Cobra Clear Plastic Bra

[Fitz]

Who can do this?
Cost to do this?
Not doing it myself - don't have the patience.

[mikeinatlanta]

Having owned a company that designed, cut, and installed clear bras, I recommend not doing it. About the only time it makes sense is on a race car where install quality isn't important or on a car that repaint will significantly devalue the car. It's fine for spats or covering small areas, but I wouldn't do the entire nose area.

If you are going to have it done, make triple sure that the installer does not cut the material on the car, no matter how he tells you that he can do it without cutting your paint.

Edit: When I was in business over ten years ago, my average price for a car was $1,800 but I did almost exclusively high end and exotics. Also did a lot of whatever was the popular enthusiast car of the day, but I would tell them the same thing I'm telling you. Price for a cobra back then was $1,100. You will probably be able to find someone willing to ruin your paint for as little as $250, but don't worry, you won't see the clearcoat cuts until you remove it.

[Dwight]

3M sell the stuff in a rattle can for about $70. Any body shop can spray it for you. Good for 18 months and then you wash it off and do it again. Probably will last a lot longer on a Cobra that is garaged most of the time.

Coach had the 3M sprayed onto his Cobra last summer. Cost about $150. Years ago he had one done with the clear wrap stuff cost about $600.

I think BMW has a product that he used on his Coupe cost about $170 for a quart and what ever the body shop charged to spray it.

I can get better details if you want.
Dwight

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by Dwight

3M sell the stuff in a rattle can for about $70.
Dwight

Ditto on the 3M spray on if you need to do it. But, what's wrong with a little patina?

[Dwight]

Rock chips = badge of honor


Dwight

[mikiec]

What he said.

But you need to remember Fitz is anal about his car.

Mikiec

[Fitz]

I guess I will just continue to use the black bra until it is 180* out.

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by mikeinatlanta

Having owned a company that designed, cut, and installed clear bras, I recommend not doing it. About the only time it makes sense is on a race car where install quality isn't important or on a car that repaint will significantly devalue the car. It's fine for spats or covering small areas, but I wouldn't do the entire nose area.

If you are going to have it done, make triple sure that the installer does not cut the material on the car, no matter how he tells you that he can do it without cutting your paint.

Edit: When I was in business over ten years ago, my average price for a car was $1,800 but I did almost exclusively high end and exotics. Also did a lot of whatever was the popular enthusiast car of the day, but I would tell them the same thing I'm telling you. Price for a cobra back then was $1,100. You will probably be able to find someone willing to ruin your paint for as little as $250, but don't worry, you won't see the clearcoat cuts until you remove it.

Mike,

I agree. I decided to have it installed on my SPF when I bought it new 8 years ago. I've found that I have some chips right on the line of the clear bra, and it started to be a little noticeable in bright sunshine.

What is the process to remove it? Is it possible?

[Rjw289]

Expel is a very good product. Very important to find someone that knows how to install it properly with minimal cut lines. Cost a little over $1,000.00 to cover front bumper up to hood and rear wheel arches.

[mikeinatlanta]

Originally Posted by Got the Bug

Mike,

I agree. I decided to have it installed on my SPF when I bought it new 8 years ago. I've found that I have some chips right on the line of the clear bra, and it started to be a little noticeable in bright sunshine.

What is the process to remove it? Is it possible?

Sorry to give you bad news, but that's all I have. The product can be removed with a combination of steam and 3M adhesive remover, but that is where your problems will begin. Assuming you get it off without damaging the paint, and assuming they didn't cut into your clear coat installing it, you will now have near perfect paint sitting next to paint that has been exposed to the elements for 8 years degrading. This will leave an obvious difference in sheen. Since the car has been garage kept, you MAY be able to minimize the difference with a heavy compound buffing. If the car has spent too much time outside you will never make the difference go away. Any areas that took a hit from a heavy enough rock, the paint will come off with the bra.

Everything I am saying applies regardless of whether your bra material was manufactured by 3M, Lumar, CP, Venture, or any other maker of urethane automotive film, including whoever XPEL was using at the time you bought it. If you have one of the few bras made from clear vinyl plan on a repaint.

There are few examples of when a clear bra is a good idea. A Lambo can be devalued 30K for a front bumper repaint, and an Enzo even more. Cars like this tend to be flipped quickly, and have the bra replaced or removed after a fairly short period of time. I've had countless exotics in my shop getting a pre-delivery bra by an owner intending to keep the car no more than 90 days. For these guys it is just the price they pay to play with the new toy a few times. A 10K plus paint job on a show car that will see a few hours outside the garage a year can also be a good value. Race cars can take a serious beating from track debris and clag. A bra can make parts survive that would otherwise be destroyed with a few hours of racing.

[desgros@vtlink.]

I have used the 3M coating on my Slabside and not pleased with the protection it offered.
It did little to protect from even small stone or sand dings.
That is a year round problem on our roads since so much sand is used during the winter.

John
ERA #3010 289 Slabside

[Bernica]

I agree with comments above. Once you go down that path, hard to get back to the previous state if you want to remove it. I tried it on the front of an SUV up in Seattle where it was seeing all the elements and was parked outside. When we removed it the difference caused me to have to do it all over again!

[Varmit]

Originally Posted by Rjw289

Expel is a very good product. Very important to find someone that knows how to install it properly with minimal cut lines. Cost a little over $1,000.00 to cover front bumper up to hood and rear wheel arches.

I agree with Expel excellent product

[Scotchman]

If paint chips are badges of honor, Gary has a lot of badges, due to my honor. I hit a patch of gravel in Eloy and sprayed him. The moral of the story: don't follow to closely behind the Spirited Driver Award Winner ! They don't call it a Smart Spirited Driver for a reason. Sorry Gary.

[Blue66]

Originally Posted by Varmit

I agree with Expel excellent product

X3

[Danr55]

Patina...call it patina then it ads value. These are not show cars. If they were.we.would not.drive them.

[Mesa Mike]

I have a black cobra too. I have a clear bra on it which was applied by a local firm here in Mesa. About $350 I think. Can't see it until your standing over the car.

[jhv48]

Not to get too far off topic, but my FFR never got a chip or a nick in 12,000 miles of driving. The painter applied a thicker clear coat than most paint jobs.

The front end of my new SPF looked like it had been shot with a shotgun after 13,000 miles of Southern California hiways. Chips all over the front. After a small altercation with a cement planter, the car was repainted with a thicker clear coat. After another 13,000 miles of the same hiways, there isn't a single chip in the front end.

Moral of the story: use more clear coat when you paint these mothers in the first place!

[Gus M]

Originally Posted by jhv48

Not to get too far off topic, but my FFR never got a chip or a nick in 12,000 miles of driving. The painter applied a thicker clear coat than most paint jobs.

The front end of my new SPF looked like it had been shot with a shotgun after 13,000 miles of Southern California hiways. Chips all over the front. After a small altercation with a cement planter, the car was repainted with a thicker clear coat. After another 13,000 miles of the same hiways, there isn't a single chip in the front end.

Moral of the story: use more clear coat when you paint these mothers in the first place!

After reading this entire thread, sounds like applying a heavier clear coat is the way to go. Thanks

[saki302]

If chips are a badge of honor, my car is a samurai ������

I've gotten good with touch up paint and blue marker