JFScheck

Took the time today to wash and wax the "Club Coupe" (we had a warm "mid 40's day today) and with only 500+ miles on her I noticed that there was a "ding/tear/impact" right on the front nose where the car took a very hard hit from some small projectile.

The clear bra took the impact, the paint was un-touched.

I can only imagine one hell of a chip if that clear bra was not there.

Moral of story? If you don't have a clear bra - get one!!!

fuenfer

I washed my car today and found a little chip on my bumper and one on my hood. I picked my car up on November 17, and intended to get a clear bra right away, but no one on any of the boards I frequent had a clue as to a good clear bra installer in the NY/NJ area. One of my buddies, though, recommended Detailing Dynamics on Long Island -- these guys told me that December 27th would be the earliest they could install a clear bra on my car, and now, I'm not sure I even want one since I already have these little chips.

I am a little bit frustrated -- in this whole metropolitan area, are these guys the ONLY ones competent at clear bras? The month and a half wait certainly seems to indicate that this might be the case. Or is it that most people don't get clear bras on there cars, and therefore, cannot recommend anyone?

To make my day even better, I noticed that there's about a one-inch scratch on the underside of my front bumper (impossible to see from the front/top) -- I'm wondering, would a clear bra have protected against this, and how many of you out there also have scratches on the underside of your front bumpers?

djantlive

Dont sweat it fuenfer. the underside scratch is unavoidable unless you get a bumper pad. i suspect clear bra isn't popular in ny area since most cars take a beating in the weather anyways. a little chip is not an issue, just touch it up with a toothpick a few days before the clear bra install. I had a few chips on mine and wonder if it's still worth doing the install. I tell you, I have no regrets. If you don't do it now, it'll get a lot worse which you'll reget later.

Sobe

Clear bra and bumper pad put on the car before you even drive it .. for a 100 bucks you can flatbed the car to the location of the installation , a small price to pay for keeping your car near flawless . The paints today are much softer than years before with the environmental laws and the clear-coat that is used . It is not so much the big chips but the many little ones that over time make the car look hammered in the front . The installers are so good these days and the material has gotten so much better it is hard to believe that more people do not put the stuff on from day one . When you go to sell the car that is when this stuff pays off .

fuenfer

Thanks for the advice, folks. Please forgive my ignorance, but what are bumper pads?

JFScheck

Bumper pads are little "skid plates" or "skid pads" that mount below the front air dam to protect the front from scraps. Click here for an example...

The toothpick before your clear bra is installed should fix the few rock chips you already have.

Edgy01

Does anyone run with a traditional bra anymore? I'll be driving mine in Europe for several weeks and unable (I would imagine) to have a clear bra installed over there near Zuffenhausen before I take it up the Swiss passes...

Dan

rnlarctic997

Dan--try speedlingerie.com--tremendous fit and color matched too. Best traditional bra in the industry IMHO.

lawjdc

Has anyone here installed a "bumper pad"? Is this a worthwhile expense? Its only a matter of time before each and every 997 bottoms out. Some protection would be nice, but only if its not too mickey mouse. IMHO

Edgy01

Many thanks!

I'm going to have to pack an extra suitcase of goodies to install ON the car before I can take it out in public!

Dan

JFScheck

As **** as I am about my cars, for some odd reason I would rather have a few scrapes and have it repainted every few years (as long as you can only see them from the bottom) vice having the whole bottom covered with the skid pad.

Speed

Try Technick1 at 516 W. 29th St., NYC. (212) 594-5353, ask for Gus. They're putting my bra on tomorrow and I made the appointment last week. They do all of the high tech mods for Manhattan Motors, the Manhattan Porsche dealer. I'm not affiliated with them.

rdstemler

Armour Glove is in the RyeNY/Greenwich CT area. It's the franchise home base and the guys that do the work there train every other franchise owner. Joe Kane Jr. is the guy to talk to!

RAKLAW

Do you know what type of bra Armour uses.. Is it a 3M product?

JJGray

I was refueling my '06 997S last month at the gas station, and while pumping the gas I happened to notice on my lower hood in the front that there was a 4" long colored smear on it, as if something reflected off of the hood, and left a little paint coloring. After I got home that evening, I buffed out the smear, and now you can't even detect it was ever there, thanks to the clear bra that was on my hood.

I have also since had Premiere redo the dealer-installed bra so that it covers the entire hood now, rather than the 40% hood before.

If I can try and help protect the front end by keeping the unsightly marks to a minimum, I think it's truly worth it. I mean, just looking at my '82 911SC with all of it's dings and tiny paint chips on the front end, because the original owner didn't use any bra at all, is enough reassurance for me to know what I'm doing is the right thing.

John