itzed Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 I'm really not a fan of bras (for cars or women), but with my new black Legacy and the paint chips I'm sure to encounter, I want to make a decision about what to do (or what not to do) before it gets too bad. I'd like to see exactly how ugly a black bra would be on a black 05/06 Legacy. Just for notes, my thoughts are: Clear Bra or Rock Blocker: Expensive$$, and I'm sure you can still see them to some degree, right? And then you can't polish or wax underneath of them so if you ever remove them the paint is sure to be different where it was, right? Traditional Bra: Ugly is the big negative, that's why I want to see a picture of it on a black car like mine. And I've heard about dirt sometimes getting under them and scratching the paint. And I would end up taking it off at least once a week for washing the car. Not to mention (OK, I'll mention it) that the bras themselves get bugs and ugly road stuff on them that needs to be cleaned as well. Nothing at all: Obviously, you're gonna get chips and it's going to get ugly eventually. But it still looks good from a distance, and is the cost a repainting in a couple years really much different than the cost of a clear bra anyway? Spray on Bra (as in recent thread): Sorry, but there's no way I could bring myself to so this. I'm sure it's both ugly and temporary. Is this a serious product? Your thoughts and what you have done? Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCDetails Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 Here are my thoughts... 1. invisible bras are anything but invisible. They may not be able to be seen at certian angles, but your rock chips can't be seen at certian angles either. It doesn't mean they aren't there. I can see the value of putting something on the bumper to protect it, but I'd never put something on my hood. look at it head on and you probably won't notice it, but pop the hood and look at it from behind the car and it is totally obvious. Park it in the sun where it is reflecting something and you will definitely notice it. Or don't maintain it and it will look like this: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/Jngrbrdman/clearbra.jpg No thank you. I'll deal with rock chips on the hood before I put something on the car that looks like that. Even if you maintain it, the paint under the bra better be perfect when you put it on or else you are going to be preserving swirls and rock chips underneath. And if the paint is perfect then what happens when the rest of the hood gets all swirly? I would put it on the bumper because the entire body panel would be covered. Put something over half a panel and it will show up. Sure you can take pictures at angles and in lighting that doesn't show, but on black you can't hide the fact that the paint reflects differently under the bra than it does on the rest of the paint. That makes it very much NOT invisible. 2. Traditional black bras are not meant to be left on the car. They are only meant for road trips. Sure they are ugly, but they aren't meant to be fashion statements or win points at car shows. They are stricktly for protection while driving. If you leave that on your car all the time then you WILL do damage to the paint. They are not meant to be used as daily protection against rock chips. If you drive 100 miles each way to work then you might need one all the time, but it needs to come off each time you wash the car. They are even higher maintainance than a clear ba is if you are going to have it on the car all the time. If you drive the car in the rain then you should take the bra off to dry when you get home. The hood and bumper should also be washed as soon as you get home too. Dirt and grit running down the hood under the bra will scratch the crap out of your paint if you don't keep it clean under there. 3. That is how I rolled and it was fine. I got a bug visor for the hood and that cut back on the rock chips significantly. 90% of the chips I got were above where a clear bra would have protected anyway. The bumper is what took most of the damage, so if you are going to get something then that is the best place for it. It won't be as noticable simply because the bumper is curved and not a flat mirror like the hood. It won't be as noticable that the reflections are different. Again, the paint better be perfect when you put it on or else you are going to be preserving rock chips and swirls underneath. 4. It is a real product and it does have a use. I know people who use it on their cars when they take them to the track. I'm not talking about straight drag strips either. I'm talking about curvy Gran Turismo tracks. When you are driving 100+ around a race track with other cars there are a lot of hazzards for your paint. You aren't trying to win any points at a show on a race track either, so the fact that you have protection on the front of your car isn't unsual. Most serious racing enthusiasts have a bra or some other sort of protection for their cars for those type events. A bra of any type isn't the solution to maintaining your paint. Every option has it's own list of new responsibilities with it. You can stay on top of rock chips and you can keep the paint polished. It isn't that difficult to do. If I had it to do over again then I would probably get something on the bumper, but I will never put any clear film on the hood. That is just too ugly and not really all that effective at preventing rock chips on the Legacy. Seriously, look at your hood and see where the rock chips are. They likely aren't in the 12 inches from the edge of the hood up. Most of mine were closer to the hood scoop. Hopefully that helps. This is a hot topic for me simply because I have to repair damage from tradtional bras on a regluar basis for people. I also have to deal with cars that have cheap, or poorly installed, or just neglected invisible bras on them. The Legacy is a high maintanance vehicle when it comes to car care. Subaru should let people know that before they buy it. Luckily I'm equiped to handle what the paint requires, but it concerns me that the car is this hard to keep looking good and not everybody understands how to care for it when they buy it. It took me a couple months to adjust to the different way of caring for this car than my other cars. _________________________________________ “Cleanliness becomes more important as godliness becomes more unlikely.” O C D E T A I L S . C O M OCDETAILS BLOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deimos Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 