[blinkme323]

Just picked up my new 335is the other day and I'm loving it so far. However, I'm trying to find some protection for the front end of the car. I can't find any vinyl type bras specifically for the 335is, while I do see a few clear bra options. What have other 335is owners gone with and how much did it cost you?

I'm almost tempted to pick up one of the clear bra kits and install it myself, but I have a feeling that the front bumper might be tough.

Thanks

[sickem]

please PLEASE do not put one of those fugly black bras on that beautiful piece of machinery (if that's what you mean by vinyl). Those can actually do more damage than good by holding contaminants and debris against your paint to abrade the surface over time. Your best option is clear bra...I am certain that it can be done on an "is." If worse comes to worse, ask your dealer...hell you just bought a 65,000 dollar car...what's another thousand? What color is your car? Clear bra shows up more on certain colors over time, so be careful. Keep us in the loop and post some pics!

[Atorsesh]

Originally Posted by sickem

please PLEASE do not put one of those fugly black bras on that beautiful piece of machinery (if that's what you mean by vinyl). Those can actually do more damage than good by holding contaminants and debris against your paint to abrade the surface over time. Your best option is clear bra...I am certain that it can be done on an "is." If worse comes to worse, ask your dealer...hell you just bought a 65,000 dollar car...what's another thousand? What color is your car? Clear bra shows up more on certain colors over time, so be careful. Keep us in the loop and post some pics!

+1
Honda dealer told me it causes some type of UV damage as well and fades the hell out of the paint.

[ChasVS]

Check with your dealer or performance shops in your area. All or most have a clear bra product they'll install. I don't have one, but I've seen guys who did and they love them.

[dmatre]

I just had the front end done (24" across hood, leading edge of front fenders, bumper, A-pillars and front of roof - back to the sunroof) on my 328.

Total cost was $820. Only bumper/hood/fenders was $699 (roof/A-pillars $120).

Watched/talked to the installer the whole time. It's not something you want to tackle if you haven't done several before - the curvature/topography of the front bumper takes a lot of skill/experience to make the film lay flat.

My car is Alpine White, and yes, if you look for it you can see the line at the edge of the film. If I didn't tell you the film was there, you'd never see it. On white, the film gets dirty at the same rate as the paint. I have seen black cars where the film attracted slightly more dust than the paint - so it was somewhat visible unless the car was freshly washed.

I've seen some remarks about differences in paint fade after years with a clear bra - but I've not been able to find any posts on any forum by a person who actually experienced this - only from those who have heard about it.

3M guarantees their film (which was used on my car) for 5 years against yellowing/cracking/etc. I've read online that there are other films that are more optically clear than the 3M film - so if you decide to wrap your car, you may want to research a bit more, then decide which film meets the criteria that you feel is most important.

I tend to keep my cars 8 years, so maintaining a decent appearance over the long term is relatively important to me. That's why I went this route.

Hope this helps...

[jocamryn]

Clear-coat, DO it while it's still cherry.

[blinkme323]

Originally Posted by dmatre

I just had the front end done (24" across hood, leading edge of front fenders, bumper, A-pillars and front of roof - back to the sunroof) on my 328.

Total cost was $820. Only bumper/hood/fenders was $699 (roof/A-pillars $120).

Watched/talked to the installer the whole time. It's not something you want to tackle if you haven't done several before - the curvature/topography of the front bumper takes a lot of skill/experience to make the film lay flat.

My car is Alpine White, and yes, if you look for it you can see the line at the edge of the film. If I didn't tell you the film was there, you'd never see it. On white, the film gets dirty at the same rate as the paint. I have seen black cars where the film attracted slightly more dust than the paint - so it was somewhat visible unless the car was freshly washed.

I've seen some remarks about differences in paint fade after years with a clear bra - but I've not been able to find any posts on any forum by a person who actually experienced this - only from those who have heard about it.

3M guarantees their film (which was used on my car) for 5 years against yellowing/cracking/etc. I've read online that there are other films that are more optically clear than the 3M film - so if you decide to wrap your car, you may want to research a bit more, then decide which film meets the criteria that you feel is most important.

I tend to keep my cars 8 years, so maintaining a decent appearance over the long term is relatively important to me. That's why I went this route.

Hope this helps...

It does thanks. I just shot off a few emails to the dealer and some installers. It looks like it will be anywhere from $600-800 installed for the front bumper, hood, and mirrors, which isn't too bad I guess. I had the clear bra on my last car and was very impressed.

[CJ421]

The tint shop I went to was a 3M dealer, they offered clear 3M wrapping. Front of the car, inc. the bumper and about first 1/4 of the hood was $800. The whole front including the entire hood was $1200.

The 3M stuff can withstand rock chips at speeds up to 120MPH ... or so the marketing says.

[Tag]

Funny how they rape you on some plastic wrapping. I can paint my whole front end for that much.

[335BBS]

Just like wrapping your couch in plastic IMO. Will you ever take it off? Orange peel plus that line you see. To each his own , but I don't get it.

[dmatre]

Different people, different priorities. In-town miles produce hardly any stone-chips.

For those of us who spend numerous hours on the highways behind sand trucks, and with shredded retreads, sand/slag, etc on the roadways; the clear-bra saves the front end and does cost less than painting the front end (which would need to be done annually to keep it looking good).

NOTE: stop/go in rush hour traffic isn't the same as extended highway driving, stones aren't lifted by the tire of the vehicle in front of you, and the speed of any impact with debris is almost zero.

[BDMBimmer]

Originally Posted by tag824

Funny how they rape you on some plastic wrapping. I can paint my whole front end for that much.

I got mine done but will not do it again because of this. I have seen so many cars that had the wrapping done but when they took it off stone chips were still there. I guess when the wrapping is on it keeps the paint in the chips so you can't see them???
On my car I had some curb rash on the lower front bumper, so I took off the 3m coating there(the coating made it stand out more) and there were chips every where. Now maybe there would have been a lot more...