Hey Guys, I'm picking up my new mini next week. DS/B MCS R56 and am on the fence about having the clear bra put on. The dealer wants close to 900.00 for it....too much for me. You guys have any recommendations in the portland area...how about window tinting as well? How much should i expect to pay? I think it will need some!! Thanks in advance. I'm hoping to join the mini club and do some outings with you soon.

I had the clear bra put on and I'm thinking about having it removed. I paid about $550 for all of it installed (not the dealer). Reason I'm thinking about removing it is: We get a lot of bugs here twice a year (Love Bugs). I didn't remove them after they got on, then we flew to CA for vacation. When I got home and had time to wash the car, they had eaten into the clear bra. Now I have small pit marks in the clear bra. If I had just the paint a good claying would take care of it. So now I have to decide whether to leave it or have it removed.
I have a guy that came to the house and did my tinting for me. I paid I think $115 for everything. Had the tint strip and words (on the front window) done at a different place. Look in my Gallery and see what the front looks like.

Clear bra: you can do it yourself like I did. You'll also save a lot of money for something that is simple to do. You'll have the satisfaction of doing it yourself. You won't have to drive anywhere to have the work done.

I drove my car home and kept it parked in my garage for about 5 days until I had the time to install the clear bra. It took about 4.5 hours to install pre-cut material on the entire front bumper, all front lights, scoop, bonnet front, grill, top of rear bumper, both mirror bodies, and behind the door handles. You can do it! I got the pre-cut material from Accuguard,
http://www.accuguard.biz/index.html, for about $210 in April 2006.

Tint strip is a good idea...but why is yours backwards? For rear view mittors? Thats...interesting.

3M makes a clearbra product and there are a few installers in the PDX area. I know a few people who have done it. They absolutely love it. I don't have it and I have HUGE chips all over the front of my car--down to the primer. If you call around or internet search for 3M, you may be able to find a retailer, buy it and do it yourself.

dan

If you don't want to do it yourself...

Just had our second MINI done at Tommy's Window Tinting in Portland.

Was far less than $900.00, for far more Clear Bra coverage than the off the shelf MINI USA kit that Rasmussen gives you. In fact, at Tommy's you'll get the car Clear Bra covered and the full window Tint for less than that price.

PM me for more details if you like. I've had 4 cars done at Tommy's. He takes care of you, and often does the clear bra himself. I picked up my car Thursday, and in the shop... a Ferrari 550 Maranello, and a Bentley. He's used to demanding customers who ask lots of questions.

BTW> our black MINI didn't have clear bra and WOW... sand paper... It will need to be completely repainted in the next few years.

Reads fine when I'm sitting in the car. You mean it's backwards?
Just wanted to be different that's all.