I personally think bras, clear or otherwise are fugly. I checked out the clear bra before I bought my car but it was way more noticeable (^^^) than I thought. Also most chips seem to happen after where the bra ends (like the gd windshield), at least on my car.... Maybe one of those stone deflectors that go at the end of the hood, (I often see them on accords) they may actually work (i dunno) and look a bit better imho. (this kind of thing... Hood & Bug Deflectors & Shields - JC Whitney: Auto Parts & Accessories) good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.T.Subie Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 My OBP is quite chipped up from NJ winter. But if I had to do it over again I would have gotten the rock blocker on the bumper , not the hood. I have recently gottten the Subaru bug shield to try and help protect the hood,hane't seen any new chips. Denial is your best friend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCDetails Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 It's even less noticable on black, but I like the contrast on RBP. I never could get the SUBARU off of it, but some of the same material I tinted my lenses with was perfect for covering it up. http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/DSC02982.jpg _________________________________________ “Cleanliness becomes more important as godliness becomes more unlikely.” O C D E T A I L S . C O M OCDETAILS BLOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.T.Subie Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 Mine is invisible http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g131/matthewhorner/Car007.jpg Denial is your best friend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rommel Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 here is what used to be on my car http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b346/rbsaeroparts/P1010015.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euclid Posted July 31, 2006 Share Posted July 31, 2006 Here's mine with clearbra. It's not really noticable unless you get up close. http://celicaman.f0e.net/albums/wolfgang/post_clay_frontsm.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCDetails Posted July 31, 2006 Share Posted July 31, 2006 That is a perfect example of what I was talking about with the reflection being different. You may not see the line, but when it is reflecting something it will be more noticable. _________________________________________ “Cleanliness becomes more important as godliness becomes more unlikely.” O C D E T A I L S . C O M OCDETAILS BLOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 I commute to school a few times a year (its a 200 mile journey). I'm going back at the end of this month, but I'm planning on getting the car detailed before I leave. If I want to protect the front end from bugs/rock chips after a fresh polish/wax, whats the cheapest/best/temporary method? I heard of people putting blue painters tape on their bumper and taking it off after the trip. Or maybe taping down a garbage bag over the front. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCDetails Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 Wax and sealants won't protect you from bugs and rock chips. Neither will painters tape or trash bags. All they'll do is make you ridiculous. People will point and say "look at the moron in the GT with painter's tape and trash bags on the nose of his car!! He must have spent all his money on the car and can't afford a bra!" Let's try to avoid that, shall we? What you are doing is precisely what bras are for. They temporarily protect you car and then you can take them off when you don't need them. In your situation I would suggest you get one. Colgan Custom makes great bras. I've had one on my last two cars because I drove a lot more with those. I barely put 10K on the Legacy per year and it was all in town, so I didn't get one for this car. What you want is something to protect your paint on your frequent long road trips, so what you should get is a nose bra. _________________________________________ “Cleanliness becomes more important as godliness becomes more unlikely.” O C D E T A I L S . C O M OCDETAILS BLOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legacychick Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 I have the bra, and it's really kept the chips off. My journey to work is part on the highway, and I was sick of hearing crap hit my car. I do take it off to wash the car, and I clean the bumper and bra really well before putting it back on. I've seen a lot of bras on cars, but this is one of the best fitting on a car in my opinion. I think it also looks pretty sharp when you spray that vinyl cleaner on it too. I have seen what a bra can do to the hood though, that's why I'm being extra careful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 sounds like my car needs one anyway. Hey legacychick, what kind of CAR bra (company/manufacturer) do you have? OCD: checked out Colgan but they only have the car bras for older legacies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzed Posted August 8, 2006 Author Share Posted August 8, 2006 snip.... I've seen a lot of bras on cars, but this is one of the best fitting on a car in my opinion.snip.... Does your state require a front license plate and does your bra have a cut out for it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legacychick Posted August 8, 2006 Share Posted August 8, 2006 The bra is made by Subaru, and I got it at my dealership for $130 I think. For the front license plate it has a frame area to hold it in place. I'll take a pic later today and try to figure out how to attach it on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nsaglibene Posted August 8, 2006 Share Posted August 8, 2006 The clear bra looks about 100 times niceer than those bug deflectors, they make it look like you want it to be a truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCDetails Posted August 9, 2006 Share Posted August 9, 2006 Yes.... clearly this looks like a truck. http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b346/rbsaeroparts/P1010015.jpg If it wasn't for the white logo, you'd hardly be able to tell it was there. _________________________________________ “Cleanliness becomes more important as godliness becomes more unlikely.” O C D E T A I L S . C O M OCDETAILS BLOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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