Clear Bra - Yellowing

[Jayceeison]

Does anyone have any recommendation on \"slowing down\" the clear bra from yellowing on AW? I have been told plexus works well.

[sawzall]

I've got an AW M3 with clear bra (Ventureshield) as well. I've been using Plexus on it for just about a year, and it hasn't yellowed (i'm going to continue using it).

That being said, a lot of installers are moving away from Plexus and recommend using just regular sealant on it, or specially designed PPF cleaner. I believe Premier sells a special line of PPF protectants.

[gthal]

There was a thread somewhere that said to NOT use Plexus. I would try to find that before using it... one of the installers or someone who knew a lot about clear bras was very much against it.

[Jayceeison]

Originally Posted by shizzle

I've got an AW M3 with clear bra (Ventureshield) as well. I've been using Plexus on it for just about a year, and it hasn't yellowed (i'm going to continue using it).

That being said, a lot of installers are moving away from Plexus and recommend using just regular sealant on it, or specially designed PPF cleaner. I believe Premier sells a special line of PPF protectants.

Thanks...illl take a look into it...

[Jayceeison]

Originally Posted by gthal

There was a thread somewhere that said to NOT use Plexus. I would try to find that before using it... one of the installers or someone who knew a lot about clear bras was very much against it.

I'll have to search deeper for this thread, Thanks.

[gthal]

Originally Posted by Jayceeison

I'll have to search deeper for this thread, Thanks.

Here's the thread... you have to read down a few posts...

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...ghlight=plexus

[Jayceeison]

Originally Posted by gthal

Here's the thread... you have to read down a few posts...

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...ghlight=plexus

Thanks!

[BimmerRob08]

All very interesting. So I just ordered that Plexus a few days ago and now I read this. Oh well. I have xpel on my M3, full hood, doors, roof, front grill and fenders. My M is space gray metalic so I'm not seeing any yellowing but I do have alot of water spots that won't come out. I haven't tried any paint cleaners or sealents but did try the two products from xpel. One is the cleaner and the other the sealent and to be honest, they didn't do shit. In fact the xpel cleaner actually made some permanent swirls in one spot of the plastic on the hood as I was trying to get rid of one of those small yellow spots that developed.

So what should I do? I don't have pics, but you can imagine water marking stains. Anyway, what do you all suggest then?

Thanks,

[sawzall]

Originally Posted by BimmerRob08

All very interesting. So I just ordered that Plexus a few days ago and now I read this. Oh well. I have xpel on my M3, full hood, doors, roof, front grill and fenders. My M is space gray metalic so I'm not seeing any yellowing but I do have alot of water spots that won't come out. I haven't tried any paint cleaners or sealents but did try the two products from xpel. One is the cleaner and the other the sealent and to be honest, they didn't do shit. In fact the xpel cleaner actually made some permanent swirls in one spot of the plastic on the hood as I was trying to get rid of one of those small yellow spots that developed.

So what should I do? I don't have pics, but you can imagine water marking stains. Anyway, what do you all suggest then?

Thanks,

I would suggest that you call the manufacturer and/or installer of your clear bra and see what they recommend. They are probably the best ones to answer this question as you don't want to use anything on it that would void the warranty.

[BimmerRob08]

Originally Posted by shizzle

I would suggest that you call the manufacturer and/or installer of your clear bra and see what they recommend. They are probably the best ones to answer this question as you don't want to use anything on it that would void the warranty.

[Envious Eric]

call up premier and get their cleaner
http://premiermobilegroup.com/pf1_products.shtml

Im about to order up all three products since I see more and more cars with film on them these days

[Malek]

You should never use Plexus on your paint protection films. Venture themselves when I spoke to them said do not use it as it tends to yellow the film quicker.

Plexus is meant to be used on true plastics such as Plexiglass, your instrument cluster, your nav screen, your headlights (if not covered in venture), tail lights, etc. You get the idea.

The best way I have found over the years on how to maintain the Venture film is to get the finest grade clay, and use that every 6 months on the clear bra. Don't clay your film as often as you clay the car. When you do clay it, apply minimal to no pressure, just glide it gently up and down the surface. Do the vertical panels in a up and down motion, and do the horizontal panels in a top to bottom motion, not side to side.

