 to replace, a fully repainted front bumper with install is more like $800.

If you have any questions about film, feel free to ask, I know pretty much everything considering I spent well over $2000 for my car. Lol

-RyanG

$800 for bumper repaint seems pretty high I had my rear bumper repainted for a little over 400 and reinstalled

[vividracing]

Originally Posted by brandonblt2

$800 for bumper repaint seems pretty high I had my rear bumper repainted for a little over 400 and reinstalled

Well mine was also a bumper replace too and the quote was for a little over $1000, insurance covered it but the paint was for about that much. They might have priced it differently for insurance purposes. I just didn't pay that much.

-RyanG

[MastasmurF]

Originally Posted by vividracing

I had my BRZ fully filmed except for the roof and trunk lid. When I can afford it I will cover them, too. Yes, the entire front, entire hood, entire side, and rear bumper.

It gets costly when you do large pieces. The largest being the entire side of the car as it uses one giant piece the height of the door and the length from behind the rear wheel to the front of the door.

But considering my car is a Galaxy Blue which is now a discontinued color, keeping it looking fresh is my top priority. The very same day I bought my car I had the entire front bumper covered. Essentially the paint on the front bumper has never been exposed to air since in my possession. The hood is still flawless as it was the 2nd thing I had done, and there are no scratches or imperfections in the paint as a result.

Your best bet is to get it repainted, then wait a few days to cure then have it filmed, if you care about appearance. Any chips pre-existing in the paint will still show under the film and if you're OCD enough it'll drive you nuts with the bumpiness.

PPF should last for as long as you have the car, or a big enough rock tears a gash in the film, that happened to me where something big enough hit the film and tore a hole in it about 1/2" around. I feared the worst, having to repaint it but when I had the film replaced, I discovered that there was no damage AT ALL! I was shocked to say the least. The film cost about $350 to replace, a fully repainted front bumper with install is more like $800.

If you have any questions about film, feel free to ask, I know pretty much everything considering I spent well over $2000 for my car. Lol

-RyanG

I do have a question about when it comes to detailing. My car had a clear bra along with the side mirrors, around the door seals and handles installed from the dealer. Outside of regular washing I haven't put much into polishing or waxing. I about to drop some money on some equipment and supplies to do this. However, do I just avoid those areas that have the clear coat all together?

[MonoRaven]

If you get the full hood and fenders done then there is no line to see.
I've had mine on for a year now and it still looks like new. I have 2 small cuts in the bumper I assume from some larger stones on the highway. I have numerous very small stone chips in my windshield but no marks on my paint. I'm sure there would be white spots all over it if I didn't have the PPF. I think it was worth every penny I spent.
Keep a good sealant like Reload or Opti-Seal on it, don't use a carnauba wax.

[MonoRaven]

Originally Posted by MastasmurF

I do have a question about when it comes to detailing. My car had a clear bra along with the side mirrors, around the door seals and handles installed from the dealer. Outside of regular washing I haven't put much into polishing or waxing. I about to drop some money on some equipment and supplies to do this. However, do I just avoid those areas that have the clear coat all together?

Polishing kind of depends on what kind of film it is. Some are OK to polish while others are not. Don't use a carnauba wax, only use a sealant. Check out Autogeek, there are some good threads on that forum about caring for PPF.

[vividracing]

Originally Posted by MastasmurF

I do have a question about when it comes to detailing. My car had a clear bra along with the side mirrors, around the door seals and handles installed from the dealer. Outside of regular washing I haven't put much into polishing or waxing. I about to drop some money on some equipment and supplies to do this. However, do I just avoid those areas that have the clear coat all together?

No. You don't have to avoid them.

Clear bra or paint protection film will benefit from waxing but not as much as waxing paint does. You don't need to polish unless there's some scuffing. If you're going to polish the whole car, you might as well polish the film as well. If you are going to use a buffer tool, be careful around the edges as the spinning action may roll the film edges.

Otherwise you can use a clay bar, polish, wax, and sealant as you would on any other part of the car. There are even polishes and waxes specifically formulated for clear bra material that restores the film better, but I personally haven't seen a difference in it with my usage.

-RyanG