Clear Bra Nightmare
03-31-2018, 01:57 AM
#16
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I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but over a decade with older technology clear bra, unfortunately what other option would you have?
in the end, bumper can be repainted and good as new depending on the shop. Don’t sweat it as life is too short.
If you were getting it done at my shop, I would have told you that the probability is very high that paint would come off, let’s plan on a repaint, and be pleasantly surprised if we don’t have issues.
Therr are definitely techniques that can be done to minimize the risk, but with over a decade of old film on the bumper, it’s a tough call to make.
in the end, you probably did the right thing...just refinish the bumper and enjoy the car
in the end, bumper can be repainted and good as new depending on the shop. Don’t sweat it as life is too short.
If you were getting it done at my shop, I would have told you that the probability is very high that paint would come off, let’s plan on a repaint, and be pleasantly surprised if we don’t have issues.
Therr are definitely techniques that can be done to minimize the risk, but with over a decade of old film on the bumper, it’s a tough call to make.
in the end, you probably did the right thing...just refinish the bumper and enjoy the car
03-31-2018, 02:03 AM
#17
Rennlist Member
Frankly, I've never understood the allure of a clear bra. The new ceramic coating makes sense to me, but clear bras always seemed to me like the automotive equivalent of those plastic covers my grandma had on her sofa.
03-31-2018, 04:05 AM
#18
If you track or go on weekend "group" rides you are probably riding someones back bumper at times. If so you are subject to rocks that ceramic will not protect.
I bought my '02 2 years ago and it has 1/2 the hood covered with a clear bra that has "yellowed". I've thought about having it removed but have talked with a couple of shops. Both indicted they could remove it without damage but it would be visible where the old bra terminated. Luckily, I do drive with buddies on the weekend periodically so the paint protection is more important to me than the slight yellowing of the 1/2 bra.
I bought my '02 2 years ago and it has 1/2 the hood covered with a clear bra that has "yellowed". I've thought about having it removed but have talked with a couple of shops. Both indicted they could remove it without damage but it would be visible where the old bra terminated. Luckily, I do drive with buddies on the weekend periodically so the paint protection is more important to me than the slight yellowing of the 1/2 bra.
03-31-2018, 09:40 AM
#19
friend of mine is a detailer/owns shop and did my dad's 6tt (which had the worst clear bra you've ever seen), flawless removal... key is knowing how much heat to apply
03-31-2018, 01:13 PM
#20
Instructor
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by PaleAle
If you track or go on weekend "group" rides you are probably riding someones back bumper at times. If so you are subject to rocks that ceramic will not protect.
I bought my '02 2 years ago and it has 1/2 the hood covered with a clear bra that has "yellowed". I've thought about having it removed but have talked with a couple of shops. Both indicted they could remove it without damage but it would be visible where the old bra terminated. Luckily, I do drive with buddies on the weekend periodically so the paint protection is more important to me than the slight yellowing of the 1/2 bra.
I bought my '02 2 years ago and it has 1/2 the hood covered with a clear bra that has "yellowed". I've thought about having it removed but have talked with a couple of shops. Both indicted they could remove it without damage but it would be visible where the old bra terminated. Luckily, I do drive with buddies on the weekend periodically so the paint protection is more important to me than the slight yellowing of the 1/2 bra.
03-31-2018, 10:12 PM
#21
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They have gotten better over time! The newer versions are self healing and dont yellow. Come with lifetime warranty.
03-31-2018, 11:48 PM
#22
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04-02-2018, 02:38 AM
#23
Truth is, "you can't fool mother nature." I don't care what you put on your bumper and other areas on the front of your car. You might get some protection from some road traumas, but in the end it is a losing proposition. If you were to take all of the money spent on clear bras and ceramic coatings, and instead put them into a fund to be used for repairs and re-paintings later, you would find that most of the money spent on protective measures has been wasted, sort of like analyzing extended warranties. If there was no profit in selling extended warranties, then no one would offer to underwrite them and no one would sell them.
If you don't waste your money on stuff like this, then occasionally you might end up having to pay to respray a bumper, or to do other corrective measures. But in the long run, you will come out ahead.
If you don't waste your money on stuff like this, then occasionally you might end up having to pay to respray a bumper, or to do other corrective measures. But in the long run, you will come out ahead.
04-02-2018, 06:37 AM
#24
I'd pay less for a car that's been repainted. I don't care if it's just for stone chips. There's your savings out the window.
