3M Clear Bra

F

Former Jetta

Member
:
2008 Mazda3 (S)
Hi
I am new to the forum. Just purchased a 2008.5 Mazda 3 2.3.. I have only owned this car for a little over a month, and already it has given me so much pleasure to drive.. I don't mean to beat a dead horse with this subject, but I have been searching since I bought the car for someone to either have in stock or apply the 3M Clear bra on my rear bumper, front bumper, driver and passenger mirrors etc, and have NOT been able to find anyone that does this. A lot of places that tint windows out here in CHICAGO, ILLLINOIS look at me funny when I mention this to them and tell me that they have never heard of it before... Can anyone shed a little light on this subject as of to where I might be able to go to have this done etc? I don't want to take on the job myself etc. Also, is 3M the best one that is out there? Does anyone have any ideas? Any Insight on this? Lots of construction sites here out in CHICAGO and I am dreading thinking about if my new beauty gets dinged up after only one month... Thanks to all that may answer this posting
 
besides tint shops i really dont' know the ones out here even have the stuff for it and use the same machine to cut it out that they use for tint... there are only a couple brands that i know of and 3m is always reputable it all depends on the material basicaly as long as its thick enough to provide protection but not to thick that it becomes noticable you will be all set.
 
I install clear bras. I am in southern Illinois, but that is a far drive. If you go to the web site for XPEL, you will be able to do a search for an installer near you. As far as what film to use, I only use 3m at this time. Xpel has come out with there own film that is supposed to be really good too. If you have any questions, let me know.
 
What's the care on the clear bras? Can you wash it like the rest of the car, or are there special techniques you have to use for the areas covered by it?
 
AndrewSquared said:
What's the care on the clear bras? Can you wash it like the rest of the car, or are there special techniques you have to use for the areas covered by it?
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You care for the clear bra just like the rest of the car. You wash, wax, dry etc. The only thing you need to be carefull of is the type of wax you use. You only want to use wax that does not have any dye in it. If you use a wax that has a dye in it, it may discolor the film.
 
If you find a shop that does this, ask if they carry Ventureshield - This is better stuff. My installer showed me two pieces side by side, and 3M mad the paint have orange peel effect all over the place, while the ventureshield looked like it wasn't even there. It's a great product and the installers only apply the 3M when the customers insist on it, even though it is an inferior product...
 
doesnt matter if the 3m material has orange peel if the surface beneath it is orange peeled.... factory paintjobs inevitably will have orange peel.
 
I did a little write up about the different types of film when I was looking for a clear bra, I ended up going with Avery. The installer I used carries 3M, Venture Guard, Avery/Xpel and for my application, white car, 3M was thick and more noticeable and reported to yellow faster, the venture guard looked kind of dull on white but it is the cheaper of the films because it doesnt have a true hard coat. I've been very pleased with my clear bra after a few months, unfortunately I've got 2 chips right above where the clear bra ends. Until I point out that I have it most people cant even tell.
 
kold said:
If you find a shop that does this, ask if they carry Ventureshield - This is better stuff. My installer showed me two pieces side by side, and 3M mad the paint have orange peel effect all over the place, while the ventureshield looked like it wasn't even there. It's a great product and the installers only apply the 3M when the customers insist on it, even though it is an inferior product...
Click to expand...
3M is not the inferior product.* 3M actually owns venture film.* Venture will not last as long as 3M even if you care for it properly.
As far as the 3m yellowing, years ago it would be a little yellow on a white vehicle. They have changed the film alot in the last few years and now it does not look yellow on a white vehicle. The only film I would ever use is either 3m or the new Xpel film.
 
i had one on my old tiburon. i paid a bit over 400 for the front end to be done, along with like a 1/4 of my hood. one of the best mods ever! no rock chips ever! my g/f even bumper a pole, and it didnt harm the paint.

only flaw, is everyone asked why i had a line on my hood. lol
 
I'd love to get this done, but that much cash would be a hard sell. Especially when I could do a performance enhancing mod for cheaper (CAI).
 
there's a shop out of elgin that did mine. ill find out there name. they even do all 3M warrenty work for them, so there top notch! they even came out to rockford to do mine!

il find out the # and post it up.
 
When you find out the name of the shop, please do post it as I am VERY interested in getting this done. The sooner, the better.... How much did it cost you? What areas did you get covered? Over all satisfaction?
 
