While waiting for your ordered Prius you should look around for some hood protection. Prius hood protection is not easily found at your local dealer, Autozone, Pepboys, etc... Most of us have to order the protection and wait a few days to a week before the product is delivered. Do yourself a favor and have the hood protection ready to install the day you get your Prius. Or have an appointment ready at your local tint shop if you decide to get the clear protection installed by someone other than yourself. You can find a enough information on PC to make the best decision for your protection. Trust me after 750 miles and several dings, dents and or scratches on your hood you will wish you had protected your baby. Well that is my two cents.
I'm thinking I will do this right after I get my car. The only problem is there doesn't seem to be many places in North Dakota that do it. I did a web search and only found places in Minot and Fargo. I'm buying the car in Bismarck and was wishing there was a place there that puts on the clear bras. Then I would do it the same day I pick up the car. Otherwise it's a long drive to the other two cities and I could get nicks on the way. But I'll do some more checking to see if there is somewhere in Bismarck that installs it.
Here here. Well said. Where was your advice back in '04 ... while I was driving behind every gravel / sand / logging truck in Montana ? Yep that white paint sure shows the rock & gravel dings. Maybe a repaint, one of these days.
It may be worth ordering a regular bra just for your trip to get your clear bra installed. Seriously the paint is very thin. I went through 4 different very low Firebird/Transams clocking 445,000 miles total without as much damage that was done to my Prius hood in only 750 miles. Good luck.
Very good advice. I have seen on a 3M website where you can order the clear film to put on yourself, or you can find a dealership. My question is, has anyone on here applied the film? How difficult was it for you, and how much and where did you order the clear film?
I didn't really like having to remove and reinstall a bra on my Prius. For the meantime, I will try to keep a nice distance from cars ahead of me.
just use blue painters tape that can be found at home depot, walmart, target, etc. it comes off easily and doesn't damage your paint. it to be used on the way to get your car protected.
Good idea. My Prius is supposed to be here a week from tomorrow. I stopped by a place today and they quoted me $495 for the hood, bumper, mirrors, leading edges of the fenders. It's "Chip Guard", apparently uses some 3M adhesive although it's not actually marketed as the 3M stuff. Chip Guard Custom Designs - Products The guy I talked to (the installer, not the sales guy) said bumpers are really hard to do and he may stop doing them altogether. They take a lot of time, not a lot of profit and if he has to redo it he makes nothing $$. But he said he'd do the install for me (including the bumper). Do you think it's going to matter if I pick the "true" 3M stuff or "Chip Guard". They have a 5 year warranty and the price seems reasonable.
I still think corrrect following distance will buy you a lot more than a bra. Where "correct" includes enough time for the gravel to settle and stop bouncing. Then you can throw it up again for the enjoyment of the SUV behind you. . _H*
