Car bra....what do you think?

[Kjonus]

Was thinking about getting a bra for my Jetta for the winter and I was just wondering what you guys think about using them. Is it a good thing to use to pervent the rock chips or is it a bad thing to be using and would you end up doing more damage to the paint?


thanks ahead of time for any input.

Kent

[forreal]

Re: Car bra....what do you think?

get 3m paint protection

[bart]

Re: Car bra....what do you think?

no dont get anything, just get another crappy bumper for winter, and repaint hood every few years. cheaper in the long run. unless you do your entire hood and bumper its a waste of money, like i realised. you will still get dents you know, and if you do only the first bit of your hood, its ok for the rest to look chipped?

[Smarty39]

Re: Car bra....what do you think?

Listen to Bart, don't get anything! I have the 3M clear bra on my car, and while it has saved more than a few rock chips, I'll still need to re-paint the hood and bumper/lip soon.....and my car is only a year and a half old And those leatherish bra's you are thinking about are even worse! They trap so much dirt and garbage that your paint ends up fading underneath

Just stick it out for a couple years then get a little hood and bumper re-spray

[James]

Re: Car bra....what do you think?

ya, and if you're a newb at waxing (like me) and some wax bakes onto the clear bra's, it looks yellow and totally shitty (and impossible to remove without taking the clear bra off)

..needless to say after my front end is fixed up, I wont be replacing the 3m

[Deuce]

Re: Car bra....what do you think?

I second forreal. Get 3M Paint Protection film from Trimline Calgary, they do an awesome job. All you need is the hood and the corners of the quarter panels done (ie. the non-plastic parts up front).

As for the other comments... ie.

and if you do only the first bit of your hood, its ok for the rest to look chipped?

STOP TAILGATING!!

Deuce out...

[James]

Re: Car bra....what do you think?

^ ever been on deerfoot between the months of October and June? ^

[Mr. Burns]

Re: Car bra....what do you think?

I currently have the 3m, and it has definitely save me from some nasty dings... if you don't mind seeing the lines then by all means get it, but personally when I get my new bumper here shortly I will not be getting it 3m'd, and I will be removing the strips from the hood and fenders as well.

[bart]

Re: Car bra....what do you think?

I second forreal. Get 3M Paint Protection film from Trimline Calgary, they do an awesome job. All you need is the hood and the corners of the quarter panels done (ie. the non-plastic parts up front).

As for the other comments... ie.


STOP TAILGATING!!

Deuce out...

no, tell the city to stop using rocks. i cant wait until the day someone sues the city for rock chip damage and wins.

[R_Ethug]

Re: Car bra....what do you think?

yea... exactly bart.. oh damn it snowed 3" a month and half ago and the city dumped 2tonnes of gravel on the road.. oh snap! look it all melted now we have white trash roads in town...!

[bart]

Re: Car bra....what do you think?

if they dumped 2 tons over all winter in all over calgary i would be happy.

[Silverstoned]

Re: Car bra....what do you think?

ya, and if you're a newb at waxing (like me) and some wax bakes onto the clear bra's, it looks yellow and totally shitty (and impossible to remove without taking the clear bra off)

..needless to say after my front end is fixed up, I wont be replacing the 3m

I think the yellowing is due to not having the quality 3m film. Either that, or you let it go too long between washes, and the yellowing is dirt that has imbedded itself in the film. I wax the front of my car (including the 3m film) regularly, and the wax seals the plastic so it won't get discoloured. As far as the chips, Most of mine have been saved by the film. A few tiny ones on the leading edge of the hood where the film stops, and a couple on the front quarter panels/hood a few inches back from where teh film stops. I'm pretty happy with how it has performed so far. I definitely have more chips on my windshield than I do in my paint.

I don't drive on Deerfoot regularly, but have had season's passes during the snowboarding season, and usually take quite a few rocks on the highway, esp. in the single lane section from Sunshine to Lake Louise.

To the original poster... if you decide to go with a removable bra (leatherette from driver's gear or some other brand) just be sure to wash the bra a few times over the winter, and always take it off before you wash the car. This will minimize the dirt that is trapped under the fabric and lessn the dulling of the clearcoat. I still get a little bit of this where the feet of my roof rack touch the paint on my car, but some polishing compound and a fresh wax usually takes care of it.

Jeff

[B5]

Re: Car bra....what do you think?

I think the yellowing is due to not having the quality 3m film. ....

So how do I know if they are the quality 3M product?

[R_Ethug]

Re: Car bra....what do you think?

i actually refused all summer to drive my jetta on deerfoot.. my companies plant is in the SE and usually quickest from DT is memorial to foot to barlow trail.. i refused to drive it i'd always end up taking longer and just going DT down mcleod to glenmore to barlow.. a little slower but no gravel..

[Silverstoned]

Re: Car bra....what do you think?

So how do I know if they are the quality 3M product?

Go with Trimline, or just ask whoever you are getting to install it if it's 3M. If they don't know, go somewhere else. 3M guarantees their film won't yellow, so if you have a problem, the person installing should replace the film (if it's really 3M). I can give you the number of a guy who did mine, but don't have his business card at work.

PS - is this for a new car? Any stone chips already in the paint will be exaggerated by the film since there will be a small air pocket between the film and the paint chip.