Bra recommendations.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,568
Likes: 1,182
From: Conyers Georgia
Bra recommendations.
One of the things that really irked me on my C6 and C7 were the chips, nicks and bug residue on my front bumper. The C7 even had protective film but still suffered chips. Well my newly purchased 2000 C5 has absolutely ZERO damage and I do mean zero and I'd like to keep it that way. Since most damage comes from highway driving and my C5 will see little of that, can someone recommend a good bra for those times I do take her out. Something easily removed because it won't stay on the car in the garage........I still can't believe a 23 year old vette has no nose chips. It's as if the previous two owners only drove backwards.......
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,280
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From: Pittsburgh PA
Have you ever use a bra? They can damage your finish in different ways. I used this once when the car was new because I was going to put a 1000 highway miles on. I used it going but not coming home. I had it damn tight but it still rubbed the finish. I’ll say when I drive my car I like to take it on the interstate. After 25 years the noise nicks are minimal to my liking.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3,399
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From: Havre de Grace Maryland
I had a bra on my Murano and learned a lesson; dirt gets in between the fabric and paint and acts as sandpaper. Took the clear-coat/paint down to bare metal. For the C5 that is driven less than 1500 miles not on expressways where nicks mostly happen, I just put up with a few that occur using touch up.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 1,023
Likes: 887
From: Nappytown MD
I have never seen a bra yet that didn't leave some kind of a wear mark or witness marks that it was there. PPF is about the best option, but like you said, even that can be the victim of a rock-My 2002 I just got is the same, pristine paint and zero chips, but I will just drive it and not worry about it. Funny how something that is supposed to protect the nose actually damages it, just in a different way-
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,903
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From: Orlando FL
Clear bra would be first choice with perfct paint. Both my cars have a few chips, etc, so I have Speed Lingerie bras and mirror covers. Absolutley the best bra made. Perfect fit, do not move around at speed, and mine have been tested into triple digits.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,568
Likes: 1,182
From: Conyers Georgia
I've heard about the chaffing issues which is why I'm asking the question. Looks like if I know I'm taking a drive I'll just apply some ceramic coating the day before to sort of mitigate the damage
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2022
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From: Nappytown MD
this will sound kinda stupid on the front of a car, but on my street bikes, when I carry soft luggage across the back, I use blue painters tape and put it on the areas where the bags could or will touch/chafe the paint and it works perfect. No residue left etc. Now it might look funny if you see some of the "blue" peeking out form the edge of the bra, but atleast there is something between the cover and the paint that doesn't move. I'm not saying you tape the whole front end but just maybe the area under the perimeter of the bra where the seams/hem is? Again, that is way overkill but it is a cheap and easy way to add some protection if it is for just a single trip like to visit parents or family etc.
Le Mans Master
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From: Oviedo Florida
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You can pay someone and have a clear
bra applied or you can buy a roll and go at it. I have 2 vettes
that I have applied myself. Make a pattern and take your time.
A take on and off bra will leave marks and you can see it.
A invisiable bra is pretty much invisiable. My vettes finish"s looks
new.
Good luck
bra applied or you can buy a roll and go at it. I have 2 vettes
that I have applied myself. Make a pattern and take your time.
A take on and off bra will leave marks and you can see it.
A invisiable bra is pretty much invisiable. My vettes finish"s looks
new.
Good luck
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,568
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From: Conyers Georgia
My C7 had a clear bra and it was a disaster because when it's the covering that gets chipped all the touch up paint in the world won't help.............trust me I've tried......................
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On all three of the C5s I owned, I used the GM bra on the car - very good fit, easy on/easy off and at least in my case, no damage to the paint in many years of using it. However, I think the GM bra is no longer available from the dealer. As mentioned, a paint protection film like Xpel will offer some protection for the car, but rock chips do occur even with it one the front end.
My C7 has Xpel on it and I also run a Speed Lingerie front cover. The Speed Lingerie cover is top notch, but it was rather expensive and unfortunately it appears the vendor went out of business. The upholstery shop that fabricated the front covers for Speed Lingerie is still in business and they do sell the covers fom what I have been told. I would bet that they can make one for the C5. If you want their contact info, PM me.
Other than that, I think Colgan makes a cover for the C5 and perhaps so does Covercraft, Wolf, and LeBra, but I do not have any first hand experience with any of them.
My C7 has Xpel on it and I also run a Speed Lingerie front cover. The Speed Lingerie cover is top notch, but it was rather expensive and unfortunately it appears the vendor went out of business. The upholstery shop that fabricated the front covers for Speed Lingerie is still in business and they do sell the covers fom what I have been told. I would bet that they can make one for the C5. If you want their contact info, PM me.
Other than that, I think Colgan makes a cover for the C5 and perhaps so does Covercraft, Wolf, and LeBra, but I do not have any first hand experience with any of them.
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I have xpel ppf on the entire car. But on long highway drives, I still strap on a bra.
Xpel protects against normal brushes, and maybe some minor rock chips -- but i a rock *will* damage the film, and replacing it is far more expensive than a bra.
for highway drives, I use a GM bra. Great fit, looks fine, and never had an issue with it damaging the paint.
Xpel protects against normal brushes, and maybe some minor rock chips -- but i a rock *will* damage the film, and replacing it is far more expensive than a bra.
for highway drives, I use a GM bra. Great fit, looks fine, and never had an issue with it damaging the paint.
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Running Guns & Moonshine
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From: CT
My daily black 99 coupe now has 120k on it. Winter. Salt. Snow. Ice. You name it. While it does have one knick which went through the primer in the forward top section of the passenger fender from some highway impact and three other small rock impacts, the front of the car truly cleans up to a solid 9.5 out of 10. Anything else it came with before I had it but I did a lightning fast paint correction on it in November in one of the last warm days and in just a fast pass got a high percentage of swirl marks out of the paint and other light sin. I will absolutely give it a go again in the Spring.
The location where I find marks accumulating and annoying me is behind the front wheels down low. The bottom four to six inches of the car along the rocker is where it is needed. Not so much the nose.
Where the rocks hitch a ride is different. That's in front of the rear wheels inside the rocker panels where most of us have the fuel senders. Even the low miles Z06 needed to be soaked and wiped out to get rid of the Oklahoma clay it came with.
The location where I find marks accumulating and annoying me is behind the front wheels down low. The bottom four to six inches of the car along the rocker is where it is needed. Not so much the nose.
Where the rocks hitch a ride is different. That's in front of the rear wheels inside the rocker panels where most of us have the fuel senders. Even the low miles Z06 needed to be soaked and wiped out to get rid of the Oklahoma clay it came with.
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