Sponsored

3M Clear Bra for our new 2015 Mustang

Ericc B

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
Threads
34
Messages
3,431
Reaction score
1,355
Location
NL/SP
Vehicle(s)
Various Mustang GTs
I always wondered if a clear bra will make the paint underneath fade in a different tempo as the non covered parts. If that is the case the car will look even worse after removing it than having a few stone chips.

Not that I ever plan on getting something like that on my car, but just wondering.
Sponsored

 

valentinoamoro

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 31, 2014
Threads
148
Messages
1,288
Reaction score
373
Location
US
Vehicle(s)
15 TY Mustang GT
What do you guys think of opti coat. Does that stuff protect at all from rock chips? I know it's more of a clear coat, but I was wondering if it also protects from chips.
i tried OptiCoat 2.0 - lovely shiny dry finish but it didnt do anything like it claimed around protecting the paint.

My M6 has a custom 3M clear-bra (full hood, full front fenders, full bumper, full rocker panels, mirrors, A pillars) - you cant see the bra (none of my friends know its there) except on the A pillar where there is a line. It has a clear coat and shines.

I STRONGLY recommend the clear bra.

1) This is my second car with it. My first car had it for over 10 years and it lasted the whole time. On my BMW it's been over 2 years and it looks new. 2) Meanwhile, the paint underneath is perfect - we have open top trucks carrying gravel/construction dirt, they are supposed to have a tarp by law but most of the drivers dont put them on. Overtaking them you can hear a flurry of small stones hit the car. Not to mention other random road debris. I still cringe but its a huge relief to know my paint looks new. 3) It hasnt yellowed (my car is red so its hard to tell, it will be even harder to tell my on TY beast!) 4) make sure you do the full hood etc so there is no uneven fading (even though they claim its 100% transparent to UV which causes fadng - I dont know). Plus you dont get seams if you do it that way, otherwise those edges will catch wax and look bad. 5) if you hit cones in auto-x its easy to remove the stains with WD 40 6)If a bird poops/tree sap falls and your car is sitting out in the sun, this will provide valuable time by protecting your clearcoat from getting marred. 7) got caught behind a salt truck last winter/road grit machine. Even though I was a few car lengths behind, I felt comfortable knowing the bra was protecting my beast from the salt and primer penetrating chips.


Long story short its one of those investments that make me feel good driving my car hard and in all conditions. Get a custom install with 3M film at a highly reviewed place (we have some good places in Seattle, charge about 850-1100 for the coverage I did on my BMW), no templates (which is good anyway as the templates for the S550 will not be out at launch) Disclaimer - I also have mild OCD!:D

I will be adding a gloss black vinyl film on the roof as well to contrast with the TY and paint the side mirrors black. The roof film should provide addition protection from pine sap and bird droppings.
 

t76turbo

Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2014
Threads
2
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Location
Southeast US
Vehicle(s)
A Few...
Why not get the 3M Spray-on Kit for the trip?
For some reason no one caught this comment. But it would be a very viable option for the OP for the trip home. Can be installed yourself in 30 minutes or less. At least it would have protection for the drive home and then when the time comes, peel the spray on version off and go without or put on the film.

It is called 3m Paint Defender.
 
OP
OP
Todd15Fastback

Todd15Fastback

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2013
Threads
80
Messages
10,527
Reaction score
3,875
Location
Atlanta, GA
First Name
Todd
Vehicle(s)
2015 Mustang GT PP Fastback
For some reason no one caught this comment. But it would be a very viable option for the OP for the trip home. Can be installed yourself in 30 minutes or less. At least it would have protection for the drive home and then when the time comes, peel the spray on version off and go without or put on the film.

It is called 3m Paint Defender.
I saw it yesterday and read some reviews on it. Seems to be hit or miss on how well it worked.
 

Sponsored

Husker

Just The Basic Facts
Joined
Jun 10, 2013
Threads
36
Messages
2,221
Reaction score
232
Location
Lincoln
First Name
Harley
Vehicle(s)
F-150
Temporarily for you, would be the recommendation of painters tape made up above, it's an old trick that works...Would hate to get home and find a rock/bug chip-->:frusty:

I saw a car (at a rest stop) with painters tape and nylon screen to protect the grill from bugs, looked like Sh!t, but it did the job. He taped a couple of layers of tape then screen so it wouldn't touch paint then another couple layers of tape.
 

azsnake

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2014
Threads
2
Messages
142
Reaction score
16
Location
Tucson
Vehicle(s)
2010 Raptor
Temporarily for you, would be the recommendation of painters tape made up above, it's an old trick that works...Would hate to get home and find a rock/bug chip-->:frusty:

I saw a car (at a rest stop) with painters tape and nylon screen to protect the grill from bugs, looked like Sh!t, but it did the job. He taped a couple of layers of tape then screen so it wouldn't touch paint then another couple layers of tape.
When I was in school one of the instructors (practicing dentist) did the same with a new 911 turbo he purchased in San Diego and drove back to Tucson.
 

