Bad Clear Bra Install

[Stallion150]

Hi all—

2011 E90 M3 here. Thought I’d spruce it up a bit and went for a full paint correction (Jerez Black), Clare bra and M performance exhaust.

The paint correction and exhaust are perfect. I picked up the car today from the paint specialist (he took the car back from the clear bra guy) and the clear bra work is horrific. The paint guys were surprised. I took it to a second clear bra guy( regarded as the best in the area) and they say it can’t be fixed but needs to be entirely redone.

I contacted the first guy and he was very nonchalant saying “it takes a few weeks for the clear bra to smooth out”. Which sounds like complete horseshit.

Now I have to pay to get it redone by the second guy correctly. I paid PayPal friends and family (which was dumb in retrospect)—so I cant force a refund. Do you suggest a partial refund to cover his materials?

[Vedubin01]

its actually true. The film will breath and the air will come out.. Just massage it in the warm temps outside. You can never get it 100 percent with out these issue. But give it a week or so and it will look a bunch better. The edge on the cut was done with a dull blade and you can clean that up too with a sharp blade after it has had time to cure.

[Stallion150]

The other clearbra guy said it was due to bad cutting (hand cutting), allowing debris to get under the film, and improper heating which produced the surface marks.

Thanks for the input! When I popped the hood all the edges were bad too. I think it’s more than just the film settling?

[Vedubin01]

if there are little dots like debris in the center of the air pocket then yes. That will not come out. A lot of these kits are hand cut as the film comes on large rolls and has to be manipulated to make double curves etc. Give it a week or two in warm temps to see how much of it will lay down correctly. I just did a carbon spoiler today and I also have some air pockets, but its clean and they will lay down as it cures. Im not worried one bit.

Oh BTW I am also from Miami, just working in Houston for the time being!

[Stallion150]

Thanks buddy!

[Vedubin01]

NP, if you have a stubborn bubble, you can always take a needle to it and release the air from it. Just be careful on the paint.

[IB M]

Ouch - hate to say this now but never pay until after work is done if getting a cash discount and better to use a real credit card so you have recourse if needed.

[akkando]

Originally Posted by Stallion150

The other clearbra guy said it was due to bad cutting (hand cutting), allowing debris to get under the film, and improper heating which produced the surface marks.

Thanks for the input! When I popped the hood all the edges were bad too. I think it’s more than just the film settling?

Yours could be fucked, however it's true that it's normal to have some bubbles. Some should go away after a week, others need to be hit with a syringe to let the air out.

If the edges look bad, then it's probably a bad install. Also don't let rubes hand cut ppf on your car. Ask me how I know.... Instead tell them to use an xpel pattern that's printed out with some extra film in the edges so they can be tucked.

[jayzbird]

Did the paint correction involve respraying? If so you could be in for bigger problems removing the film. Did he let paint cure for at couple weeks before doing the film?

[wyatth]

^ Since he mentioned "paint correction" in the first post, I am guessing it did not get a respray.

[Vedubin01]

Originally Posted by akkando

Yours could be fucked, however it's true that it's normal to have some bubbles. Some should go away after a week, others need to be hit with a syringe to let the air out.

If the edges look bad, then it's probably a bad install. Also don't let rubes hand cut ppf on your car. Ask me how I know.... Instead tell them to use an xpel pattern that's printed out with some extra film in the edges so they can be tucked.

Even pre-cut kits are still hand cut at times... there is a thing called bounce back that cant be taken into account when being cut on a machine (Pre-Cut) and when you are doing two curves at one time it will take a bit to manipulate and it will never be the same each time. The higher end installers will go over with a final cut and clean all edges up to make it look clean. The OP can do this as well with a sharp Exacto Blade. Just got to be careful not to go into the paint.


Since the original post from OP he should have seen a large improvement since he made this post if he left the car outside to get some radiation heat.

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by Vedubin01

Since the original post from OP he should have seen a large improvement since he made this post if he left the car outside to get some radiation heat.

Yeah, he's probably happy now hence didn't bother to get back...

[Stallion150]

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Yeah, he's probably happy now hence didn't bother to get back...

LOL I'm happy now because i got a full refund and got the right guy to redo it.

I'll post updated pics.

[Stallion150]

Originally Posted by jayzbird

Did the paint correction involve respraying? If so you could be in for bigger problems removing the film. Did he let paint cure for at couple weeks before doing the film?

Hey no respray---just buffed and treated for swirl marks.

[Stallion150]

Originally Posted by IB M

Ouch - hate to say this now but never pay until after work is done if getting a cash discount and better to use a real credit card so you have recourse if needed.

100% right.