i'm take a trip to ny in a few wks and i was wondering if it was worth getting a full nose mask to protect from rocks and flys?

round trip will be about 700 miles and i won't be able to wash the car for about 2 wks.

also where are the best prices you guys have seen for the mask?
thanks in advance

 

I've only seen it on the forum at "Curry Acura" which I think is in California for about $130 which is $30 cheaper than list ($159).

I'm interested in a full mask for the A-spec I've ordered but I don't think anyone makes one. Clear bra is probably my only choice but I'm sure I'll get raped for the extra A-spec pieces to be custom made.

 

i got mine on ebay from an acura dealer in san diego for $115. i bought one for my trips to vegas and no. cali. i have yet to put the bottom bumper mask since i don't understand how to. but the hood i've been using. i figured it would cost more for the hood to be fixed/replaced versus the front bumper so i don't even worry about the other piece. i was gonna do the clear bra thing but couldn't justify spending $600 over $115. my car still looks gorgeous w/ or w/o the bra.


here's where i bought it from

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW

 

aGenKa,
I purchase an Acura full nose bra when I purchased the car. Personally I think it's worth every penny. My last new car I brought, with in a months time I have a couple of good stone chips in the hood. It really made me ill. Plus it keeps the bugs from becoming one with the bummer.

I was talking to a Colgan Rep about Mirror covers for my TL, and we got talking about the Bra from Acura. This bra has tabs that slide in around the head lights, which keeps the cover from getting blown away from the head light openings at speed. Colgan bra didn't do that, it required you to strap in on real tight to keep it held down.

The other good thing about the Acura Bra, which Colgan may do also is that it's a 2 piece, meaning it has hood piece and a lower bumper piece. This way you can open the hood without removing the bra from the car.

A little more care must be take to insure the backside of the bra stays clean, other wise it will scratch the surface of your car. Second it not good to get the backside of the bra wet and let it dry on the car. I remove it when I wash the car, and if it gets wet, I remove it when I get home.

With my car being White, the Black Carbon Fiber looking Bra has a great look.

 

whiteowl, so you have it on at all times? you got a pic of what it looks like?

w1n78, is it really that difficult to install yourself? if i buy the full mask i would like to be able to use the whole thing, not just half

thanks for the replies

 

I was wanting to get one for the long trips. My family is in New Orleans so when I go back from Houston it's about a 6hr drive. How's the install for those that do have it?

 

I had full masks on an Accord and a Camry. They protected the paint but were a pain in the neck when it came to washing the car. The underside of the bra gets dirty and is also hard to clean. Went with the clear bra on my TL.

 

I bought one for the trip from FL to CA and it was definitely worth it. I'm planning on getting rid of it now for the Clearbra from Xpel, the clear ones look much better.

But for a 700 mile trip i would definitly get one. $130 vs $$$$ for chips in your paint.

M

 

to install the bumper portion, there are 2 screws that have to be removed in the engine bay. i removed it once and put it back. now i can't seem to remove again, i may have broke it lol. besides that, there are 8 (4 from the top, 4 from the bottom) hooks you have to connect to one another which goes through the air dam <--- this is the hard part IMO. the clips by the front wheels and the headlights should be a breeze.

i hope i made sense. if you want pics i can take some tomorrow but i won't have the bottom piece on. i can point exactly where the screws and sections where the hooks run to give you an idea. hope that helps. and yes, it's worth it, even if you just use the hood cover.

 

I used it for my long trip only. It's good to protect the rocks or any bigger gravels, but you have to remove it and wipe/dry it when it's raining. And, it takes a few practices to get used to how to install/remove it.

 

I considered buying a full nose mask for my recent road trips during the summer and fall. However, I ended up buying a clearbra becuase I didn't want to deal with scratches from dirt trapped under a wet nose mask. If it rains on your trip, you really do have to take it off to save your paint. Too much of a hassle for me.

 

aGenKa,
I'm not home at the moment, and I don't have the car or the pic with me. I'll post one Sunday Night when I return. New to the group, I'll have to do some research on how to get the jpep picture in post!

 

thanks

 

Is it me or does everyone's bra fit nicely? My bra is tough to slide those bra flaps under the headlights. It takes some pulling to get them in. After the initial install, it's been easier to reinstall in some ways, but harder around the headlight seams. Some of the flaps are crinkled and make it even harder to slip under the headlight seams.

 

Since I noticed this thread and have been wondering, will the full mask work with the a-spec front body molding? I also have been doing some traveling and notice all the bugs drapped across the front end of the car. I have looked in different places for the answer, but have been unsucessful. I guess I could just call the dealer if it came down to it.

