3m Paint Protection

[lupi]

Thinking about getting this (or a similar product) installed. Highways around here real bad with the amount of stone debris left on the surface so it's only a matter of time before you've got damaged paint. Anyone have experience with reliability and apperance of these products, What would be price to have hood and adjacent areas done?

 

[kitatech]

You can try clear Plasti Dip...it'll cost you about $20 for three 11oz spray cans...it peels off so you can't go too wrong...

 

[MiataNC]

I put 3m paint protection (clear adhesive film) on my motorcycles over the wear areas. Where my jacket/jeans rub on the tank and side covers, and where the straps for my soft luggage rub on the painted tail pieces.

It works great! Worth every penny. It is not noticeable unless you look for it, and it doesn't show any wear.

I bought the film online and cut the pieces to fit myself. I don't know what it would cost to cover the front end of a car. You will need to get a few quotes.

 

[xSkyDrAx]

Depending on where you go I believe they can get quite expensive, upwards for $1,000. I guess it comes down to value of car vs cost/benefit of the protection.

 

[Detailed Design]

I have installed paint protection film (many know it as clear bra) for years.

Here's my suggestion. Do not have 3m clear bra installed. 3m has let their ppf line go. Go with Suntek or Xpel self-healing films. The stuff works amazing and looks stunning with a quality installation.

 

[Bacstar]

I had it done on my Chrysler 300. Covered the front end, 1/3 of the hood, front fenders and side mirrors for about $375. You can see the edges on the hood and fenders, but only up close. Totally worth it, I think.

I had to get them redone after an accident but insurance covered it this time around. The cost was a lot more > $800, I think. My original installer no longer offered it.

 

[madoka]

Depending on where you go I believe they can get quite expensive, upwards for $1,000.

I think all my jobs cost $2500-$3500 for full coverage and I know people who have paid WAY more.

 

[Detailed Design]

You can try clear Plasti Dip...it'll cost you about $20 for three 11oz spray cans...it peels off so you can't go too wrong...

Plasti Dip is not protection and not the same as clear bra.

I think all my jobs cost $2500-$3500 for full coverage and I know people who have paid WAY more.

That price appears to be jamb in between a full hood, full front fender, front bumper and side mirror install price and what wrapping a full car would cost.

 

[kitatech]

Plasti Dip is not protection and not the same as clear bra.

Explain please....I thought it would be a suitable barrier preventing minor chips....

 

[Detailed Design]

Explain please....I thought it would be a suitable barrier preventing minor chips....

To a very small degree it may help. But plasti dip is super thin and not designed to be resistant to rock damage. Clear bra is 5-8 mils thick and specifically designed to function as protection.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Unless this is for a special/weekend car I would say this is no different than putting plastic cover over the couch.

Trust me when I tell you this, you will never EVER be able to keep your car perfect if you expose it to daily driving.

You can try, but will waste a LOT of time and money doing so and it will still never be perfect.

 

[lupi]

There's a difference in grandma putting plastic over her sofa when she lives there along and the construction company putting wrap around the car seats in their work vehicles. In my area road maintenance is way behind schedule and small rock projectiles are a norm vice occasional hazard. Would like to minimize the damage and subsequent repair cost.

 

[Detailed Design]

Unless this is for a special/weekend car I would say this is no different than putting plastic cover over the couch.

Trust me when I tell you this, you will never EVER be able to keep your car perfect if you expose it to daily driving.

You can try, but will waste a LOT of time and money doing so and it will still never be perfect.

"Perfect" isn't even how the car comes from the factory. Keeping a car "perfect" is not the same as keeping a car super nice and as close to new as possible. Clear bra will provide the absolute best protection against debris and the elements and with a quality installation, it will look smoking awesome.

And it's nothing like putting plastic over a sofa. Not even close....

We installed clear bra on every inch of the exterior of this 991. Does it look like your grandmother's plastic covered sofa?

 

[Knowing]

Lurking in high dollar car forums I've found that the opinion is somewhere near 50:50. Some love it, some hate it because it yellowed or peeled.

 

[Savij]

My car had a clear bra strip installed on the front of the hood when I bought it (3 years old at the time). It started to look awful (yellow and peeling) after a while and I had it removed, but the paint damage actually looks worse than if it hadn't been there in the first place. I thought it was ok when newer, but when the car was about 7 years old it looked worse than if nothing had been installed.

 

[Vdubchaos]

"Perfect" isn't even how the car comes from the factory. Keeping a car "perfect" is not the same as keeping a car super nice and as close to new as possible. Clear bra will provide the absolute best protection against debris and the elements and with a quality installation, it will look smoking awesome.

And it's nothing like putting plastic over a sofa. Not even close....

We installed clear bra on every inch of the exterior of this 991. Does it look like your grandmother's plastic covered sofa?

I said for DAILY it doesn't make sense. Clear bra will protect small portion of the car and other parts will get dings regardless.

For weekend/special day cars, different story I guess. But even those will get exposed to some kind of damage.

Why bother protecting small portion.

Not sure why you posted pictures, we know what it looks like and I'm sure you have an incentive to create more business as well posting above.

 

[xSkyDrAx]

Also for DD cars that aren't super expensive it's hard to justify a large percentage of the value of the car on something like that.

 

[Detailed Design]

I said for DAILY it doesn't make sense. Clear bra will protect small portion of the car and other parts will get dings regardless.

For weekend/special day cars, different story I guess. But even those will get exposed to some kind of damage.

Why bother protecting small portion.

Not sure why you posted pictures, we know what it looks like and I'm sure you have an incentive to create more business as well posting above.

I just showed you pictures of a car completely wrapped with clear bra. It looked amazing and protects amazingly. Who is talking about small portions? You can protect whatever you want on the car. If all someone wants to protect is a small portion, that's on them.

You don't have to like the product. But the argument being made isn't reason enough for me. If someone can't afford it or doesn't mind rock chips or scuff marks, then it won't be a good fit. But for looks and protection, there isn't a better option.

I will never get a client from this forum. If I do, I would be amazed. It's about the subject, not the motive. If someone wants to talk about cost/value, that will be based on perception and arguing that is silly. But someone likened it to grandma's plastic covered sofa and it's a terrible exaggeration of how it works and how it looks installed. The issues I've seen with the film is problems with leaving it installed too long(it is a wear and tear product), using waxes/sealants with solvents in them that will make the film yellow or someone getting an installation from someone that is not qualified to install it(tends to be price shoppers having that issue).

 

[Detailed Design]

Also for DD cars that aren't super expensive it's hard to justify a large percentage of the value of the car on something like that.

Agreed. Though, "super expensive" is very subjective. I've installed it on a Kia. That's not common. But to that owner, keeping the original paint looking excellent was important to them. Then again, I've spoken with people who own 6-figure cars that hate the idea of film on their car.

It's more about the personality of the car owner than the car itself.

 

[vshah]

"Perfect" isn't even how the car comes from the factory. Keeping a car "perfect" is not the same as keeping a car super nice and as close to new as possible. Clear bra will provide the absolute best protection against debris and the elements and with a quality installation, it will look smoking awesome.

And it's nothing like putting plastic over a sofa. Not even close....

We installed clear bra on every inch of the exterior of this 991. Does it look like your grandmother's plastic covered sofa?

sure hope you did few good polish stages before that. paint from the factory is usually nowhere near perfect.

 

[Phanuel]

sure hope you did few good polish stages before that. paint from the factory is usually nowhere near perfect.

But but, they always go on and on about light tunnels and men with cloth rags and marking pens inspecting all of their cars before they leave! :awe: