Clear Bra! The best thing you can do for your 86

[imom]

PPF is the way to go if you have a high end car...but it's pretty price prohibitive. Opti coat seems to be a good sealant if you want to call it that, but it's not a film to protect against rock chips like PPF would be.

I'm a little confused...you trash 3M, yet you post about it on your website? Another thing you mention about a famous car builder and say outrageous stuff like "if chip foose painted the car" it discredit what you are doing... at least in my eyes.

If PPF was say 2x or less than the cost of opti coat or C. Quartz Finest and such...yeah definitely worth it...but I heard more it's a factor of 4x or more for a car wrap.

The other pitfalls is running into a shop that does wraps or PPF clear and razor the fuck out of your car. Forget about protecting the paint...they just fucked the owner's paint. I'm not saying your shop does this...just saying there are downside...of course there are downside with a bad detailer that burns the paint while prepping for opti coat.

I can see more folks wrapping their cars when the cost goes down.

[GhostShield]

We used to install 3m film. But every year we go to SEMA looking for the latest and greatest products. Found Suntek 2 years ago. We were having issues with 3m staining, fading, cracking like I said before they haven't changed the film in years. But we are 3m certified.

A lot of shops out there def price gouge the shit out of people so I feel you guys on the cost. But hey if your willing to drop the money else where on the car this is totally worth it and serves a great purpose.

All I'm saying about chip foose is that repainted cars are never the same as factory paint. The paint is not adhered to the surface aswell as factory paint. I've taken film on and off factory paint a ton of times with zero issues. Repaints are 50/50 shot. I'm just extremely careful when removing film on a repaint and have got it done no issue many time.
Just saying it like it is.

As far as razor cuts, very true. I've seen it in cars I've redone because ppl weren't happy with the original installers work. Find a reputable shop, using a computer and plotter cut patterns definitely saves you from having to trim all over the place on the surface. Make sure the installer uses XPEL patterns, they are the best patterns hands down. Again just comes down to the installer.
I could wrap your whole car custom like I have my frs and almost guarantee i wouldn't cut your paint. Just gotta be careful. Slow and steady, very very light pressure. Just scoring the film.

[GhostShield]

By no means am I discrediting chip foose. I've met chip at sema and he is a rad guy! And I love love love his work.
It was just an analogy to explain how good factory paint is.

[GhostShield]

Good as far as adhesion to the surface. I know it's soft and blah blah blah
I feel like I have to be on my P's and Q's with every post or somebody will dissect my words haha

[Jyn]

So if I just bought a new FR-S that came with a front bumper cover and half-hood wrap (3M, I believe) and wanted to protect the paint better, what options would you suggest? I guess I'm struggling to see the benefits of wrapping a whole car, as well as the difference in the few product lines you've listed.

[GhostShield]

Originally Posted by Jyn

So if I just bought a new FR-S that came with a front bumper cover and half-hood wrap (3M, I believe) and wanted to protect the paint better, what options would you suggest? I guess I'm struggling to see the benefits of wrapping a whole car, as well as the difference in the few product lines you've listed.

Atleast you have film on the two most chip prone areas. Hood and bumper. If your looking to protect it better I would recommend covering the full hood and fenders possibly. Side mirrors (the painted area). Headlights and foglights because it will keep them clear for ever and prevent them from hazing and turning yellow. The doors sills where your feet drag is def a GREAT place to cover with PPF (paint protection film) every time I here my passengers hit it with there feet I just smile and think I'm soo glad I wrapped it! Door cup pieces behind the handles so nails do t scrath there, rear wheel impact pieces on the rear bumper, a trunk deck piece on the rear bumper so that the flat painted part that you unload stuff over won't get scratched.

Full car wraps in PPF are awesome, no rock chips any where unless it's like a golf ball sized ROCK! No scratches for sure EVER. You CANNOT key through the film. I've had multiple customer scrap their bumpers and other pieces on walls and even low speed car crashes, film looked all mangled, removed the film, paint was 90% perfect still, reinstall and your good to go! You can also paint less dent repair with the film installed.

Basically you want XPEL or SUNTEK. Suntek being my film of choice because it installs easier. All other films are junk regaurdless of what they tell you.
Suntek and XPEL are both a self healing polymer top coat. So basically you have the adhesive which touches the paint and makes the film stick, then polyurethane which makes it strong, then a sprayed on top coat. The top coat gives the film it's longevity and resistance to scratching staining and chemical burns. Introduce heat to the film and it returns to it's original state.

