Clear Bra Question
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1. Yes, do it the same as the rest of the car.
2. Depends on what the repairs are. Often a body shop will do the repair and call a guy to come and put the clear bra on.
3. It may fade over time and you will have to replace it, but only 5+ years or so. With all the curves of a bumper it may be easy to see you have a clear bra on it.
2. Depends on what the repairs are. Often a body shop will do the repair and call a guy to come and put the clear bra on.
3. It may fade over time and you will have to replace it, but only 5+ years or so. With all the curves of a bumper it may be easy to see you have a clear bra on it.
If you have a dark color car you are not going to be able to see the fade as much. I have a BO and I have yet to see any.
The only place that is really noticeable that I have a clear bra is the line on my hood and fenders. I would much rather see that line than see all the rock chips I had before I had my new bumper put on and my hood repainted.
The only place that is really noticeable that I have a clear bra is the line on my hood and fenders. I would much rather see that line than see all the rock chips I had before I had my new bumper put on and my hood repainted.
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I think Phoenix pretty much hit the nail on the head there.
I believe most bodyshops that can paint the front end of your car can look after getting a clear bra applied as well. More than likely they'd get somebody else to apply the plastic. When you goto a dealer for example to apply a clear bra... they don't do it themselves... they have an "expert" come in and apply it.
Clear bras overall don't have many issues... but you can have problems depending on who manufactured the material... and who installed it. If it's installed properly... you shouldn't even be able to tell it's on your car until you get right up close to it and then will be able to spot the edge of the film. It should be perfectly clear. If it's not installed properly it will look like somebody just put saran wrap on the front of our car... and you may see bubbles and bulges here and there.
Also... the cheaper clear bras tend to become yellow with time... and they can be difficult to remove.
So make sure you get good quality material installed by a reputable guy.
I believe most bodyshops that can paint the front end of your car can look after getting a clear bra applied as well. More than likely they'd get somebody else to apply the plastic. When you goto a dealer for example to apply a clear bra... they don't do it themselves... they have an "expert" come in and apply it.
Clear bras overall don't have many issues... but you can have problems depending on who manufactured the material... and who installed it. If it's installed properly... you shouldn't even be able to tell it's on your car until you get right up close to it and then will be able to spot the edge of the film. It should be perfectly clear. If it's not installed properly it will look like somebody just put saran wrap on the front of our car... and you may see bubbles and bulges here and there.
Also... the cheaper clear bras tend to become yellow with time... and they can be difficult to remove.
So make sure you get good quality material installed by a reputable guy.
Just to add...a newly painted bumper will probably require 30 days for the paint to cure properly, before covering it.
There is mobil installers that will come to you to do this as the kit is precut for a factory bumper and hood. This will require a warm day to go this route. Most guys on here will recommend 3M Trimline in Mississauga, but they are expensive. I think they charge about $60.00 per hour.
Some kits include the mirrors, fogs and fender corners along with the hood and bumper. So check your pricing options. I highly recommend all of these areas. The thickness of the product will also dictate price.
3M trimline custom covered my Carson Tuned, but it was very expensive to do custom work (with no precut template).
As an example here is a photo of my bumper after 3 years of abuse.
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Judging from this picture, in Canada, I think 5 years is pushing the life of this product.
As a side note, if I peel off the covering, my paint is brand new underneath. Yes the plastic has taken a beating, but it has performed well.
As mentioned above it does in fact turn yellow. I am using top of the line 3M, and have used Xpel before.
It does not seem to matter, they all go yellow with age and sunlight exposure.
Here is a picture after I have applied Zaino, and the rock and impact marks are more evident, the front lip part is a brand new piece I just installed.
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Digger08
There is mobil installers that will come to you to do this as the kit is precut for a factory bumper and hood. This will require a warm day to go this route. Most guys on here will recommend 3M Trimline in Mississauga, but they are expensive. I think they charge about $60.00 per hour.
Some kits include the mirrors, fogs and fender corners along with the hood and bumper. So check your pricing options. I highly recommend all of these areas. The thickness of the product will also dictate price.
3M trimline custom covered my Carson Tuned, but it was very expensive to do custom work (with no precut template).
As an example here is a photo of my bumper after 3 years of abuse.
Judging from this picture, in Canada, I think 5 years is pushing the life of this product.
As a side note, if I peel off the covering, my paint is brand new underneath. Yes the plastic has taken a beating, but it has performed well.
