happypants

I had the Xpel 3M Clear Bra kit installed last Wednesday, and wanted to take some photos to show people what to expect.

You can purchase the kit and do the install yourself, but I don't recommend installing the full kit if you've never done it yourself, as it is pretty easy to screw it up.

Full kit includes hood, leading edges of fenders, all of the bumper, mirrors, headlights (added option) - $750 installed. Install time takes around 4 hours, 1/2 hour less if you omit the headlights.

My kit was installed by Jim Stangohr of Pro-Tech, Inc. He has been doing clear bra installs for over four years and has installed bras on a large variety of cars (both cheap and expensive) and trucks/SUVs.

For those of you in IL who would like to have Jim install the kit, feel free to contact him by phone. You can either take you car to Jim or he can come out to you. If you want it installed locally, make sure you have a garage

(847) 502-7003
Jim Stangohr
Pro-Tech Inc
3 Bernard Court
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089

On with the photos...

Front right view


What I noticed right away was the "orange peel" effect of the covering. Jim said it will diminish over time, and actually it isn't that noticeable unless you look for it. On the left you can see the Nissan "factory approved" orange peel and the orange peel effect on the right hand side of the picture. I have not put any wax on the bra to let it 'breathe", but I can wax it like the rest of the car.


Jim told me that you never get a perfect fit with these kits, and the kit either has to be trimmed or doesn't stretch all the way on some parts of the kit. And sometimes moisture gets trapped under the kit. Depending on what the issue is, it may just require some time for the moisture to evaporate, or minor bubbles appear which just need to be popped with a small needle from the side.



There also is a line that is visible from some lighting angles. Again, something minor to live with

Front left


Front left behind wheel


Front right behind wheel

zland

I like the idea of the clear Bra but I know it is not for everyone. Personally, i do not like the seam across the hood. Is it possible to get the Bra to fit just the bumper and stop at the seam of the bumber/hood thus the seam of where it ends is not visible?

fotodad

Thank you for posting some pictures that finally provide an accurate look at what these clear bras look like once installed. I'm about a few days from having one installed (Avery kit). Now that you've had it done, would you do anything differently, i.e. cover only the bumper area, cover the wheel well areas, cover the entire hood, etc.?

Thanks again for posting these pictures! Overall, I think your clear bra looks great! Are you concerned about the "orange peel" affect on the hood? Did the installer say how much that area will change? I learned a lot from your pictures. And I look forward to your reply should you be kind enough to offer one.

christoc

iTrader: (2)

I need one of these for protection against cones more so than chips on the street!

happypants

The only thing I mentioned to the installer was covering the leading edge of the splash guards since that is going to chip eventually. I didn't see any other leading areas, other than maybe the rear fender flares, that would need protection.

I was joking with Jim about someone wanting to cover the whole car in plastic, and he said that he has had people ask for more customization, and one guy came close to doing just that!!

And another funny story - an owner of a Honda Element wanted to cover the front of the suv with a clear bra. If you know which vehicle I'm talking about, all the parts that would normally be painted are instead a dull dark grey plastic. The only leading edge is the hood, maybe 1/2"!!


He said the orange peel look will diminish a little, but not entirely. You really can't notice it unless you're specifically looking for it.

All the vertical panels of my car have noticeable orange peel. Some are just like the part that is covered with the clear bra.

If you want more photos let me know. The photos don't show as much detail as I thought they would, and this is with a 2 megapixel Canon S330 in hi-res mode.

happypants

Yes, the bumper can be installed without the hood part. Jim does sell the install in parts, so you can customize.

I just feel much more confident 99% of the normal front end paint damage will be eliminated by the clear bra. For me, it is a hassle to take a car to get it painted, and I didn't want to have to do it a couple times over the ownership of the car. So, I see this as costing around the same as having the front end repainted a couple times.

irishfan

Great pix! I've had my XPEL bra installed since November, and I'm very pleased. The front section of the hood has taken some very hard shots from loose gravel on the Interstates, so I am very glad that I got the hood kit as well. If you are doing this for protection, you really need the hood. From most angles and more than 3 feet away, you can't see the lines across the hood, but the scratches you will have instead will leap out at you. If you are standing right next to the car, you can see the lines, but they are far better than the scratches and chips you will get.

I have noticed that the first 2 feet of the hood take quite a beating - it is worth protecting, as it is the most visible part of the car you would cover.

rodH

iTrader: (2)

that orange peel and bubbles and cloudiness all go away in a week or so

krinkov

Looks Great

To elaborate on a couple points...

The "orange peel" of the film will smooth to a degree after a while but there will always be a bit of texture to it, in some cases its not much worse than the factory orange peel We did an install for Zbart from this forum who was able to smooth out the texture and the factory orange peel quite a bit with a few coats of Zaino.

