Clear Bra

[Dadman1950]

I just picked up my new GS convertible and am considering a 3M clear bra. ;help The prices in my area are running between $850 to $1200. I was just about to make an appointment even though I thought the prices were too high when I saw an advertisement from 3M for a spray on clear bra that they claim can be sprayed on by anyone. Question is has anyone used this spray on product? Is it as good as the cut to fit product? Any recommendations from anyone who has recently had this done to your car please let me know if you are pleased with it. :confused Thanks

 

[Hib Halverson]

Spray on paint protection film?!

Gotta be kiddin' me.

I'd avoid it. The market for PPF is getting so fragmented and overrun by quick buck artists looking for ways to sell an 800-1000 product for cheap.

The best clear bra on the market is still 3M Scotchcal Paint Protection Film. Oh sure, there are similar products available for less...sometimes a lot less but none can touch Scotchcal.

I have four cars with clear bras. One is ten years old and still in excellent condition. Three of them are Scotchcal one of them is not...in a weak moment, I let an installer talk me into something other than Scotchcal. That's the one which has not proven near as durable.

Scotchcal PPF can last up to 10 years on a car which is garaged. Most of the others on the market will not last as long and may noticeably yellow.

 

[Dadman1950]

Thanks for the info. The Spray on film is supposedly the same product you mention by 3M and that is why I was surprised.

 

[John Kay]

I just picked up my new GS convertible and am considering a 3M clear bra. ;help The prices in my area are running between $850 to $1200. I was just about to make an appointment even though I thought the prices were too high when I saw an advertisement from 3M for a spray on clear bra that they claim can be sprayed on by anyone. Question is has anyone used this spray on product? Is it as good as the cut to fit product? Any recommendations from anyone who has recently had this done to your car please let me know if you are pleased with it. :confused Thanks

I opted for the spray for my 2013 427 convertible. Although it has only been on for about 7 months now I am pleased with the results. Part of my logic for this choice was the carbon fiber ground effects option on my car. I wanted that done and no one had (or didn't at the time) have any precut available for that part of the car. Although an installer of the precut said he would attempt to cover those parts he wasn't confident that the results would turn out well. Anyway I also am curious if anyone has used the spray over a longer term and what their results were. The site for the spray is:
Chip Magic Shield Spray on Clear Bra

 

[Dadman1950]

Thanks for the response. I assume you did the spray yourself. If that is the case was it difficult to avoid runs and to get an even application? Also did it dull your paint. I have the blade silver which has a lot of metallic in the paint and I don't want anything on it that will "flatten" the color. After the first response I thought maybe I was crazy for even considering it but someone else said that in a year very few of the cut to fit applications will be used and the guys that do this will all convert to the spray on. BTW how long did it take and does it require you to do anything to the existing finish to prep it for the spray?

 

[Hib Halverson]

I opted for the spray for my 2013 427 convertible. Although it has only been on for about 7 months now I am pleased with the results. Part of my logic for this choice was the carbon fiber ground effects option on my car. I wanted that done and no one had (or didn't at the time) have any precut available for that part of the car. Although an installer of the precut said he would attempt to cover those parts he wasn't confident that the results would turn out well. Anyway I also am curious if anyone has used the spray over a longer term and what their results were. The site for the spray is:
Chip Magic Shield Spray on Clear Bra

3M Factory-trained installers have access to patterns along with the die-cutter necessary to produce precut Scotchcal sections to cover the parts discussed above.

My '12 Z06/Z07 has all those CF parts. Transhine Autodetailing, a 3M Scotchcal Installer in the Los Angeles area, did the installation. I had the nose, hood leading edge, mirrors, splitter, side skirts and sections on the fenders behind each tire all done with precut Scotchcal.

If an installer is unsure if he/she can unsuccessfully cover those parts, they're either lack the experience to do so, do not have access to the right patterns, do not have the right equipment to make the film or can not install PPF on those parts at the cost they advertise.

This parts have been around since 2009, so most professional installers either have the patterns or can purchase them on-line.

 

[Dadman1950]

3M Factory-trained installers have access to patterns along with the die-cutter necessary to produce precut Scotchcal sections to cover the parts discussed above.

My '12 Z06/Z07 has all those CF parts. Transhine Autodetailing, a 3M Scotchcal Installer in the Los Angeles area, did the installation. I had the nose, hood leading edge, mirrors, splitter, side skirts and sections on the fenders behind each tire all done with precut Scotchcal.

If an installer is unsure if he/she can unsuccessfully cover those parts, they're either lack the experience to do so, do not have access to the right patterns, do not have the right equipment to make the film or can not install PPF on those parts at the cost they advertise.

This parts have been around since 2009, so most professional installers either have the patterns or can purchase them on-line.

Thanks, Hib, for your input. Always appreciate your recommendations and experience. So my question is this - was what I heard correct - that those installers using the pre cut 3M material will be converting to the spray very shortly? I heard this from someone that works for 3M.

 

[John Kay]

Thanks for the response. I assume you did the spray yourself. If that is the case was it difficult to avoid runs and to get an even application? Also did it dull your paint. I have the blade silver which has a lot of metallic in the paint and I don't want anything on it that will "flatten" the color. After the first response I thought maybe I was crazy for even considering it but someone else said that in a year very few of the cut to fit applications will be used and the guys that do this will all convert to the spray on. BTW how long did it take and does it require you to do anything to the existing finish to prep it for the spray?

Actually the spray has to be done by a professional, preferably by someone in a body shop with a spray booth.

 

[Dadman1950]

Actually the spray has to be done by a professional, preferably by someone in a body shop with a spray booth.

that is good to know. I thought it was something that someone could do themselves.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Thanks, Hib, for your input. Always appreciate your recommendations and experience. So my question is this - was what I heard correct - that those installers using the pre cut 3M material will be converting to the spray very shortly? I heard this from someone that works for 3M.

I'll research that and report back.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Transhine, the 3M Installer I use says such a product exists but it is brand-new addition to the line and he has no other informantion at the moment.

 

[Dadman1950]

Transhine, the 3M Installer I use says such a product exists but it is brand-new addition to the line and he has no other informantion at the moment.

Thanks again Hib appreciate you checking on it, good to know. If he doesn't know much about it then it obviously isn't going to replace the cut to fit in the near future. And if it has to be installed in a spray booth as mentioned above I would think a lot of installers would not have the necessary shop set up to do it. I was led to believe that it was an aerosol can and a do it yourself type deal.