Lots of front paint chips?
#31
Originally Posted by jeeen
could i please see a picture of your car with the bra on? i'd like to see what it looks like, that sounds like a great idea to prevent chips.
I got my 3M kit for $540 installed and the additional headlight/foglight clear bra was $80 installed. The owner was late installing my kit so he shaved off $30, gave me a free $60 clear bra piece for my lower front bumper lip (not sure if it was "free" because I was under the impression that the $540 whole kit included that "free" lip), and a free bottle of Plexus... So... $590 installed? So basically my car has a clear bra on about 50% of the hood, entire front bumper, lower front bumper lip, 50% of the front fenders, side mirrors, headlights, and foglights. I asked my GF to see if the clear bra was noticeable or not but she said it was almost invisible and the cutoff line on the hood wasn't too bad since it was slightly noticeable when looking from behind the car. I think it's pretty safe to say that if you're looking at your car from the front it's invisible. From the sides it depends on the angle but still nearly invisible. From the back you only see the cutoff on the hood and some of the fender. If you have some extra money ask for them to cut you a clear bra for the ENTIRE hood and ENTIRE fender. That way you won't see ANYTHING.
BTW this is the first time I've gotten a clear bra or have seen one and I must say that it was $590 well spent.
#32
I live in CO where we don't use a heavy salt base on the roads in winter, not that this car will be driven in that kind of weather anyway, but instead use a sand & cinder now with Mag Cholride mixture that abuses cars in record time.
A clear bra is the way to go, no questions asked!!
A photo showing a clear bra will bevery hard to see. On my car you can't ven see the bra unless you get a the right angle.
As for not spedning on your leased vehicle. I leased mine and trust me they will not count paint chips as normal wear and tear. Go to a body shop and get an estimate to repaint your hood, fenders and bumper and compare that to the cost of a clear bra. You make the call.
A clear bra is the way to go, no questions asked!!
A photo showing a clear bra will bevery hard to see. On my car you can't ven see the bra unless you get a the right angle.
As for not spedning on your leased vehicle. I leased mine and trust me they will not count paint chips as normal wear and tear. Go to a body shop and get an estimate to repaint your hood, fenders and bumper and compare that to the cost of a clear bra. You make the call.
#33
Originally Posted by hogchow
the terry towel i used was a 100% cotton one. I went out and bought THE ABSORBER.. this is supposedly the best towel on the market.
The Absorber is OK....I have one...don't use it anymore. There are better drying options out there IMO. You guys need to check out autopia.org..TONS of great info and helpful people over there.
After you use some of the very good quality cotton and microfiber towels and feel how plush and soft they are you'll realize how bad the other towels are.
Try the CD scratch test.....take your towel to a CD and if it scrathes the CD it IS scratching your car.
Here is a pic with the clear bra on. It is on the entire front bumper, front of the fender, and on the first foot or so of the hood. The lighting conditions aren't the best but I hope this gives you an idea.
You can see the line where it ends if you know what you're looking for...otherwise it is pretty invisible.
Last edited by JamRWS6; 03-06-06 at 08:44 PM.
#35
Lexus Champion
Originally Posted by Kamikaze2b
Don't really want one. I don't like the look or the expense.
#36
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Originally Posted by ecr527
I got one from these guys: www.ppfpro.com It was $175 plus $30 for the headlight and foglights. If you do a search for "IS350 clear bra" on Ebay, you will see some of their stuff listed. What's not to like about the look??? If you install it properly, you can't even tell it's on there. My brother and I installed it on my IS yesterday. Granted it was the first one either of us has ever put one on, it took us about 3-4 hours to put it on.
So how did it turn out? Pics?
#37
Lexus Test Driver
Originally Posted by Bichon
I notice that the people complaining about rock chips have black (or blue onyx which is practically black) paint. I have over 3,000 miles on my crystal white car, and if I have any rock chips, they aren't noticable.
#38
Lexus Test Driver
Originally Posted by rinthiran
I have a Glacier Frost Mica with 700 miles and just noticed a couple small rock chips above the right headlights.... nearly broke my heart. It was probably caused by rocks on the freeway (Its been raining cats & dogs and there's all sorts of dirt on the freeways).
My last car was an Acura RSX, and it too suffered from easilly chipping paints. I've also noticed that on my mom's 2003 Camry, so its gotta be a Japanesse car problem, because the 3 Mercedes and BMW's I've know of driven in the same roads I travel seem to suffer far less damage.
Godammit Honda, Toyota, Lexus, etc... get your act together and put high-quality paint on high quality cars!! </end rant>
My last car was an Acura RSX, and it too suffered from easilly chipping paints. I've also noticed that on my mom's 2003 Camry, so its gotta be a Japanesse car problem, because the 3 Mercedes and BMW's I've know of driven in the same roads I travel seem to suffer far less damage.
Godammit Honda, Toyota, Lexus, etc... get your act together and put high-quality paint on high quality cars!! </end rant>
#39
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Originally Posted by LeslieRC
According to the guy that installed my clear bras, ALL car manufacturers have switched to a "thinner" water-based paint, So, it's not just cars made by the Japanese that are more prone to showing rock chips.
Where do you get your clear bra installed? I'm loking for a good place in the DC area to get it installed.
-J
#40
I'm also looking for a good place in the MD/DC area to get a clear bra installed for the IS i will be getting in 2 months. Someone said in another thread that some dealers do this as an option now?
#41
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I just googled these up, most of them have a way to locate a dealer.
http://www.invisiblepatterns.com/dealers.asp
http://www.xpel.com/
http://www.invisiblemask.com/site.html
http://www.invisiblepatterns.com/dealers.asp
http://www.xpel.com/
http://www.invisiblemask.com/site.html
#42
Lexus Test Driver
Originally Posted by 250MT
Where do you get your clear bra installed? I'm loking for a good place in the DC area to get it installed.
-J
-J
#43
Lead Lap
Originally Posted by LeslieRC
According to the guy that installed my clear bras, ALL car manufacturers have switched to a "thinner" water-based paint, So, it's not just cars made by the Japanese that are more prone to showing rock chips.
#44
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Originally Posted by bunka
PS - I do have a clearbra on my GX470. Price was only $275 as I know the owner of one of those comapnies and got it at cost!
Are you happy with it? Any downsides? I'm having one put on next week.
#45
Lexus Test Driver
Originally Posted by bunka
You guys jut don't get it do you?
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