Opinions on the Paint Protectioin Film?

I have the same question about the 3M film. This may not be a good comparison but I have a 2001.5 Passat and it has a clear film/clear plastic sticky thingy near the rear wheel wells to protect the finish. I don't believe this is probably a 3M product. This film was standard on the car at the time of purchase. I realize I live in a bit more extreme climate than you but over time around the edges the dirt has worked it's way under the film and is quite noticeable.

I think of the film like a big sticker. I remember as a kid that over time the edges of stickers on my notebooks would work free. Will the same thing happen to the 3M film on a car? What makes it different than a big sticker and should I trust it? I'm in line for a Blizzard Pearl so if I did install the film and it did start to gather dirt along the edge of the film I would be a bit on the upset side. If the film does develop a dirt line and I remove it will the wear on the rest of the unprotected portion of the car be obviously noticeable after the film is removed? Are there other solutions to protect the car from rock chips? I'm going to consider the after market solution but not totally decided yet. More roaming the Internet needed for opinions.

As for the remote start I also heard from a Toyota dealer that the Toyota integrated remote start didn't have the range that a aftermarket solution would have. I don't have experience with either one but I'm dying to have remote start. Minnesota winters can be more than a little brutal at times so it would be a luxury I truly would enjoy. I heard that it is also true that after-market remote start may not be able to be integrated into the fob of the car. For me I don't care. I'll only use the remote start in the really cold winter months and having an extra fob doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me. I'll just shove it in my purse with the other one. I don't have the issue with two fobs in my pocket like a guy might have and I have a small purse with no issues of loosing things in a big purse black hole.

Don't know if any of that helped. Just me thinking out loud.

 

Living in Colorado where the road "sand" is more often like pea gravel, I will never drive any of my new cars off the lot without the 3m film. It's the best invention since windshield wipers. Note that it should be done as soon as possible before you have any dings in the paint. Putting it on over them will do a nice job of preserving them forever.

Nope, although you probably wouldn't want to use a very high pressure wash directly on a sharp corner the "wrong" way.

You could but it's not necessary. The thin edge can collect wax buildup, but that's easily avoided or cleaned.

Not that I've ever seen, even on cars parked outside 24x7 for years.

This would probably depend on the UV stability of the underlying paint. I've never needed or wanted to remove the film on any of my cars so I can't answer this one.

For me all the "protection packages" amount to nothing more than additional dealer markup. The only non-factory options I ever add to a car, but always do, are the 3m film (lately also the heaver version over the headlights) mudguards (they help prevent lower side body rock damage) and all weather floor mats.

 

Here in Florida its called Toyoguard, and it is described as a paint sealant. I don't know exactly what it is, but I've had it on my last two Toyota's and the paint held up very well with frequent waxing. Chipping is another problem and although I've been careful, with the low profile of the front end, I have several almost unnoticable chips.

 

Here is a link that should help answer your questions. Hope this helps

The Official Directory for Clear Bra Installers! Find a clear bra installer and protect your paint today!

 

I have had my "clear bra" on my 2007 335i for 2 years and it has no
discoloration. The edges do collect wax build up, but you can take care of that with a toothpick. The corners can peel up if you are not careful. The one time this happened I took it back to my installer and he trimmed off the piece. Living in S. Cali sometimes I wish I covered the whole car. I paid $650 to cover entire front end including headlights and 1/4 of the hood. All 3M film. This stuff is like window tinting installation is key. I would suggest having it done by someone who has done many of these, not sure I would want my toyota dealership to clear bra my car.

 

You can buy clear film of various sizes to apply yourself at most autoparts stores, clear and black are most frequently availble. Much cheaper than the factory installed option, but probably requires some good surface preparation and careful application. I would attempt this before I would try to tint my own windows (as some have done on this forum). They are braver than I am. I won't touch it because of all the crappy tinting jobs I have seen on too many vehicles

You will probably have to do repeat applications anyway as the film ages (is exposed to the sun, heat, etc.), and as you wax the car. I sure wouldn't pay for the factory installed option for those reasons.

