Front end bra?
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Your grandma probably didn't live in an area where there is a gravel pit where their sofa gets spit at enough that it makes you think you are driving through an asteroid field. Don't be a dick. It’s a valid question
I have the 3M shield and even with that I'm getting paint chips a couple months after getting mine. I swear Mazda has some of the crappiest clear coats in the industry when it comes to how easy it is to chip. I had a clear coat on my Toyota. Took at least a year to get chips. Same with my Mercury at the time. Both took a while to actually accumulate chips. My CX5and the former Mazda 3, month and a half max.
I'd consider a bra, as long as it looks good. Also the problem is getting the thing on and off. Smaller fronts are one thing. I'd have to imagine with so many curves on the CX-5 that the number of clips would be insane.
Padre Dave01
Member
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- 2011 CX-9 GT
I have the clear bra on my CX-9, and my Mazdaspeed3, getting it put on my wife's CX-5. She has the only rock chips on the front of her car of all of us....I shoulda put it on hers too when it was new....
I live in AZ, where rocks fly everywhere and of all sizes, so along with zero-deductible glass coverage and window tint, clear bras are the solution for those of us who want to keep our cars nice.
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I live in AZ, where rocks fly everywhere and of all sizes, so along with zero-deductible glass coverage and window tint, clear bras are the solution for those of us who want to keep our cars nice.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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- RDX Aspec Adv.
I have wrapped every sports car I've owned, and it's payed dividends in paint protection. SUV's are just appliances to me, and I don't bother with it. Yes, it would do a lot to keep nicks off the front.
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- -- 03 P5 / 23 CX-5 --
I ran 2 on my P5 when it was driven daily. One on the car and a clean one to put on when the other needed cleaning. I just swapped them out. And yes the paint was pristine underneath. Lots of 18 wheelers on the freeways around here. Doesn't look the best but neither does freckle-faced chip city............
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- Denver, CO
Mazda paint is incredibly thin. My hood is so riddled with rock chips, that as much as I hate the look of clear bras or other things like it, I probably should have done something.
NelsonLewis
Banned
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- 16.5 CX-5 GT AWD w/Tech BRMica
I ran 2 on my P5 when it was driven daily. One on the car and a clean one to put on when the other needed cleaning. I just swapped them out. And yes the paint was pristine underneath. Lots of 18 wheelers on the freeways around here. Doesn't look the best but neither does freckle-faced chip city............
I wouldn't run one of these if they paid me to advertise it.
PPF clear film all the way. Maybe the $400 kit for the CX-5 is okay, but anything else is overkill and saved for luxury cars, mostly sporty ones...
I ran 2 on my P5 when it was driven daily. One on the car and a clean one to put on when the other needed cleaning. I just swapped them out. And yes the paint was pristine underneath. Lots of 18 wheelers on the freeways around here. Doesn't look the best but neither does freckle-faced chip city............
I don't doubt the level of protection a leather bra provides. Its actually the best imho. But the cleaning part and pristine paint comment. Yeah you could have pristine paint but only after heavy maintenance. Leaves, mud, dirt, dust, bugs, ect find their way into and get embedded into the bra's interior lining along the edges. Especially on the top of the hood. I guess I'm too lazy to deal with the cleaning of the car, the leather bra, remove the leather bra to clean the inside, install the bra back on. After all that hard work I could never keep the inside of the lining clean.
This is what happens after neglect: http://i47.tinypic.com/ja9bm0.jpg
So since I was too lazy for all the cleaning I switched to learning how to install PPF myself and never looked back.
Thanks for the replies. Her 2005 6 hood/front end was loaded with chips at 90k - she used that car in her daily commute, still, we already have a couple chips on the new CX5 and only 600 miles on the clock - no freeway driving at all! My 2008 Grand Cherokee is still without chips at 70k.
Another issue, we live in Fla where we have 2 love bug seasons per year. If you don't know about potential love bug damage to your car, be glad.
Priced both the 3M Scotchguard and another brand Lewmar (?) with installed prices for each at about $900. That ain't happening, so I've ordered and front end cover (2 piece) by LeBra. Similar to the Mazda accessory offerning but with a mesh covering for the intake and grill areas.
Been using bras on my (not her's) cars for years and though they can be a PITA to put on/take off, I'm a believer if you want to keep your car nice.
If this doesn't work, I'll try plastic furniture covers like gramma used to use.
Another issue, we live in Fla where we have 2 love bug seasons per year. If you don't know about potential love bug damage to your car, be glad.
