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10-19-2020, 02:09 PM | #1 |
Solving problems
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4
Location: Metro Boston
Posts: 25,254
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Clear bra quotes
I am getting the clear bra work quoted.
So far two quotes back. This is one of them: XPEL Ultimate PPF (Performance Package): $2,795 Coverage: Front Bumper, Full Hood, Full Fenders, Headlights, Mirrors, Rocker Panels, A-Pillars, Behind Rear Wheels XPEL Ultimate PPF (Full Front): $1,995 Coverage: Front Bumper, Full Hood, Full Fenders, Headlights, Mirrors XPEL Ultimate PPF (Partial Plus): $1,495 Coverage: Front Bumper, Full Hood, Partial Fenders, Headlights, Mirrors If you prefer some individual/popular add-on options: XPEL Ultimate PPF (Rocker Panels Only): $495 XPEL Ultimate PPF (B-Pillars): $200 (All 4) XPEL Ultimate PPF (Behind Rear Wheels Only): $200 (Both Sides) I am amazed by how expensive it is. The other quote for the work in bold was $1900, so not far off. For the rocker panels and rear arches they wanted $500. I'm thinking of the work in Bold plus rear arches at $200. Thoughts? Partial fenders saves $500 so I am considering that as well. Last edited by FC; 10-19-2020 at 02:22 PM. |
10-19-2020, 02:12 PM | #2 |
Relic
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Bethesda, MD
Posts: 12,458
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Are you mentally prepared to have it redone every few years?
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2011 M3 2006 Sierra 2500HD 4WD LBZ/Allison 2004 X5 3.0i 6MT 1995 M3 S50B32 1990 325is 1989 M3 S54B32 Hers: 1989 325iX 1996 911 Turbo |
10-19-2020, 02:22 PM | #3 |
Solving problems
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4
Location: Metro Boston
Posts: 25,254
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10-19-2020, 02:30 PM | #4 |
No more BMWs
Join Date: Apr 2005
Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8
Location: Glenwood, MD
Posts: 14,753
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Did you look at my Boxster when you were in Maryland a couple years ago? The clearbra on that is about six years old and still looks fantastic. The only places were it's not great are at the openings in the front bumper. Some of the edges have pulled up a little bit and have gotten dirty. The solution is to just trim it back to remove the dirty edge. I did that install myself and I'm not an experienced installer by any means... the only reason those edges lifted is I suck at installing and didn't get the right stretch to the film around the openings. Tight radii are still a bitch when it comes to film adhesion. I did a light machine polish on the whole car a couple months ago when I did the Gyeon ceramic application and I was amazed at how well the film took a shine. It's not discolored or cloudy in the slightest.
The stuff I used was the first iteration of the "self-healing" film and it's done a great job. I also have it on the Mazdaspeed (though that was a professional installation). It's five years old and looks great. The Boxster is garaged when at home. The Mazdaspeed lives outside. For a car that stays garaged, you should certainly be able to get, well, more than six years out of an install. The pre-~2011, 2012 stuff? Not nearly as long-lived. edit: Obviously if the car takes any big stone hits that completely break through the film, you're going to see it. The only "add-ons" I wish I had done were the rear wheel arches, the edge that is exposed to road debris being thrown up by the tire. I regret not doing that on the Boxster. |
10-19-2020, 03:49 PM | #5 | |
Solving problems
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4
Location: Metro Boston
Posts: 25,254
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Quote:
https://www.qcarcare.com/clear-bra (scroll down a bit) |
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10-19-2020, 03:18 PM | #6 |
Alphanumeric
Join Date: Aug 2005
Carmudgeonly Ride: 981S, 340i
Posts: 9,584
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My boxster clear bra is over 7 years old and continues to look fantastic. Car was almost never parked outside.
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10-19-2020, 03:27 PM | #7 |
Relic
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Bethesda, MD
Posts: 12,458
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I guess they are a lot better than they used to be. The last time I did one, it looked horrible ~ 2 years in.
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2011 M3 2006 Sierra 2500HD 4WD LBZ/Allison 2004 X5 3.0i 6MT 1995 M3 S50B32 1990 325is 1989 M3 S54B32 Hers: 1989 325iX 1996 911 Turbo |
10-19-2020, 03:28 PM | #8 |
Solving problems
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4
Location: Metro Boston
Posts: 25,254
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I'd be more worried on a white car. but I suspect that an orange car will take a slight discoloring well.
I'm tempted to give it a go on my own since I am pretty good at that sort of thing, but I just don't have the time to agonize over it. My new commute is 45+ miles a day of highway. I'm afraid the M3 would get its ass kicked pretty quickly in that environment, so I feel I need to do this. |
10-19-2020, 03:49 PM | #9 | |
No more BMWs
Join Date: Apr 2005
Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8
Location: Glenwood, MD
Posts: 14,753
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Quote:
Resist that urge and pay someone to do it. more than likely you'll need to order two or three pre-cut kits if you try to do it yourself and you'll burn an entire day. A good installer will bang it out in no time and it'll look better (fewer stretch marks, better edge adhesion, etc). |
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10-19-2020, 03:57 PM | #10 |
Carmudgeon
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,666
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I have a few concerns when it comes to film, one is the installation, I have read many nightmare stories how the installer left razor blade marks in the paint when doing the cutting plus to do the install right they need to take some parts of the car apart, I know on the Porsches they remove the front bumper and front headlights, the rear taillights, etc.
My other big worry is when you remove the film down the road I am very concerned the paint might come off with it. While I really like that it protects your car and after having the R8 go from perfect paint to getting a ridiculous amount of paint chips on the nose and hood due to one truck having dirt just flying off of it on the highway at 6o mph basically damaging any car driving behind it or even close to it. It's a tough call ... |
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