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YOUR RESEARCHClear bra - yes or no?
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Use some dr
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I had it removed by a professional installer who used a steamer to get it off.
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Most likely the OP paid a premium for that low mileage car so whats a little more to help keep it like new.
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Debating whether to put clear bra on front hood and fenders of my 996 after its detailed - what are your thoughts on it? Pros/cons?
It would be 2k to add...and I'm having trouble justifying this price since I haven't gotten many chips and given that this is like 1/10th the price of the car...
Yes, do it. You should have the entire front end done - full hood & full fenders. $2k is pricey, but maybe that's your location. Xpel is the film I have had good success with. We put it on the 911 & Cayenne.
I think it would have a lot to do IF you're going to be keeping it for awhile, how often you drive it & what kind of surrounding she's in from day to day (whether it's highway, city, etc..)! & How Much you originally paid for the car to start with, like you said if it's 1/10th of the price is it Really Worth Doing! In the End, that's going to have to be YOUR Call! GL!
I did it with EXPEL and after two trips to Los Angeles from Vegas its working great so far. I paid 1800 for hood and fenders and am happy as can be with the results. I plan on keeping my car for many years and its still like new so I'd like it to stay that way as long as possible. I made one trip to Los Angeles without EXPEL and got rock chips. I also got a ticket as I was doing 105 MPH so at that speed even a bug might cause a chip. I had the bumper repainted and had the EXPEL put on it. The place that does it here in Vegas does full cars for the LAMBO dealer here while they are still brand new.
A Clear Bra is Not going to Stop rock chips, though you won't see nowhere near the chips you would get without one but i've seen plenty of dents, chips or scratches WITH clear bras! Like i said before, it ALL depends on what kind of driving environment you're in! Clear Bra's Definitely Help but won't Guarantee No Nicks! Is it a DD?
thanks for all the responses!
i live in brooklyn and use the car on weekends mostly - and mostly summertime. i am on the highways, but definitely not too much. i do plan on keeping the car for a while since it only has 13k miles on it. i feel like i shouldnt worry if i get a few chips (can always touch up)...i just get very OCD sometimes and want everything to be perfect...but maybe should focus on how much fun it is to drive rather than what it looks like
It actually will stop most rock chips. Of course it depends on the speed the car is going and the size of the object but it will stop most. EXPEL also will heal the itself with heat if it gets slightly damaged. I had it put on a corvette I owned and it kept it free of blemishes for two years I owned and drove it. My driving is almost always on the freeway between here and LA and the wind blows across the desert in most of that stretch blowing sand and debris with it. I have a pick up truck that looks terrible from the same stretch over many years. If I had a 13000 mile Porsche that I was planning on keeping I would cover it. Most likely the OP paid a premium for that low mileage car so whats a little more to help keep it like new.
^^This! like you said it Will help Stop MOST of the rock chips (well it won't actually Stop them but they will be A LOT less noticeable & like you said depending what kind you have will help to self heal themselves) & whatever else happens to come your way on the Highway! I've noticed it's usually the worst when your on the interstate or highway going 55+ & you're behind some 18 wheeler's as it seems they're the ones that usually have some debris bouncing or falling off of them! jmo!
As another point of view: you can get the front bumper resprayed periodically for about $500. I use some Dr. Colorchip now and again for the inevitable chips, and resprayed the bumper last year. Of course. more chips are now present, as it's not a garage queen.
Yes you can get the bumper resprayed but you drive for a year or so with paint chips before you have it resprayed. It's 500 dollars a crack and it only looks good until the first chip happens. If you don't mind driving with the chips then why bother respraying it? Also you don't get the hood and mirrors sprayed for the same 500 yet you do get the EXPEL covering the hood and mirrors for the 1800 bucks, at least here in Vegas.
BTW, if you've had a respray (particularly on the bumper cover) the clear bra typically will pull paint off if you ever have to have it removed. Mine got scuffed pretty bad so I had part of it removed and I have a quarter sized spot of primer (fortunately mine is Seal Gray) showing now. I had it removed by a professional installer who used a steamer to get it off. He warned me before he started.
