In your past experience with sports cars, are rock chips on the hood a major concern? Intuitively, I would think that 90% of the damage from debris would occur on the front bumper area. I'm asking becase I'd like to get 3M film applied to my car, but I'm not thrilled about the lines on the hood and fenders. Could I get useful protection by just covering the front cowling?
Thanks guys,
Mika

 

I've already got a few chips on my hood, that would have been covered by the 3M product. I also got cat scratches on the hood, that also would have been covered.

 

Where do the scratches come from???
Mika

 

Cats. I think there was a thread about this. VQ, I'm sure will point in the right direction.

 

I've touched up 6 chips/scratches on the front. All will be covered by the clear bra tomorrow. They did not extend past three inches from the front edge of the hood. Maybe one of those air deflectors would work...

 

thats odd...i dont have any chips lolz..maybe i should get out more

 

trucks make chips ive also found over the years once you go over 70 mph and above the paint chips rather easilly were as 65mph and below it can handle it pretty well

 

yeah.. I had a tornadic event drive right over my Z... no way to miss it other than running off the road... got a small scratch on the hood.. and I mean small.. Those of you that have touched up your scratches with the little bottle... how do you keep from putting too much paint on?

EZ

 

I got a chip like 2nd day after I received my Z. It's about 4" above the hoodline and right in the middle. I ordered the Xpel kit right away, now I feel much safer..

 

I did not even drive my car except a short distance to home, until I had the 3M kit put on. Why wait until you get chips. ABC'ed, clayed, zaino'ed, and 3M'ed flawless paint.

 

I have one small mark (not quite a chip) on mine.

In my previous experience the hood will get chipped. Basically, the lower the car is, the more of the hood that will get hit by shallow-trajectory rocks and debris.

I still think those clear bras are ugly (though I notice nissan puts some of it near the rear wheelwells from the factory). You'd have to cover an awful lot of the front to avoid chips.

Has anyone actually used a clear bra on a car for say, 5 years, and can report on the results? Is it yellowed from the sun? Is it peeling off after 5 years? Is it all beat up with chips, and do the marks in the 3m material look just as bad as a real paint chip? After removing the film, is there a noticable difference in the fading of the covered vs. uncovered portions of the car? Lastly, who has replaced one of these clear bras after years of protection and how expensive was it (first application, removal then new one)?

I haven't heard anyone answer the questions above. I don't know if the clear bra stuff is too new to tell, but until I hear otherwise the jury is still out on the value of the clear bra over the lifetime of the car.

Until I get more data, I will just plan on reshooting the front end when the time comes.

 

Yes, 8 out of 10 cats prefer the Z to the S2K.

 

Anyone have experience with a product called Langka? Supposed to help smooth out the touch up paint you apply to those chips. Web site is www.langka.com.

Ken