Would like to hear views from folks who have had this on their cars for some time (especially the hoods) to see if it has any negative -- permanent or temporary -- effects on the finish.

 

I'm pretty particular about my cars' appearance, but I've never gone with the protection film. Particularly on darker colored cars (but even on lighter colors), there is a noticeable line at the edge of the film (mid way up across the hood, and fenders, and wherever there's an opening in the front bumper, for example), which becomes more pronounced over time due to wear (the edge gets rough and dirt can get stuck) and wax build up. To me, the trade off isn't worth it.

I'd strongly recommend seeing a car with it in person, and decide for yourself. Go to any Porsche dealer, for example, and I'm sure some of their used cars will have it.

 

That's the modern version of snake oil. They spray some scotchguard on the seats and apply a sealant to the paint (total cost probably under $100 including labor), and charge many hundreds of dollars. And there's no such thing as lifetime protection.

Did the dealer also offer undercoating?

 

I got two 1/8" rock chips while on a 400 mile road trip in January. No PPF, so the chips are in the paint.

I have not picked up any more chips like that in local driving. So my plan is to use a black bra for road trips and go naked in town.

Some folks rumor Toyota paint is not very good, that it is water based or blah, blah. I think the paint is pretty good quality.

 

Absolutely agree. I see some posts that talk about folks "trimming" the film as part of a "lifetime guarantee." That speaks volumes. . . . It seems to me that anything you cover the finish with would have an impact on the finish -- either from the adhesive, no matter how benign it tries to be, or from the aspect of one part fading more than another.

Just some thoughts

"Goldenboy" -- the name for my 2010 Sandy Beach which is still out there somewhere . . .will be going Free Bird . . . no bras or plastic plaque on that baby!

 

Comments in bold below.

 

Re: Opinions on the Paint Protection Film?

Bought a shiny BLACK Prius fresh off the boat in 2004 in Manhattan Beach - one of the first in SoCal - after waiting for almost a year. So being very protective I got the Toyoguard paint protection which was a multiyear paint protectant that also came with its own car wash solution. Immediately thereafter I took it to a local 3M Clear Bra installer. Did my research and found someone who did excellent work on BMWs and Mercedes and saw the work firsthand. I had them not only mask the expensive front headlights and bumper assembly from wheel to wheel, I had them custom cut the entire front hood. It was almost double the cost, but I felt that the low hood would likely avoid some road damage if well protected. It was a great installation and mostly only visible when very close up.

Last year, after 5 years of mostly un-garaged outdoor exposure and lots of miles between CA, FL and now living in CO, along with parking in high school parking lots, it was time to give the car a "freshen up." While we have taken great care of our Prius with regular washing and waxing (although it was not required according to the Toyoguard coating, but in need of it at least every month or two) the 3M was looking a bit scuffed up on the hood from a few detail guys who had previously machine buffed it as well as years of weathering. So we decided - with a bit of hesitation from not knowing what the paint would be like underneath - to REMOVE ALL of the old Clear Bra material.

Much to my surprise, despite all of the road wear on our dear Prius, the paint looked like NEW underneath. The Clear Bra came of easily and clearly and left behind a great finish without any signs of dings or scratches.

I can say without hesitation the 3M Clear Bra has been a great investment. The installer is critical to the process however. In attempting to replace the Clear Bra after its removal, the installer the body shop brought in who "specialized" in 3M Clear Bra, apparently didn't have the custom laser cut machine like the SoCal shop did. The subsequent Clear Bra they installed so poorly covered the front bumper that I got my money back. I am still looking for an expert installer here in Denver so I can line up a full install when our 2010 Prius arrives.

I would not pay to have any other "paint protection" such as the Toyoguard. Regular washing and waxing along with the Clear Bra have kept my black Prius looking sharp to this day!

