A Primer on Clear Bra (Paint Protection Films)

[Redd]

Having had a clear bra on my car for 2 years now, I thought I'd share some of my experiences. I'm by no means an expert, so feel free to share your experiences in the comments also. My car is Dakar Yellow, and I'm using a high-end film called ClearGuard Nano.

1. All Paint Protection Films (PPF) WILL YELLOW. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying to you. Pic 1 below shows a car with half of its hood wrapped, the film is around 1 year old (but I don't know the brand, saw it at my detailing shop) and the color difference is already obvious. I don't suggest wrapping a white car as the yellowing will be obvious down the line.

2. Most PPF will introduce texturing (orange peel) on the wrapped surface. Again, in Pic 1, the texturing is obvious. This is usually evident from new. Installer skill can reduce some of the texturing but it's mainly a property of the film used. Some high-end films like ClearGuard Nano (CGN) introduce little to no texturing. Pic 3 is my Dakar Yellow wrapped in CGN. You can see the reflection of the light tube is relatively texture free.

3. Avoid pre-cut films. While pre-cuts greatly reduce the price and time to install, the edges of the films collect and retain dirt over time and will look ugly or peel after a while. A custom wrap where the edges are tucked inside/behind the panel looks much cleaner and lasts longer.

4. Some high-end films, like CGN, boast self-healing properties from light scratches or etching. In pics 2 and 3, you can see that the bird poo etching has disappeared after 24 hours and the PPF is as good as new. This self-healing capability is thanks to a nano top layer of the film. It can wear off over time, so maintenance of the film is important too.

5. You should do proper surface prep and a coating of the paint itself prior to installing the PPF. This helps in removal of the PPF later. Also if you have dull paint, all the PPF will do is protect the dullness.

6. You can and should coat a PPF. Good detailers have special coatings for PPFs. A coating will increase the hydrophobicity (water repellency) of the PPF as well as give it some protection (since a PPF isn't cheap!). However it's important that the installer knows what coating to use and how to apply it. You cannot polish/buff a PPF, and the coating needs to be compatible with the nano layer.

7. A good PPF will be more hydrophobic than even a coated paint surface. Water will sheet off much more easily, and rain will leave a lot less water marks. A PPF with a good coating turns the water repellency up another notch. It rains a lot here where I live, and I get nearly zero watermarks with my coated CGN. I would say it's a 80-90% reduction of water spots after a rain. I'm OCD as hell and I used to have to rinse and wipe down my car after every rain. Not anymore since I installed CGN. This alone was reason enough for me to do a PPF.

8. PPF will provide protection against 95% of stonechips and damage from normal usage. It is not bulletproof, so large stone strikes can still penetrate the film and damage the paint. Hard door dings can also penetrate the film and damage the paint.

9. You cannot polish or patch a PPF. This is an important consideration of whether a PPF is right for you or not. Polishing or touch-up painting is a useful way to repair minor paint damage. With a PPF, if the film is cut/torn and the paint below damaged, you need to remove the entire PPF on the affected panel, repair the paintwork, and rewrap the whole panel. I have a bad door ding which I have to live with because I can't be fussed to rewrap the PPF (expensive). Without a PPF, I could have easily gotten the ding fixed.

10. A good PPF like CGN will add to the depth and glossiness of your paint. But this effect can differ from color to color. Generally, I see increased color depth with yellow and red cars. White/silver cars don't really see this benefit. Again, ClearGuard Nano is the only PPF I've noticed this with due to its supreme optical clarity. Most low- or mid-range films will make paint look worse due to the texturing.

11. Not all PPFs are created or priced the same. High-end PPFs can cost 4-5x the price of low-end PPF. In my country, a good PPF costs even more than a new paintjob!

I hope this helps those of you considering a clear bra. Again, I'm not a reseller/installer. Just sharing my experience of my own car with ClearGuard Nano.

Redd

[admranger]

Thanks. Interesting stuff.

Can't you have a paintless dent guy take care of the door ding?

[Redd]

Originally Posted by admranger

Thanks. Interesting stuff.

Can't you have a paintless dent guy take care of the door ding?

Usually PDR requires access to both front and rear of the panel. In my case they can't do much on the front due to the PPF. Also, the paint has chipped and needs to be touched up.

[admranger]

Originally Posted by Redd

Usually PDR requires access to both front and rear of the panel. In my case they can't do much on the front due to the PPF. Also, the paint has chipped and needs to be touched up.

Make sense. I forgot they tap like Santa's little helper on the front side as well...

Thanks again for the paint film 101 class. I've seen the stuff and wondered about it, but never really looked too closely at it. Great info!

[Redd]

You're welcome. I've seen many people install a clear bra and then be immediately disappointed with it due to the texturing (especially on the cheap films). Also seen many pre-cut jobs not last a year cos the edges peel back. If you're gonna spend that kind of money, better know what you're getting into.