Protective Clear Bra?
1 - 20 of 35 Posts
Joined
·
30 Posts
I have a protective clear bra on my car. It does what it is suppose to do-protect the finish on the car.
What it doesn't do it stay looking good for very long. It is very soft due to the material it is made out of so the rocks will make nicks in it which looks amazingly like nicks in the paint. Of course, you can always replace it, but it is not cheap unless you do it yourself. I paid $900 to cover my Lexus, down from the $1700 the dealer wanted. After three years at least one piece needs to be changed. This is because some nimrod at a car wash decided to use his thumb nail to remove a bug and it now looks like someone used a rock to intentionally damage the car. I don't believe it can be fixed, only changed.
Now on a plastic vehicle like a SS it should be less of an issue. The color should be imbedded in the plastic material before forming. When a rock hits this it puts a divot in the material but it is the same color only duller. Not the best situation but I have lived with a Spyder for 70,000 miles and it is tolerable. But since there are two colors my guess is one of them is going to be painted. So the clear bra is going to help.
What is really going to happen, probably before this thing gets to market, is that someone is going to come out with a body wrap kit to cover the front end with all kinds of radical designs and paint schemes. It will cost as much as a good paint job but you can get some pretty radical stuff and you can apply it yourself although I hear that this is very difficult to do.
What it doesn't do it stay looking good for very long. It is very soft due to the material it is made out of so the rocks will make nicks in it which looks amazingly like nicks in the paint. Of course, you can always replace it, but it is not cheap unless you do it yourself. I paid $900 to cover my Lexus, down from the $1700 the dealer wanted. After three years at least one piece needs to be changed. This is because some nimrod at a car wash decided to use his thumb nail to remove a bug and it now looks like someone used a rock to intentionally damage the car. I don't believe it can be fixed, only changed.
Now on a plastic vehicle like a SS it should be less of an issue. The color should be imbedded in the plastic material before forming. When a rock hits this it puts a divot in the material but it is the same color only duller. Not the best situation but I have lived with a Spyder for 70,000 miles and it is tolerable. But since there are two colors my guess is one of them is going to be painted. So the clear bra is going to help.
What is really going to happen, probably before this thing gets to market, is that someone is going to come out with a body wrap kit to cover the front end with all kinds of radical designs and paint schemes. It will cost as much as a good paint job but you can get some pretty radical stuff and you can apply it yourself although I hear that this is very difficult to do.
Joined
·
180 Posts
I'll probably go without putting anything on. Like bobnaquin said,
He has had his spider for 70k miles. And it's not to bad.
If I did a wrap, it would be just for color change. But I did
Some reading on that. And the wraps are usually only good for
3 to 5 years and then you have to redo it.
He has had his spider for 70k miles. And it's not to bad.
If I did a wrap, it would be just for color change. But I did
Some reading on that. And the wraps are usually only good for
3 to 5 years and then you have to redo it.
Joined
·
839 Posts
Ok...i ask because on a T-Rex if you don't put it you be sure you have to paint the front of the T-Rex each year! With the winter here they put a lot of sand and calcium so when spring arrived and get out the T-Rex you be sure to receive a lot of little rock before they clean the road around the end of may!
So i don't know how its gonna go with the SS because they have not the same front!
So i don't know how its gonna go with the SS because they have not the same front!
Joined
·
180 Posts
Ah yeah, it might matter on were you live and when you
Start driving her in the spring. I always wait till the roads are
Clean from winter. But I'm talking about near the
Beginning of April.
Start driving her in the spring. I always wait till the roads are
Clean from winter. But I'm talking about near the
Beginning of April.
Joined
·
839 Posts
Wow...beginning of april! Still receive snow in april here...lol
Joined
·
180 Posts
Lol!
Last year was the worst winter we've had since I started living here
20 years ago. Snow fell in the end of November and never went
Away till the beginning of April. Usually here we don't get snow
Till January.
Last year was the worst winter we've had since I started living here
20 years ago. Snow fell in the end of November and never went
Away till the beginning of April. Usually here we don't get snow
Till January.
Joined
·
839 Posts
Now you know what we live here in Québec...its the normal winter here!!:hungover:
Joined
·
180 Posts
Dam, I don't know if I could handle long winters like that! 
Joined
·
839 Posts
I can't....but...no choiceDam, I don't know if I could handle long winters like that!
Joined
·
839 Posts
If they had Clear Protective Bra's when I was in High School I would Never have graduated.
lol
Joined
·
2,070 Posts
You could ask Painter http://www.slingshotforums.com/members/painter.948/
I'm sure he would have an answer for you, he seems to have a lot of knowledge with painting
I'm sure he would have an answer for you, he seems to have a lot of knowledge with painting
Joined
·
2,225 Posts
Yes! I used it on my Harley when it first came out and now at 1 1/2 years later it's still on and not one rock chip!
One of the good things about defender is that it conforms to all the curves ,,nooks and crannies on the vehicle. However, a word of warning.... Do not just buy it and start spraying. It takes practice to get good at it and to know how to spray, how much to spray, and where to spray. I coded my wife's new Harley limited trike with defender after she got a couple of small rock chips when new. Now there have been no others.
In the directions it says that it lasts for up to 6 to 9 months. But on a motorcycle or a vehicle that is not driven you around in harsh conditions that should last for years. But if it doesn't, it is easily peeled off and usually comes off in one piece ready to be waxed and sprayed again
You got to remember not to use ammonia when cleaning. This includes Windex. It will degrade the defender. Now I use it on a lot of my customers bikes as well.
Joined
·
2,070 Posts
Thank you Painter that is a lot of information
I'm going to use it on my bike, I got couple rock chips....obviously I will do the same on the SS.
One question; does the shine of the paint looks the same when you apply the 3M?
Joined
·
2,225 Posts
It is totally invisible. You can't even tell it's on the bike. The only time you can really tell it is when you wash with water. It becomes milky for a short period of time and then clears right up.
I also forgot to mention that when you put it on you need to wait about seven days for it to totally cure. After 24 hours it can be handled fine but it does not reach its full hardness for several days. Setting it out in the sun really helps cure it faster. What I do is spray it on, wait 24 hours, set it in the sun if possible, wait seven days and then coat it with a good coat of wax. This makes the bugs and debris fall right off.
Joined
·
2,070 Posts
Thank you
1 - 20 of 35 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!