rock chips and 3M clear bra

If you touch up then I wouldn't bother with the clear bra. The application will not look right because of previous chips. Personally I just touch up and try to stay back from cars ahead. The car looks good considering.

If you want to spend some dough then the best would be to respray and then do the 3M.

IMO and for me, a respray would just cost some $$ without the car looking that much better and also it will get more chips. I would rather not have a clear bra.

 

If you want the car to look its best, I would respray AND do the clear bra. I've had 3M film on my M5 ever since it was delivered 5 years ago. The bra took a beating and I decided to get it redone a few weeks back. I sat there when the guy was taking the old film off and the paint looked flawless underneath. I've attached a picture of the front bumper after some of the film was removed to show the difference. It was the best investment I made on the car.

Click here to see pic

 

I don't like this fad of Saran-wrapping exotics. The amusing thing is that most guys who get this done don't even drive their cars so the plastic stays as pristine as the paint would have!

The Saran-wrapped Ferraris I see which actually get driven (admittedly a minuscule number) have all kinds of tiny scratches all over the plastic. Yes, those tiny scratches would have been on the paint but I think the scratched up plastic looks worse, not to mention the edges which trap dirt and wax. Besides, these days it's not hard to "fill in" tiny scratches and swirls on the paint with polymer finishes.

As for a few paint chips on the front bumper cover, they just indicate that you're not a stereotypical Ferrari owner!

 

The new aerospace film is crystal clear. A clear bra is a MUST if you track the car at all. It has really saved my GT3 so after my 550 gets out of the spray booth it is going right on that one too. Peace of mind, it is worth the $$$.

 

Can't speak for the paint, but my (360) bra was $1000. It was applied on a brand new car, by the only game in town. I therefore can't comment if it was a good deal. One note- the plastic films may be offered in "sizes." That is, you may be able to get a "small" kit or a "large" kit. The former might be just the front end. A large kit would be the front end, rear view mirrors, some air intake port edges. In my case, I bought the large kit. One other tip, if you go this route, I'd specify the 3M product and I'd be sure the Co. has done a few vehicles b-4 they start on yours.

 

I have over 21k miles on my 360. My 5 day a week driver, has been on and off the track several times in it's lifetime.

5 years later, no fading, no scratches in the plastic, no wax in the edges (it get's zaino'd every 6 weeks) and NOT ONE ROCK CHIP. You cannot fill in rock chips on a metallic car without them being very noticeable - scratches and swirls are another story.

 

just to add my experience,,I to have a 355 and the nose was getting lots of chips ,when the car was at the dealer for some service I asked them about clear brays and touching up,they said that they could touch up the bumper and put on the clear bra. I took there word and went ahead and had them touch up and put on clear bra.It looked great ,,,not as good as a respray and bra but I was very Happy with the way it came out.FYI A GOOD proper respray for a front bumper will go 800-1000$,I know it sounds high ,,but done right ,doing over the black ,striping and going at it from the base is they only right way to do it, and it will cost you .I just did mine after a hit with the lift and it is perfect !
David

 

$800-$1000 bucks for a respray front bumper? mY friend has a high end body shop the most he charges for a front bumper is $400-500 thats with stripping the old paint off.

a bumper is a bumper..no matter what anyone tells you if its a Ferrari or a Honda, the same work goes into stripping and painting. DOnt let anyone BS you about paint being expensive either, its not one hundred dollars a pint. granted, red is the most expensive color but your lucky if you use a quarter of a pint to paint a front bumper. It might run you $40 the most for the paint.

I do alot of painting on the side for extra cash, I have also painted a few classic cars in my time and believe me, the body shops dont tell you the truith.

word to the wise..there is no replacement for OEM factory Paint.

I have stoneguard clear bra on my M3 convertible, I have had it for 20k miles so far and I have driven to florida and back 4 times. I dont have one chip on the car..it was well worth it.

 

FWIW - I have the 3M done on my cars - 2 resprays at around 500 each - and you have paid for the 3M (or other brands).

1.) If it is a big deal to you (it is to me) - I don't like a ton of rock chips - I live in an area where there is a lot of construction the last few years thus - I went with 3M. I am highly particular and just don't like rock chips. (PS - I am like this with my Jag and Infiniti as much as I am with my past F-cars and Lambo).

2.) If you don't like rock chips - by getting 3M it will help you enjoy car more - cause you aren't worring about it - by all means get it! If you don't mind rock chips on your front bumper - likewise don't get it...