Hope that helps!! Cheers

[GhostShield]

I see your in Austin? Maybe? XPEL is based in Texas, give them a call!!

[Jyn]

I should've been clearer, I have the 3M on the front bumper cover, half on the hood, side mirrors, and door handle cups. Would it just be worth it to have the half hood removed and redone as a full hood? Would there really be a cost benefit of having all the 3M taken off and having XPEL put on?

I will definitely think about getting the headlights done though. Headlight fog is something I absolutely hate. There's no chance of peeling or yellowing from the heat of the headlights/Texas sun, right?

[Pacific Auto]

Originally Posted by imom

PPF is the way to go if you have a high end car...but it's pretty price prohibitive. Opti coat seems to be a good sealant if you want to call it that, but it's not a film to protect against rock chips like PPF would be.

I'm a little confused...you trash 3M, yet you post about it on your website? Another thing you mention about a famous car builder and say outrageous stuff like "if chip foose painted the car" it discredit what you are doing... at least in my eyes.

If PPF was say 2x or less than the cost of opti coat or C. Quartz Finest and such...yeah definitely worth it...but I heard more it's a factor of 4x or more for a car wrap.

The other pitfalls is running into a shop that does wraps or PPF clear and razor the fuck out of your car. Forget about protecting the paint...they just fucked the owner's paint. I'm not saying your shop does this...just saying there are downside...of course there are downside with a bad detailer that burns the paint while prepping for opti coat.

I can see more folks wrapping their cars when the cost goes down.

3M Scotchgard and Ventureshield use to be the best 5 years ago. Since they never updated the film they got surpassed.

While Xpel and Suntek update there film every year and have made huge gains the last couple of years.

As far as price. Clear bra film is quite expensive per square foot. The majority of the cost is paying for the experienced installer.

Installing can take several hours and is very labor intensive. Any window tinter can install clear bra but they will leave lots dust, hairs, stretch marks and peeling behind.

While a experience installer can get a near perfect product.

[GhostShield]

Originally Posted by Jyn

I should've been clearer, I have the 3M on the front bumper cover, half on the hood, side mirrors, and door handle cups. Would it just be worth it to have the half hood removed and redone as a full hood? Would there really be a cost benefit of having all the 3M taken off and having XPEL put on?

I will definitely think about getting the headlights done though. Headlight fog is something I absolutely hate. There's no chance of peeling or yellowing from the heat of the headlights/Texas sun, right?

All depends on what your willing to spend and if the line running across your hood bugs you. XPEL or Suntek would have way less orange peel in the film. Nope the headlights would be fine. My bosses truck has had venture shield on the headlights for 8 years. Same film. Still looks pretty good, remove film and the lights would be totally clear

Sounds like you have a kit done by an installer at the dealer. Which is a good starting point with decent coverage for now. If your happy run it, and add more coverage to the car else where

When the 3m starts lookin crappy remove and replace with new

[GhostShield]

Originally Posted by Pacific Auto Films

3M Scotchgard and Ventureshield use to be the best 5 years ago. Since they never updated the film they got surpassed.

While Xpel and Suntek update there film every year and have made huge gains the last couple of years.

As far as price. Clear bra film is quite expensive per square foot. The majority of the cost is paying for the experienced installer.

Installing can take several hours and is very labor intensive. Any window tinter can install clear bra but they will leave lots dust, hairs, stretch marks and peeling behind.

While a experience installer can get a near perfect product.

We'll put! And 100% true.

Touching on XPEL and Suntek again, they stand behind their products! That goes far with us!

I ask every Tinter I see if they've tried clear bra and they all say what a bitch it is haha

Takes a lot of patience to turn out perfect work. And a lot of dudes now adays can't. It's an art for those of us that can.

[GhostShield]

Installed a Perrin intake tube today, k+n drop in, hood dampers, rally armor mudflps and threw weather tech matts in her.
Trans flush #2 tomorrow along with Perrin and white line shift bushings installed.
Cam plate is 4 weeks out
Full exhaust and tune to come real soon, then an innovate blower kit
Bye bye warranty haha

[Knshro13]

Quick question, can I have clear bra installed on a bumper that's not on the car?

[GhostShield]

Originally Posted by Knshro13

Quick question, can I have clear bra installed on a bumper that's not on the car?

Yes. It's a little more difficult because it's flimsy but I've done them.