 

The full nose mask will not work with the aspec kit because the front body kit is larger than the old body. You can opt for the half bra that covers just the top if you have the a spec.

 

Abyss blue,
The tabs that are getting crinkled, are you trying to push them straight in as if the Bra was in it fit position. The tabs were designed to start at the end of the headlight assembly (torwards the of grill) then slide around around the head light to the fit position. I'm not sure if I described that well, but I found trying to push them straight in didn't work also and they were starting to crinkle so I decided read the directions (I hate when I have to do that).

 

Does any know how to get permission for attachments! Pic's

 

just upload the pics at http://acura-tl.hytekhosting.com/ - it's free then use the [img] tag

 

White owl:

When I install the bra, I am trying to slide the tabs in rather than push the directly into the headlight seams. It is still difficult. I think that my car's headlight gaps are uneven. I installed another acura bra, but on a tsx without any difficulties. Maybe it's beceause it is made in the U.S. instead of Japan.

 

Abyss blue- I can't say mine slide in easy, but they do slide in. They refuse to push in straight. I'm guessing you won't want them loose, otherwise the on coming air would pull them out. Have you see the Mirror covers from Colgan, they come in the same Carbon Fiber looking material!

w1n78 - thanks for the Link to the uploader, I had signed in, now I have to wait for the administator to give me permission.

 

I also have an ABYBlu. I have the full mask and do use it as I am a rep that puts some time on horrible florida roads. I guess it is give and take but I have some pretty bad scratches on the top middle hood from the mask . I did all i could (remove it when wet, keep it clean, wax the hell out of the paint). If I had it to do again I would get the 3m product no doubt. Be careful, it will scratch the paint!

 

Here's a couple pic's of White Rocket with Bra!

 

Whiteowl, do you mind taking a pic under the hood? I'm trying to figure that part out. I can't get the bottom piece of this bra to go on.

 

w1n78,
Is this what your looking for!

 

Here's a pic of the Mirror Cover's, has the same Carbon Fiber Look!

 

w1n78,
Sorry I didn't take in your whole message and ran, I saw under the hood and ran with the camera. What part of the lower portion are you having a problem with, I'll get more pic tomorrow for you.

 

the second photos is what i needed. i can't seem to get that screw off. took it off once and put it back. now i can't get it off. it loosens but that's it. i may have to take it in to get them replaced. also a pic around the grill and where do those hooks go by the radiator area?

thx again Whiteowl

 

did anyone else get scratches while using the mask?

 

aGenKa,
The red circles indicate where the elastic straps go through the lowest slats of the grill in those areas and hang down in the back of the grill. The elastic straps on the bottom with the hooks on them come up in from of the bottom and hook to the elastic strap that hang from the top. The other lower hooks connect to the bottom of the bumper.

As for scratches on the hood, No Thank you! I run with the Bra all the time seeing most of my cruising is up and down NYS thruway. I remove it when I wash the car, and insure that it clean before putting it back on. Granted I only have 1800 miles on her and I bought her in June. I only drive when the weather in nice back and forth to my folks. So it a Sunday Rocket only, unless I get caught in the rain.

 

I'm on my second nose mask and heading for another replacement.

The tabs that fit in around the headlights keep breaking regardless of how careful I am installing the mask - even following the instructions to the letter.

Once a tab splits, usually lengthwise, it become impossible to insert between the headlight assembly and body/bumper. That's what happened to mask #1.

On this second mask, one of the tabs has just shattered into several pieces.

The ones that failed are the the two that fit under the fog light portion of the headlight. The first mask failed on the drivers side, now this one has failed on the passenger side.

The tabs are 1. too darn deep which allows them to flex and snap. They need to be about half as deep. 2. way too wide, they should use something like two or three smaller tabs about 1 1/2" wide so they are less prone to flexing and cracking.

I got my mask with the car so I can keep getting it replaced for the full 4 years of warranty, but would prefer they come up with a better design. It's a hassle having to drive back to the dealer for a replacement.

 

I've got an OEM bra that I used about 10 times before I purchased a clear bra. All hardware including storage bag - $100 plus shipping if you are interested.

 

Sorry ot say, but the bra is just hideous. I rather have unnoticed chips on my hood and bumper than have a bra installed.

 

The bra is a bitch to put on. The tabs that you're suppose to cram into the headlight area and the little tab that you're suppose to shove in front of the wheel takes some force. I stopped putting on the bottom, but I like the hood portion and use it quire oftern (I have a NBP). I just spent few hours waxing my car and started noticing some white specks from rock chips. I bought mine on line for $120 at acuraparts247.com last December.