3.) The TRUE reason I really like the 3M Clear Bra - bugs wipe off really easily... saves a ton of time when washing your car

And for Mr. 911Fan - Some people that put this on drive their cars No different than some putting floor mats in - helps keep the car a little nicer.

 

This F50 from the 2003 Gumball obviously didnt have any protection there. Here is a before and after pic, its from driving arcross roads in the desert and the sand blows over the road: sand burn!
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Don't mean to get off topic but I too have no clear bra on my black black 348. Starting to get the chip all over as I actually drive her. Question: When you have the clear bra, what about waxing and buffing the car? Can you wax right over and still get the same shine? Thx
Mike

 

You Wax and Wash just like normal (AKA you can wax the clear bra just like paint - actually will help preserve it better than not).

 

Mike ,I use this stuff called "PLEXUS" its a spray wax. Almost smells like pledge but its for the clear bra. it works fine. I use it when I take long trips to Florida. After a 23hr trip the bugs wipe right off. It keeps the surface very slippery. You can also wax it with normal caranuba wax if you like.

 

When you guys are talking about a clear bra are you talking about the bumper only or are you covering some of the hood also?

If you are covering some of the hood how far up are you going and how noticable are the edges?


Thanks!

 

it covers about 4" on the hood and fenders. not to mention the front of the mirrors.

 

This really comes down to preference. If you like to keep your car clean, then this is the way to go. Here are the benefits:

1) Keep and maintain factory paint
2) Avoid the hassle of a respray, which could cost anywhere from $1000-$2000 for the front end. In addition, paint is still very soft right after a respray, which means just driving it home from the body shop could pick up a few nicks here and there.
3) Downtime - 4 hrs for clear bra installation at your home vs. 1-2 wks at the bodyshop
4) When time comes to sell the car and the film is chewed up from the track or yrs of highway abuse, just remove the film and reveal a fresh coat of paint
5) Dirt and wax certainly can collect along the edges of the film, but this could be cleaned off
6) For those weary of the seams, the film could be installed to wrap around edges to create a more seamless look. In addition, the better installers can get the seams hidden or very close to edges and the look is nearly invisible. However, this type of installation can only be done by the best in the industry
This is the difference between the $500 and $1500 jobs
7) Amount of coverage can be adjusted. If any of our customers feel a pre-cut kit is not sufficient in coverage, we could always use bulk material for installations........our master rolls are in 48"s, so an entire car can be wrapped if requested.
8) Body shops generally use "paint codes" for color matching when respraying. However, paint fades if exposed to UV rays. By respraying one area only, the paint may not match even if the same paint mixture is used for the original paint code. Other areas of the car's paint may already be fading; thus, a slight color difference may exist.

 

I was humming along I-30 in downtown Dallas minding my own business on Wednesday when all of a sudden a very LARGE object flies off one of the construction vehicles ahead of me on the highway, ricochets off the Forerunner in front of me and then hits the hood of my 360. It looked like it was about the size of the golf ball.

I get home and see a big dent in the middle of my hood and what looks like two 1" scratches. Upon close inspection, I can see that whatever hit the hood not only dented it but also scraped and tore open the 3M film. It doesn't look the paint got scratched.

I'm taking my car to have film replaced and the dent removed this afternoon. I'll try to take some before and after pics.

I love Saran Wrap!

 

I have seen paint protection systems that are clear plastic and those that are color matched to the car. Is there an advantage for one over the other?
Chris

 

Haven't heard of a color matched skin. Sounds interesting though. Can you point us in some direction?

 

IMO have a Ferrari dealer paint the front bumper and pay the price to have it done right. Then install invisishield and you will never look back and regret it. I would not touch up and then mylar coat it. The product that Nelson installed on my new Murcielago is so thin you almost can't see it.

 

It was a rosso corsa 355 I was considering at Prestige Autohaus in Walnut Creek California. Had color matched pieces all over the car. Looked nice. Prestige had someone locally do it- don't remember who.
Chris

 

It is not necessary to have the film color-matched because it's clear and would go over any type of paint.

There are the speedlingerie "color-matched" bras, but these are very noticeable in my opinion.

If seams are an issue, which it usually is w/ owners of high-end cars, we do custom work, which eliminates almost all seams. Here are some pics of a Turbo we just did yesterday - one piece custom bumper w/ wrapped edges for a seamless look. The standard in the industry is to step back 3-4 feet to find the seams on the bumper. In this case, you'd need to go up about 3 inches to find the film seam.
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Great pics!!