TheTaminator

Now that I have your attention (LOL):

Who has a clear bra? How much of your car did you do? And - can you put a clear bra over existing stripes?

Can you still wax?

Approximate cost? (Check your mod lists!!!), thanks!

You'd think I'd know all there is to know about bra's, but I guess not, haha.

Tami

laserred38

I paid way too much for mine, but it is nice to have. I went to the best place in the Bay Area, Premier Auto Films in Fremont. When my car was there, a McLaren 650S was in having the entire car wrapped. They did my window tint too.

I did my whole hood and their precut front end kit. I want to do my full fenders eventually, as I don't care for the line (even though it's very subtle). I also might have them redo my front bumper with custom pieces. The custom work is a lot more, as there's a lot more labor and you have to take the front bumper off, and take all the grilles out, but to me it's worth it so you don't see the seams at all. I bet the seams would be less noticeable on red versus silver though.

BaknBlk

Put Xpel on mine....front bumper and side mirrors. I did not have it put over the stripes as they are reflective and it's makes them look odd. With the Xpel I was told to wax it just like the rest of the car. You can't see the seam on the bumper, the red paint hides it very well. Cost for the bumper and mirrors was around $400. The Xpel is advertised as a "self healing" film in that minor scratches will disappear after pouring warm water on them or leaving the car in the sun....living in Arizona makes that one easy !!! Well worth the money in my opinion.

shurtual86

I had it done on my truck, front bumper up to about 1/3 of the hood also had side skirts or the part where the bottom of the car doors would make contact.
Will it work on stripes? Not sure, mine had some stripes on the hoods that is partially covered by the clear bra and gap between the main stripe and the outlining stripe (about a cm gap) raised up on the edge.
Not sure it's due to it being on the edge of the clear bra or if because it was cold when they did it (mid December) , only about a quart inch but it's visible.
It did save the front end from being damaged while I went to and from Charlotte, found a small gash on the clear bra,which would have been in the paint.
Definitely worth it.

I would think it would be hardly noticeable on silver, is it a metallic silver?

Wild5.0

On girls I do.....

typesredline

Yep. I did Xpel Ultimate in the full front bumper and 1/3 of the hood and fenders. Plus the side mirrors. The guy I went to similar to Laser does all kinds of high end cars. He is constantly doing 458's, McLarens, etc.

Xpel does truly work as advertised. I've picked stuff off which scored the film pretty bad. Next day it was gone. I also had tree sap drip on it. Before I realized it was sap I just quik detailer'd it which smeared it bad. Once I got it all off with goo gone it was scratched bad and looked dull. Even after detailing it. (Granted I carelessly wiped bc I knew it was on the film.) I was worried this time but next day, completely gone.

typesredline

It's well worth the price of admission if you care about your paint. Forgot to add that I did headlights and fogs too. Next new car, I'm doing a full wrap with Xpel Ultimate.

laserred38

The silver hides the seams very well - but, it's when dirt gets trapped in the seams, that it becomes noticeable and gross.

kcoTiger

Yes, I have it on the entire front 1/3 of the car: bumper, hood, fenders and side mirrors. It's the self-healing variety and while it cost a hefty price it's been worth it a few times over considering the $ I would have paid for paint repair without it. I have it over my stock vinyl stripes. I wash/wax it just like I do the rest of the car, and it looks no different than the clear coat on the uncovered parts. I went with the full hood and front quarter panels so as to avoid seams on black paint.

TheTaminator

Thank you all for your replies, very helpful! As for "hefty price"....am I in the $500 range for full bumper, full hood, full front fenders? Or $1000? Of course, I am in the Bay Area where bending people over without kissing them first is a way of life, lol.

TheTaminator

So, when you say you "paid way too much" - do you think that was because of the place you went to and wouldn't use them again? Or was it just par for the course, Bay Area pricing with the automatic 20% higher surcharge compared to anywhere else?

TheTaminator

Guess I just answered my own question here....the Tesla forum, which has many Bay Area owners had this to say about Premier Auto Films cost (they don't use Xpel):

"I called Premier but they don't use XPEL. I've heard a lot of good things about XPEL so I was hoping to get it.
Also if anyone is wondering they quoted me $8000 for a full wrap of my P85."

HOLY CRAP!!! Not sure why I am surprised though. $8k probably seems like nothing when you just spent $80-90k on the car, lol.

So, further in that Tesla thread, I found this, which seems a lot more tolerable:

"I took my new P85 to East Bay Auto Spa in Walnut Creek, who did a fine job applying XPEL Ultimate for less than half the price of Premiere's service. I had everything but the trunk done. They pretty much charge XPEL's list price for the coating, and include labor in that.
(They applied the "full hood, fender, and mirror, bumper, doors, a-piller and roof" kits for $2500, and the "rear fender" kit for $650)"

typesredline

It depends on the quality of work. The film is what it is. But it'd be like buying a painting I did vs a Rembrandt. For a really good quality job with Xpel Ultimate (better and more $$ than regular Xpel) what you're looking for will be right around $1500.

berzerk_1980

This can be true but I just want to point out that there are certain brands that have had an adhesive problem in the past. What happened with them is the film actually retracted about a millimeter while the adhesive did not. If you were one of the afflicted there was absolutely no way to get rid of the dirt. If you don't have this problem then the dirt in the edge is easily removed with a wash or quick detailer. Dirt shouldn't really get trapped permanently on a good install with non detective film.

I think mine was about $1100 for partial hood, front fenders (front third and bottom part up to body line), front bumper, headlights and fog lamps, door edges, door handle cups, rockers, and lower doors. I know it was Xpel, but I don't knew which Xpel product. It is way less conspicuous than the film I did on my S2000 back in 2005.

kcoTiger

For Xpel Ultimate, you're looking at about $1500 for what you're asking.

poldrv

I put the clear 3M bra on my 2005 4.0L the same week I took delivery, Almost ten years now. The 3M protection is on the hood, headlights and lower bumper. The 3M clear bra takes waxing very well to the point that it is hard to see the line between the paint and the bra. It cost me $644.00 in 2005 in Canadian dollars, plus 7% tax. No stripes on the 05.

typesredline

Sounds about right. I didn't do the door stuff like you but did the lights and mine was 900 and change.

I miss read that she wants full hood and fenders so I edited me original post.

poldrv

Putting 3M on a full hood would might cost a bit, but could be worth it in the long run. Never thought of doing the doors on mine or the lower fenders.

Just picked up a 2007 Vista Blue GT with grey stripes. There is a rock chip right through the grey stripe on the hood. Thinking I may have to have the stripe taken off, repair the chip then have a new stripe put on. Oh the financial pain of it all. Then maybe add 3M to the hood.

berzerk_1980

I did these too but forgot to mention them. Edited.

TheTaminator

The other question I have now, since a lot of you seem to have done the headlights/fogs....is would you have the glass roof done? I have a glass roof...had to pass two gravel/sand trucks the other day, and and the whole car got sanded on the way by. Luckily, no bigger rocks or I'd probably have some real damage based on how much was flying off those trucks.