A clearbra is a no brainer--all it takes is a couple of direct hits, with resultant damage, to make the case. For me, it's comforting to know it's there, especially when I inevitably get behind vehicles that are spraying debris...one less thing to worry about. If you track your vehicle the case is even stronger...no paint prep (i.e., racer tape) needed.

OTOH, if you don't give a **** about nicks and and paint chips on your front end then a bra doesn't make sense.

Skip of PFT installed my clearbra...he's the only guy I would trust to do my aerokit front end--a difficult and time consuming install.

 

Like all bras, especially the human kind, I don't care for them.

 

Does anybody have an good installer within a couple of hours of Albany, NY ?

 

As some may have already stated. The installer and the film both compliments each other. The clearer the film, the tougher it is to install; hence, a seasoned installer is necessary to obtain a near seamless application. Here are some pictures of various colors - you cannot see it because parts of the car are removed with the film tucked around to be out of sight. Notice that the pictures we take are not just from a frontal shot. We try and shoot the film where there is sufficient lighting casting a nice reflection of objects to show how clear the material can be.

Given that it is possible to perform this type of installation, it may certainly not be available in your particular area / region. Be sure to look at the work in person.

 

Another vote for no brainer, get Premier to do it and cover the whole hood.

Comparing it to plastic on furniture is absurd. IF done right, you can't see it. The car will always look virtually new and you don't have to hassle and pay for painting over and over.

It does not really come down to being **** or not. It comes down to whether you care if your car looks better than it could otherwise in a few years. The cost is not an issue if you believe you would paint it more frequently anyway.

 

Great, but is there a decent installer in the Seattle area? Anyone in the Puget Sound area have a clear bra installed on their car and is happy with the result?

 

accutint in bellevue is highly recommended and did a great job on my 997S

 

Downsides:
- expensive and difficult to install well
- distorts the appearance of the paint
- "dimples" with small rock hits, can rip with larger hits
- will scratch and yellow over time
- bug juice can stain it
Pro: No paint chips
Worth it - absolutely!

 

I really don't know if I have seen the newset film and don't know of a good installer in my area. When I bought my car, it was a high end used dealer that carried Pcars, Fcars, lambos, etc(not in my area).. Well I look at all that I thought had a clear bra while I was there and was not inpressed. Now there might have been some cars there that had it and I didn't notice...

 

Just as an aside... the installers that both my dealer and at least one other local dealer recommend are horrible. I love my dealership, but the outfit they recommend is way more interested in making a quick buck than doing a good job.

My point... just because it's a "high end dealership" does not necessarily mean that they're offering the best products.

 

if you just drive 5k miles a year and dont tail gate, no need for clear bra.
but there are many who tail gates, tracks, 20k miles a year, then you MUST have a clear bra, or you can spray front end every other week.

some say clear bra is $$$, yes, they are. but it's cheaper than repainting front end. my 993 had front bumper, hood, two front fender reprayed by one of the best at $3600. i have seen other resprays and that's just disaster, and $3600 respray was one of the cheaper one's i have found. note this is respray the front end, not the whole car.

finally, clear bra is NOT a lifetime install and it's not going to protect you againt all chips. my bra last w18-24 months and i get about 30+ chips. without bar, i will have absolute NO paint left on the front bumper every 2-3 months. thus clear bra is much cheaper.

oh, btw, if you are within service area of premier, look no more. wilson, sam and chris will get you wrapped up nice and good.

 

speaking of rips, both my sideskirts' films are ripped from dirt tracking. when it comes off track during the winter, i will have premier replace those.

 

the areas most susceptible to rock damage onto the film is the rear fender flares and the areas behind the tires. Expect to have to have the film replaced on these areas in 2-3 areas. Having strips of protective film placed behind the tires would cost anywhere from $150-$400 depending on exact coverage, is a small price to pay to not have to reshoot the entire front quarter or rear quarter panels due to chips only in these areas.

 

The dealer didn't do the installs on these cars. They came that way to them, meaning many different installers. Like I said there might have been a few cars there with clear bra and I didn't notice them cause they were done well. Just love for someone to point out a bra that I could barely notice. I want to be a believer.

 

Definitely worth it for me. All four of my cars have it.

The P-car has more; the top of the roof/forward of the sunroof, and the bottom part of the fueling access.

Get the kind that does NOT have UV protection so your car all fades the time