I was thinking about getting the clear bra installed from dealer on the TL-S I just picked up. The body shop guy there said that they are junk and turn yellow after a year. I wanted to find out if anyone has one on their car and also what you think about them?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

if im not mistaken ppl have had then on for like 3 years at a time, and then they start to peel dont take my word for it but thats what ive heard

 

I believe the 3m one is warrantied from cracking, peeling, or turning yellow for 10 years. Can someone confirm?

 

A buddy of mine had one and it started turning yellow about two years after he placed them on..how much do they go for btw?

 

between 6-700

 

I have one on my tl and I am a certified 3m installer. Did he tell you what brand they use? He is full of it because any good company has a 3 year warrenty and backs the film of any defects. My car is an 05 and the film is almost 5 years old and no problems.
3m film does not get yellow and if they are using aftermarket stuff it still should not turn that color. Did he tell you how thick the film is?
I would not take that guys word for it because the film has saved the front cover or fascia and hood on all my cars. I like the clear bra's but yes it can be expensive depending on who is selling it because they market it up big time. If you were in my area which Im sure your not I would do it for free to hook you up. The hoods on the tl I think anyone could do that but the fascia is a little bit of a pain in the ass.

 

Forgot to tell you about black cars though. Black cars owners I would not recommend because its hard to make it look perfect like other colors like white or silver.

 

I have a brand new 3M 8Mil thick clear bra for 07-08 TL-S for sale in the BM for $150 shipped. I bought it and then bought the A-Spec frontlip so I never installed it. Here is the link...
http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showthread.php?t=713423

 

When I bought my '06 tl, it was already on the hood, mirrors, headlights (wraps around about 2/3 of the way), and under the door handles. Not turning yellow at all, and I can see it's eaten more than a few rock chips since install. Good idea IMO, especially if you get quality stuff and a shop who can do it right. I got an estimate a while back for my dad's '07 maxima, basically covering the same areas for $450 from a local shop that uses 3M, so take that for what you will.

 

go with ventureshield. any well known/reputable shop should have it. its what dealers offer at ferrari and lamborghini dealerships.

 

I have put 110K on my car since the bra was installed three years ago. It was an X-Pel kit, which is 3M, and I had it professionally installed. It's been through three Midwestern winter salt baths and two summers and it looks just as good today as it did when installed, except for the blemishes where it took the hit instead of my paint. I would do it again in a heartbeat. It may be that they begin to look bad after a time on a white car, and I will defer to Zonatl regarding black, but for anybody else, I'd say do it, as long as it's 3M and installed right.

 

 

That stinks because mine is the black type-s. So you guys are thinking I should maybe not do it due to color? I spoke with a guy today that installs it around here and he said that the guys that told me it will turn yellow must be using "cheap film from Asia". He said they stuff he uses has lifetime warranty. Three places all quoted $595 to do it. Dealership wanted $799 for autobond or something like that.

 

I have an 08 Type S with ABS color. I bought and installed a 3M Film on my full bumper, front fenders, mirrors and 1/2 hood in Sept 08. The install took me appx 5 hours and saved $400 on install. I paid less then $200 for all the precut material. It is great material that is extremely durable. Time in and time out it has saved my paint from winter and rock chips. It has not changed color and can only been seen from the closest of views. If it gets chipped up, I will replace it in a heart beat. In mu opinion, it is the best way to save the re-sale value of the car/paint on the market.

 

I had a 3m one on my cyclone gray gto and it was awesome. I drive 70 miles a day primarily on crappy IL/Chicago highways and the previous car I had was literally sandblasted. The GTO looked mint. I bought my TL last year and had one installed within months, did my bumper cover, hood, head lights, fender fronts, and side mirrors.

Now with summer here it also makes cleaning the bugs off really quick and painless as well. I plan on keeping this car for a while and it is a good investment, $500 to get done, but a lot cheaper than having some hack body shop paint the front end in 3 years.

You skimp on material you will not be happy. You get something reputable put on by a authorized installer like 3M and it is warranty.

I like mine

 

Same here. I had one installed on my NBP '08 TL-S before I drove it home. The dealer installed for around $500. With all the salt and sand on the Chicago roads a clear bra is a must have if you want to protect your paint. I have had one on my wife's '06 Honda Pilot for about 4 years. Still looks like it did the day they put it on.

 

I have to disagree with your statement. A clear bra is a must for any black car. Especially since Acura uses a super soft paint that easily chips and scratches. I have a black TL-S and I had a 3M clear bra installed two years ago. It is beat up from the commute but it still looks great.

White is the worst color for showing a clear bra because the color white is very sensitive to variations in shades of color. Just take a look at the bumpers on silver and white TL's. The color mismatch is most noticeable on them. I have a 3M clear bra installed on my white Civic as well. The leading edge on the hood will eventually darken a bit due to dirt and grime. This is the "clear bra line" people talk about but it is worth it for the protection.

Black is also sensitive to variations in texture. My black TL-S clear bra blends better except for the 3M orange peel look. The leading edge is not an issue since the color is dark. Note that I am also a detailing nut so my car is always clean and in show condition. I will install a clear bra on all of my future cars as well. It is one of the best investments you can make for your car.

 

Your right it is better than not having one on I do agree with you. I guess I should have described what I was thinking at the time.
From what I have noticed when installing these shields on black cars, from time to time you will get like one little spot where air and adhesive gets mixed and it will leave a little silvering spot. Black is the only car where I have had this issue, lets just say black is harder to install becasue you can see the anything if its not put on perfect.

The dirt and grime your talking about on the edge that can be cleaned by using some rubbing alcohol and then rub the film with your finger and you can usually get it off. You can reattach the film with a few drops of baby shampoo and water mixed together in a spray bottle, and then push the water out and it will reattach itself. You must use a plastic knife.
Film is a good idea