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BMW 3-Series and 4-Series Forum (F30 / F32) | F30POST > Technical Forums > Cosmetic Maintenance: Wash, Wax, Detailing, Repairs > Question about clear bra
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      03-20-2012, 10:58 PM   #1
Calmwinds
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Question about clear bra

Do you guys recommend this? If so, do recommend getting it from the dealership prior to delivery or getting it done outside? Thanks.
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      03-20-2012, 11:24 PM   #2
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Chances are your dealer just outsources it to a third party anyway.

I recommend a clear bra, but it's not urgent to get done before the time of delivery. I had mine installed several months after taking delivery from a local detailer who specialized in it. It certainly takes a certain talent to do it right and not everybody can do it.
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      03-20-2012, 11:25 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Calmwinds
Do you guys recommend this? If so, do recommend getting it from the dealership prior to delivery or getting it done outside? Thanks.
I don't but I'm in California. I assume regionally the roads are very different and may need this. Over many years you can get little chips in the paint but I personally don't like the clear bra look, so I figure that's how I know I need to to get a new car
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      03-21-2012, 01:29 AM   #4
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I had a clear bra on my '09 328i. Good for protecting from rock chips. The only problem is that it turns yellowish after a few months. Unless you keep your car in the garage all the time..

I am not getting it on my F30. Just avoid following any big trucks/dump trucks on the freeway
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      03-21-2012, 07:00 AM   #5
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I got one on my jetta and got rid of the car a year later. I wasted money.

the clear bra can still get really messed up with bugs, scratches and swirls.
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      03-21-2012, 07:08 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Calmwinds View Post
Do you guys recommend this? If so, do recommend getting it from the dealership prior to delivery or getting it done outside? Thanks.
Absolutely. I had a protective film installed on the front bumper and hood (about half-way up), mirrors, and rear bumper of my E92 about a month after buying it. This is the FIRST THING that I will be getting on my F30. It's amazing how much easier it is to clean off the bugs and other blemishes, and as opposed to what others have written, I haven't noticed any color change or swirling with my application. Quality matters though. You have to find someone that does it perfectly, so don't be afraid to spend some $$. It's definitely worth it in the long-run.
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      03-21-2012, 08:41 AM   #7
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Remember, you still need to take care of the clear bra - clean it, wash it.
No matter what others will say, you will get dirt and grime right where bra ends, on the edges. Also, keep in mind that over time it will look different from the day you got it installed and will have imperfections. By that time you would wish not to have it.

I understand the idea of protecting the car, in my opinion you are better off focusing on good detailing then installing clear bra.

Keep your car ala natural the way it ment to be.

And if you get rock chips or over damage then you can deal with it when you get it, its not like those things are not fixable.

Different things for different people, in my opinion, spend money on good detailing with clay bar and protection on top then installing clear bar.
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      03-21-2012, 09:12 AM   #8
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Had it on my last car, but the idiots at Ziebart messed it up and there was a thumb shaped distortion on it that never went away. Did its job though but after a few years it's no longer invisible. You get wax stuck at the edges if you're not careful.
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      03-21-2012, 09:29 AM   #9
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Can't stand them personally. They're like an extra layer of bad orange peel on the paint, can be seen from ten feet away and tend to age terribly. Learn to live with a few rock chips and use a quality sealant and you'll have a better looking car, in my opinion.
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      03-22-2012, 12:34 PM   #10
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Thumbs up

If you are in southern Ontario, go to Insultint in St. Catharines: http://www.insultint.com/

They use only top-quality film and their attention to detail is amazing!

Talk to Gus, the owner. He knows his stuff.

Highly recommended!
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      03-22-2012, 01:05 PM   #11
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I believe people's opinion depends on location. I think somebody living in Florida would feel differently after living above the snowbelt for a year. From November to April, there is a constant layer of small rocks and pebbles on the roads and your car is subjected to a sandblast of that stuff whenever you take it on the highway. The cars in front of you kick it up because it gets caught in their tire treads. Forget about trucks, my car gets pelted with rocks from trucks 1/4 of mile in front of me when they don't have any mud flaps.

I only put the clear bra on the front bumper of my Audi. No where else. It's never turned color and nobody can detect it is on there.

IMO, the F30 design is really made for a clear bra, especially with it's hood line. If somebody puts a clear bra on the bumper and only the front plastic section of the hood (where the BMW logo is located) it would be very hard to detect any edges of the clear bra. Just don't put the clear bra on the main metal portion of the hood. That would be too noticeable and it's not really necessary because its approach angle is mostly horizontal anyway.
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      03-22-2012, 03:41 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Bread View Post
Can't stand them personally. They're like an extra layer of bad orange peel on the paint, can be seen from ten feet away and tend to age terribly. Learn to live with a few rock chips and use a quality sealant and you'll have a better looking car, in my opinion.
My sentiments exactly (and don't get me started about the black bra's, which are even worse looking imo).
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      08-24-2012, 11:13 AM   #13
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I would love to see some close up pics of the clear bra, I have never seen them before
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      08-24-2012, 02:59 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Bread View Post
Can't stand them personally. They're like an extra layer of bad orange peel on the paint, can be seen from ten feet away and tend to age terribly. Learn to live with a few rock chips and use a quality sealant and you'll have a better looking car, in my opinion.
Hi, can you recommend a good quality sealant?
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      08-24-2012, 03:20 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GR8DAY View Post
Hi, can you recommend a good quality sealant?
Of course. I'm a big fan of Menzerna Power Lock for an easy to use sealant, it's good for six months in fairly normal conditions, and if you keep it topped with a wax, I've seen it offer protection for longer. If you don't mind a little extra prep work and are reasonably good with detailing practices, it's hard to beat Optimum Opti-Coat 2.0 though, it's great stuff.
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