so the girl friend and i are taking a road trip to vegas from denver next month and i am thinking about doing this...last year i did the whole hood and bumper in blue tape (ill post a picture because its funny ) but that just looked funny and took A LOT of time.. so im thinking about using this "shield" product from duplicolor.. any thoughts or ideas??

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/shield.html

 

I haven't used it, but I saw it on one of the NAM vendor's sites. I was curious too. We may be doing Texas to Colorado this July in the MINI instead of the big tree SUV. If you try it out let, us know how it works out.

 

That is hilarious. Such devotion. I have more than a dozen distinct chips in my front end, each touched up with the MINI paint stick. It works for me. My windshield has millions of tiny chips and a huge crack. Luckily, the car has had headlight protectors on since it was new, so those are in good shape.

MINI should have made a Painter's Tape Blue paint color. It looks nice from a distance, or if you click and drag the scroll bar around.

 

I'm not quite so hopelessly devoted.

Sadly, my obsessive-compulsive dreams of keeping the new car pristine died last week when strong winds (and a basketball goal) gave me a dent, a scratch, a chip and a cracked headlight.

Still the spray-on stuff might be worth it for a 1000 mile plus road trip, or to create some snazzy MINI temporary tattoo-like stripes or flames.

 

In kinder garden, you must have gotten a "gold star" when it came to tape.

About this clear bra stuff, you need to look into "yellowing" and removal. A couple of people I know bought cars and paid the dealer to add this clear bra stuff (don't know brand) and it yellowed in the second to third year. To remove it they basically had to sand the car and repaint. Kinda defeated the whole point.

If its just for the occasional road trip, you might want to look into the vinyl black bras offered.

 

Vinyl bras are probably the worst option, IMO. Slight movement while driving is going to wear off some clearcoat and maybe the paint, over time.

A good film clearba will not yellow, not even in ten years, or more. If it doesn't come with a lifetime guarantee, don't buy it.

Spray on ? hmmmmmmmmm... I don't like the sounds of it but I never researched it. Sounds dicey to me though.

Tape it up again... looks pretty good in two-tone !

 

I used a vinyl bra on my 911 and never had a problem. I admit that I only used it for long road trips. I always -
a) waxed that area before putting it on
b) the inside of the bra needs to be clean so I would wash it.
c) ensure proper fit.

I didn't love the looks nor having to deal w/ it but it did the job.

Easier than tape .

The yellowing I reference is only slight. Also if a rock does hit the clear bra while it might save the paint, you can get a nick in the clear bra itself creating a virtual clear bra nick.

Its all designed to help but they all have compromises.

 

i just checked out your gallery, love it. waiting for my SS convertible and needed a fix. yours looks beautiful! The only different i ordered the black leather seats, wanted it would match the top. thanks for sharing.

 

I certainly understand the general principle of wanting to keep your MINI looking lovely. I doubt that any of us could care less how our darling looks. However, I've never gotten into the whole bra idea in the first place. Unless you just like the looks of a bra (which is perfectly fine) then anything other than the real thing is like putting plastic on a sofa. You may keep the sofa looking nice all your life, but your day-to-day enjoyment of the sofa requires you to sit on plastic; and in the end somebody else gets to actually enjoy the real sofa - if they don't throw it out. I'd prefer enjoying the real look of my real MINI, and if life sends me some chips, so be it. I'll either touch them up like Nabeshin says, or just live with them.

 

I don't sit on my bonnet, Rev !!

I wish you could come see my three MINIs, all with similar mileage. I'd have you take a look at them from about 20 feet away and tell me which one looks better. Than I'd have you look at all three of them from about five feet away and ask you again. Your answer would be the same both times: the one with the clearbra. Not even close.

 

Hey CRPWJBRA back off on the removable bra bro.

it works, and has never left a mark.
Tommy, I think Griots also has a spray-on type bra.

 

Yeah, Chuck, I thought that might bring you to the thread.

Sorry, I've seen too many cars bet rubbed by the edges of the vinyl bra to ever feel comfortable putting one on my own car.

Glad you've not experienced anything like that.

 

Thanks. I can't wait to see your SS MCSC with that black leather!

 

I'm not in favor of bras of ANY KIND! Not even Victorias !

 

all i know is this stuff is more like a temp spray...it comes off with the pressure wash...i donno i may try a little spot on the car and let it sit for a day or two and see how it works....

thanks chuck! ill check that out as well!

 

You beat me too it Bart, I was going to post a witty reply to that.

Anyway, you can't tell my paint was touched up unless the light hits it just right, and you are close. Some of the spots are better than others, it was all dependent on how well I shook the paint stick.

 

Our MINI (my sons daily driver) has tons of chips/marks on the front; we touch'em the best we can. Eventually, new paint job.

The first chip or ding is always the killer but after that they are easier to accept.

 

I've tried the stuff it works GREAT for bugs ... NOT great on stones/chips ect

If you hit a hard rain it'll wash off ...

 

Starbuck has a clear bra courtesy of Mini of Sterling. Spray-on? I don't think so. (either for Starbuck or myself ) The only vinyl I personally like is black patent. (Maybe that's TMI? ) Got to put the goth thing in.