Dragon38

Is there a DIY rock chip film or vinyl bra made for the ES 350/300h? The online searches I've done have not yielded much. I found a film material, but it's only 6" wide. Found professional installation videos, and man...not sure if I want to tackle that. Thanks!

Ratchey

If you find a kit, the install will be just like those videos. Clear Bra type of material can be very difficult to work with compared to wrapping vinyl. It is thick, requires a lot of heat and frustrating to work with. Be prepared for a fun time if you tackle it yourself with no experience. (but it can be done with a lot of patience and work)

Tetguy

If your going to put on a clear bra on a Lexus, I would get it done professionally. Self install will never be perfect by a rookie. And you will notice the faults every time you look at the car. If you go professional, do a lot of research. Many call themselves professional but most leave a lot to be desired. All the Lexus dealers in my neck of the woods say they are professionally trained for Lexus which is pure hogwash.All they do is hire the cheapest shop to do it for them. My previous Lexus was done by the dealer. It was 3M and it did a reasonably good job of eliminating stone chips but the install was not very good. It had been done by the Lexus dealer 2 years prior to me purchasing the car. A few bubbles under the film caused by dirt underneath during install. 3M material was not cut close enough to edge in some areas. I did a lot of research for my new Lexus and I`m sure glad I did. It is flawless. I had Xpel Ultimate with with supercoat done The shop I used, handled 3 different materials on rolls in different widths. He used a computerized cutting machine to cut the different pieces required. I`m very very happy with the outcome. the mshop I used quit doing shop work for the dealers 5 years ago. ,He only deals directly with the customer.

Nelexus88

I would suggest you protect the front bumper paint as well as the hood. This is based on my 3 years and 40k miles put on my '14 ES. No film was applied and the bumper paint is much more chipped up than the hood is.

lesz

I'll echo the thoughts of the others.

Being able to do a high quality installation with paint protection film requires training, skill, patience, and lots of experience. Without such skill, you can end up with bubbles, wrinkles, debris between the film and the car's surface, etc. And the larger the piece of material is, the more difficult it is to get a perfect installation.

I've watched the guy who did the paint protection film installation on my ES work, and I've seen him spend almost 2 hours just working on one piece of the paint protection film, and he has told me that it took him over a year of doing installations before he was confident in being able to do get excellent results on his first try. I'm confident in saying that it is not a job that I'd want to try to do myself.

Also, just protecting the front part of the hood is going to leave other areas very vulnerable. As said by Nelexus88, the bumper is probably more vulnerable to stone chips than is the hood. Also, if you only protect the front part of the hood, not only are you leaving the rest of the hood vulnerable, but you also end up with the line where the film ends as a place that collects dust, debris, wax, etc.

My suggestion would be, if you are going to go with paint protection film, to get a complete package and to have it professionally installed. On my ES, the coverage includes the full hood, the full front bumper, the full front fenders, the mirrors, the door handle cups, and the door edges. Others also include the A pillars and the leading edge of the roof.

Such a complete package will not be cheap. but it does an excellent job of protecting the paint. One of the best ways to get the film applied in the most economical manner is to make it a part of the negotiations for the purchase of the car. If you bring the paint protection film into the negotiations process only after you have negotiated on all other aspects of the deal and if, at that point, you indicate that you are willing to close the deal if you are offered a deep discount on the paint protection film, the dealer is not going to be willing to lose the sale by refusing to sell you the paint protection film at a reasonable price. The likely result will be that you should be able to get the paint protection film for well under 50% of the regular price.

bc6152

I'm curious if any of the gloss/shine is lost due to the application of this film. My hood is like a mirror after washing and waxing and I wouldn't want to lose the beautiful glossy shine that I achieve.

lesz

With mine, you wouldn't even know that the film is on the car without looking closely to see the edges of the film at the edges of each of the panels that it is on. Otherwise, the protected areas look just like the rest of the car.

What is also nice is that the protected areas don't need any polishing, waxing, etc. to maintain their shine, and things like bugs and tree sap clean off very easily.

jollick

Since you mention bra, here is my solution. I do not do a lot of highway driving so the bra is a good alternative. I have used them on almost every car I have had. They fit glove tight and I have never had any paint damage. I only leave it on for the trip, not long term. http://www.colgancustom.com/
http://www.colgancustom.com/products...IONID=&ACTION=

AeroTect

For a DIY, I found a couple:
http://www.invisiblemask.com/imask/i...ory&path=34626

https://carprotectionpros.com/paint-...2/2016-2018-56

As others have mentioned, the best results are going to come from a professional installer, but if you're up for the challenge, there's nothing wrong with going the DIY route. Let me know if you would like a hand finding an installer.
-Jason

Dragon38

I've used these types before with good results. Thanks for the link! Yours looks like the black crush material. Is the carbon fiber any better? Oh, and in my state the front license is required and it looks like they have an option for that, plus front sensors...am I right?

jollick

Yes, there are holes for the sensors, my cover has them. I believe they have an option to purchase with and without plate opening. I do not believe it is actual carbon, just the look of it.

Dragon38

Thanks, Jollick

And do you have the black crushed or carbon fiber material?

jollick

I have the black crushed.

Zipit555

I also have the Colgan bra (based on Jollick's recommendation) and am very pleased with it. Like Jollick, I use it just for longer trips. I have the carbon fiber finish. It is vinyl with the carbon fiber pattern embossed on to it. Still easy to clean with a damp cloth. If you look closely at the box picture, you can see the pattern. Mine is 2016+ so design is slightly different due to the different grill. They do offer with and without parking sensors as well as with and without license plate holder options. Car pic was before I put the hood piece on but it is included.