Clear bra tech has improved greatly over the years, now they don't yellow, or just don't yellow as quick as they used to.Not worth it. For the price of a clear bra application you can repaint the chipped areas twice. The look of the bra after 2-3 years is nasty. The lines where the bra is are yellowish disgusting color and I actually took the bra off my black 911 tt because I couldn't stand it. After 1.5 years no bra I barely see any damage and if significant damage was to occur it would cost about $500-$600 to paint it and make it look like new
That's definitely not the case. I repainted my 911 TT front bumper for $600 and it looks 10x better then any scratched yellow 'clear' bra - it was a 3M clear bra and original application cost me $1500 for bumper, partial hood mirrors and side scoops. I only do my body work at IND Distribution which is one of the most reputable body shops in the area specializing in German makes (BMW M, P-car) etc. Check them out. iND Distribution Group & Eisenmann North America | Custom Vehicle Solutions for BMW, Audi, Mercedes Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Ferrari | Eisenmann, Motorsport24, 3D Design, iND Parts and Accessories, Victory RoadFor those complaining about the clear bra yellowing - did you happen to go with 3M the first time around?
There are many options for films now that do not yellow as quickly.
You have to expect to replace them every 3-5 years
The newer films also do not have as much orange peel so they look more discrete. If you do not like the line you should wrap the ENTIRE hood. I've installed a few front end clear bras in my time and I can tell you that some films are practically invisible if you wrap the entire hood.
I am personally going to be getting Opti-Coat Pro applied on the entire car and have the front end wrapped with either XPEL or Nano Fusion.
Opti-Coat is paint protection to resist contamination as well as resist swirls and light scratches.
The film/vinyl wrap on the front is to prevent rock chips on the freeway.
You say that you can repaint the front a few times over for the price but a repainted car will always be worth less than an OEM paint job.
I've owned a paint refinishing business in the past and I can tell you that for around $1000 to paint the front end - you are not getting a very good paint job. You might be happy with it - but in the right eyes - there will be flaws.
You should be able to get away with wrapping the entire front end and having the car Opti-Coated for under $2000. It should last over 5 years and longer. If you are planning to keep the car for long it's a good idea. If you are leasing and planning to return the car after a few years then I guess it would be a waste of money.
If anyone needs help finding a clear bra or opti-coat installer in your state or province shoot me a PM. I have met many quality installers throughout my career and can recommend you a trustworthy business.
I agree with what both of you are saying, however, even the BEST paint job is easy to see that is not original. The newer paint meters using laser measuring can determine the depth of the paint and it is impossible to match the depth to factory spec unless painting a whole car. Now whether that translates to discounts, loss of value or noticeable to the naked eye is another discussion.That's definitely not the case. I repainted my 911 TT front bumper for $600 and it looks 10x better then any scratched yellow 'clear' bra - it was a 3M clear bra and original application cost me $1500 for bumper, partial hood mirrors and side scoops. I only do my body work at IND Distribution which is one of the most reputable body shops in the area specializing in German makes (BMW M, P-car) etc. Check them out. iND Distribution Group & Eisenmann North America | Custom Vehicle Solutions for BMW, Audi, Mercedes Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Ferrari | Eisenmann, Motorsport24, 3D Design, iND Parts and Accessories, Victory Road
Also I spoke at length about painted cars with my Porsche dealer. They told me that even if a car has previous paint job, and its done right, they don't discount the car 1 dollar. If it has an accident on file they do, but not if it has a properly done paint job. I've painted front a rear bumpers on all my cars and never had an issue selling one or getting full price for it. Many people do this, to maintain the car's new paint look without incurring any loss to car's value.