Clear Bra. Yes or NO

Haig,

Glad you are getting her out and about a little bit. I just got mine back from the major and have yet to drive it - #&*%ing snow and salt...

I voted yes if you are going to do the full front end wrap - no stopping halfway up the hood or fenders. We did my wife's new DD and it looks/works great.

If my TR front end were pristine I would do it in a heartbeat. If/when I re-shoot the bumper I will do it. Along with having any hood nicks professionally taken care of. Dr. Colorchip works OK but it is not perfect... Or maybe its my technique!

 

I voted yes but depends on price. Anyone have any idea?

 

I had a clear bra put on the entire front of my car and had the rest ceramic coated. Car looks amazing and nobody knows the clear bra is on the car. Well worth it. I wouldn't be able to stomach rock chips and the ceramic coating works exceptionally well against any environmental contaminants...

of course---since she spends 90% of her time in the garage, I don't know what contaminants I was worried about!

Here is a photo of her at a prestigious concours where she was invited to appear among an Enzo, 250 California, F40 and other heavy hitters and still won her class....with the clear bra on
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Yes but only if you do it like Curtis said: the full thing and do it right. My 360 has it and it looks good (that having been said there are a couple of bubbles in it). Not sure who did it as the PO had it done.

 

Exactly, you have to wrap the entire front end, right to the doors and the windshield.

 

Joe,
Who did your clear bra?
What material did they use?

 

His name is Cliff and he owns a company called auto armor out of Columbia Maryland. He used to do the work for Algar and mclaren and I know he has done cars for a bunch of C&C. Guys. It's been a couple of years so I don't recall what exactly he used but I think it was Xpel. I will look at the receipt when I get a chance and PM you the details.

 

A chip in paint can be 'fixed' - easily.

A chip in a clear bra is there forever - unless you strip the bra and then repaint the entire area.

I'd say No Way!

When I last bought a car, I nearly passed it by because it had a bra on it. I really don't like 'em.


Rgds,
Vincenzo

 

$4,000 for bumper respray. Wow. Usually if it's gonna be $4.000 they are probably blending the fenders and poss hood. But if not and it's just the bumper and just a minor repair and refinish, brother that's robbery. I've been estimating cars for 24 years. If anybody knows it's me. I'm out for the clear bra only because of the reasons below and the non sense pricing. $1,800 is nuts and reason it's that is because it's a Ferrari. Call from a different phone and tell them it's a Honda civic and the price will drop. I know the car is slightly bigger but there is no f*cking way I'm paying that much money.

1. It's not durable. A stone hits the material it will leave an imperfection or small tear/indentation on the plastic looking worse then a chip.

2. Color variance especially with metallic colors. Bet you anything looking at the car at night and under the lights you'll have a variance unless you do the whole car

3. It don't last. Ask them how long until you should peal it off and redo. The edges will start to peal off especially around the contours.

4. Finish won't breathe. When you take it off you will have a variance because the plastic film did not allow the paint to weather like the rest of the paint.

5. $1,800. I could strip and repaint the bumper and still save money.

Save your money Haig. It's non sense and those pricks are paying under 200 bucks and I'm being generous for the material and the rest they do in a day with water a squeegie and a heat gun. F*CK THAT. Oh yeah it's a Ferrari and we take extra care. It's a sh*t product and looks like sh*t and I don't give a f*ck who did it. I can pick it out all day every day. Once you see it. It's over and yol want to peel it off.

R

 

They must be blind. Sorry brother. It shows. It always does.

R

 

Well there you go. Mr. C's Product Review kept me from dumping another couple of K down the ****ter.

 

I don't like clear bra.

It's expensive.

Once you get a chip in it it is more expensive to repair then just a spray.

You nick anything you are not only paying for the paintwork, you are now paying for a new clear bra too.

2 cents.

 

10 year warranty for what.

R

 

Fwiw, unless prices skyrocketed I recall paying around a grand for mine. As for the variance over time, the higher end clear bras are specifically designed to prevent this from happening. as for discoloration, I suppose it can happen over time, but the speed of which it happens is more dependent on environmental factors. Finally, color matching and spraying a single stage car is very tricky- especially when you are talking rossa corsa, which varied slightly from year to year, to say nothing of fade over time. Trust me, ask any qualified shop, matching that stuff is a *****.

At the end of the day the Bra thing is a totally subjective personal choice. I like the peace of mind, others rather take their chances and respray if necessary. All I can say is that if you get to the right shop to do it, it will be exceedingly difficult to tell unless you are very close up.

 

Hey Haig
Just put the film on my 512tr so you will get a chance to see in person in a couple of weeks in Palm Desert. I paid $485 and it covers the whole front nose section. No hood or fenders. You won't be able to see it on. I also have this on my 360. Wouldn't be without this stuff. Look forward to our desert trip. John

 

It is difficult to match single stage but its even more difficult to find someone that knows and wants to spray in single stage. I hate to tell ya but its not year to year.. its more production months.. if they made red cars in January and then again red in June.. guess what - they are different.. Air pressure effects color as well.. thats why they sell tints.. painter mixes the color then uses the tints to get it right.. They are called color variances.. sometimes the variances have slightly different quantities of ingredients for ex.. Some high production cars like honda will have a grey with 4-5 different variances.. painter would pick the right variance and then use tints to get it right.. Its never mix and walla.. you need the tints.. Haig does not have to worry as his silver is two stage. The single stage materials are getting harder and harder to find but thats not the issue.. Its very hard to achieve the lustre with single stage repainting.. Shops would sometimes cheat and mix a little clear in the final coat to try and get it shiny.. its difficult to block sand (a real pain in the ass.). You could never duplicate the factory process with single stage and achieve the lustre.. Always close but no cigar.. Usually they will do resprays even bumpers in two stage.. Its easier and even though your using clear it looks better then a single stage spray unless your doing the whole car but even so.. shop would probably advise against single stage unless we are talking concours but while I'm typing I would probably do 2 stage if I'm restoring an old Ferrari.. The painters just arent around anymore to do it and do it right.. Even the old timers that are left have gotten used to the ease of 2 stage.. The clear bra is a waste.. you can always see it.. it plays with the texture and almost brings a flatness to the finish with certain light and reflections.. A rock is going to chip your paint and a rock is going to put a divet or imperfection in the film.. I've seen many cars with it on.. some for a short time and others for a long time.. they all look like sh*t.. Thats my story and I'm sticking to it..

R