FAQ Frequently Asked Clear Bra Questions?
What is Paint Protection Film or Clear Bra?
Paint Protection Film or Clear Bra is a urethane thermoplastic film that can be professionally applied to most areas of a vehicle to prevent costly damage from rocks, sand, road debris, and insects, winter driving, thus preserving the value and beauty of the painted finish and preventing rusting. In addition to this, you will also have a higher resale value or less lease return fees. Most all modern films now have a top coat to prevent yellowing to varying degrees and why we presently use Xpel Ultimate as it is the best Clear Bra paint protection film as of writing. This may change if a higher quality ClearBra paint protection film comes to market, as I will surely be keeping my eyes open.
What’s Saint John ClearBra experience?
My experience installing 3M, Xpel, VentureShield clear bra paint protection film goes back to the mid 2000’s when I brought clear bra paint protection film to the Vancouver market through my high end detailing company with 3M clear bra paint protection film. I have since done work on near every imaginable car out there like BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, Lotus, Lamborghini, Mercedes Benz, Honda, Acura, Audi, Volkswagen, Bentley, Porsche, Range Rover, Aston Martin and others for dealerships and auto groups like Auto West Infiniti, Auto west BMW, Brian Jessel BMW, The BMW Store, Auto One, Auto Form, Affinity Auto, Park Shore BMW, Monocton BMW, Porsche Saint John, Lamborghini Vancouver, Weissach, Porsche center Victoria, Porsche centre Vancouver, Ferrari Maserati of Vancouver, MCL Motorcars, Jim Pattison Volvo, Jim Pattison Auto Group on to body shops such as Burrard Autostrasse, Coache Collision, No1 Collision, Marks Auto body, Korva World Class, Craftsman Collision to name some of the dealerships and auto body shops, I have done work for over the years as a clear bra paint protection film installer.
Where did Clear Bra paint protection film originate?
Clear Bra paint protection film was originally developed for the military to prevent damage to helicopter rotor blades. Clear Bra paint protection film eventually moved into the aircraft and racing industry to protect the sponsor clad paint jobs that used to require a repaint after every race. Now it is available to our clients to protect their daily drivers, RV’s, exotics, motorcycles and race cars.
What can I get covered in Clear Bra?
There is almost no limit as we can cover with Clear Bra paint protection film, just about every square inch of the vehicle if desired. Our typical pre-cut clear bra kits are available for the most common areas of damage; Hoods, fenders, mirrors, bumpers, headlamps, wheel wells, door sills, rocker panels, etc…
Can Clear Bra Paint Protection Film be removed?
Yes the Clear Bra paint protection film can be removed at any time with no damage to the paint. The covered portion of the vehicle will remain pristine. The rest of the vehicle will depend on how it was maintained and as long as it had been regularly and properly washed and waxed there would be no indication that a Clear Bra paint protection film was ever installed.
Can the Paint Protection Film ClearBra be seen?
This depends on what film, who is installing it and the patterns they use. If Saint John ClearBra does a paint protection film installation using our custom full coverage method it will be very hard to see or notice the film unless vigorously inspecting the car close up. This also leads to my current selection of Xpel Ultimate as the best film to use as it has the least amount of orange peel look which is what you see once the film is installed. If going with a partial hood coverage a slight line is visible from certain angles where the film ends on the hood and fenders unless a whole hood and fenders package was installed. The headlamp and bumper kits are virtually invisibly as they follow body lines. For those who are apposed to the line the 3 options remain; full frontal ClearBra paint protection film installation, chipped and pitted paint or a very apparent black bra that will damage your paint by itself.
How long will Clear Bra Paint Protection Film last?
While Clear Bra paint protection film manufactures offer a minimum 5 year warranty, up to 10, tests have seen an average lifespan of 6 or more years with no loss of protective function on Clear Bra paint protection film, including cheaper films. This said if you are using a cheaper film you can expect it to physically last but, it will yellow in a short amount of time. Again, it is another reason I now use Xpel Ultimate as it has a 10 year warranty against yellowing cracking etc… of the film, and so far Xpel Ultimate has been proving itself very well, with not one white car coming back with a yellowing issue.
What advantage is ClearBra paint protection film to me if I lease my car?
As reported in Motor Trend Magazine, ‘A Clear Bra paint protection film may even offer a good return on investment for those who lease their cars, as compared with possible paint touch-up costs or reduced vehicle value (most lessors deduct for damage and excessive wear and tear) at lease turn-in.’ And since a Clear Bra paint protection film from Saint John ClearBra is virtually invisible, you can appreciate the beauty of your car while protecting your investment.
