If you're going to insult someone, you might want to learn to spell first. Shootin' up "heroine" has a completely different meaning that shootin' up "heroin." What a tool.....

 

Do you take the bra off every day when the car is inside the garage? If not then what you see is the bra - not the paint. I am sitting 1 foot away from my car right now. I cannot see the clear bra. I could understand if your argument is against the bras that go half-way up the hood. But those that fit to the lines of the car? I'd bet that many of those who have had scratches from straps flapping around or a bit of road grit that flew under the bra probably used good "common sense". They just got unlucky because they believed that the bra would protect the car and did not consider it could harm it.

My car looks better than "showroom new" - with the bra. It has a much better detail job now.

 

I use the vinyl bra only occasionally....and I still have zero paint chips after 15 months. I've had the Colgan bra up to 140 MPH and it held just fine. "Better than showroom new?" The plastic simply cannot have a gloss equal to that of the paint...and it will get duller as time goes on.

 

Never did like bra's - I wish everyone went braless

 

You have no paint chips but you also dont use the thing more than "occasionally". It sounds like you are lucky at picking the days when that stone is looking to fly up and chip your paint. I dont have that option. The stones I encounter dont target me only on "long trips".

Why is it hard to believe my car looks better than when I took delivery? I'm sure I'm not alone there. Do you have the dealer wash your car when it's serviced? I hope not. (And check out my previous post. The Z came WITH the bra so that means that my detail job made it better than when my car was "showroom new"...)

Whatever loss of "gloss" I have with the clear bra is minimal versus the colgan. It is guaranteed not to fade for 5 years. If it does, they replace it free. If it looks bad after 5 years, I can always put a new one on. My bet is that you have ZERO protection from Colgan for damage you cause to your paint by using their product.

Based on your description of clear bras, it sounds like you might be looking at old products or crappy installations. The newer materials are very good and a reputable installer can make the thing pretty damn close to "invisible".

 

I wonder how some of these film manufacturers stay in business putting out dull, clouded films? The ones I install have always been very glossy and optically clear. In fact, I can tell you that after a period of time, the clear bra will look better than the paint because it will not get swirl marks on it.

But hey, you obviously have your mind made up without really investigating what is out there. One of these days you will run across someone that has had a professional install with a top quality film and you will wonder why you have been stuck in the 1980s for so long. Until then have fun putting on and taking off your vinyl bra.

 

I agree!!!

Well maybe not everyone. We wouldnt want some people to trip on themselves...

 

Sorry I don't have heroin on my weekly shopping list like you do.

 

I keep telling you guys that they do make a full front end kit now for the C6. It covers the entire hood and fenders so there is no more lines.

 

I've seen plenty of these crappy clear bras....of course I don't make my living selling these things so I can actually be impartial. About a year ago, I was considering buying an F360 at Norm Baker Motors here in Las Vegas. The car was previously owned by Nicholas Cage (not really a big selling point in my book) and there was an old, dull, clear bra on it. I commented on how bad it looked, and the GM agreed with me. They removed it the next day, only to have dozens of broken paint chips come off with it....obviously the "protection" is only good if you leave the ever dulling tape on forever. They finally had to paint the front of the car.

I've seen new clear bras, and I've seen old ones. Even brand new they never have the same gloss of a good Zainoed or Rejexed paint. I would love to have such a product that worked as claimed and really was "invisible," but as yet it doesn't exist. If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is....and you can sell anybody anything. The local Porsche dealer here refuses to install them, and they remove them from any car they take in trade because they simply can't sell a car with a clear bra on it. My buddy sold them an M3 with clear bra, and they devalued the car $1000 because they would have to remove it and most likely, repaint the front. So much for saving him money by not having any paint chips.

As far as the clear bra looking better than the paint because it won't have swirl marks....even if this were true, once again, IT WOULDN'T MATCH THE PAINT. Brilliant.

I'm not a big fan of vinyl bras either, but they do work, and they can easily be removed.....takes about two minutes....big deal. We're never going to agree on this, so good luck selling your snake oil.

 

Nah....that's not the reason, Jethro.

 

I call BS on about half of what you are saying. Out in Southern California where I lvie, just about evey dealership puts them on. I personally have 12 dealerships I install for.

And another thing, the film these days is much better than the old film. You can Rejex it or Zaino it... and the gloss will be just as good as the paint. In fact ClearMask and VentureShield has a lifetime warranty on it from fading, peeling, yellowing or cracking. I bet your paint doesnt even have that.

Your example of the F360 just shows you how little knowlege you have regarding this subject. The chips that came off with the film were touch up from prior rock chips. People will touch up old chips then apply the film over it. Loooks good until you remove the film. Then you will see what could have been prevented had you installed the film when the car was new.

