Not sure what to think of the paint protection film

[slomove]

When I had the car repainted 3 years ago, I covered it all with Aeroguard polyurethane paint protection film. This is one of the 3M retail versions of the ClearBra and apparently 3M has bought up all brands of such films, anyway.

 

After only this short time, maybe 15,000 miles (admittedly with maybe 100 miles dirt road), the film looks pretty ratty on the rear wings (see pics). Obviously from small rock blasting and occasional large rock gouging. Surely better than paint chips although I can not say if the paint below is unaffected.

 

Anyway, I was just wondering if that is common. The thin solid rubber sheet I have in the main impact area below is almost undamaged. Also, the original Birkin gel coat did not look that damaged after 10 years, just a bit sun-bleached.

 

 

 

Edited July 26, 2012 by slomove

[Automoda]

Clear Bra can not take the full firepower of the front wheels. I use it to surround the aluminum shield, and it works well. However while doing a tiny course at a British car show, I hit a cone at low speed. It scuffed the Clear Bra-- and scuffs wont buff on that stuff. (I won BTW)

 

So here's my view: Clear Bra helps a lot to avoid 'chip outs' and reduces the sandblasting effect, but it is definately not immune to turning ugly. Its great on the leading edge of the nose cone and around the rear fender metal shield.

 

There is no perfect solution to the rock damage to the rear fender paint. My aluminum has real dents in it and is getting so ugly I am going to replace it in spring (one more winter to beat it up). The dents are so big that Clear Bra would not have protected against those rocks and I'd have to repair and repaint without the metal shields. I may redo the clear bra when I replace the shields, and add some to the nose cone (wish I had before). I had it done by a shop and it was too expensive. I'll do it myself from now on.

[Kitcat]

I have a few small spots that look the same (but only 400 miles since film applied). I'd rather have the film scuffed up than the paint.

[scannon]

After the first 1,500 miles the stainless rock shields on the rear fenders looked like they had been in a war zone. I had them covered with bedliner and at 14.5k miles they look like new. The clear bra around them has taken a beating but looks much better than an area at the bottom of the fender which didn't get covered which has almost no paint left on it. Next time I will have the bedliner applied directly to the fender in a slightly larger area than the rock shields.

 

There are a few cuts in the nosecone clear bra from sharp edged rocks, one even went through the paint to the primer.

[jimrankin]

I have the clear bra on the endire car and while it does its job of protecting the paint it is "non-repairable" if it gets scuffed. I have a couple of places on the hood and top of the fender where some plastic car parts from a wreck ahead of me came sliding up and over. I've tried everything to get the scuffs out to no avail. Also two spots on the lower section of the nose where the same debris left large "bubbles" in the plastic film. The top scuffs would have buffed out of paint, the two on the nose would probably been less visable on paint and touched up.

As for protecting the lower outer edges of the rear fenders, all but gone and looks worse than nicks would.

I'd be 50/50 on doing it again if the car was ever refinished again to a solid color. With metalic paint I think it is probably a good idea as repairs are harder to match.

[slomove]

Thanks guys, looks like that is quite normal. The film suppliers just leave one with the impression this solves all the damage problems. I will keep this film on until it looks too ugly and then replace it, maybe with the thicker headlight protection film. And I may extend the rubber shield a bit further up the rear wing.

 

 

.......... I had it done by a shop and it was too expensive. I'll do it myself from now on.........

That is what I did and it ended up O.K. But it took me a full 2 days for the nosecone and all 4 wings and made me a nervous wreck

Getting it all cut up right to go around the compound curves (especially the wing "flanges" are a bear) and working the lay-up solution to remove bubbles and blisters is a challenge. It requires good planning and making templates. Everything has to be clinically clean. A little smudge or particles on your hands and you have an ugly blemish that can not be removed.

 

But it is entirely possible for a patient person (that is where I have a problem) and I saved a bunch of money.

Edited July 26, 2012 by slomove

[S1Steve]

Slomove,

I did the front half of my fenders with the thicker film and found it hard to work with. And as others have said, it takes a beating. Now I am wondering how am I going to remove the old film without pulling off the paint. When I do get the old film off, I'll try something much thinner and easyer to wrap around the outside edges of the fender.

 

Steve

[Automoda]

Yeah when it comes to removal, good luck.

 

My Birkin came with a cheap enamel paint that, when heated with a heat gun, came off in nice big sheets... much like the Clear Bra is supposed to come off. Now I have quality paint on it that was allowed to dry for quite a while before the film was appied, so I assume it will survive the film removal process. Regardless of paint type, allowing it to dry for a couple months (at least) is the key. (and by dry, I mean for all trapped solvents to work their way out. I know modern paints 'cure'.)

[Croc]

That is what I did and it ended up O.K. But it took me a full 2 days for the nosecone and all 4 wings and made me a nervous wreck

 

There is a kit of clear film you can buy out of the UK online or even at Amazon that is pre-cut to either an S3 or SV Caterham. The way it is cut gets around many of the various curves that make it difficult to apply. Now I know you have a Birkin but maybe some of the pieces are useful?

[Alaskossie]

I have carbon fiber rear wing protectors that are clear-coated, and on my drive from Colorado to Alaska in 2010, they got pretty rock-blasted and pitted.

 

I've bought a new pair, and have had them clear-coated. I'm planning to put a couple of layers (or more?) of thicker Clear-Bra on them before installing them. Any opinions on whether this will protect them, and whether the Clear-Bra can be removed and new layers put on when the existing layers get too pockmarked??

 

Also some food for thought: Giles Cooper from Australia drove his Lotus Elise from California to Colorado to Alaska a couple of months ago, and when I saw him in Anchorage, he swore by the NASCAR-type tear-off windshield film as having saved his hard-to-replace windshield from rock damage. If he had not mentioned it, I would have never noticed it on his windshield.

 

Anybody used this stuff? Apparently Pegasus and other racing outlets carry it.

[slomove]

You can get this also here. I have not tried it but might be worthwhile because the windshield gets pitted as well and mine has already 2 larger star cracks. If that film actually helps avoiding that it may be a few bucks well invested.

[Kitcat]

Yes, definitely a few bucks: my replacement Caterham windshield was $600, without the heating element. That was after spending $200 trying to cobble one together out of safety glass. Caterham helpfully uses a thinner type of glass, so only its windshield fits in the windshield bracket.

[Alaskossie]

Obviously a weight-saving measure, a la Colin himself...

[Klasik-69]

When I run on the track, I switch to a set of custom aluminum front fenders (wings) which are lower in the back. I also added some flex rubber mud flaps on the bottom of the back side to completely block stones & other debris from hitting the car or me. It is extremely effective in protecting the mid body region & rear wings, but not very attractive. I've used the 3M film in the past but would not again. Never seen it used on a windshield, might work out well there if it doesn't affect visibility.