westpak

iTrader: (19)

I have had my clear bra on for about 15 months now and feel pretty good I have had it, I have gone to the track where it gets pretty rough, just stick your hand out and if there are cars in front your hand gets sand blasted, I also have felt pretty good on the highway behind trucks and knowing the clear bra is saving the finish.

But this week I really found the reason I am glad I have it, I was driving up I95 in Palm Beach county and from the back of a pick up a can of soda comes flying out and in slow motion I see it comes towards me and with no where to go I just yell out some obsenities as I see and hear it hit the car for the next few miles I am imagining the damage.

When I get out I see it hit the passenger's side fender where the clear bra is and it damaged the bra but did not touch the paint, I have a warranty but even if you had to pay to replace that small piece it would be cheaper than fixing and painting the fender.

theSmoothDome

Now that's a testimonial! Glad there wasn't any damage.

350zdanny

A testimonial would be looking at my bumper. I'm in NJ and it's pit marked to hell.

JeffR116

Yeah My bumper is a minefield as well. I need a clar bra bad. Maybe after I get my Nismo kit....

Reggi914

iTrader: (3)

I have a clear bra on my other car, but i need to get one on my Z, fast!

scubasteve

iTrader: (6)

Can you put the clear bra on any bumper. I am putting a NISMO kit on my car and want a clear bra for it. are they specific to certain vehicles or universal application? Also, how much do they cost?

westpak

iTrader: (19)

If the guy is good he can put it on anything.

If it is not a standard bumper they can start with an uncut piece and custom fit, for that I would expect to pay around 500-600 just for the bumper, but make sure the guy is good and gives you a firm price before hand and not an hourly rate.

2003z

iTrader: (7)

and make sure the guy doesn't cut the pattern on the car. My guy does a pattern with tape and paper, then transfers it to computer and has a plotter cut the film.

mikey384

I almost went this route yesterday with store #1 for my Z after looking at some clear bra work done for the local Lexus dealer until I saw the work done by store #2 who does the "custom fit" instead. Store #2, recommended by the local Porsche dealer, told me about the disadvantage of the laser cut and going with the custom fit. I liked their work and went the custom fit route..total cost: $500. Custom fit looks MUCH better IMO since the laser/plotter cutting can leave 1/2"-1" space/seam, say with the headlights, still leaving paint vulnerable to rocks! Plus they did a good job with the cutting. Three places I initially called all talked about using the product from Canada (Richochet), the thicker material than 3M.

Either way, always see the work an installer does and visit 2-3 different installers and decide for yourself. Call your local high-end dealers (Porsche, Lexus, Mercedes, exotics) and see who does their work.

westpak

iTrader: (19)

I agree, many of the kits on the hood leave an edge around the side and front of the hood, my guy wraped the edges under the edge of the hood so the only line you see is the one going from side to side in the midle of the hood.

2003z

iTrader: (7)

same with mine, www.dynashield.com All edges wrapped , and he was even able to do my veilside lip!

Brian0523

How do you wax the hood of the car where the bra doesn't cover? Can you see a difference, where the bra ends and the freshly waxed paint begins?

2003z

iTrader: (7)

I just zaino it all. There is a slight difference in the finish of the bra and the paint, but you can't see it from more than 2 feet away, and the new llumar film is even more opticaly pure than the 3m. You can't see the bra from more than a foot away with that film.

theSmoothDome

My installer, Enrico at Modern Image in San Diego (I should toss him a plug), used the laser cut kit on mine, and no, the edges aren't wrapped. I noticed the edge immediately, but it's in no way 1/2-1 inch. It's more like an 1/8 of an inch at it's widest point. I wasn't really thrilled with the idea of someone taking a razor blade near my car. Of course now I'm wondering how long it'll be before one lucky rock catches the unprotected edge.

Even so, I'm very happy with the job Enrico did. I've heard horror stories of installers cutting just a little too deep and catching the paint. I've also heard that some of the wrapped jobs begin to unwrap in time, so I guess there are advantages to the kits as well.

Just as an FYI, he was just finishing a bra for a Nismo kit that was there when I arrived. Looked great, so he got my business on the spot.

westpak

iTrader: (19)

I just got the fenders and hood replaced and not a mark where that hit was, I wish I could clear bra the whole car.

I don't think the edges of the clear bra will unwrap, mine was on over a year and it didn't unwrap, plus if you saw how much force it takes to remove the clear bra you wouldn't believe that it will unwrap. They just say that so people wont feel bad they do not have the wraped edges.

theSmoothDome

LOL...Now I feel bad.

westpak

iTrader: (19)

Sorry about that, I think it is also a matter of how much work they want to do, they probably have a set price to be competitive and doing the wraped edges is almost a custom job and takes a little more time, as long as the hood is protected is what matters.

Brian0523

This is way off the topic here, but what wax are you using on the blue z? Looks fantastic.

westpak

iTrader: (19)

ZAINO!!!!!!

Reese

Hey Westpak, are all your edges wrapped, or just the front edge of the hood? That is the only place mine is wrapped and oh yes that lucky rock has already found the uncovered edge of the bumper. I also have a rock chip on the roof already, oh well **** happens i guess.