On Monday, D+2days, I had the 3M clear bra kit installed by Pro-Finish, Pleasanton CA. They came to my home and installed it in my garage. Took ~3-4hrs, 2 installers to do it. What a job. Don't try this yourself unless you've done this many many many times. Be sure to find someone who has done alot of these. It is an art, not a science.
I've posted photos of the installation in my member gallery.
Very pleased with the result! My Carmon Cayman is now my daily driver (15K/yr) on freeways and city streets. After 6 yrs, my Audi TT's unprotected front end was chipped big time.
K-man Went -
Thanks for the photos - I'm waiting on mine with the same color combo. There's a debate in my house with She Who Must Be Obeyed on getting the clear bra...I think it's a must have...she thinks it's another expense. I hope you don't mind me asking but what was your total bill with install? I think the cost now will far outway repairs to the rock chips down the road (given that we'll probably have this for many years). Any recommendations or things to look out for regarding the install?
Kman-went,
I asked in another thread but I'll ask here too, which pattern did your installers use? Starshield, Invinca-shield, X-pel, Armorfend, or something else?
Kman-Went.......looks good!
It would really be good to keep some sort of a database of these types of installers for future owners.
Yes you could list a link to their site in our LINKS section along with a brief description about them, or they could also sign up here as an advertiser/sponsor if they so desired. /fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/MWPX/teeth_smile.gif
That gap usually is NOT covered as the body films don't get that close to the gap, and the films for the lights themselves don't cover the last 1/4' inch or so of the lights and don't wrap around the plastic. Their concern would be with a single piece draped over the entire headlight and body assembly and I don't know anyone who does that anymore.
I had mine done by my Porsche dealer. The Penske dealership here in Ariz. has its own bra shop. They have 10-12 high end dealerships inone location, even includes a Penske racing museum. The bra shop just downloads a pattern from a web site then cuts the material at the shop for whatever car they are fitting. I was told they used a PCNA approved pattern for Caymans. Unfortunately the pattern wasn't quite right & they had to do a custom fit which ended up looking great. My saleman said the pattern would be redone. Cost was $695 and the new 3M material really blends with the car.
Here you go:
1) ForNthusiast's doubting wife:
Take her to see any used unprotected Porsche and show her the condition of the front end. If she is in Northern California, I'd be glad to show her the front of my 2000 Audi TT. Also, you may want to get a price for repainting the front end of a Porsche so that she knows what you will be spending in about 5 years.
2) Things to look out for:
First, find a reputable installer. If its 3M, go to their website for the name of the certified installers in your area. I carefully watched these guys and there is no way that I would attempt it on my own. My installer visits the technical school about once/yr to learn the newest products, vehicles, and techniques, including performing training installations on sample vehicles. Watch out for former window tint guys who are new to this field.....there is a big difference between slapping film on a flat piece of glass vs cutting, stretching and shaping film over curved body features. It is an art that I now appreciate. Lastly, look out for knock-off film products that may not have much history behind them. These films have come along way over the years, and it looks to me like 3M has put their materials science expertise into a highly engineered product.
3) My installer used a pattern from X-Pel. The fit looks to be near perfect. The did a great job on the difficult parts: Side mirrors and the thin cross-pieces around the foglamps. Only wish: If they had a trim piece for around the foglamps themselves since they are painted the body color.
4) Total bill: $895 for full bra kit, plus $119 for the headlight kit, all installed.Note that the kit was the FULL bra,not just the lower part of the front end.Could I have negotiated the price down, or gone somewhere else for less money? Perhaps. But it was worth it to me to get a reputable installer who knows what he is doing, and who came to my house to do the install at my convenience, and to do it within 2 days of delivering my Cayman.
5) Link to their company has been posted on the CaymanClub link page:
www.pro-finish.com
. Mike Rascon is the owner. I made up the email address because it wouldn't accept it without one. Just visit his site and you can leave a message for him on his contact page.
As I said before, I'm quite happy with the results so far. I'll post more messages as time passes as to how it is wearing.
KMan-Went,
Thanks for the update - can you check and see if your installer has a copy of the pattern he can send you in electronic form so we can compare it to the Armorfend and Starshield patterns that have been posted previously? It has been my experience that each pattern is unique having pluses and minuses and in the past (on Boxster and C4S) the X-Pel patterns did not cover as much frontal area as other vendor's patterns so I would be interested to compare their newer patterns like the one for the Cayman. Actually I just found it on their site (wasn't there previously) at :
http://www.xpel.com/products/configurator.asp?prevtype=1&prevyear=2006&prevmake=33&prevmodel=0&prevsubmodel=0&prevseries=0&type=1&year=2006&make=33&model=1424
Looks pretty similar to the StarShield pattern and coverage is almost identical from what I can tell, cool yet another option!
Thanks!
FYI there are no PCNA approved patterns, PCNA has no comment on the clear bras other than to say that Porsche uses 'similar' materials in some areas of their car from the factory. The only official comment is no comment or the info in the owner'smanual about not blocking certain areas. So it is nice the dealer can tell you this but ask them to see a signed document from PCNA HQ and you'll be waiting a long time. That said, they may still have an excellent installer in their area and a pattern that they trust although it looks like this first time they had to go back to the drawing board.
KMan-went - I note you moved up to the Cayman from a 2000 TT. I will be doing the same thing having owned a 180hp TT since April 2001 and having just put my order in for an arctic silver Cayman. Got to say that for me, part of the allure of the Cayman was it's, in some respects, similar looks as the TT - I have never got tired of the TT styling inside and out and will be bummed to see it go. But, it's time to move up and the Cayman seems one heck of a way to go!! I am over in Menlo Park, so might just follow up with you later on this clear bra kit.
After having mine done at dealer as well I am very pleased. The only problem I have had is installer did not have the light sets so have to wait until I get back from trip to have them done. Gonna get that 2k on in 1 week if I can!!!!
