Clear Bra Care?

[ajnavo61490]

My client has just picked up a 2008 Corvette that I have worked on already. He is getting a clear bra installed on it and I just want some pointers how to care for it. How do I go about waxing it, polishing it, ect?

 

[Slik560]

I've seen lots of threads on this, but naturally I can't remember all the details. A search for clear bra care might yield some good reading. I do remember that taping the edges is a must when polishing - a rotary would make a mess of a clear bra if it got hold of the edge.



Good luck.

 

[jimmie jam]

i have had 3M on my 07 C6 since 2 miles. the best way to take care of the 3M, since it has a clear coat on it, is to wax as you do the rest of the car. i would not use a rotary or any machine for that fact on this material. alot of guys just use spray wax on it (that is what my installer recomended). mine is a garage queen that only has 3,300 fair weather miles on it but my DD CTS and not often driven avalanche also have complete 3M. i care for them the same way. NXT or 845 that's it. just tape the edges. :2thumbs:

 

[David Fermani]

The last 2 jobs I've done have had clear bras (3M/by Peppe) and have been a major pain to polish. They aren't correcting to levels close to the paint and were really faded. They're about 50% better, but still look bad. I wish the owner would let me take them off and get them redone because it makes their vehicles look terrible. He waxes his all the time (with the car), but they still faded pretty bad.

 

[jimmie jam]

pepe does my cars. the 3M will never look as good as the paint because of the clear on it that has OP. you will never get the OP out without runing the material. fact of life with 3M.

 

[David Fermani]

My point is that the film fades and cannot be brought back to life. Not to mention water spot etching; forget about getting that out if it happens. It seems like any defect/damage that happens to the film gets accentuated in appearance.

 

[Bigpoppa3346]

The last 2 jobs I've done have had clear bras (3M/by Peppe) and have been a major pain to polish. They aren't correcting to levels close to the paint and were really faded. They're about 50% better, but still look bad. I wish the owner would let me take them off and get them redone because it makes their vehicles look terrible. He waxes his all the time (with the car), but they still faded pretty bad.

I agree with you here. One of my regulars has a 2005 RX330 with clear film on half the hood and a little on each front fender. When I first started doing the car in early 2007, it looked great, no marring and all it needed was some AIO and sealant. I notice it looking a little bit worse every time I see the car (every 6 months or so).



I just did a winter prep on it (so the 4th time I've detailed it), the clear film looked terrible, haze and scratches. I tried polishing it with the UDM, not much better, then with the rotary, a white pad, and M105 and still little improvement. The scratches were reduced somewhat, but the awful haze was still there and a lot of marring.



I would never have a clear bra on any car I own, what is the point of preventing rock chips when the front end looks silly (to me at least) and maintanance is a PITA?

 

[David Fermani]

I would never have a clear bra on any car I own, what is the point of preventing rock chips when the front end looks silly (to me at least) and maintanance is a PITA?

:hifive: I'm glad I'm not alone on this perspective. For the $700-800++ installers charge to do this, I'd much rather pay 1/2 that price and get the hood and bumpers repainted and not constantly be annoyed by that crappy look.

 

[MCWD]

My client has just picked up a 2008 Corvette that I have worked on already. He is getting a clear bra installed on it and I just want some pointers how to care for it. How do I go about waxing it, polishing it, ect?

If he hasn't had the film installed yet, tell him to get xpel film!!! I install 3m film and have reviewed all of the other films availble, and recently Xpel has entered the film market. Xpel has been in the industry for many years as a source for cutting patterns of films, but they have been developing this film line for years. I have installed a dozen or so jobs with this film and I prefer it over any other film. So far as maintaining the film, I would suggest Plexus. Good luck! P.s. xpel is based out of San Antonio...

:xyxthumbs

 

[soccerjunky]

The key to a nice clear bra is the installer......i will not live without them....check the adams line of products for a cleaner and wax..



this car has clearmask on the whole front .. bumper,hood,fenders, lights including fog lights,mirrors and also side rocker panels



i must apologize , i am new to this site and i accidently posted in the professional section

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[jimmie jam]

My point is that the film fades and cannot be brought back to life. Not to mention water spot etching; forget about getting that out if it happens. It seems like any defect/damage that happens to the film gets accentuated in appearance.

i've never seen 3M "fade" on its own. obviously the film was compromised by someone/something. but you already knew that so why bother to "try" to bring it back? owners who care enought about their car to have film applied usually don't let the finish get compromised, including the film. you have to care for it just like any finish on a car. its not a "miracle" cure. i've had 3M on my cars for years and 99% of the people that look at them don't see it unless their told. but hey, what do i know :think:

 

[David Fermani]

i've never seen 3M "fade" on its own. obviously the film was compromised by someone/something.

I'd have to say it was damaged by something called Florida sunshine. Pretty damaging stuff when you leave a dark colored vehicle outside during the day all year round. Totally different than what a garage queen goes through.

owners who care enought about their car to have film applied usually don't let the finish get compromised, including the film. you have to care for it just like any finish on a car.

Oh yeah sure, everyone takes great care of their vehicles. :lol A miniscule portion of people *might* throw a coat of wax on once or twice a year, but they aren’t known to buff scratches that get instilled every time they wash it. I can’t quite see the concept of people who get clear bras, as being fanatical about their vehicles. That’s a stretch and being paint savvy is what’s required to have these coatings stay flawless for a long time down here I gather. As vehicles get micromarred/oxidized, clear bras get even worse and can’t be revived like paint unless you constantly stay on top of them. OTOH, maybe it's just the installers down here and the products they use? I've actually heard several people say bad things about Peppe's work. :secret

its not a "miracle" cure. i've had 3M on my cars for years and 99% of the people that look at them don't see it unless their told. but hey, what do i know

It’s not what you know, it’s what *most people* don’t. Most people can’t identify door dings and scratches most of the time, they most likely can’t identify a clear bra either. Plus, you most likely go above and beyond in regards to maintenance compared to what 99% of people who own clear bras do.