What's up, I'm Marc. Has anyone had 3M clear tape added to their G-37? If so, how much did you pay and was it worth it? Just bought a Black G-37S and have not picked-up yet. Trying to decide whether to get the tape?
Thanks,
3M Clear Tape?
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (o2barite)
I have a black 2008 XS. Don't bother with it on an 09 except maybe the headlights, door handles, and the lip area around the trunk.o2barite wrote:What's up, I'm Marc. Has anyone had 3M clear tape added to their G-37? If so, how much did you pay and was it worth it? Just bought a Black G-37S and have not picked-up yet. Trying to decide whether to get the tape?
Thanks,
Perry
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (o2barite)
I assume you are talking about a clear bra?If so then there is nothing but bad and uninformed info posted so far.
The clear bra will keep you from needing paint work. The obvious point in it. The film will not discolor the paint on the car. In fact the paint under the film will still look new 4-8 years from now.
I would not suggest 3M but Xpel and Avery are much nicer films and much stronger. You can protect the paint with something that works or you can let it get all chipped up and full of bug stains.
The clear bra will keep you from needing paint work. The obvious point in it. The film will not discolor the paint on the car. In fact the paint under the film will still look new 4-8 years from now.
I would not suggest 3M but Xpel and Avery are much nicer films and much stronger. You can protect the paint with something that works or you can let it get all chipped up and full of bug stains.
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (tintingkc)
I have the 3M invisible bra on my 2008 XS.tintingkc wrote:I assume you are talking about a clear bra?If so then there is nothing but bad and uninformed info posted so far.
The clear bra will keep you from needing paint work. The obvious point in it. The film will not discolor the paint on the car. In fact the paint under the film will still look new 4-8 years from now.
I would not suggest 3M but Xpel and Avery are much nicer films and much stronger. You can protect the paint with something that works or you can let it get all chipped up and full of bug stains.
Bug stains are actually an issue along with bird droppings, cherry tree droppings and so on. Unlike paint where you can clean these off without issue they will leave their mark on the portions covered with the invisible bra and will not polish out. While the bra itself is pretty much invisible the demarkation between the bra and the painted surfaces is not. While the bra does protect against scratches and pits on the paint it will easily scratch with something as simple as Ice.
I do recommend it on the headlights since it seems to stay invisible there. I recommend it on the door handle recesses since it does protect from scratches from finger rings (not sure if other rings could cause an issue).
I also recommend it on the trunk lip area which is often marked up with luggage, groceries, etc. It blends in well in this area.
I have a feeling that the typical install price could possibly be offset by a repaint of the affected areas if necessary. If the 09 paint is truly better than i would suggest against it on the hood and fenders.
Perry
p.s. Best to spend money on clear plastic seat covers.
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (tintingkc)
Excuse me...we are not "uninformed".tintingkc wrote:I assume you are talking about a clear bra?If so then there is nothing but bad and uninformed info posted so far.
The clear bra will keep you from needing paint work. The obvious point in it. The film will not discolor the paint on the car. In fact the paint under the film will still look new 4-8 years from now.
I would not suggest 3M but Xpel and Avery are much nicer films and much stronger. You can protect the paint with something that works or you can let it get all chipped up and full of bug stains.
You will notice the tape start to turn a yellow color after a few years. Also, the paint underneath will be a different color than the unprotected paint...the unprotected paint will have a fade to it compared to the protected paint.
Also the clear bra lines are very noticeable and defeat the purpose of keeping the car looking good.
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (joe603)
One question I have is if you can clearcoat your current paint. That is if the Nissan self healing clearcoat is available can you add it to an 08?joe603 wrote:
Excuse me...we are not "uninformed".
You will notice the tape start to turn a yellow color after a few years. Also, the paint underneath will be a different color than the unprotected paint...the unprotected paint will have a fade to it compared to the protected paint.
Also the clear bra lines are very noticeable and defeat the purpose of keeping the car looking good.
If it is not available then what occurs if you get in a wreck, do you just go with brand x?
Perry
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (o2barite)
I personally highly recommend it.
I've had it installed on my 2nd gen sedan since December 2006. No issues so far and I park my car in the sun every day while at the office.
I've seen other 2nd gen G's without the clear bra having the "sandblasted" look on the paint whereas mine looks just like new.
I've had it installed on my 2nd gen sedan since December 2006. No issues so far and I park my car in the sun every day while at the office.
