here's the deal. i'm in maine. my housemate shoveled the hood of my car. i now have SIX RACING STRIPES . therefore i'm getting my hood repainted (and yes, he's paying). i'm over the initial trauma that caused, and i'm getting my hood painted in the spring when i go home to NY. i figure painting it now will cause me more trauma as i'll have to protect it religiously. plus there's stone chips all over it anyway, and more will be gotten on the drive home. so anyway the question is this. what do you guys think of the mini mania bra? (http://new.minimania.com/web/Item/NMA7020/InvDetail.cfm). i tend to dislike bras, but this one's better than that old one with the stripe that goes up the middle of the car and looked rediculous. i was thinking clear bra but it's way out of my price range right now. does anyone have the mini mania bra? any thoughts on function / loooks?

thanks a bunch
christina.

 

We have a colgan 2 piece bra that we use just for the freeway and long trips. It has definitely saved the front end from numerous 18 wheeler kick ups and is a snao to put on and off. I think it looks good, just don't leave it on all the time, especially if it gets wet and then sits in the hot sun. Not good for the paint underneath.

 

Hi,

I bought the bra out of the Mini catalog, it is also 2 piece. I like it better than the minmania bra because it not only covers the the lower portion around the turn signals but also covers the center of the hood all the way to the top below the cowl. It was also cheaper than the minimania bra. I ONLY use it for long trips. Just as Lakesands said it is not good practice to leave it on all the time. Hope this helps.
Chuck

 

If I put a bra on my Mini it would definatley only be for long highway trips. They can easily do more harm than good if the cars paint underneath get even a little dirty...and if it rains it effectivley wet sands the paint! I have had the front of my old RX-7 painted 3 times because it hadworn allthe way through the clear coat. So be sure to remove it often and keep both the bra and paint very clean.:smile:

 

hm so maybe a bra's not the best thing? i'd want to keep it on all winter, but that seems pretty impossible as i'd have to take it off and clean the snow out from under it every day. i guess a clear bra's my only option then. too bad they're so expensive. i guess rock chips it is!
if anyone has any other suggestions please let me know and thanks for your input.

christina.

 

I know this is a tough decision, but don't put a bra on your MINI.

1.) Bras on cars are so 20-years-ago... It is a very dated look–right out of the 80's. Back then, every Firebird and Camaro had a bra on it. There's a reason the fads and fashions of the 80's are no longer around... Let it go.

2.) It obviously degrades the aesthetics of your car. Your MINI is meant to be free, unhindered and clean, not hidden away by a black bra.

3.) It can do just as much damage to your paint as that shovel did, if you keep it on all the time. Dirt, grit and sand get under there, and act as sandpaper on your clearcoat.

Do the benefits of a bra outweigh going bra-less? NO.

Show your MINI off, and just make sure nobody cleans your car off for you, no matter how well-intentioned they are.

 

Have you thought of "today's" solution to the bra...Invinca Shield, Xpel, etc?

 

Yup, get the film. You'll never have another car without it.

 

The front of a MINI is like a woman's breast.

It should only be covered if the covering is see through!

Though the front of a MINI will never sag.

 

go with the Visishield. Both of our Minis have them. The one year old mini is due for the visishield to be removed and re-installed. They really protect from stones and chipping. Only visible when standing within two yards.

 

You're forgiven...

 

Why are you removing and reinstalling it?

I've had my Invinca-shield for about 2.5 years and it still looks great. No lifting, yellowing, etc

Back on track: I have to add my vote for the clear bra over the vinyl.

 

MM2's a dude - he doesn't need no stinkin' bra! He runs around with just a coat of wax all over his body

 

... never put lingerie ON your car!

 

I agree with jonnieoh. I borrowed YuccaPatrol's Colgan bra for the cross-country roadtrip last year, and drove through some rain. When Yucca removed the bra to wash Wanda, she had major damage to her bonnet's paint!

At some point, I will re-paint the bonnet and I will install a clear bra. With all the roadtrips I take, I think it's my best option. I also want to get the clear covers for the xenons, too.


Clover

 

Where do you get the clear covers for xenons?

I'm probably going to buy a clear bra this summer They seem to be the best option I've had leather ones in the past and they are just a nuisance and scratch :( Are the clear bras difficult to put on?

 

http://outmotoring.com/mini_light_pr...on_system.html

 

Hi!

the manufacturer of the clear bra kit usually has pieces that go on the headlamps.

With the MINI's curvai-ous front end, a professional install might be the best way to go. Xpel's kit has the headlamp covers. Feedback from folks who have the headlamp covers seems to indicate snow tends to stick better on the covers with the xenons vs the halogens. I guess that's why we have the washers!

xpel has a website that lists local installers. There is a NAM sponser who sells kits from various manufacturers and can get a local installer to do the job.

I have not done the clear bra, and my 05er is showing the battle scars only after a few months!

hey,"Motor on!"

 

The edge that crosses left to right across the top of the hood has accumulated dirt . Not sure why.

 

all of my debris is hitting about 1/4 inch from the clear bra

and my attempts at touch-up are truly craptacular jimbo

 

Hmm, I'm condering having my 03 MINI's hood painted too. The original paint (on my MINI at least) seems to be much more prone to getting pitted, scratched, and generally messed up than any of the other (2! ) cars I've owned.

Anyone out there have just the hood painted? Were you pleased with the results? How long do you have to wait before adding vinyl protection?

 

Poor install job. If the edge starts to lift dirt gets under. If it is just dirt at the edge you can clean it with rubbing alcohol and a micro fiber. Rewax.

 

I'm with the rye-guy on this one... 57k miles without any protection except wax and my MCS looks great... a few tiny stone chips which you can not spot from two yards away! Perhaps I've just been lucky...

Godspeed.