Clear bras do help and they do help a LOT. People clear bra their million dollar cars for a reason. It's the best protection out there and it works!
Clear bras do help and they do help a LOT. People clear bra their million dollar cars for a reason. It's the best protection out there and it works!
04-02-2018, 09:45 AM
#25
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Truth is, "you can't fool mother nature." I don't care what you put on your bumper and other areas on the front of your car. You might get some protection from some road traumas, but in the end it is a losing proposition. If you were to take all of the money spent on clear bras and ceramic coatings, and instead put them into a fund to be used for repairs and re-paintings later, you would find that most of the money spent on protective measures has been wasted, sort of like analyzing extended warranties. If there was no profit in selling extended warranties, then no one would offer to underwrite them and no one would sell them.
If you don't waste your money on stuff like this, then occasionally you might end up having to pay to respray a bumper, or to do other corrective measures. But in the long run, you will come out ahead.
If you don't waste your money on stuff like this, then occasionally you might end up having to pay to respray a bumper, or to do other corrective measures. But in the long run, you will come out ahead.
can you argue all those things I mentioned above are Mother Nature and you can just fix them as they happen, sure. But when you do, can you say your vehicle is original paint? No.
think of clear bra as a bullet proof vest. You cannot complain that you have holes in your vest and not appreciate that you’re alive to complain about it.
04-02-2018, 12:40 PM
#26
I'd pay less for a car that's been repainted. I don't care if it's just for stone chips. There's your savings out the window.
Clear bras do help and they do help a LOT. People clear bra their million dollar cars for a reason. It's the best protection out there and it works!
Clear bras do help and they do help a LOT. People clear bra their million dollar cars for a reason. It's the best protection out there and it works!
Some people will pay almost $100,000 for one of the (several) virtually brand new 1Ms that are still out there; I am not one of those people, personally. Perhaps in that rarefied atmosphere one is down to extremely nit-picky stuff like clear bras.
The real world inhabited by most potential buyers of collectible cars, is one in which each specimen is a "one-off," e.g. different than all the other ones. In this market I am sure that there are some people (obviously you are one) who would pay more for a clear-bra'd car, and there are other people such as myself who assume that a vintage car looks like a used, vintage car, and who are looking for the "total package," including most importantly the mechanical condition, maintenance records, other factors that help to substantiate that the car is in in good condition and won't drive you into the poorhouse trying to keep it running.
I don't accept for a second that having or not having a "clear bra" on a car makes any meaningful difference in the resale value, when all the other (more important) factors are taken into consideration. I also do not accept that a collectible car's valuation drops because the owner chooses, due to road rash, to have the bumper cover removed and replaced with OEM, which is then painted to factory specifications by a competent body or paint shop. I am excluding those cars that have been in an accident and for that reason had their bumper covers replaced and repainted, that is a different story. I have personally chosen to replace the bumper cover with OEM of one of my cars and had it painted. The result is far superior to what most people with the same car (1M) have on their 6 year old vehicles that are actually being used.
04-02-2018, 07:40 PM
#28
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04-03-2018, 12:54 PM
#29
Truth is, "you can't fool mother nature." I don't care what you put on your bumper and other areas on the front of your car. You might get some protection from some road traumas, but in the end it is a losing proposition. If you were to take all of the money spent on clear bras and ceramic coatings, and instead put them into a fund to be used for repairs and re-paintings later, you would find that most of the money spent on protective measures has been wasted, sort of like analyzing extended warranties. If there was no profit in selling extended warranties, then no one would offer to underwrite them and no one would sell them.
If you don't waste your money on stuff like this, then occasionally you might end up having to pay to respray a bumper, or to do other corrective measures. But in the long run, you will come out ahead.
If you don't waste your money on stuff like this, then occasionally you might end up having to pay to respray a bumper, or to do other corrective measures. But in the long run, you will come out ahead.
^^^THIS^^^. Paint is there to protect the surfaces below it...LOL
04-03-2018, 12:57 PM
#30
I'd pay less for a car that's been repainted. I don't care if it's just for stone chips. There's your savings out the window.
Clear bras do help and they do help a LOT. People clear bra their million dollar cars for a reason. It's the best protection out there and it works!
Clear bras do help and they do help a LOT. People clear bra their million dollar cars for a reason. It's the best protection out there and it works!
OK, valid point regarding re-paint although my painter does a better job than the factory. (he actually asks if you want him to match the factory orange peel). Hmmm show me one million dollar car with a clear bra on it. Never seen one. If it were that important why isn't it done at the factory?