I have already dealt w/ some windshield damage the 3rd day i owned the car now a new story! I was stopped at a red light and out of the corner of my eye i see something brown hit the driver side door of my car with a loud thud! I look to my left and don't see anyone or anything. I open my door to see if there was a rock or something. Nothing! I think my car was hit by a bird! I pull over to look at the "damage", a small nick in the pain that should be fixable w/ some touch up paint. My car seems like a damage magnet!

So now that i am paranoid i want to get a clear bra. It seems the that two big brands are venture and 3M but the installer really makes the difference. Can anyone recommend a place in norther NJ near Hoboken?

 

Found this clear bra installer directory for NJ on our consumer info section that may help.

 

Thanks. I have also found Sam's Window Tinting which is right over the border in NY. Several NAM'ers recommended him in other threads. I am gonna go see him tomorrow for an estimate. Seems like $700 is the going rate for full front and some other pieces.

132 Route 59 East
Nanuet, NY 10954
845-623-3800

 

Sam is the best at what he does. He has done my cars over 12 times. You are going to pay $$$ for the clear bra but he'll take care of you.

 

while i can't recommend a vendor in your area (i live in hawaii), i can vouch for ventureshield. I. LOVE. IT. if the person who does the application is any good, it's virtually invisible from as close as three feet away, even when the car is moderately dirty. i'm sure that after four months of ownership, driving on roads that are often potholey, i would have my share of chips and dings, esp since i have the aerokit.

you can go to the ventureshield website to see the patterns. just plug in year/model/etc.

oh, and the guy who did my clear bra said that ventureshield is now owned by 3M, but having worked extensively with both 3M's products and ventureshield's, he'd say the ventureshield version is superior. i think one of the reasons he gave is that it's thicker and more durable. can't remember what else he said bcs i was too busy examining the great job he did.

just be careful to wipe the edges with microfiber after each wash/waxing. otherwise, you'll end up with black or white grit in there. once it bakes in, it's really hard, if not impossible, to get off.

if it helps any, i paid $700 altogether or my clear bra plus smoke tint.

**note: thanks again to minihune for the ventureshield recommendation!**

 

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! I have hit like 4 birds. None in the Mini but in my Spec when I still had it and one of them put a huge dent in the hood. Sorry I laughed but I have been there.

 

Except i didn't hit a bird a bird HIT ME!!! I was at a stop light!

 

Must have been an unladen swallow, a bit off route.

 

African or European?

 

maybe it was a swallow that saw the OPs hood scoop as potential nesting site...

 

 

Just got back from Sam's and i liked what i saw. Gave me a good price and he def made me feel good about his shop. It is just a bit to far away and he will need the car for 2 days. Price is similar to what the dealership would charge but the dealership would throw in a loaner car but do less surface area. Might see if the dealer will price match. I really would rather give Sam the business but I think the logistics are just to difficult.

 

What was his estimate? what services were included?

 

60% of the bonnet (about 6-10 inches past the headlamps)
Front Fender
Front Fogs and Headlamps
Mirror Caps
Small strip to protect rear bumper while loading and unloading.
Door Handle recess (not the handle but the spherical area behind it.)
$845 (as leaving offered it for $799)

 

when i did mine, i got the same, plus 1/2 inch wide strips down the edges of the doors. however, the vendor i used -- and he's got a small shop -- did it all in less than a day (dropped off my car at 10a, picked it up at 4p). like i said earlier, charged me $700 for clear bra plus tint. maybe what you're being offered is reasonable for your area; if so, i'm glad to know that for once, not everything is more expensive in hawaii!

 

yeah the NY Metro area is not a cheap place to live. But at least there is competition. I have price matched my local dealership to another dealer before. I save about $100 on my roof rack and ski attachment about 6 months ago

 

sorry to stray off topic a bit. I hit a full grown turkey the other day! ! ! glad it wasn't in the MINI no car bra would've helped.

 

Funny thing....tonight I was coming home from picking my car up from the dealership and a bird just flewwwww into the hood. All I saw was a chunk of something and a bunch of feathers fly up in the air. Poor bird, I would have swerved had I seen it.....

Anyway, back to why I posted this. I got out and looked and I could see a little wetspot (spit, pizz himself???? who knows) on the hood. Lucky me, it hit the clear bra.

So my point is, thank god I had the bra on.

As far as your other question. Venture makes a thinner (supposedly clearer) bra that covers the entire hood.

3M is a tint more yellow and I think 3mm's thicker. It won't cover more than half the hood (as opposed to the entire hood by Venture)

I think they both carry a lifetime warranty, I know 3M does.

Hope that helps.

Just for the record, this is my 4th mini and I've had 3 other cars done. I wouldn't drive a car without a bra.

Mark

 

i hit a BIRD too, but i didnt care about the car since its a loaner cuz the dealership rear ended my car.

this mini got a name already
Blue Hawk

 

Huh? More info....what happened?

Sorry to hear that.

Mark

 

well long story its all here

 

That sucks, I'd give them a chance to fix it (correctly) and see if they do. If not, then I'd raise hell.

Hope it gets fixed to your satisfaction.

Mark

 

Suggest you visit your local Mini dealer. They will know a competent installer.

 

i think the OP already did that:

 

The dealer wants it install it themselves, so their recommendation is their self!