As mentioned above it does in fact turn yellow. I am using top of the line 3M, and have used Xpel before.
It does not seem to matter, they all go yellow with age and sunlight exposure.
Here is a picture after I have applied Zaino, and the rock and impact marks are more evident, the front lip part is a brand new piece I just installed.
Digger08
What's wrong with the pre-cut ones? Digger did it custom because as you can see his bumper isn't OEM.
Intsaller rates are about $60.00 per hour.
Custom job will be about $500.00 on a bumper with tax.
This is the high end rate. You can probably shop around and find a lower price, with less quality, thickness.
The dealership does it for $347 BUT it is not the bumper. You'll find most places that have the pre cut packages will only do the front lip of the hood and fenders b/c those are metal. They do this b/c metal will rust where stone chips occur. The bumper won't rust if you get a stone chip.
If you want the whole bumper done you have to go custom.
Also, you have to make sure you use a quality product, but as you can see in Digger's picture - the clear bra will get pretty beat up - but what is the point if you can't take it off without damaging the paint underneath - after all isn't that the point - having a nice bumper to reveal downt the road. I friend peeled his off after 3 years and had to repaint his bumper b/c it damaged the paint. If this happens, why not just expect to paint it in the future. You'll have marks on the paint over time, but so will the bra. Visually it is still a mark.
I want to do something. I have newly painted bumper waiting for me at the dealership. My current bumper is beat up pretty good. But I'm not sure if this is something that would help me.
If you want the whole bumper done you have to go custom.
Also, you have to make sure you use a quality product, but as you can see in Digger's picture - the clear bra will get pretty beat up - but what is the point if you can't take it off without damaging the paint underneath - after all isn't that the point - having a nice bumper to reveal downt the road. I friend peeled his off after 3 years and had to repaint his bumper b/c it damaged the paint. If this happens, why not just expect to paint it in the future. You'll have marks on the paint over time, but so will the bra. Visually it is still a mark.
I want to do something. I have newly painted bumper waiting for me at the dealership. My current bumper is beat up pretty good. But I'm not sure if this is something that would help me.
well, i know i can get pre-cut ones from the baner advertiser, but i do'nt know who in Toronto can install it for me.....nicely....
if i go to tint king with the pre-cut package, they would charge me a lot, just becoz i didn't buy from them....
but i wonder what material tint king use
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If you have a new bumper then I would highly suggest getting this done to is. I don't think you have much to worry about if you use quality parts and a quality installer. The high quality films are supposed to be easy to remove.
Good point. Anybody ever re-do a clear bra after a few years? Like put it on, remove it and apply a new one?
Does it ruin paint?
So herein lies the dilema,
My new bumper, painted, after tax is about $405.
I called two places locally and the dealer. No one has a full 'kit'.
While I don't think an OEM bumper would cost the same as Digger's $500 cost, a custom application that costs north of $400 really makes you wonder if it is worth while. The dealer only charged me about $150 to paint the bumper. A repaint down the road will be a bit more probably b/c they might have to clean/sand/strip it, but it is looking like paint is cheaper than clear bra.
Now if we knew for sure clear bra won't mark as easily as paint, therefore your car will LOOK better longer, then there is more to talk about. But if it marks like paint would and visually your car looks like it has stone chips then why pay the premium for the bra?
My new bumper, painted, after tax is about $405.
I called two places locally and the dealer. No one has a full 'kit'.
While I don't think an OEM bumper would cost the same as Digger's $500 cost, a custom application that costs north of $400 really makes you wonder if it is worth while. The dealer only charged me about $150 to paint the bumper. A repaint down the road will be a bit more probably b/c they might have to clean/sand/strip it, but it is looking like paint is cheaper than clear bra.
Now if we knew for sure clear bra won't mark as easily as paint, therefore your car will LOOK better longer, then there is more to talk about. But if it marks like paint would and visually your car looks like it has stone chips then why pay the premium for the bra?
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jol... who gave you that $400 price?
Trust me... you are better off getting this clear bra put on your car.
Other things to think about is the down-time associated with getting your front end painted. And also you'll need to worry about getting the paint to match the rest of your car each time.
The clear bra will look nowhere near as bad as a stone chipped front end of a car.
Trust me... you are better off getting this clear bra put on your car.
Other things to think about is the down-time associated with getting your front end painted. And also you'll need to worry about getting the paint to match the rest of your car each time.
The clear bra will look nowhere near as bad as a stone chipped front end of a car.
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