My JCW hardtop is on the way and I am trying to decide whether do put on a clear bra. My old Mini did get lots of chips as I travel the interstates here in Atlanta.
And if I go that route, dealer install or elsewhere?
FYI, it will be pepper white if that matters.
Thanks!!

 

YES, YES, YES.

I have a 2008 Mini S w/ JCW aero kit. It was one of the last 2008's made. I only have 1500 miles on it and have already have several chips. Seems that every time I go for a drive I get another chip. I took my car to a body shop and had a clear bra installed around the headlights, hood and complete front bumper. (I did not do the mirrors as I've been told the mirrors can be problematic because they are curved and the bra materia doesn't always stick so well). Anyway, I can't tell you how pleased I am w/ the job they did, you can't see any of the seems only a very small one across the front portion of the hood. In fact when I went to pick up my car my first thought was that they forgot to do the hood, -I could barely see it. The bra also doesn't effect the color of the hood at all, you can't even tell it's there.

I paid $700 for the clear bra. I think it's quite a bit more from the dealer. So you may just want to bring your Mini to a body shop and avoid having the dealer charge you a lot more.

 

My dealer charges $729 for the complete front 3M clearbra inc fog lights, and comes with the full factory warranty including replacement if it peels, yellows, etc.

MINIs are very low in the front and will take much damage from road crap, so I highly suggest doing it. Of course, you already know this!

 

i did it 12000 miles = no scratches

 

I paid about $500 for our clear bra, if you go to xpel.com you can see some of the kits you can get, our installer use xpel patterns but VentureShield material. It is well worth it.

 

Definitely. I've found independent installers are much cheaper than dealerships. I got full frontal clear bra + tinted windows for $750. Also if you go with a certified 3M Clear Bra installer (most of them are) you'll get a warranty on it, and many installers also warranty the work.

 

+1 for venture shield clear bra.

had my done for $535 including partial hood, bumper, headlights, fog lights, mirrors and door stripes.

i also purchased some bulk 24" venture shield material from ebay and planning to cover the rest of the hood. 7ft of 24" film at $9/ft. the rest of the hood is pretty simple compared to the front especially by the headlights.

ebay also has 12" wide venture shield film for $5/ft, i plan to put that on the lower part of the sides. that area is complete flat and easy to do.

 

YES. Mine was $350, half bonnet, all lights, full front, mirror caps.

My paint, at least, comes off like crayon. i have numerous large impacts on the front and the other day i had a chunk of rock bounce off the bonnet just before the bra ends.

I'd also check the ebay links and pick up 12" for the area near where the seatbelts hit the B pillar. Mine is already started to get rather badly dinged.

 

I've liked mine alot. My dealer outsources all their clear-bra installs to a local shop.

 

I ordered it for mine. My MA says that that is the biggest 'I should of' that he gets when people come back in. The dealer uses the 3m product and charges $699 for the full front that comes with the 3m Warranty.

 

Well worth the money!! Definetely do it!!

 

Personally, I like the spray on chip guard. There is one down side I've seen with the tape, including 3M, which I think is best. That's where the edges are seem to trap dirt. Remember, where it's cut still has exposed adhesive. You wouldn't have that with a spray on. There are several different suppliers that I've been looking into. That might even be a product we look at adding to our shop.

 

Get the clear bra.
I had an 06 w/out the bra and it seemed like every week I was finding new chips and pits. I now drive an 08' with a 3M clear bra, 5 months of 'spirited'
driving and no chips. I also applied material on the headlights and fogs.

 

Not a fan of them....

 

Without a DOUBT!! It will help the appearance of your car in later years...less dings!! We drove in to a Gas Station near where we live and an absolutely beautiful High End Car was at the pump facing us...BUT it was so pitted with Rock Chips that was the only thing I noticed after the first glance!! I hope the guy didn't hear me, "That looks awful, to bad he ruined the car!!"

 

I couldn't get it installed fast enough for my Clubman! I went to the Xpel site and found a local installer that also cuts his own patterns (this can allow them to customize several areas - like how far up the bonnet you'd like it to cover) Also, he offered several different materials, thickness and costs.

I had 3/4 of the bonnet covered, complete front bumper, all front lights, A panels, 4" of the front of the roof in front of the sunroof, all door handle cups (even the ones on the boot), door panel edges, rocker panels and the strip across the boot (that one alone has saved MANY scratches)

I have SS/SS and in most light, you can't see any lines at all.

 

I was thinking of getting one , and installing it myself . I still have it on my shelf out in the garage since purchased. I decided to go naked.

I have 3,300 miles on my car . I have no problem so far , knock wood.

70 % of my driving is on RT 80 in NJ . I owe no chips do to the fact I do not tailgate.

 

im still on the fence at the moment... only up tp 200mi though

 

Do it. Do not pass go, do not collect 200$.

My car was the demo model on the lot. It came with 3M Rock Shield installed. It's not something that I would have purchased if it hadn't already been there, and when I was shopping, I deemed the clear bra to be a complete waste of money, but since the car came with it, I went with it.

It has since proved to me that it is worth every single penny.

A few months ago, someone smacked my bonnet with a piece of rebar when I parked at a casino. I don't know how much it costs to have the bonnet airbrushed, and that's because the clear bra saved me from having to have that done. Paintless dent repair fixed the ding, there was no damage to the paint. The only lasting damage is a small scuff in the clear bra itself. You don't even notice the scuff if you don't know where to look. The hit did not penetrate the clear bra.

I don't know if the product I have yellows. It has been on the car since it arrived in February, I bought the car in May and I am not seeing any change in color in the bra so far.

I'll never have another car without a clear bra on it after this experience.

 

I'd do it if I had it to do over. No need to cover anything above the headlights either.

 

I had one added by the dealer when I picked up the car. Upper part of nose only; I think it was something like $320 for the 3M one, installed.

What I've found with other cars is the lower part (the bumper) didn't tend to get as many rock chips, UNLESS it has been painted after the factory paint. Non-factory paint jobs (at least all the ones I've had before) absolutely suck, and you can almost look at them funny and get a ding. In that case I'd add an upper and lower front clear bra as soon as possible after it leaves the paint shop.

I was in a bit of a rock storm last weekend (eek) on a super windy day - multiple small chips in my windshield (probably 10 or 20 of them), but the rest of the front of the car survived without a scratch. $320 well spent, IMHO.

 

This was some of the best money that I spent. I wouldn't think of ordering a car without it.

 

There is something about a well filled see-through bra...................

 

Go for it! Have it installed by an independent shop (which the dealer will take it to anyway). You will save yourself over half the dealer cost. Mine went from to the dealer's lot right to the installer's shop. It was money well spent.

 

you guys are convincing... ill look up some shops tomorrow