The dealer talked me into it, and gave me an excellent price, but the line is so obvious now. I tried to be careful when waxing but not careful enough, I guess. And along the seam, on the hood, there's a bit of damage as if some vandal tried to mess it up.

Of course, my bumper (not covered by the clear bra) is full of stone chips so that's not any better.

Any thoughts on this?

Peter



2004 G35 Coupe with Performance Package. Silverstone (dark silver).

 

Peter,

I would recommend the clear bra on the front bumper too! A bunch of chips on the big bumper isn't very attractive. Now that you have lots of chips already, you could repaint the front bumper: some people who have done this believe that the body-shop paint holds up better against chips than factory paint. I would repaint, and then apply a clear bra to the front bumper (after giving the repaint time to cure).

As far as the seams, it's all about trade-offs. You will see a seam if you're reasonably close to the car (especially on darker colours), but it's not noticable from further away. I'm willing to accept a visible seam to avoid stone chips.

Some people apply clear bra to the entire hood to eliminate the seam. That's a trade-off too. I personally would not like this trade-off, as clear bra film does not have the same refractive qualities as paint (won't shine quite as nice as detailed paint) and won't feel the same as paint. But others will go this route to avoid a seam.

You can wax over a clear bra with wax or non-abrasive sealant. I use Zaino, and am careful to apply directionally away from the clear bra, with very thin coats, to avoid getting a build-up. If you get a build-up try to clean carefully. If you're using Nu Finish, don't get any on the clear bra (since as I mentioned in a prior note, Nu Finish isn't safe on this type of film).


Hard to assess what type of damage you have on your clear bra. Maybe it is fixable. maybe the damage is covered under the clear bra warranty. If not fixable/not covered, then if you decide to add clear bra to front bumper, see if you can work a deal on replacing the front hood film.

 

Don't know why you hate your clear bra? After having it for about a year, I'm thankful everyday that I have it. Going through one summer and winter with it on, my front end still looks pristine. And I have to admit that the 3M material gives the paint somewhat of a "wet" look. I've installed the bumper piece, both front fender and hood. Plan to clear bra the rear view mirrors as well.

I used to have a leather bra on my previous vehicle and it was a real pain to keep on removing it and mounting it back on every time I had to wash the car.

The clear bra is great . One of the best vehicle care investments you can make. The line you mentioned is part of the coolness factor and might even add a few horse powers if the 3M was applied correctly.

G35 Coupe 6MT Brilliant Silver
Tinted Windows
7 -Wire Hyper Ground System
Hyper Voltage System
Aluminum Pedals
Complete Front-end Clear Bra

 

I agree with the other comments made so far... I have the clear bra and my car is the same colour as yours, and I also see the line. In fact when I picked up my car from the dealership it was the first thing I noticed. The dealer did my front bumper, lower hood, tops of fenders, lights, side mirrors, and a small section in front of the rear wheels.

The only part I really notice is --like you said -- the line across the hood. Still, I see it as the lesser of two evils. I figure it's better than a bunch of stone chips. I think the payoff will come as the car gets older.

Case in point... last week I was on the 427 northbound and a dump truck in front of me was sprinkling pebbles behind himself. As soon as I heard the pinging sound I winced and felt about a half dozen little rocks bouncing off my front end.
I hate when that happens!

Later when I parked I had a look -- nothing... not a scratch. I have to thank the clear bra.
Beofre I bought my car I searched the forum comments (here and elsewhere) regarding the clear bra, and the overwhelming consensus was that it was a smart choice to get.



2004 G35C 6MT + Nav, Silverstone