I've seen other 2nd gen G's without the clear bra having the "sandblasted" look on the paint whereas mine looks just like new.
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (terrycs)
To me there are a couple of factors at work here. One is maybe just painting the poor paint job areas. Another is that the poster mentioned an 09. Is it nearly the same priority on the 09 compared to earlier years?terrycs wrote:I personally highly recommend it.
I've had it installed on my 2nd gen sedan since December 2006. No issues so far and I park my car in the sun every day while at the office.
I've seen other 2nd gen G's without the clear bra having the "sandblasted" look on the paint whereas mine looks just like new.
Perry
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (pfarmer)
True ... it's supposed to have some sort of self healing paint for what it's worth.pfarmer wrote:
To me there are a couple of factors at work here. One is maybe just painting the poor paint job areas. Another is that the poster mentioned an 09. Is it nearly the same priority on the 09 compared to earlier years?
Perry
There has also been great debate about whether or not it is cheaper to repaint, or cheaper for the initial cost of the clear bra. Most have said in the end that the repainted panels were never color matched as well as the original paint. One should also consider how long they plan to keep the car and whether or not it was leased. Just additional food for thought.
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (terrycs)
I have a Garnet Ember 2004 GSX without a clear bra that has multiple paint chips on the front bumper and hood. I also have an Ivory Pearl 2008 GSXS on which I had a “clear mask” installed by a body shop when it was new. Not sure who manufactures the “clear mask”. The kit included the hood, fenders, mirrors, front bumper, rear bumper top, mud flaps, headlamps, rockers & “A” pillar. The mask only goes about half way up the hood and fenders. The installed cost was ~$1,300. The only place the line between the mask and non-masked areas are easily noticed is on the hood and fenders.
I’m okay with the transition line. The ability to simply wipe bugs/road tar, etc. off the front bumper/hood/fenders and not have the paint suffer the paint chips the 2004 has is defiantly worth it in my opinion. Since I live in Maine and drive the cars in the winter, they are subject to road sand/salt. There are a couple of small marks on the mask on the front bumper were I suspect it was pelted by sand/gravel. These little marks would surely have been paint chips if it wasn’t for the mask.
I’m okay with the transition line. The ability to simply wipe bugs/road tar, etc. off the front bumper/hood/fenders and not have the paint suffer the paint chips the 2004 has is defiantly worth it in my opinion. Since I live in Maine and drive the cars in the winter, they are subject to road sand/salt. There are a couple of small marks on the mask on the front bumper were I suspect it was pelted by sand/gravel. These little marks would surely have been paint chips if it wasn’t for the mask.
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (Sebago)
I had something called 'Autoban' applied to my 06 Mini which now has 4 years and 82,000 miles on it. As far as I'm concerned its a no-brainer, as the paint looks new and unchipped. My past cars have been extremely pock-marked after a few years.. I think our New England winters were mainly responsible.
I just picked up a new 09xS yesterday and had it applied as well for $699. Without my asking, the dealer mentioned they used a previous brand that would yellow but this one did not.
For the same reason I like to get a new windshield every 2 years since they end up getting the sand-blasted look after that long. No problem as we have no-deductible for glass in MA and without fail I get hit by a rock or flying ice chunk.
Lastly.. be VERY careful when using power-washers on the clear stuff. I accidentally blasted a small tear in my Mini's clear bra the first month I owned it, and have been living with that since
I just picked up a new 09xS yesterday and had it applied as well for $699. Without my asking, the dealer mentioned they used a previous brand that would yellow but this one did not.
For the same reason I like to get a new windshield every 2 years since they end up getting the sand-blasted look after that long. No problem as we have no-deductible for glass in MA and without fail I get hit by a rock or flying ice chunk.
Lastly.. be VERY careful when using power-washers on the clear stuff. I accidentally blasted a small tear in my Mini's clear bra the first month I owned it, and have been living with that since
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awdjdmtalon
- Posts: 624
- Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2008 7:43 am
- Car: 04 G35 Coupe, Diamond Grafite Metalic, Aero package, 6MT
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (voodoo22)
My 04 has it on the ft bumper, hood, mirrors, and the fenders next to the headlights. I am the second owner, so I am guessing it was installed when the car was new.
As pfarmer stated. It does a great job at protecting the paint, it does stain w/ bug and bird poo pretty easy. And the stain does not come off. Plus if you ever have the car buffed, and the detailer isn't careful, they can burn the plastic. Which happend to mine before I got it.
