Bra, Deflector or Film? Front end protection?

Haha, nice! 4k is a lot of money

 

sometimes you gotta roll that hard six lol. i would have spent that 4k on something stupid anyways.

 

I thought long and hard about this very question. Made worse only because I had to wait 10 days for my Prius to arrive from Japan from when I told the dealership that I was going to buy a Prius.

I was talked out of the front applique (bra just doesn't sound as "cool"). I opted to get the "Prius" back bumper to protect the top of the bumper (seen so many Prii with scratches from loading/unloading). I ended up getting an "urban package" applique where they cover your front and back bumpers and also 4 door edges. This is mainly for people parallel parking in San Francisco and hitting your car when you are parked. The way the front license plate is hung on the front bumper, it helps a little bit.

I was told that the way the Gen 3 hood is designed, there is less chance that the hood film would protect it. You're better off trying to find protection for the front bumper (next to the Toyota emblem).

Anyway, just my own two cents!

Also, stop tailgating the big rigs! Less chance of getting hit if you leave more space between you and the car in front. Just food for thought!

 

Is this really true? Because the clear bra installer I spoke with on the phone was trying to sell me on getting the entire hood done (for a lot more money). He said because the Prius is like a wedge, it will get chips all over it (like up near the windshield part too), rather than just on the front part like other cars.

I'm still considering just doing the front, and if the Prius hood really hardly ever chips, it's probably not worth doing the hood.

Thoughts?

 

It all comes down to where you are driving your car the most. If you believe you live in an area with less construction and large trucks, then I would not do a clear bra.

I live in Southern California... everyday, if its not a big nice person cement truck driving 65 mph on the freeway, unloading all of their loose gravel on the highway then its the beater pickup trucks with dirt and gardening tools in them spreading their rocks and tools.

 

I don't think anyone who drives on the freeway is immune to rock chips

Now I'm thinking of doing clear bra, but I just don't know how much of the car I should do? Just the front bumper area?

 

On the other hand, I've read some horror stories about removing the clear bra after it itself gets chipped up, and actually damaging and taking off some the paint in the process. In that scenario, one may need to repaint anyway which made the clear bra useless.

I'm so undecided...

 

If its on original paint then the removal process should be painless. If there is a chip or dent that has pierced the film, removal on that particular area will just be trickier.

 

Anyone got any tips for how to care for clear bra? I just had it installed today. They said just wash and wax it like normal but I've read the plastic actually doesn't like any wax with petroleum distillates, which is actually most wax.

I want it to last as long as possible. Someone else recommend Plexus plastic protector, which looks interesting.

 

I just wash normally and use a clear bra sealer... you can get the one from Xpel. I use the one from Chemical Guys.

 

Can you use instant detailer on it between washes?

 

Get the film, I cant believe how many chips are on the entire front of my car( is Toyota paint cheap) and I'm sorry I did not get the film. Get XPEL film.

 

Mr. Zog's Sex Wax - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Why grey poupon of course"

 

The front bumper cover takes a beating, the rest of the car, not so much. I don't see spending $700 to protect it though.

 

You guys are crazy. Does not matter how many sheets of protection you wrap around it, all it takes is a deer, hog, or a stupid driver to F it all up.

I am the one usually accused by my friends of being OCD with cars. This is where I draw the line. Weekly washing, okay. A few grands of protective sheets, nope.

 

I used the ECO wash from CG, Xpel also has a similar eco wash as well.

 

No deer or hogs here... I know it might or is or what ever, a waste of a few grand to protect the car. But I like having piece of mind knowing sand, dirty, rocks will not chip my paint. I like to walk up to my car and say, wow... she is still beautiful lol.

 

Sounds like I should check out Chemical Guys stuff. Never tried that brand before.

 

I thought this way for years myself but my last car by the time I got rid of it, had so many rock chips especially on the lower front bumper area that it looked grey, yet it was supposed to be a Black car. The only reason the front bumper and hood looked better was because it was replaced/repainted due to an accident.

When I got my new Prius, I decided I wanted to be able to drive it without having to worry as much about that.