SoCal Newbie with a question.

Hi aa1291, welcome to PriusChat! :welcome: And congratulations on your new first car!

Yes, there are different brands. A Google search on PriusChat will bring you a wealth of discussion. Two major brands are 3M and Ventureshield. Usually the manufacturer warrants the film for 5 years and a good installer will warrant his installation for as long as you own your car. Best is your decision in consultation with the installer. The main differences are thickness and hardness. Look at examples of the installer's work. Look at his shop for cleanliness; a tiny fiber under the film is there forever and you'll always see it.

There are no special precautions when washing, but you need to be a little careful not to get a wax buildup along the edge of the film, if you use wax. With a sealant/polish like Zaino there is less problem, but you may have to wipe the edge to remove any excess buildup.

Clear Bra, I believe, is a generic term, so I can't comment on how paint fades or doesn't under it. 3M Paint Protection Film provides no UV protection, so covered and uncovered paint fades the same. Film that blocks UV may prevent fading. If you pull the film off after a few years, the protected paint will look different because of surface texture (smoother than the sand-blasted unprotected paint).

Go ask a BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes, or other high-end car dealer who does their clear bra work to find a good installer. This is also a good chance to look at the installed film on a high-quality finish. I can't recommend anyone in SoCal since I don't live there.

Good luck!

 

Yea man, I got several quotes a couple weeks ago and their all saying MSRP now, no movement at all.

I'm going to try to get one next week, but if they don't have the color I want then I guess I'll be waiting for the '09.

 

Congratulations on your car purchase. Im currently waiting for the same car that you got. Care to post pictures?

 

I posted this on another forum back in April.. Hope this helps.. Good Luck in your search..
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RPIERECK - Yes you are right to say it is pricy... At first I thought it was way too expensive and that I would opt for a more traditional front cover bra. After receiving the Colgan bra for the Prius, I returned it.. It was A) Ugly and more important - didn't fit right at all..

I then made the decision to get the 3M film proteciton. I paid in the mid $700 range for my install with all that I had done.. I am a very conservative type person with my finances but also reasoned that I just paid in the middle $20K range for my Prius. Spending another 750 over the life of the car for the protecting the front end is not as much of a financial OUCH!! if you rationalize it in that manner. Plus it will help with the future value of the car by keeping it in good condition.

In the end, it is all about what you feel comfortable with financially and otherwise.. Think of your investment and return in the big picture when making a decision for the 3M product..

 

I recommend Transhine in Whittier. The installer/owner's name is Bill Shiner. He is an authorized 3M installer and very good at what he does. You can do a google search.

I had the 3M clear bra installed last week. I got the extended coverage kit for the hood which goes up about 2/3 of the length of the hood. There are two kits, one for the hood, fenders, mirrors and another kit for the entire bumper. The price was $600, which includes coverage for the headlights and fog lights. I also paid $40 to have the edges of all 4 doors protected with the 3M material. So total was $640. Installation time was about 5 hours, work was excellent. I checked a few other places in the LA/OC area and thought Bill's price was very reasonable.

Hope this helps.

 

as a curious new owner who still doesnt have his prius yet.....

is there an issue with debris chipping the paint off of the front end of the car? i couldnt find a post on here dealing with that issue or maybe im not searching for the right thing...help another newbie out!

 

The paint is pretty hearty. We (meaning me, the car wash guy) hose it off and towel dry once a week, and have only waxed our prius once since '04. Still looks fine.

 

i am currently using starshield armor on my white touring, its been great im in socal and drive an avg of 100miles.day

the paint is NOT what gets discolored but the actual film itself, it really isnt that noticeable except on white cars (the shield turns yellow) no matter the brand they will all eventually turn

my.02

 

depends how much and where you drive, before i put on my starshield armor, i got 2 small chips on my bumper in a span of 2weeks of owning the car

if you want to preserve your paint, you def need to get a clearbra of some sort ASAP