Sorry for the late reply, I'm glad to hear you decided to go with clear bra on your porsche! You are certainly going to be happy you did...
If you're interested in going with XPEL you can find a list of authorized installers in your area by checking out:
XPEL DEALER LOCATOR
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask via reply or PM
here is some car **** - before paint correction and after...got the xpel clear bra on hood, light, mirror and front bumper - very happy with the results!!
$2000?????? RUN AWAY. I paid $700 from a nationally ranked detailer to install Xpel. I've tried Autobahnd and VentureShield also. Xpel is far superior in terms of color and being able to "heal". Search on it... But $2000??? You are seriously getting ripped off.
I never really understood it either. Does that mean you have plastic covers over your living room furniture and put seat covers on your car seats too?
Either way congrats on a wonderful looking paint again. You really had some messed up paint pre-correction. I bet you won't have to wash the car often as well.
So yes, everything wears in time. So I assume you won't put sunscreen on either? The key here is resale. Most of the Porsches in a dealership near me puts it on regardless of whether they can charge the customer for it or not. Why? When it comes to resale, they take the bra off and the paint underneath practically looks brand new. If you're concerned about paint not matching after removal, it's not the case for today's clear bras.
Try this... Put some masking tape on one section of your car and drive it for six months. Take it off and then see what the difference is. It's not just "large stone chips" that is in question, it's the tiny sand blasting effect that matters also. Or, look here for a demo
3M™ Paint Defender Spray Film: Gravelometer Demonstration - YouTube
Lastly, some people are more OCD than others. Some are on the opposite end and treat the inside of their cars like a garbage can. If you fall into that category, then good for you and that's your thing.
I have a clear bra on my 997, and I didn't on my 996. The difference is dramatic. They don't use salt on the roads where I live, which is nice. Unfortunately, they use gravel. Driving a car in the Colorado mountains for a couple of years will result in the front end looking like it has been sand blasted. The clear bra is a smart choice for me. I replace my windshield almost every year.
Resale on a 996? LOL This to me is a car I can own and use. Nothing wrong with wanting to keep it looking good long term though. If and when I decide to sell, I may respray the bumper, get new windshield, redo or replace the headlights. Maybe replace or reupholster side bolsters on the seat and address any other worn parts at the time if it needs it.
For some cars though, you definitely want to be a steward and not an owner, but for me the 996 doesn't fall into that category.
I am fussy about keeping the cars front end from getting sandblasted. If it wasn't for the clear bra I wouldn't drive it as much. I got my car about Thanksgiving and it only had 18000 miles on it, my friend bought it new but didn't drive it much. Now it has 23000 miles on it and I don't drive it much either but I mostly drive it on longer trips. The front end looks new still so it was a good choice for me.
For Dennis, JD, and others that live in areas where sand/gravel is an issue, I can definitely see more of a justification.
Sadly, I like to go fast and follow close sometimes which also lends itself to premature rock chips as well. Oh and the construction trucks that don't support their gravel load in the back by securing their rear hatch and putting a tarp over the top tend to **** me off.
Car looks great!
Obviously if a boulder hits the car, a thin film isn't going to save you. But sand, pebbles and small-medium rocks are going to be stopped from chipping away at your paint. Even larger items that sheer away from your car (not direct impact) will be prevented from taking out your paint.
After 20k miles of HARD driving, I removed the 3M clear bra from my Viper (front end and behind wheel wells); the paint was perfect, the windshield was severely pitted and the wiper arms had no paint on them. My girlriend's Lotus paint is great, but you can see the star shield clear bra is badly pitted and in need of replacement.
Really depends on the quality of the install. Yeah, you can get it done for $700, but if you don't want any lines, risk of razor blades on your paint and a high quality material, it's going to cost you.
Agreed... but believe me, this guy's "low end" are Porsches, BMWs... all others are Ferrari, Lambo, McLarens, etc.... Also, $700 was for the front 1/3 of the hood/fender. Looks like the OP did the whole hood and front fenders. So although $2000 is still expensive to me, it's probably not that far off.
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