Priced both the 3M Scotchguard and another brand Lewmar (?) with installed prices for each at about $900. That ain't happening, so I've ordered and front end cover (2 piece) by LeBra. Similar to the Mazda accessory offerning but with a mesh covering for the intake and grill areas.
Been using bras on my (not her's) cars for years and though they can be a PITA to put on/take off, I'm a believer if you want to keep your car nice.
If this doesn't work, I'll try plastic furniture covers like gramma used to use.
$900 to cover up the front bumper, lower portion of hood and fender? That too much. That's literally $50 worth of bulk film. It should not cost.$850 in labor and pattern cutting equating to a 2-hour job. $400 an hour. Man I have to look into that profession.
Price range is about $300-$400 for front bumper installed by a shop in my region.
OR
Pay me $100
and I help you help me:DIY route via this website http://www.clearmask.com/vehicle_page.php
gets you customer CX-5 cut Bumper + Hood+Fenders + Mirrors + Free Door Edge + Free install kit for $300 for their mid tier film.
OR DIY route via this Custon cut 3M kit https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)
which includes headlights for $248.
Because it really helps to have a second person.
NelsonLewis
Banned
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- 16.5 CX-5 GT AWD w/Tech BRMica
$900?!? Good gawd, that's highway robbery. It's $399 here, and includes a detail job and yearly check up. The shop here seems to be one of the best around also, considering the Film manufacturer, Llumar, uses this shop to bring their executives and China reps to see the process and understand it fully...
Jebus!!
Jebus!!
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- 2014 QX70 AWD
Its marketing 101. If they had simply called it the Bro or Manzier, appealing to the masculine side of car ownership, every car would be wearing one.
$900 to cover up the front bumper, lower portion of hood and fender? That too much. That's literally $50 worth of bulk film. It should not cost.$850 in labor and pattern cutting equating to a 2-hour job. $400 an hour. Man I have to look into that profession.
Price range is about $300-$400 for front bumper installed by a shop in my region.
OR
Pay me $100
DIY route via this website http://www.clearmask.com/vehicle_page.php
gets you customer CX-5 cut Bumper + Hood+Fenders + Mirrors + Free Door Edge + Free install kit for $300 for their mid tier film.
OR DIY route via this Custon cut 3M kit https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)
which includes headlights for $248.
Because it really helps to have a second person.
I know! Called window tint guys, "wrap" guys - dealers (who send it out to these same guys) it's a big time rip around here, Clearwater, FL area.
How far away is the $399 guy?
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- RDX Aspec Adv.
My Z06 was around $1K for 1/3 panels, on my 370Z, I did the whole car, minus the roof and rear hatch, and it ran me $1300. You want a $399 wrap? You gonna get a $399 wrap...
Most of my cars were 1200-1600 for the full bumper, full food, full fenders, a-pillars, roof, and door cups. It is a mix of 3m (tough) and suntek (pretty) film. The installs took 5-7 hours depending on the car. I think the Alfa was on the high end of time and the Infiniti coupe on the low end. These are perfect installs and I am happy with the work.
When I bought my Infiniti q70L sedan, the dealer threw in one of the 399-type deals. Yep, it looks like a discount deal. The film is thick, the edge visible, and in one spot it has come up a bit and trapped dirt. In its defense, it does come with a lifetime warranty so we will see how that claim goes.
When I bought my Infiniti q70L sedan, the dealer threw in one of the 399-type deals. Yep, it looks like a discount deal. The film is thick, the edge visible, and in one spot it has come up a bit and trapped dirt. In its defense, it does come with a lifetime warranty so we will see how that claim goes.
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- -- 03 P5 / 23 CX-5 --
Enjoy exercising your right not to run one..........
I fully understand the risks involved. That's why I had 2 of them. The garage keeps the paint from being 2 different colors. Swapping them out regularly (which took all of 5 minutes tops) keeps the trash/dirt collecting from ruining the paint. Maybe I wanted something besides pitted UV damaged vinyl that takes much more than 5 minutes to swap out. To each their own. Was offering up options not forcing anyone to follow suit. I have no vested interest in other people's cars. Your car, your choice. My car is not a daily driver any more so rest assured the masks have returned to their boxes......and IMO, **** a bunch of overpriced vinyl.
NelsonLewis
Banned
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- 16.5 CX-5 GT AWD w/Tech BRMica
BS! The place that does the $399 is the best in the nation. Official BMW Perf Driving School installer, and where LLumar sends it reps to learn the process...
NelsonLewis
Banned
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- 16.5 CX-5 GT AWD w/Tech BRMica
