Where is the best place to get a clear coat bra for my new TL? Will the dealer do it?

 

your best bet is to go to 3m's website and look for authorized retailers and installers of the product

 

This is arguably even better than 3M:

http://www.xpel.com/

 

If you got someone who can install it I got a great guy out of Wisconsin (Chipgard) who is very reasonable on the kit. Hood, Fender, Mirrors, Pillars, Roof, Full bottom front spoiler and rear bumper top... Because I have purchased two other kits from him my price was 280.00 deliverd... If you know someone that can do it offer them a couple hundred bucks to install and you are way a head of the game.... He sells only the 3M material which is 8 MIL in thickness. I will be ordering this weekend for my 2009 TL Tech SH-AWD Mayan Bronze/Ebony... Talk to you soon

 

My Xpel installer charged me $350 for the entire front end, hood, front fenders and mirrors. He also came to my house to do the install.

 

Tip of the hood or full hood?

 

There's never an option for a full hood bra.

 

Front 1/4 of hood.

 

What are the arguments? I'm curious because I want to get this done.

 

I'm looking at xpel's site, and their full coverage kit appears to do the entire hood.

 

Personally, I wouldn't get one of these. You can still see chips (they just stir up a white clear nick in the 3M) and there is a line that is visible where it is applied. I would rather use touchup paint every nick and get my bumper repainted for $200~$300 after 3~4 years.

 

I wouldn't do the entire hood.....it's not necessary and it'll look real ugly.

 

Doing only part of the hood looks worse, IMO.

 

Here is some info posted at xpel.com:

http://www.xpel.com/products/paint.asp

http://www.xpel.com/media-new/pdf/tds_xpf_premium.pdf

...and here is info posted at 3M:

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...arBuyers/Home/

I do not see any evidence that the 3M film is thinner than the xpel product. However, the 3M site appears less forthcoming on technical specifications than the xpel site.

 

I could see the front bumper area being valuable...since the hood is fairly horizontal and whereas the front bumper is full on flat. It's nice to pull off your xpel in a few years and still have fresh, nice paint underneath.

Oh and...

Thank you for your horribly wrong insight.

 

In that case, go condom the entire car.

 

Then you'll "practice safe driving!"

 

Hm, given the angle of the hood, I think I'm just going with the bumper/grill coverage.

 

Thats what I do currently as well.

 

thats my plan when the spring finally comes and i can have a solid week of nice weather..3M bra the front bumper up to the top of the grille..the nose of this car is lower than my old accord and I'm trying to be extra careful

 

I've seen a lot of clear bra on many different cars and I think these guys are THE best. I've used them on my old cars and I couldn't be happier. They travel all over the country (and overseas too).

http://www.premiermobilegroup.com/

And no, I'm no way related to them whatsoever.