 

There are only three areas that I would address with film. Under that lower opening at the front of the car. You will pick up some chips there. If I drove the car very much in winter, I would have mud flaps or clear just behind the front and rear wheels.

Other than that, I use an Acrylic wax to protect my paint. I know how to use touch up paint without getting any on the cars paint so touchup is no big deal. White is the best color to touch up. After I touch up white, I can never find the chips that were filled in with paint. My favorite two waxes are Nu Finish, which can last up to one year and Glare Professional Polish that can last up to five years depending on the number of washes. Nu Finish is not expensive and can be found almost everywhere. In between waxing, I am currently using ICE Synthetic Spray Detailer on all our cars and airplane.

Dan

 

OK, just to join in on the 3M Clear Bra testimonials...

I have the 3M product on my 2005 Lotus Elise - which is so low to the ground that it absolutely needs the clear bra. Here are my observations:

1. As others have said, you have to be a little careful about wax accumulating where the clear bra ends and the unprotected paint starts. Otherwise, it will be easy to see the edges of the clear bra. I use Zaino products on my Lotus, and it works very nicely.

2. Again, the Lotus is very low to the ground, so rocks/pebbles do kick up onto areas of the hood. When that happens, you see a little scuff mark from the pebble marking the 3M product - but the paint underneath is fine. I only have a couple of small marks right now, but like the other poster here, it's just a matter of replacing the clear bra...much cheaper than a touch-up paint job.

3. When I take the car to the track, I use the blue painters tape over the clear bra to further protect the car from all the junk that kicks up on the track. Sometimes the tape comes off while driving or I might miss a spot or two. In those instances, I've seen some nice sized marks on the clear bra that came from the rubber/tar that kicks up on the car. So far, all of those have come out completely after washing that car (just requires a little elbow grease).

4. Of course, bug splatters come off easily!

So, in conclusion, the 3M clear bra is a great product that I can highly recommend.



--DotComCTO

 

FYI, the front bumper is plastic and hood aluminum. Rock chips affect appearance but not protection, since the front will not rust.

 

Out of curiosity, how do these prices compare to just getting the car repainted? It looks like the cost of the clear bra is $300-500 (please correct me if I am wrong). This looks pretty comparable to the cost at Maaco for repainting the car. There would be an additional fee for any dings, but assuming $400 * 1.05^5 (5% interest in a muni, five years until repainting the car) = $510.51 to have towards repainting the car and fixing dings.

But there could be many wrong assumptions here, please correct any that you see! The biggest one I see is that here in California munis are going for 7%, though California could go bankrupt and leave bond holders high and dry...

This also assumes that you are paying cash. If you are adding $400 to the car loan then you are likely paying at least 4% interest on the loan. This brings the calculation to $400 * 1.09^5, which would be $615.45 to break even.

Cheers, Rich

 

Re: Opinions on the Paint Protection Film?

I considered not re-installing the Clear Bra on my 2004 Prius. But after a few short weeks of driving in CO, the choice became either re-install the Clear Bra on the hood, as we had previously done, or plan to constantly touch up the black paint and eventually repaint it. You are correct on the pricing, if you are only doing up to about 18" on the hood & front bumper. The entire hood, front bumper wheel to wheel, door handles, headlights & side view mirrors cost me $825 in 2004.

Having a car repainted is only good if the paint shop is excellent. You do get what you pay for in this category. I used to show old Corvettes in concours class and am fairly educated on a decent paint job. Being so frustrated with the lack of choice in 2010 Prius colors, I thought about actually having it repainted after taking delivery. For a quality paint job without changing the colors you would be looking at over $1000. But then a friend reminded me of all the details and frustrations we used to deal with on repainted vehicles. Suffice it to say, I am looking for a really good Clear Bra installer here in Denver.

Does anyone know a tired & true vehicle film installer in Denver?

 

Re: Opinions on the Paint Protection Film?

Is there any difference between the Clear Bra and Toyota's port installed "Paint Protection Film" for $395? Have folks been happy with the port installed version?