How do I care for the ClearBra Paint Protection Film?
Simply wash and wax the Clear Bra paint protection film as you would the rest of the vehicle. After waxing a once over any edges with a micro-fiber or q-tip prevents wax build up.
How long does a Clear Bra Paint protection Film installation take?
Typical installations range for Saint John ClearBra clear bra paint protection film from 4-8 hours for most cars, and others from 8 hours to a few of days if having a full custom clear bra paint protection film wrap installation done.
I found a guy that will do a Clear Bra Paint Protection Film for $50 cheaper, will you match his price?
We do not price match. The fact is that Saint John ClearBra uses premium pattern designs, the best film coverage, Xpel Ultimate Clear Bra paint protection film and install techniques. While there are time and monetary costs associated with those facts we are proud to provide the highest level of installation excellence to our clients. We offer a premium service at a very fair price. Be sure you are educated and aware of the different Clear Bra paint protection film coverage’s and options before you price shop. See example below of what competitors consider hood and fender coverage and then have a more detailed look on Me vs Competition page.
|
Competition |
Vancouver ClearBra |
What is the Clear Bra Paint Protection Film Warranty?
Our Clear Bra paint protection film are guaranteed to be free from defects in materials for 10 years from date of Clear Bra paint protection film installation as covered by the manufacturer. This warranty does not apply to damage caused by misuse, accident, or ordinary wear. We provide our clients with a lifetime warranty on our Clear Bra paint protection film installations. No fine print or hoops to jump through, just 100% customer satisfaction as my business is built by word of mouth reputation since the Clear Bra paint protection film is rarely seen or noticed when out in public.
What if my car has been repainted or touched up?
We can install the Clear Bra paint protection film over repaints but most body shops will recommend about 30 days for the paint to fully cure. This said, you can safely apply the film after about 48-72 hours after the paint has come out of the bake booth. The paint job is only as good as the prep job and because there is no way to be sure of the prep job, Vancouver ClearBra will not be held liable for any paint damage associated with a repainted vehicle.
Do I need to prep the car before our appointment?
Although we do a thorough cleaning process before installation we appreciate and recommend a vehicle that is clean and from dirt and road grime for the best cleanest Clear Bra paint protection film installation possible.
Can I install this Clear Bra Paint Protection Film myself?
It is of course possible to do a self install but with the Clear Bra paint protection film however, we do not recommend it. The film is expensive to begin with and gets even more expensive when you have to replace a Clear Bra paint protection film piece due to a mistake. Proper installation is an art and requires a great deal of understanding and experience with the Clear Bra paint protection film. We are constantly reminded of this when we see other bad Clear Bra paint protection film installations that leave much to be desired.
What are some characteristics of a poorly installed clear bra paint protection film?
The idea is to basically install a one dimensional piece of film on a 3 dimensional object. This creates plenty of issues for all but the most competent installers:
- Stretch marks– Visually significant change in adhesive texture due to improper stretch technique. A near imperceivable amount is acceptable, but should be very minimal.
- Silvering– Tiny white or silver looking specs clumped together caused by an adhesive disturbance in the clear bra paint protection film were it adhered unevenly to the body panel and stuck during installation.
- Misalignment– Excessive gap from body edge to film end caused from improper alignment and stretching or poor pattern design. 1/16 gap or less is what you’re looking for
- Air / water bubbles– Poor squeegee technique has left either air or water where it shouldn’t be. Very little if any water should remain under the film but will always be seeable on Xpel Ultimate due to its clarity and orange peel free finish until the ClearBra paint protection film dries
- Lift marks / stop marks– A straight line raised or indented slightly represents where the film was improperly pulled back up and stretched after adhering thus disturbing the adhesive at the point it was pulled back to
- Dirt or Hair– Dirty installation leaving unwanted matter underneath the clear bra. Some very minor lint or a small sand spec may be acceptable.
- Razor cuts on paint– self explanatory!
Pictures of Bad ClearBra installations we have seen
FAQ
Names Paint Protection Film Clear Bra is known by
clear bra – clearbra – clear car bra – car bra clear – clear paint protection – paint protection film – 3m paint protection film – car paint protection headlight protection – vehicle bra – paint protection film – 3M paint protection film – Xpel – durasheild – stonshield – invisibleshield – Ventureshield – shadow sheild – Paint Protection Film Clear Bra – Vancouver ClearBra – ClearBra – PPF – Xpel Ultimate – Protex – Ventureshield Ultra – 3M Pro – Durashield – quality installations – wrapped edges – Shadow Shield – protex – rock chip protection – Clear Bra – 3M