Someone else also said that the line between the clear bra and paint is noticeable. From a distance, No. But from 5 ft. Yes.
Some other members have had it removed. And it was quite difficult.
I hope that helps.
As pfarmer stated. It does a great job at protecting the paint, it does stain w/ bug and bird poo pretty easy. And the stain does not come off. Plus if you ever have the car buffed, and the detailer isn't careful, they can burn the plastic. Which happend to mine before I got it.
Someone else also said that the line between the clear bra and paint is noticeable. From a distance, No. But from 5 ft. Yes.
Some other members have had it removed. And it was quite difficult.
I hope that helps.
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xjaywalker
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:16 am
- Car: Orange County, CA
06 G35 Sport Coupe Prem NAV - Location: Orange County, CA
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (awdjdmtalon)
My turn. What the hell! Might as well throw my 2 cents in for what its worth.
I am in outside sales in SoCal and do a lot of freeway driving. I have been hit by flying debris and things stupid people do in parking lots constantly including alternators, shopping carts, coffee mugs, and rocks from cravel trucks. I installed the 3M clear and it has been on for a year and it has a couple of scratches in the bra, one that went pretty deep from a shopping cart someone let roll into the front fender and it has one stain from something I picked up off the road (Tar or ?) I paid $800 for the hood,fenders, bumper, and mirrors.
I do my own detailing and I am very careful with waxing and buffing in these areas. If you do not clean the edges carefully the wax will build up and show the lines more. But you really have to look closely to see the lines.
If what you are saying is ture (And I don't know because I have never removed the clear bra) and it discolors the paint after a few years, then it has defeeted the whole purpose and I will remove it. I will have to do some more invetsigating before wasting $800.
Peace.Larry
I am in outside sales in SoCal and do a lot of freeway driving. I have been hit by flying debris and things stupid people do in parking lots constantly including alternators, shopping carts, coffee mugs, and rocks from cravel trucks. I installed the 3M clear and it has been on for a year and it has a couple of scratches in the bra, one that went pretty deep from a shopping cart someone let roll into the front fender and it has one stain from something I picked up off the road (Tar or ?) I paid $800 for the hood,fenders, bumper, and mirrors.
I do my own detailing and I am very careful with waxing and buffing in these areas. If you do not clean the edges carefully the wax will build up and show the lines more. But you really have to look closely to see the lines.
If what you are saying is ture (And I don't know because I have never removed the clear bra) and it discolors the paint after a few years, then it has defeeted the whole purpose and I will remove it. I will have to do some more invetsigating before wasting $800.
Peace.Larry
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (xjaywalker)
Speaking of 2 cents worth....
There is no way I would NOT put a clear bra on my G! The main point being that if you are buying new, then you are "highly advised" to get it from your Infiniti dealer.
Why? Because, if it is to EVER discolor, or cause any paint damage, then it is backed up by Infiniti. If you take it to another shop, and they do the clear bra, then they better have that kind of guarantee. I would not trust that kind of guarantee to anybody else but the original manufacturer of my vehicle. If there happens to be a problem down the line, then I am going to my Infiniti dealer with my paperwork in hand.
And, yes, I did get the clear bra on my G37. From the dealership, installed prior to delivery. $395 for the hood, mirrors & door edge guards.
One of the keys to upkeep is to not have the wax buildup on the edge lines. Be sure when having it done (gasp - by someone else?!), do it right and DIY...be sure to take your time with your baby...do it right.
There is no way I would NOT put a clear bra on my G! The main point being that if you are buying new, then you are "highly advised" to get it from your Infiniti dealer.
Why? Because, if it is to EVER discolor, or cause any paint damage, then it is backed up by Infiniti. If you take it to another shop, and they do the clear bra, then they better have that kind of guarantee. I would not trust that kind of guarantee to anybody else but the original manufacturer of my vehicle. If there happens to be a problem down the line, then I am going to my Infiniti dealer with my paperwork in hand.
And, yes, I did get the clear bra on my G37. From the dealership, installed prior to delivery. $395 for the hood, mirrors & door edge guards.
One of the keys to upkeep is to not have the wax buildup on the edge lines. Be sure when having it done (gasp - by someone else?!), do it right and DIY...be sure to take your time with your baby...do it right.
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (pfarmer)
You claim to know but show you do not!
Let me break down several facts for you all.