JWS

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 3, 2014
Threads
0
Messages
1,004
Reaction score
237
Location
Dunnellon, Florida
First Name
James
Vehicle(s)
2015 WW-50th LE Auto-0745-Grandé
OP
OP
Todd15Fastback

Todd15Fastback

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2013
Threads
80
Messages
10,527
Reaction score
3,875
Location
Atlanta, GA
First Name
Todd
Vehicle(s)
2015 Mustang GT PP Fastback
http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=66666UgxGCuNyXTtoxMVnxfcEVtQEcuZgVs6EVs6E666666--

http://3mauto.com/paint-defender-spray-film.html

Kits are $13 to $40



You can definitely see a difference in texture, from an angle, especially on darker paints, but my idea was to do the whole Hood, to eliminate the the line. On the Bumper, mask at the assembly line on the Fender. Of course, with all this coverage, you would need a lot more masking tape and a couple extra cans.
Thanks! That stuff would be good if it will peel off like that after applying. I will take a look at that one as well.
 

Fox9350

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2013
Threads
21
Messages
947
Reaction score
28
Location
Boston, MA area
Vehicle(s)
1993 5.0 GT (former car)
The dealership I work at installs the clear bras from 3M and is actually a certified instructor-shop as well, training installers in the area. They do a phenomenal job, making the bra completely disappear. After a year or so however, not a chance. The edges become very obvious with dirt incursion(impossible to clean 100%) and UV discoloration plus inevitable damage from washing/scrubbing or environmental effects. After about two years every car with the clear bra is painfully obvious and the bra itself begins to discolor(not quite yellow, more like a frosted clear/white) and will stick out on any color other than silver or white.

So in the end, isn't it more obvious to an observer when people put these bras on than the actual stone chips in the paint? The only thing that ever made sense to me were the non adhesive old school bras and only for a long road trip....Other than that they (both kinds) look terrible imo and completely defeat their purpose.
 

Sponsored

Husker

Just The Basic Facts
Joined
Jun 10, 2013
Threads
36
Messages
2,221
Reaction score
232
Location
Lincoln
First Name
Harley
Vehicle(s)
F-150
So in the end, isn't it more obvious to an observer when people put these bras on than the actual stone chips in the paint? The only thing that ever made sense to me were the non adhesive old school bras and only for a long road trip....Other than that they (both kinds) look terrible imo and completely defeat their purpose.
The OLD SCHOOL black bras do more damage to the vehicle than W/O a bra.
 

Fox9350

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2013
Threads
21
Messages
947
Reaction score
28
Location
Boston, MA area
Vehicle(s)
1993 5.0 GT (former car)
The OLD SCHOOL black bras do more damage to the vehicle than W/O a bra.
I'm talking like throw it on for a 200 mile drive then take it off. Trust me, I hate the old school ones even more than the clear adhesive ones.
 

Husker

Just The Basic Facts
Joined
Jun 10, 2013
Threads
36
Messages
2,221
Reaction score
232
Location
Lincoln
First Name
Harley
Vehicle(s)
F-150
I'm talking like throw it on for a 200 mile drive then take it off. Trust me, I hate the old school ones even more than the clear adhesive ones.
I put one on a car I had, it got a little loose (between gas fill ups) and wore a spot in my paint in two locations...My fault, it was a hassle to keep it stretched tight.

Only used it in the summer on trips of 50+ miles because of the bugs.

Clear Bras are very low maintance.
 

valentinoamoro

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 31, 2014
Threads
148
Messages
1,288
Reaction score
373
Location
US
Vehicle(s)
15 TY Mustang GT
So in the end, isn't it more obvious to an observer when people put these bras on than the actual stone chips in the paint? The only thing that ever made sense to me were the non adhesive old school bras and only for a long road trip....Other than that they (both kinds) look terrible imo and completely defeat their purpose.
In my experience, if you do full panels and have an expert do it no (like my car). You cant tell their is a film on the car, the 3M clear bra has a clear coat as well.

You can tell if you do a standard template kit where the bra covers part of the hood etc. There is a line that shows that also accumulates some dirts etc between washes, but its still worth it in my opinion.
 

valentinoamoro

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 31, 2014
Threads
148
Messages
1,288
Reaction score
373
Location
US
Vehicle(s)
15 TY Mustang GT
So in the end, isn't it more obvious to an observer when people put these bras on than the actual stone chips in the paint? The only thing that ever made sense to me were the non adhesive old school bras and only for a long road trip....Other than that they (both kinds) look terrible imo and completely defeat their purpose.
In my experience, if you do full panels and have an expert do it no (like my car). You cant tell their is a film on the car, the 3M clear bra has a clear coat as well.

You can tell if you do a standard template kit where the bra covers part of the hood etc. There is a line that shows that also accumulates some dirt etc between washes, but its still worth it in my opinion.
Sponsored

 
 




Top