Clear Bra and/or Paint Sealant Protection Worth It?
#11
Can you share how much you paid for the clear bra or the XPEL. I was quoted around 1600 bucks to do the full front of my car, which didn't seem to be worth it.
I also contacted www.dipyourcar.com to see if they had any solutions. You can use their clear dip and spray it on, but you will lose the full clean shine of the car, to more of a matte-ish finish. Not sure that would look great on my Moonsoon Grey.
I also contacted www.dipyourcar.com to see if they had any solutions. You can use their clear dip and spray it on, but you will lose the full clean shine of the car, to more of a matte-ish finish. Not sure that would look great on my Moonsoon Grey.
#12
The retail cost for full front is right around $1600. I ended up paying $1300. I strongly considered doing half hood and half fenders (I'm told with a metallic color the line would be near impossible to see) plus headlights which would have saved me a few hundred dollars.
Just picked up a new DSLR, so will try to snap some pics this weekend.
Just picked up a new DSLR, so will try to snap some pics this weekend.
#13
Clear Mask
I've done the 3m (or equivalent) on all our new cars for the past decade (that's eight cars). It's great. I had a similar experience to a previous poster who was scraped by another car and the plastic cover protected the car like new. I was rear ended ever so slightly--but enough to leave screw marks from the other cars license plate. I figured the bumper would need repainting but when the plastic cover came of--paint was like new. The plastic absorbed everything. A worthwhile expenditure in my view. Protects the whole face from the salt and pepper effect of small and not so small road stone nicks.
#14
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I appreciate all the feedback and look forward to some more pictures!
peter8V758L thanks for the picture and I love the color of your convertible with that black top!
peter8V758L thanks for the picture and I love the color of your convertible with that black top!
#15
AudiWorld Member
Thanks! It's Dakota Gray. Hard to find color, so I ordered mine. My installer used 3M's best film. They're always improving the stuff. for the front bumper and the leading edge of the hood, fenders, and mirrors he charged me $750. The rear bumper was $400 more because there was no template for it (custom). Total cost $1,150, done at the dealer before I took delivery, and included in the price of the car.
#16
Audiworld Junior Member
For my install, the bumper, headlights and mirrors with Xpel Ultimate was $500. It would have been $1,500 total with the fenders and complete hood too.
My opinion: As far as seeing a line with a partial install (bra), you will see the line, doesn't matter what color the car is painted. The thing is, just how much does it bother you to see the line as on some colors it's more noticeable than others. My install stops at body lines so it's not really noticable at all.
With most modern quality films, they won't affect the paint (uv etc) so if/when you choose to remove it, the paint fades at the same rate as panels without the film.
Mike
My opinion: As far as seeing a line with a partial install (bra), you will see the line, doesn't matter what color the car is painted. The thing is, just how much does it bother you to see the line as on some colors it's more noticeable than others. My install stops at body lines so it's not really noticable at all.
With most modern quality films, they won't affect the paint (uv etc) so if/when you choose to remove it, the paint fades at the same rate as panels without the film.
Mike
#17
Here are some photos of my XPEL Ultimate installation I got last week. You can see where the film ends but it's imperceptible from anything further than 3 feet away and only if you know it's there and are looking for it. As you can see in some of the other photos, you wouldn't tell it's there.
Hope this helps some.
Front Bumper
Tucked under hood
On the headlight
Hope this helps some.
Front Bumper
Tucked under hood
On the headlight
#18
AudiWorld Super User
Has anyone ever seen a dealership offer any of these protections?
**edit, read the other posts that mention the dealership… sorry.
**edit, read the other posts that mention the dealership… sorry.
Last edited by arU4ic; 01-24-2015 at 10:28 PM.
#19
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Here are some photos of my XPEL Ultimate installation I got last week. You can see where the film ends but it's imperceptible from anything further than 3 feet away and only if you know it's there and are looking for it. As you can see in some of the other photos, you wouldn't tell it's there.
Hope this helps some.
Hope this helps some.
I'm definitely going to do this! Now to find the best installer in my area, we all know a product is nothing without a professional install!
Last edited by drober30; 01-25-2015 at 07:13 AM.
#20
AudiWorld Senior Member
I had XPEL installed on my Monsoon Grey S3: half hood, door handle insides, bumper below trunk. (Note no mirrors as the matte silver won't look right with the material on it). Also some on my front radar camera, which can get stones.
I had a fantastic installer in the Bay Area Greg Simms who did all of this for $900. He usually works on Ferraris and Teslas, and actually had a McLaren P1 (!) in his garage for XPEL when I stopped by.
Here's two pictures of my hood -- only from a certain angle with the light in a certain way and looking for it will you see where the XPEL stops on the hood.
I purposely took a picture which catches this looking at an angle. But you can see from the front you cannot see anything.
I had a fantastic installer in the Bay Area Greg Simms who did all of this for $900. He usually works on Ferraris and Teslas, and actually had a McLaren P1 (!) in his garage for XPEL when I stopped by.
Here's two pictures of my hood -- only from a certain angle with the light in a certain way and looking for it will you see where the XPEL stops on the hood.
I purposely took a picture which catches this looking at an angle. But you can see from the front you cannot see anything.