Luis de Prat

Not much response to this on the 951 forum, so I'm posting it here.

...after a 3h 45min trip averaging 125 mph and covering about 325 miles, I was thoroughly reminded of what that alluring PCNA advertising slogan for the 993TT meant by "Kills Bugs Fast"...

Not that mine is anything like a 993TT, but at any rate, at the end of the outbound trip it was incredible the amount of flies, dragonflies, wasps, and hundreds of other flying insects that had met a splattering death against the bra and windshield of my 951. Yikes! The bra took quite a while to clean up after my trip.

If you use a bra on your car, how long do you leave it on, how do you clean it, etc.?

Does anyone use that 3M protective film on the front sections of their cars instead of a bra, and how effective is it in protecting the finish after being lambasted with thousands of flying critters?

HY M8NC

My Father-In-Law uses the 3M protective coating on his CL500 Mercedes. He loves it.

I use a bra only when I am on a long drive. I wash the car before I put the bra on, and remove it immediately at the end of the trip. I have heard stories of damaging the paint if they are left on too long, and if the car's surface is not clean. Also-it is important to buy a GOOD bra, if it is loose/or flaps on the car-it will probably rub the paint dull.

Luis de Prat

My problem here was that I was staying over for a night before my return trip of another 325 miles, so I was unsure as to whether I should leave the bra on or take it off and put it back on again because my car is black and I was thinking the busted insects in the bra would scratch the finish when I put it back on.

I opted to leave it on and remove it immediately at the end of my trip, but I'm considering the film if people have had good results with it. I hear it's used on lear jets?

Tom R.

had one on my first RX7, didnt like the flapping, didnt like cleaning it. preferred to have the nose repainted with a more durable enamel after five years (which never happened). plenty of good wax and bugs come off pretty easily.

adrian_jaye

bras are rubbish, I only like the kind women wear and even then they come off as well !

get sopme armour fend BEAUT stuff

Luis de Prat

Yeah, all Europeans hate (car) bras. But I value my original black finish.

EZRider

Depends on the bra size

As for cars, I tried one on my 4runner and decided not to repeat the mistake on my Porsche.

I could see it used briefly for insect infested roads. But the hassle of pulling it on and off is not worth it. Much more effective to wash the car immediatly at the end of trip.

pete944

They will damage the paint if you leave them on while wet. It happened to my wife's car and to Harry's (hoffman912) 912. The clear coat separates from the paint and it gets very cloudy looking. I would definitely recommend removing it immediately after a trip or if it starts raining unless you want to build up Popeye type forearms from buffing the paint back into shape.

Marc Gelefsky

Dont like Bra's, have only used them on the track.

I want to get the 3m stuff for my 951.
But what happens as that stuff ages?
After spending half a day pulling off my old cracked stone guards, that kinda scares me.

Luis de Prat

I think this largely depends on how fast you drive, also. At high speed for extended periods, the bug impacts don't merely wash or wax off. They leave permanent marks on the finish. That's why I started using a bra. I don't particularly like it, but it's a way to preserve the finish from the menagerie of bugs that's in the air.

adrian_jaye

point is Luis,

bras make a car look absolutly crap, they really do.

Armour fend (similar to 3M ???) is a fantastic product,
does not yellow, protects the bodywork, and is totally transparent.

Luis de Prat

I agree, completely.

I'm seriously considering one of these films, but would like some feedback from other users. Do you have Armour Fend on your S2 cabrio?

Blue S2

I use a bra on my mirrors and on the front bumper every time i drive. I take it off when i am done though. And it it ever starts to rain, i stop and take it off as well. I have never had a problem. It fits well, so no flapping. It protects well from chips and from bugs especially. I also never put the bra on if my car is dirty. Since i wash after every drive, i dont usually have that problem though. The 3M ClearMask is great stuff too. I have that on my everyday car which is black. You can barely see the stuff, but its great for bugs! I love not being worried that all those splattered bugs are eating away at my new cars finish! Oh yeah, by the way, my bra even has a an embossed Porsche crest where the real one is! Pretty cool.

Fishey

I will never put a bra on my car, I will say no to drugs and alchol, I will stand up for what I know is right.


If you see a hot girl wereing a bra? don't you wish she didn't have that bra? same theory... I want to smack anyone I know that has a bra (true it can protect) but its so ugly.

Luis de Prat

BlueS2, I have the same PCNA bra and mirror covers. Had to patch up the sideblinker holes, as my euro spec car doesn't have them.

Hey Fishey, tell us how you really feel!