Clear bra for white car?
 

I have recently purchased a '89 928 S4 with 1 yo new white paint job. Would you recommend a clear bra for a white car in general? I am looking at Xpel Ultimate that is pretty costly, ~$1700, for the entire front end-bumper-lights-mirrors. I know clear bra protects against rock chips, but would rock chips be as apparent as other colors and is it worth it?

Or would you recommend good sealant, multiple layers, and good detailing and wax?

Or the new nano coatings? Ceramic pro, opti-coat, vs Cquartz finest?

Thanks for all recommendations and advice

Typically, the pro's will perform paint correction prior to clear bra install. I think that I have posted here before on this, not sure. I have two white cars, both had paint correction performed prior to me taking delivery, then clear bra'd the hood, fenders, side mirrors and front bumper. What really helps is to have a coating applied post clear bra - OptiCoat is typically used on top of the clear bra, while CQuartz or Modesta is applied to the remainder of the corrected paint. I also had my wheels and calipers coated with Modesta. For me, it's worth the process and cost, as the vehicle is protected, and washing the vehicle is quick and easy. Plus, a white car is difficult to "pop" as the color does not lend itself to having a mirror like finish, but this process overcomes that. I have included photographs of my C4S and, recently sold, 535D, both having been through the process described above. PS: If you were to see my C4S in the flesh, you'd be amazed at the result, it's difficult to see at in the attached image, but it might provide you with ideas.

snowcar, I am curious why you coated the bra itself with OptiCoat and then the rest of the car with Modesta or CQuartz. I am an installer for both CG Finest and Modesta and both can be applied over clear bra without a problem.

HUMP

I have a love hate relationship with clear bra. Love that it protects, hate that is yellows on the white car and unless you pay a fortune with a top quality installer you have lines. I really do not like the lines but I am too cheap to pay for a track car. So I just replace the stuff myself each season to keep it the same color as the car.

I would say it depends on how you drive the car. If you put mostly street miles on the car, no track, and do not do too much city based highway driving I would use wax or a coating and live with the occasional chips. Chips build character in the car and show you use it.

RobT 394: Modesta makes a coating called BC-06, it was designed for wheels mostly, but it is also applied to the whole car for track cars and dragsters to make cleaning after a day on the track easier.

HUMP

Snowcar: gorgeous details, thanks for the pics.

Will check with detailer if he uses pre-cut film or custom-cut as you go application.

Will also check for CQuartz on Xpel

thanks-Hoi

This is good to know. Call me lazy. I did a quick search from the typical detail places I buy from and they do not carry the brand. Where do you buy Modesto products?

Modesta is a professional only installed coating, so you have to use a professional installer.
You can view the installers map here.

http://www.modesta.co/installers.html

HUMP

Below are a couple of more pics of the install. I picked the car up and it looks great. I can post pics of edges but otherwise there is nothing worth photographing because you can't see that the film is on the car.

They coated the film with ceramic pro which is something they were very excited about but it is new to me so I need to read up.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...29e1f32c3.jpeg


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...7e2726b0a.jpeg


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...5fc154f23.jpeg

There are several coatings that can be applied on top of paint protection film. However, Opti-Coat PRO is currently the only coating that XPel endorses to be applied on top of their film for additional protection and ease of maintenance.

If one looks at the FAQ: http://www.xpel.com/support/installation/faq.asp
Xpel states that coatings(they misuse the word sealant) "such as" OC and Cquartz(of which there are many) will not harm Xpel.

I've discussed this with Xpel's national sales manager and they recognize a number of coatings as healthy for capping Xpel with. Alex, one of the trainers at Xpel, was once asked if OC was good for Xpel and his response was that he did not notice any harm come to the film. This is where the "endorsement" for OC stems from. When I was last at Xpel's HQ I asked Alex and he said that there are plenty of coatings that are acceptable for Xpel. Of course, I already knew this from experience. But for posterity sake, I asked him anyways.

I'm sure everyone here can agree that it's important that folks know they have more options than just OC that are approved by and acceptable for Xpel. ;)

As J.C have stated, other coating specially Modesta is perfectly fine to be applied on XpelUltimate or Suntek self healing films. I'd defenitely consideser using Modesta BC05 which is the hardest on top of the film. 1 layer is all its needed. As far as Ceramic Pro goes, I'd very cautious on that specially the network of installers. This coating before coming out, was getting anybody on board even with no skills (paint correction) to try to sell their products. There are just way too many out there.

Now going back to is it worth installing on a white car? Absolutely if the installer is good and does all the prep work necessary in order to install it correctly. Nothing wrong with lee cuts, Xpel makes good cuts, (Lambos and Ferraris are not that bad at all) custom installs are to be more careful. Why? It goes back to have a good install it, the last thing you need is to have a cut paint and I have seen many times. Right now there are only a few that does absolutely amazing work on custom installs, Detailed Design is one of them, not cheap but you get your money's worth it.