Well, I'm sure they have changed the product in the last 3 years but I had 3m put on 3 years ago and it was yellow after 2. Detailed the car and kept it reasonably clean, but there wasn't anything we could do on it.

I did some research on Ventureshield, it does look as if 3M owns that brand now, but it was developed independently and purchased by 3M after the fact. Still a different brand and product..

3M turns a factory orange peeled paint finish into an ultra super gross orange peeled finish. You can really see the effects of this when you are looking at reflections from direct lights on the film and paint side by side. I did a side by side comparison with 3M and ventureshield, 2 small pieces laid on the same panel and for sure the ventureshield looked better..clear and barely noticable.

What good is a clear bra if it doesn't match the finish that well? Over time they will all tear due to rocks etc so you would need to get it redone anyways..
 
Former Jetta said:
Hi
I am new to the forum. Just purchased a 2008.5 Mazda 3 2.3.. I have only owned this car for a little over a month, and already it has given me so much pleasure to drive.. I don't mean to beat a dead horse with this subject, but I have been searching since I bought the car for someone to either have in stock or apply the 3M Clear bra on my rear bumper, front bumper, driver and passenger mirrors etc, and have NOT been able to find anyone that does this. A lot of places that tint windows out here in CHICAGO, ILLLINOIS look at me funny when I mention this to them and tell me that they have never heard of it before... Can anyone shed a little light on this subject as of to where I might be able to go to have this done etc? I don't want to take on the job myself etc. Also, is 3M the best one that is out there? Does anyone have any ideas? Any Insight on this? Lots of construction sites here out in CHICAGO and I am dreading thinking about if my new beauty gets dinged up after only one month... Thanks to all that may answer this posting
Click to expand...



I actually attempted a DIY install of 3M's version of the clear bra and it went remarkably well. I did a detailed write-up on the install with a bunch of hi res pictures on "another Mazda3 forum" which I am sure, I am not allowed to link you over to so I'll leave it to you to go find it or PM me and I'll try and direct you. The product was really high quality and fit perfect but being a total noob at installing it I was verrrrry slooooow as I carefully felt out the characteristics of the film and how it could be streeeetched to fit the curves of the Mazda3. And the Mazda3 does have CURVES! I was told on a difficulty scale of 1-10 the Mazda3 rates a 10. I say that's total crap as, even though it took me like 6+ hours to actually install this big 8 peice kit ( entire front and both mirrors) I learned so much and would do it again on any car I buy in the future. Literally, the day after the install, some Kook going 100+mph blows down the shoulder of the freeway in a lowered Civic spewing debris into my lane. All this shrapnel starts pinging off the front of my car and I about crapped my pants. When I got to my destination, you guessed it, I looked at the front of my car and I could see where stuff had violently ricocheted off the surface but underneath, not a mark. This stuff is COOL! Is it worth $800? Hell no. Not in my opinion. But for the $225 I paid for the film (eBay) it was worth every cent.
 

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abikepeddler said:
I actually attempted a DIY install of 3M's version of the clear bra and it went remarkably well. I did a detailed write-up on the install with a bunch of hi res pictures on "another Mazda3 forum" which I am sure, I am not allowed to link you over to so I'll leave it to you to go find it or PM me and I'll try and direct you. The product was really high quality and fit perfect but being a total noob at installing it I was verrrrry slooooow as I carefully felt out the characteristics of the film and how it could be streeeetched to fit the curves of the Mazda3. And the Mazda3 does have CURVES! I was told on a difficulty scale of 1-10 the Mazda3 rates a 10. I say that's total crap as, even though it took me like 6+ hours to actually install this big 8 peice kit ( entire front and both mirrors) I learned so much and would do it again on any car I buy in the future. Literally, the day after the install, some Kook going 100+mph blows down the shoulder of the freeway in a lowered Civic spewing debris into my lane. All this shrapnel starts pinging off the front of my car and I about crapped my pants. When I got to my destination, you guessed it, I looked at the front of my car and I could see where stuff had violently ricocheted off the surface but underneath, not a mark. This stuff is COOL! Is it worth $800? Hell no. Not in my opinion. But for the $225 I paid for the film (eBay) it was worth every cent.
Click to expand...

Props to you for doing that yourself. I dont think I could have done it, I watched the pro do mine and it took him over 7hrs, took him an hr just to do under the door handles. $800 was the cheapest I could find around too, most wanted $950-1000.
 
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