And I am very impartial. I have had this on my last 4 cars and all of them looked brand new when I traded them in. My 04 Viper's rocker panels were still perfect... and if you know anything about the rocker panels chipping on Vipers... that is saying a lot.

By the way, what Porsche dealership are you referring to? I would bet I can call them and call you out on your BS.

 

^ Fantastic ownage.... BTW I have an appointment with Ultrashield of Hampton Roads Tuesday AM at 9 to have my Z06 done. I'll post up some pics to show you all. 3M ultrashield is an 8 mil film, truly clear, and has a lifetime guarantee against yellowing/cracking

 

Gaudin Porsche/Jaguar. Please call them.

As far as BS....the paint on the Ferrari was not from previous touchups..it was from the paint being cracked by rocks and held in place by the clear bra. It was very obvious when examining it after the fact. You'll grab at any straw to make this crap sound good, huh?

 

No I have seen it from experience. People touch up their cars all of the time before they put a bra on. I tell them up front that it will pull the touched up paint off the car when it is removed. I bet if you called the original owner he will tell you exactly what I just told you. I know fellow installers that get flown all over the world to completely wrap Veyrons, Enzos, and just about every other high end exotic there is. These customers must know something that you dont since they are spending thousands of dollars on vehicle wraps. Here is a link to a video demonstrating the film. Click on the gravelometer video in the lower right hand corner.

http://www.body-skins.com/what.htm

Bottom line is you really do not have any experience in this topic. You have a biased opinion without any knowledge of the product/industry at all. Every one is entitled to their opinion... I dont have a problem with that. But keep it your opinion. Dont give out false information as fact.

Oh and I just called Gaudin Porsche/Jaguar at (866) 486-6085 and they told me they do install paint protection film there on their new cars.

 

Putting a vinyl bra on a $50k car doesn't make any sense to me though. What are you going to do when it rains or when you decide the trip is just too short to put the bra on? Rocks still fly in the rain pretty good. It really depends on the installer and proper maintenance. Pay $300 for crap and you will get crap. I personally don't want to take off a vinyl bra every time it rains or when I want to take a picture. I also don't care for the stone chip look that you may get around to repainting hoping that the paint matches a few years from now. Also vinyl bras don't protect the $1k headlights.



Now a $2-300 piece stretched on the front of the car wouldn't look right in that picture. Neither would a bunch of white chips, although it would match the snow that is leftover.

 

I use the vinyl bra on long trips. I agree they look fugly, but when I am on a road trip I am just having fun, not trying to be fashionable. It goes on & off real quick, so the car looks stylin' again back on my local non-freeway driving.

The one time I didn't use it on a highway run, I got a nasty chip on the nose. The front end is a rock eater on the freeway. Only a matter of time before it is sandblasted if you drive on a freeway with a lot of traffic &/or trucks.

 

I never said my views were anything but my opinion....just as yours are. Oh wait....you make a living selling this stuff....no axe to grind there.

Experience? I have two eyes....and I've been SEEING things for a few years now...that's all the experience I need. IMHO (good enough for you?) the clear bra is waste of money and it ruins the looks of a new car. As it ages, it becomes even more visible. Just because people are spending thousands of dollars on this stuff doesn't mean it's the smart thing to do.....money can't cure "stupid." Paris Hilton has an F430. "Ohhhhhh...let's get a clear bra for it!!!"

I don't need to have your knowledge of the product and the industry to know it looks like $hit...IMHO, of course.

Wow....you even claim to know that the Ferrari was touched up before the clear bra was installed. And you tell me I'm misrepresenting the facts...... THE PAINT CAME OFF IN CRACKED FLAKES....THIS WAS NOT TOUCH UP. And even so, why put this crap on your car if that what's going happen if you ever need to replace it? Suddenly you have to repaint the nose anyway! Yeah....that clear bra is a great way to save money.

As far as Gaudin is concerned, I would never expect any other answer from you. Who did you speak to there? The receptionist? A sales guy? The GM? Got a name?? I won't call BS on you because this was their policy a year ago and it's possible things have changed......but I doubt it. I'll bet if you try to trade a car with a clear bra their policy is right back in effect.

To be fair, I would love to see a two or three year old Vette with a clear bra that is impossible to see. If the ridiculous lines that cut across the fender could be avoided, and if the painted and clear bra surfaces matched perfectly, I would take back everything I've said about it. The clear bra is a great idea....it just isn't 100% there yet. If it were, manufacturers would be using it. Too much liability in the long term. Someday maybe....

 

I've been lucky so far, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time. A car is like pair of shoes.....they're both going to show wear at some point. Putting a clear bra on a Vette is like putting a piece of packing tape around your Kenneth Cole loafers.

 

I guess using a vinyl bra would be like wearing galoshes around on a sunny day then. I guess if the galoshes are colored like the shoes its OK though 'cause nobody will really notice and you can always take them off when you want to show-off your shoes.