You CAN buff the PPF with a very fine polish such as Menzerna 106ff or powerfinish with a finishing pad.

You can also put a sealant over it as I have been with no issues. I use Menzerna powerlock on my film. However, I never put a carnuba on the film like the rest of the car.

Don't ever use alchohol on the film or any sort of solvent. No simple green or anything of that type.

Good luck man, let me know if I can help you with anything else.

Would you like pictures of my AW 335i with the Venture on it after 1 year? I can provide you two different AW 335i's that I had with Venture on both with pictures from 1 year later showing that the film never yellowed or discolored.

Let me know!

[Moxie]

Ventureshield recommends Plexus . I was able to get spots out of the bra with cleaner wax.

[Malek]

Originally Posted by Moxie

Ventureshield recommends Plexus . I was able to get spots out of the bra with cleaner wax.

Very very interesting. They told me recently (in the last couple weeks) to not use Plexus as they don't recommend it any longer.

[Moxie]

Originally Posted by Malekreza11

Very very interesting. They told me recently (in the last couple weeks) to not use Plexus as they don't recommend it any longer.

You may be right. Could always call them up & ask - 800-343-1076

[htp autoworks]

Yes Plexus has butane in it so it will cause yellowing. You want to stay away from any petroleum based products on the film. I have found over the years that Zaino works very well on film... and is a great product for the paint as well. Some of these specialized clear bra cleaners tend to be expensive... and from what I have heard not very effective.

[Premier Protective Films]

Originally Posted by Malekreza11

Very very interesting. They told me recently (in the last couple weeks) to not use Plexus as they don't recommend it any longer.

That is correct. Plexus will affect the aging the of paint protection film.

[sawzall]

Originally Posted by Malekreza11

Very very interesting. They told me recently (in the last couple weeks) to not use Plexus as they don't recommend it any longer.

I've spoken to them as well. The reason they don't recommend Plexus anymore is because 3M has created a PPF cleaner of their own, which they now recommend exclusively.

[Moxie]

& here I sit w/ 3 cans of plexus -

[sawzall]

Obviously, this topic is pretty controversial. There is has been a lot of pseudo-scientific information bandied about, and very little hard facts. As much as people say they have tested different products, no one has ever disclosed their test protocols, products involved etc.

For example, some people say petroleum distillates are the harmful elements. But this is misleading in that petroleum distillates is an umbrella term that can be used for everything from vaseline to acrylics to kerosene. I find it amusing that some of the people who make this statement also advocate using sealants, many of which do have petroleum distillates (e.g. some Zaino products are known to petroleum distillates - check out this thread, and the response from Sal Zaino himself http://forums.corvetteforum.com/car-...tes-in-z5.html). My point is that not all of these chemicals are bad, and the pseudo-science bandied about may do a disservice to products that actually work quite well.

As for the butane argument, I take that with a grain of salt. Butane is pH neutral, so I don't see how it can denature polyurethane. Also, butane not an active ingredient in Plexus, it is an aerosol accelerant. As long as you hold the can at the appropriate distance, the butane should evaporate well before it reaches the PPF. If there is some other complex reaction involving butane that does cause a problem, I would very much like to understand it (and at that point apologize to anyone/everyone that I argued with)

Being someone who has had good results with Plexus, I'm reluctant to abandon it. But if someone can outline their actual test results, performed in a controlled fashion that definitively point to the product being bad, I would stop using it in a heartbeat.

[avex8]

why spend that much money on a clear bra, especially you can see yellowing on AW cars. Touch up paint works good and let the car take few years of beating then replace the front bumper to aftermarket one. That's what i am planning to do

[Templar]

Originally Posted by jakerx8

why spend that much money on a clear bra, especially you can see yellowing on AW cars. Touch up paint works good and let the car take few years of beating then replace the front bumper to aftermarket one. That's what i am planning to do

Agreed. I was thinking about it for so long, but bought a bit of touch up paint instead and it works wonders. If it gets beat up too much and the touch up paint just isn't up to the task, then I'll replace. Maybe get a euro bumper