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2010 2011 BMW 5 Series Forum F10 F10 Technical Topics Wash, Wax, Detailing and Cosmetic protection/repairs Clear Bra opinions
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      07-31-2012, 09:11 PM   #1
jbeemer13
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Clear Bra opinions

Hello everyone! Im new to this forum. I just picked up my new 2012 535i last Sunday. Alpine white with the m-sports package.

Before I start getting rock chips I was thinking about having a clear bra installed. I wanted to get other forum 5 series opinions on how they like theirs and to see if the slightly visible line that the bra creates bothers them. Please list any pros and cons.
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      07-31-2012, 09:32 PM   #2
snj1013
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I have 3m, Xpel is probably better but more expensive.
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      07-31-2012, 11:08 PM   #3
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I'm also thinking about this... Any good recos for Chicago? How does it look once washed/waxed?
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      08-01-2012, 12:02 AM   #4
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I have Xpel Ultimate and it is awesome. I wouldn't get anything else.
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      08-01-2012, 12:34 AM   #5
jbeemer13
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Thanks for the recommendations! Does anyone have pics of their car with it on? I'm curious on the look and how visible the lines are.
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      08-01-2012, 07:09 AM   #6
ghueser
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I also have it on my Alpine White as well. You have to be real close to tell that it's on the bumper and has kept the front end looking like new. I would aslo recommend you have this (either 3M or expel) installed on your headlights and foglights. Find an iinstaller that does this professionally and you will be pleased with the results. Washed and waxed, it looks no different than the rest of the car.
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      08-01-2012, 03:52 PM   #7
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I have 1/4 hood, bumpers, headlights, foglights and side mirrors done. In retrospect I would skip the fogs,headlights and side mirrors. The fogs are made of glass, the headlights are plastic and Plexus will keep them from getting yellow. The side mirrors are caps that you can pop off and paint very easily if you have to. The hood and bumpers are most susceptible to damage. I have Venturesheild on the bumper and Xpel on the hood. The Xpel seems to be holding up better.
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      08-02-2012, 01:27 PM   #8
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Id like to contribute my 2 cents on this subject, since I find alot of info that helps me on this forum. I had it installed on my 2012 Alpine White 550 M-Sport, a few days after picking up my car. I had it on for 1 week and I PULLED it off! I hated it.

I had -Full hood (1 piece), BOTH side fenders, and entire front bumper.

Let me forewarn everyone.... I'm EXTREMELY PICKY... And i regret putting it on because I now realize that it's impossible to get this stuff on perfect... "It's not paint" Was one of the phrases they used to let me know about the product before it was put on... AND THEY WERE RIGHT! It's a very hard installation in general but With the curves the M-Sport front bumper has, it makes it even harder, and more "seems" as they call them show. Thats what drove me crazy, seeing these lines, from where they cut the vinyl to wrap around the aerodynamic edges on this beautiful M-Sport bumper.

I HAD A VERY GOOD INSTALLER to be honest but its never going to be perfect, Its IMPOSSIBLE! Also I noticed the paint color looked like 2 different tones of white from what was covered and what was bare.

Do i have rock chips on the front bumper, YEA, of course... But is my car ALL The same color now, YES. And for the price you're going to pay for the "clear bra" from a GOOD INSTALLER, You can have your WHOLE front bumper repainted like new and then get the car professionally detailed and you're GOOD AS NEW.

"It's not paint"... It's not going to cover any area of the car like paint.
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      08-02-2012, 01:43 PM   #9
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I disagree. Repainting a car, even a portion of the car is always the last resort. No matter how good the paint shop is, they cannot replicate the process as good as the factory.
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      08-04-2012, 08:45 PM   #10
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On those who experienced yellowing of clearbra, I found this post from a detailing forum quite useful. BTW Xpel warrants it's film against yellowing.


Quote:
Originally Posted by XPEL Tech
Hi Guys,
*
There is still some confusion here, so I thought I would pop in and clear it up.
*
You can buff, polish and/or seal any of our films, including Ultimate (self-healing film). *What you want to watch out for is sealants, waxes or polishes that contain a large amount of either naphtha or kerosene. *These are common ingredients, which if high enough in concentration, can cause polyurethane (no matter what brand it is) to discolor over time. *One irony in the paint protection film industry is that one of the most commonly prescribed products by unwitting installers to use on paint protection film is Plexus, which is 23% naphtha. *We have conducted lab studies with this product and found that it does indeed cause paint protection film to yellow horrendously if used repeatedly over time. *Most customers simply don't notice because their car is not white or silver, and they like that it makes the film feel slippery. *If it feels slippery, it must be good, right?
*
On the buffing/polishing aspect, what should have been conveyed by my staff is that polishing should not ever be necessary on our self-healing film, rather than it cannot be done at all. *Since the film heals swirls and light scratches on its own, there should be no reason to buff.
*
On the Quartz sealant, I must admit I am not familiar with this product, so I can't give any truly definitive advice. *The best thing to do would be to get an MSDS sheet on the product and check for the ingredients I mentioned above. *Or, the truly simple thing to do (as someone else suggested) is to use our purpose made sealant.
*
Let me know if you have any other questions.
*
Best Regards,

Tim Hartt
Chief Operating Officer
XPEL Technologies Corp.
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      08-05-2012, 09:53 PM   #11
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Thanks everyone for the advice. I think I am going to go with the Xpel just on the bumper. If anyone has any suggestions for shops in the Bay area please let me know. Also anyone with pics please post!
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      08-06-2012, 11:45 AM   #12
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I would also do the front foot or so of the hood.
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