Hi all - I'm about 14 days away from delivery (YEAH!!!) of my '06 550i and am wondering if I should get the 3M 'clear bra' from my dealer? I usually shy (far) away from any add-ons but a friend with an Acura said he got this and like it very much.
Any inputs? Good or bad expiences? Would YOU do this to your new baby? Thanks for any info. -steve-
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search for bra throughout this site. A lot of good information to draw your own conclusion.
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Venture is supposed to be better than 3M. Has a life time warranty against yellowing. I had Venture on my previous car and thought it was great.
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I am also interested in this.... I plan on keeping my new 550 for 5 years.... so it would be good to know if any of these companies guarantee against paint fade over the long term.
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Do a lot of searching and reading on here...lottsa threads covering this. In a nutshell, just get it. It protects as advertised but keep in mind that it won't protect areas that aren't covered. Seems dumb to say that but here's my point:
Your front bumper area and inch or two above the roundel on the hood will be protected but your hood will begin to show chips over time. IMO, all this protection provides is to extend the time in which you might consider having the hood/bumper/fenders repainted.
After 4+ years on my 2001 530i, the front end looks fine of course but the hood, from a foot or so away, looks pretty beat up.
The darker the car, the better the stuff is hidden. Upon getting dirty, the line on your hood will be quite visible. Waxing can be painful...gotta clean up all the edges but you can and should wax the clear protection.
Get a couple quotes...they can vary quite a bit. You will probably get a better quote outside of the dealer.
3M is the product most prevalent and what I have used/installed so I've no experiece with the Venture stuff mentioned above. 3M stuff has done fine on my car.
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I am going to get the 3M product. My advice would be to find a certified installer in your area. The guy I am using indicated that at the SEMA (not sure if that is spelled correctly) show 3M unveiled a newer version of the product. It has improved yellowing resistance and better overall texture appearance (less orange peel look). Prices will vary on installations. My install will have the bumper, headlights through to fenders, mirror backs (full wrap on bumper and mirrors) extended coverage on the hood (about 24 " up the hood), and inside the door handle pockets (custom pieces). This stuff is very cool. A friend has it on his Porsche and you can barely tell it is there. Cleaning will pose some problems but a small soft bristle toothbrush should do the trick. They have been using this stuff since the sixties. The other product I heard about was by Avery Dennison but I don't think it is as good and they tend to yellow more. Again, there is a lot of information out there. I am sure the dealer will charge a pretty penny. You are better off using a certified installer of the producct to do the work. Most dealers sub-contract it out so you can probably save the dealer mark-up on the install. You wouldn't bring your car to this type of installer for mechanical service, I wouldn't have the dealer do unless they are certified (warranty is 5 years). Ask who will be doing the work at the dealer before using them. My dealership said they are beginning to offer it but, have been unsuccessful at installing it which prompted me to go outside for the installer.
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3M Clear Bra - good idea?