There are many different brands of films out there. There are only several types.You have the hard coated (3M). Non coated, clear coated and then the new films with so called nano coating and so on. Too new to talk about them. No film is perfect which is why its important to shop around and find what works best for you. Films like 3M are easy to take care of but puncture easy while other films need more care but are more durable. With that out of the way we can focus on other aspects. First...you have to maintain the bra like you would the paint. If you do this then it will last a long time no matter what brand. Most are a urethane so bird droppings will be a hazard but nothing that will be a problem unless left to burn into the film. Not unlike the paint. You want to bring up bug stains and bird droppings... lets do it! These things will leave stains in the clear coat on any paint within hours. Sure the bra will do the same. But the bra can be cleaned of this with ease if you know how or have kept up on it. The paint is not as lucky. You will need to wet sand and polish or compound the etching to remove this from the paint.
Now we can talk about the film showing up. There are two sides to this. There is the sensible side that will say that slight line that only the owner will usually ever notice is much nicer then many chips and stained paint. Then there is the nut job that thinks that its cheaper to paint the car a few years down the road and deal with the ugly chips, bug stains and peppering.What the nut job doesn't realize is that breaking the factory paint is a bad thing. Not to him now but when he wants to sell the car. Now you have to explain why the car has been repainted and that the paint will never be factory quality again. No mater how well it was done. People looking to buy cars do notice these things and aftermarket paint is going to chip faster then the factory paint did. Very counter productive!If the film shows up in a bad way its the owners fault plain and simple. The film is tough and will keep a great shine as long as you take care of it. Like paint...the better you take care of it the better it looks. It needs wax and washing. There have been new product to make this even easier for the consumer from companies like xpel with the sealant and cleaners.
And to say the paint on the car will look different from the covered area...you are showing how well you take care of your vehicle. The film has UV inhibitors but also allows UV rays through. The only way you will ever see a difference in the paint is due to neglecting you paint. The paint on your car is like the carpet in your house. If you clean and take care of it then it will always look nice. If you let it stay dirty for periods and never take care of it then wear and tear will show up quick. Sure... I have seen it. Its always the ones that thing waxing your car is the treatment from the car wash or a once a year past. Common sense will tell you that will not due.
I have installed thousands of clear bras in my years. I have had a hand full of those thousands that had problems. Every time there was a problem it was due to neglect.
At the end of the day you need to determine if 100's of chips look better then a subtle line across the hood and fenders. Or hell...cover the whole hood and fenders and enjoy knowing that your car will always look 100%.
There will always be those that think they know clear bras. When you have sold and installed them for over 10 years and gone through all the manufacturers growing pains I will start to listen. Otherwise I will always say your full of s***.
Not trying to start an argument but forums of all types are full of bad info from people that think they know a little. This one as an example! In most if not all cases they know nothing and are only hurting those that could benefit from having one.
I want to talk about self healing or chip resistant paint for a minute too. Its all BS. Until paint is redesigned from the ground up and a real effort and expense made you can plan on cheap and fragile paint. As the years go by it gets worst. I can say that GM paint is more then twice as strong as what you will find on any BMW or other high end car. And to try and justify cost on a repaint is pretty easy. We have had customers that have been keyed and nothing more then a film replacement needed. Same goes for the careless person that hits the side of the garage door or too close to that curb. It makes no sense to just repaint things when you can keep a factory finish at such a low cost. You get back much more in resale then you put in.
You want to see real pics of what quality work looks like. http://www.clearbraphotos.com
Modified by tintingkc at 7:15 PM 11/24/2009
Modified by tintingkc at 7:22 PM 11/24/2009
Let me break down several facts for you all.
There are many different brands of films out there. There are only several types.You have the hard coated (3M). Non coated, clear coated and then the new films with so called nano coating and so on. Too new to talk about them. No film is perfect which is why its important to shop around and find what works best for you. Films like 3M are easy to take care of but puncture easy while other films need more care but are more durable. With that out of the way we can focus on other aspects. First...you have to maintain the bra like you would the paint. If you do this then it will last a long time no matter what brand. Most are a urethane so bird droppings will be a hazard but nothing that will be a problem unless left to burn into the film. Not unlike the paint. You want to bring up bug stains and bird droppings... lets do it! These things will leave stains in the clear coat on any paint within hours. Sure the bra will do the same. But the bra can be cleaned of this with ease if you know how or have kept up on it. The paint is not as lucky. You will need to wet sand and polish or compound the etching to remove this from the paint.
