Re: Thanks .... I'm not doing it

Since I'm getting my car in a couple of days, I've been researching a few things. I will be getting the clear bra, but have a few more questions.

If there is UV protection from the clear bra, how to you prevent the difference in color from the front of the car and the rear of the car. I'm getting a dark color, so will be more noticeable.

One place told me to put a sealant on the paint prior to the clear bra. He said there is UV protection in it and would not have the problem with the difference in paint. Also said don't need to wax the car for minimum of 2 years. This particular company says they have a new process which many of the high end car companies are "after them" (not quite sure what that means). He said when the car comes in, even direct from the factory, there are swirls and imperfections in the paint. They take all this out and then put the sealant on. He showed me a Mini Cooper of an employee who has been driving his car (not just done), I do have to say the paint looked incredible. ...... Is all this true and worth it?

From this company it's $850.00 for the paint, the full nose clear bra is $1500.00. When I asked the dealer the price of sealant (which I don't plan to do through them), he quoted me $950.00. I'm supposed to go to another company this afternoon.

UGH..... I'm not a shopper and am not enjoying this. I'd rather be playing tennis or out driving (but I don't have a car to drive, yet).

Joanne

Maybe - but I would be skeptical of the claims for paint "sealant". It may indeed outlast wax but I doubt seriously it will last two years with moderate use of the car. You can buy several paint sealants on line and about 6 months is all they claim. I certainly would not pay $850 for someone to apply it but YMMV. Maybe this guy has come up with the ultimate sealant - but it sounds like snake oil to me. My car is doing just fine with the front clip in Xpel followed by P-21 every couple of months.

You just reminded me - I need to go grab the P21 jar.

Cheers,

mike

I am skeptical of sealant claims, and boy do they hard sell that stuff. I think it's just an easy profit center for them. How would even know if they applied it or what it does? Do they just put it on like wax? For $900! I would not advise getting that.

I got a clear bra on my car after repainting the rock-chip-laden front a couple of years ago and am very happy with it. I got the full hood, the bumper, and the front-facing half of the fenders. So there is no line on the hood. The line on the fenders is barely noticeable on a dark color like mine (Arena Red = maroon).

Mine was installed by a local place that specializes in clear bra installation, and the whole thing was $800 or $900, I think. Some folks get just half the hood covered, which reduces the cost by a hundred or two, but I have seen tire rubber streaks (from the race track) pretty high up on the hood, so I know things can land there. This is where I went here in the SF Bay area: [www.premiermobilegroup.com] -- you might even ask them for a Southern California reference.

For add-on coatings, you have three broad choices, as I understand them: 1) Wax, 2) Polymer, 3) Acrylic. Examples of Wax are all over the place, I understand carnauba wax to be the hardest but I find it is gone in a few weeks anyway as it will evaporate off of a hot finish in the sun. Examples of Polymers include Zaino... something I love and its shine can last a good six months... Zaino claims it goes on only a "few molecules" thick so I can't believe there is any protecting going on there. For Acrylic, I understand a popular product to be Klasse and while I never used it, other who do swear by it.

Overall, applying any of this stuff to "seal" or "protect" is BS. The only product I think can protect is a hard wax as it is thicker and gives itself up although you have to keep applying it every three to four weeks to ensure any protective qualities (if true) are present.

Don't sweat this stuff. Folks love bras but I just made a decision a long time ago, to just repaint my front end when it needed it and just enjoy the car. I got 197K miles from my Boxster and when you use the car like I did, you will get minor accidents and such that inevitably will require a new bumper and paint anyway. I take very good care of my stuff but use it and accept the fact that it will get dinged up. Then, once a year, a polish with a mild abrasive applied with a powered orbital. Some say you will wear away your paint!!! YIKES!!!! Or worse, burn it... whatever that is. Here is my Boxster at around 150K miles and 10 years with most not even garaged in Philly, and all original paint except for the front bumper and hood. Doors back is all original.

[picasaweb.google.com]

Oh, and reading the pricing for all of that bra and sealing..... Sheesh!!!! Put the money in a CD and then repaint the front end when you need to in 4 years or so from now... you probably will have some money left over and the car will look better. (I never liked the look of a bra on a car. But that is just me.)

Peace
Bruce in Philly



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/2013 02:28PM by Bruce In Philly (2000 S Boxster, now '09 C2S). (view changes)

I didn't think I should do it. But the guy was so convincing that I thought maybe I was missing something.

I am going to get the clear bra with the Xpel product. And have decided on an installer.

WHEW..... that's done

Joanne

Good decision, Joanne. I did the clear bra on my 06. Bumper didn't have a mark on it after 6.5 years. I put a coat of P21S on the rest of the car every 2 months. Water always beaded up and paint looked like new when I traded the car.

Use the extra money for gas to break in the new car.

Guenter
2014 Boxster S
GT Silver, 6 Speed Manual, Bi-Xenons, Sports Suspension (lowers car 20mm), Porsche Sports Exhaust, Porsche Torque Vectoring, Auto Climate control, heated and vented seats, 20" Carrera S Wheels, Pedro's TechNoWind, Sport Design steering wheel, Roll bars in GT Silver
[www.cyberdesignconcepts.com]

+1 on not doing a "sealant".

I'm with the others here. Skip the dealer add ons and spend the money on gas and maybe track time. Get the clear bra to protect your paint from rock chips. Wax the car every few months and clay bar it every year and when the clear bra comes off you won't be able to tell it was ever there.

Dave - 06 987 S coupe SG/NL; gone (but still my first love): 03 986 AS/GG/BK;

Its water repelling is nowhere as good as RainX, and I'm seeing about as much pitting as my untreated 986 had developed after a year. I've come across other comments of the same opinion.