LeBra, etc. - Should I get a bra to protect my front end?

yes it will protect your front end, you can get a conventional bra from lebra, or the more expensive colgan one, and you can also get that invisible bra from any place that does window tinting, i even saw a spray on bra in a can post on here

but you have to be real careful with the conventional bra!!!

i dont believe what le bra says, but if it gets wet, take it off !!! its really bad for the paint to allow the bra to stay on, and allow the car to dry. it might hurt the paint.

if anything gets under the bra, like dirt, it can ruin the paint

if the bra is not properly put on, it can ruin the paint

its one of those catch 22 situations, your screwed if you dont have a bra, but if you get a bra, you might be screwed anyway!

 

Not from my experience and that of at least one other PC member, not with the Prius anyway. See this.

 

nah i thought about getting the 3m one, but if im going to pay good money for a bra i dont want it to be invisible! i want it to show it off!

 

I figure that the bra will be just like the leather phone case I bought for my phone when I got it new. It protected it from damage like dropping it but the case made so many little swirl marks on it and even rubbed up against it so much that it wore some of the paint off. I bet the bra would do the same thing.
It is a catch 22 like what Rigormortis said

 

At this point, I wish I would have put a clear bra on Rudy... he's picked up a few little rock chips.

Unless I could get something with lace....

 

I recently installed a plastic bug deflector on my '08. I bought it at the parts window of a Seattle area Toyota dealer for about $80 US. It's designed and made in Canada, so if you decide to buy one you'd better get it soon since our dollar's falling quickly against the Canadian looney. It's a very clever design using no screws at all into hood itself. However, it's impossible to wash underneath it, and it would be a bit tedious to remove at each washing; also, the instructions said to "avoid" automatic car washes. Fortunately, the deflector's dark, smoked acrylic make it nearly impossible to see any dirt underneath; also, it fits very close to the body (approx 1/4") but without actually touching it (like I said, it's cleverly designed). It's barely visible on my black '08, but I suppose it would stand out on a lighter color. I was motivated to install it after getting a rock dent on the front of the hood during a road trip last month. The deflector completely covers up the dent - I just wish I'd installed it before the trip.

 

Please see the thread I linked previously.

 

It's tricky, but not impossible, to wash underneath the deflector. I can usually manage to squeeze the cloth under most of it. It comes off for waxing, though.

 

I have the clear 3M Bra on my 2005 Prius. I highly recommend it. Its invisible other than a line on the hood where the material ends. You can wash and wax it without fear. I have had it on my Prius since 2005 and it hasn't been knicked or scratched. It hasn't yellowed either. I paid just under $200 here in FL and it covers the whole frontal area and quarter panel as well as the headlights.

If you have any other questions, just ask!

 

Don't get the Lebra. It doesn't fit right and the hoops look even worse hanging down in the wheel wells. after leaving the hood cover on only 4 months and washing every 2-4 weeks, i've got a nice scratch line in my hood.

 

a bra not installed corrrectly will move/flutter due to wind, speed, etc
i do not see how a prius can be immune from this.

i have the colgan custom bra for my prius and im reasnobly sure that it is installed correctly but often worry about paint damage, due to the fact that you cant see your front end!

the last bra i ever had was for a 1987 toyota pickup truck, and it rubbed
the paint off, so it can happen to anybody

from my own expierence the pr1299 (pr1299+) for 2007 prius colgan bra isnt a 100% pefect fit, due to the fact that the prius doesnt have perfectly suitible mounting points for the s hooks

one of the hood piece bungee cords kind of grabs a hold of the hood rod (that keeps the hood up when raised) and the other has a nice tight fit to the back of the hood, where theirs a opening

the lower piece mounts good, but theres small s hooks on the side, but no 100 % tight fit holes in the wheel well to stick them.

 

Renewing this thread with yet another bra question.

Just got my Prius! (Red, pkg #5 - more on my surprisingly pleasant dealer experience when I have more time to write, I promise.)

My question for now is regarding bras and deflectors (would a deflector be considered a pasty for the Prius?)

My car is mostly used for local trips. It's not a long commute to work, and I use surface streets. So while I know rock damage is always a possibility, I'm not all that concerned with it for everyday driving. But...

Most of my family lives about 400 miles away, in the San Francisco Bay area. I'm in the Los Angeles area. It's a long "drive up the five" to get there. Two lanes, many trucks, fast speeds (generally around 80's), and rocks hitting the hood/windshield are practically a given. Needless to say, I'm anxious about the first drive up there at the end of this month to show my aging and ill parents the new beautiful car.

I want to protect it, on that drive, but I don't want to worry about potential damage from Le Bras, I don't want to spend the money for 3M transparency at this time (which would be the best time to do it, if I'm going to wrap it), and I'm not sure about the mountings for the hood deflectors. What I'm looking for is hood ding protection for the long drives, but something that can be removed for my everyday commutes.

Deflector sounds like a reasonable solution in this case, but I'm not sure what's left of the mounting when you remove the deflector (double stick tape bumpers?) The Le Bra sounds like a pain to put on and take off, but I won't be doing it that often.

Maybe I'm crazy to be thinking of removing the protection when I'm back home - I know I'll regret it at the first ding I get when commuting (also gotta get those side moldings for the office parking lot!), but... well that's why I'm here: To benefit from the experience and expertise of my fellow Prius partners.

Thanks for your opinions!

 

I've had the 3M bra on all my cars since 2002 and just had one put on my '08 prius. I asked the same question to forum members and just about everyone said go for it. Over the long hall it's the best protectio you can get. The one thing you need is a qualified installer beacuse the front bumper of a Prius is not an easy job.

 

I don't recall if it was pointed out on this thread, or if you already are aware. If you are already aware, sorry for the redundancy. The green, eco-friendly paint that they use on the Prius is not as chip resistant as the standard auto paint formulations. The risk of chips are much higher than other cars and not limited to the hood. All front surfaces are vunerable, including the front of the side mirrors. After reading the posts, we've decided to go with both the 3M & the deflector for longevity, since we plan to keep it indefinitely. I realize that cost is an issue but I've seen what bra's can do to a paint job. It can be worse than the dings.

 

Back in the 1980s I had a Camry and I bought a bra protector for it as I was still under the new car owner syndrome. As I recall the manufacterer of the bra (can't recall the brand) suggested applying a resin type wax (as in Nu Finish (the stuff that comes in the orange plastic bottle) under the bra once a year. Of course, I did this to the entire car when it was new, but when the car ceased being "new" I did not touch the bra until I sold it about 10 years later. I removed the bra and was relieved that the paint was not missing, but there were definate scuff marks.

These marks I was relieved to find out, polished off with rubbing compound. This particular finish, though had a clear coat. So all that time, the bra did not wear through the clear coat.

I cannot say if the current paint of the Prius would be as tough.

I think if you take the bra off once or twice a year and apply Nu Finish it will not wear the finish-but as for me; that's too much "effort".

I think the best solution is to have a professional installation of the 3M or Invisible Mask or equivalent; especially as this is around $300 to $400 and if you were to DIY likely you will be spending about the same amount just for the material and results will not be as good from an installer.

 

There is a new product like the 3M product that offers the same protection, but is much harder to detect and has a smoother finish. sorry, I forget the name, but check with better tint shops.

 

I put the 3M clear bra the first week I had my Prius. I've taken many 1,000 miles trips and have been safe from any dings. I have a black Prius and it would show any dings or dents really quick. I put the 3M also on my back bumper. I guess I'm trying to tell you I recommend 3M or some type of protection.

 

Got a rock dent in my bonnet on my last trip I would have got with a bra fitted anyway.