Speaking of wax, while this material is energy absorbant to protect againts chips and sandblasting, the lack of surface hardness means sometimes small scuffs and scrapes on the fil can be difficult to remove. A couple coats of wax on the film soon after installation helps give the film a an extra level of protection.

As for the line across the hood, note that the angle people always take pics of to show off the texture or the edge of the film is directly from above from a few feet away since this is usually the only angle they will show up well in, the only person who will likely ever see your car from this angle is you getting into and out of it. But when people see these pics it might seem like the film is that visible from any angle, its not.

If anyone has any questions about paint protection film feel free to drop me a line!
Invisiguard@sbcglobal.net

labshark7

Looks great,

Have had mine on for about 2 weeks, the small pockets of liquid are going away but are not totally gone.

However, whats up with the price Jim charged you. That is insane! I only paid $470.00 installed for the same 3M kit, with the headlight guards. The installer even came to my house to put it on, it took him 4 hours.

Is this the normal price for your area?

Like I said 2 weeks and the headlights are starting to look good, but I dont know if they will get any better. There are a few mico-air-bubble-pockets that are clumped together. I was told to give it 1 month, before complaining. So perhaps another few weeks will rid me of this.

One problem is I keep this car garaged 100% of its life, and dont sit it out in the driveway to heat up.
Eric
Tucson, AZ

happypants

You got an excellent price! I wonder if it is lower in your area because of competition?

In my case, I think it is sorta high because much of his business is installing these for higher priced cars (e.g. Lexus, Porsche, BMW, Mercedes). He also does a fair amount of work installing these for car dealers.

Jim was the only installer in the Chicagoland area recommended by others here. I couldn't find anyone else to do the install.

happypants

Speaking of protecting the splash guards, I saw X-Pel has a kit available, Wheel Opening Kit - $29.95:

http://www.xpel.com/products.asp?pre...e=29&model=740


Steep shipping though ($9.75)

There are six parts, four are for the splash guards, where do the other two go?

Ralphus

Rock chips look better, well, are less noticable than this thing. Plus, after a while, you could get your front end repainted for less money.

I thought this was a cool idea, but now that I've seen it..

fotodad

I've struggled with having a clear bra put on or not, too. It pains me to no end to see more and more stone chips on the hood and bumper. Yes, painting is an option but I worry about the paint matching. Any thoughts on this? And let's say you opt for the re-paint option, do you plan to have it re-painted every couple years? That could get expensive! Your thoughts...

christoc

iTrader: (2)

unfortunately clear bra's can't protect our cars from the idiots who take a door and put a big crease in your fender.... like I found today.... if I knew who the hell it was.......

krinkov

Well, it may not be for everyone, but as for repainting your front end, even if you could get it done once for less than the price of a clear bra install, how often do you plan to do it? After each chip? Once a year? Until it gets so sandblasted you cant stand it anymore then hope the new paint stays perfect? Its been my experience that if your the type of person that will put up with driving around a car with a sandblasted front end for any amount of time, your not likely to go through the expense/hassle of regularly repainting the front end of your car.

Ralphus

If it's not a show car, rock chips here and there aren't a big deal to me and usually aren't noticeable, but having a big piece of plastic crap on top of the paint is.

I know someone who owns a body shop, so taking off a fascia and hood and painting isn't a big deal. Also, I don't really keep cars more than 2 or 3 years so paint matching ain't a prob, and guess what, it won't look like an orange wrapped in saran wrap!

rodH

iTrader: (2)

have fun at the body shop, I have had this product on my wifes Jetta for 3 years now and it is PERFECT, I had a Honda Civic before my Z (much BETTER paint than the Z, BTW), I had the front repainted, and had the same attitude you did even after I had it repainted.

1 year later I WISHED I had it done (by then it was too late), we got my wifes car around that time and I was SURE to install it ASAP. btw, I get body work for almost free (long story) and this product (installed) for just under $300 (no I can't get anyone else that discount), I still bought it for the Jetta and now the Z (I don't trust a lot of people working on my car even though they are "friends" or "professionals" because I find that NO ONE cares about it as much as I do).

btw, those pics he has posted are at the ABSOLUTE WORST state, the bra isn't that noticable, it just needs more time in the sun.

BriGuyMax

iTrader: (4)

I have a very simple solution...and it only cost me $100. I bought a colgan 2-peice nose mask. I use it when I go on trips....and around town I don't use it. That way I don't get rock chips on the highway and I don't have to look at a clear bra on my car all the time...

It's a little more work cleaning the nose mask...and removing and re-installing it, but I think it's worth the money I saved and my car's front end is nearly perfect...

rodH

iTrader: (2)

does that cover your lights, mirrors, A-pillar and first 5 inches of you roof and door edges too????