Now we can talk about the film showing up. There are two sides to this. There is the sensible side that will say that slight line that only the owner will usually ever notice is much nicer then many chips and stained paint. Then there is the nut job that thinks that its cheaper to paint the car a few years down the road and deal with the ugly chips, bug stains and peppering.What the nut job doesn't realize is that breaking the factory paint is a bad thing. Not to him now but when he wants to sell the car. Now you have to explain why the car has been repainted and that the paint will never be factory quality again. No mater how well it was done. People looking to buy cars do notice these things and aftermarket paint is going to chip faster then the factory paint did. Very counter productive!If the film shows up in a bad way its the owners fault plain and simple. The film is tough and will keep a great shine as long as you take care of it. Like paint...the better you take care of it the better it looks. It needs wax and washing. There have been new product to make this even easier for the consumer from companies like xpel with the sealant and cleaners.
And to say the paint on the car will look different from the covered area...you are showing how well you take care of your vehicle. The film has UV inhibitors but also allows UV rays through. The only way you will ever see a difference in the paint is due to neglecting you paint. The paint on your car is like the carpet in your house. If you clean and take care of it then it will always look nice. If you let it stay dirty for periods and never take care of it then wear and tear will show up quick. Sure... I have seen it. Its always the ones that thing waxing your car is the treatment from the car wash or a once a year past. Common sense will tell you that will not due.
I have installed thousands of clear bras in my years. I have had a hand full of those thousands that had problems. Every time there was a problem it was due to neglect.
At the end of the day you need to determine if 100's of chips look better then a subtle line across the hood and fenders. Or hell...cover the whole hood and fenders and enjoy knowing that your car will always look 100%.
There will always be those that think they know clear bras. When you have sold and installed them for over 10 years and gone through all the manufacturers growing pains I will start to listen. Otherwise I will always say your full of s***.
Not trying to start an argument but forums of all types are full of bad info from people that think they know a little. This one as an example! In most if not all cases they know nothing and are only hurting those that could benefit from having one.
I want to talk about self healing or chip resistant paint for a minute too. Its all BS. Until paint is redesigned from the ground up and a real effort and expense made you can plan on cheap and fragile paint. As the years go by it gets worst. I can say that GM paint is more then twice as strong as what you will find on any BMW or other high end car. And to try and justify cost on a repaint is pretty easy. We have had customers that have been keyed and nothing more then a film replacement needed. Same goes for the careless person that hits the side of the garage door or too close to that curb. It makes no sense to just repaint things when you can keep a factory finish at such a low cost. You get back much more in resale then you put in.
You want to see real pics of what quality work looks like. http://www.clearbraphotos.com
Modified by tintingkc at 7:15 PM 11/24/2009
Modified by tintingkc at 7:22 PM 11/24/2009
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (tintingkc)
I had a clear bra put on my FX and again on my new G37, both times done by the dealership. To me its an easy decision. Why in the hell do I want to pay $40+k for a car, to have it look like crap in a year with a hood full of chips. Had no issues with the bra on the FX and dont forsee any on the new G.
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (09GMAN)
Completely agree...picked up my G37xs Thursday and had the clear applied to front, mirrors and headlights. Do it!
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awdjdmtalon
- Posts: 624
- Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2008 7:43 am
- Car: 04 G35 Coupe, Diamond Grafite Metalic, Aero package, 6MT
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (Hitdog540)
tintingkc. Being that you are the "expert" on clear bras. Can you give those of us who are not, an example of the cleaning products needed to make our neglected clear bra look new again.
Unforunalty for me. I am the 2nd owner of my car and it was already neglected when I got it. I have tryed waxing it, but have been afraid to use anything too agressive on it.
Unforunalty for me. I am the 2nd owner of my car and it was already neglected when I got it. I have tryed waxing it, but have been afraid to use anything too agressive on it.
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (awdjdmtalon)
I would click his name and email him. I don't think he's been on for a bit.
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Father_Flanagan
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:07 pm
Re: 3M Clear Tape? (G_whizz)
OK, so what kind of mess is made when you replace a clear bra? Does it damage the paint when it is removed? I live in South Texas and we have a lot of debris on our roads. I was planning on getting the dealer to put on a clear bra, but what about down the road? How long between replacements? And how about those Love Bugs? Have those made their way from Florida yet? Those things DESTROYED my paint back in 98!