Bra?

[GDixon]

I am sure people in this forum will have a fit to think of a bra on an 08 RX350 but we are taking a long trip at high speed through the Nevada desert to silica-filled Yellowstone NP. (Animals die younger there because the silica wears out their teeth!) What are the thoughts? The bra would only be used for long, high speed trips. BTW nobody makes them yet that I can find online.

My negative experience, and the reason a bra is considered, is that in 1985 I bought a new Porsche 944 and put 10K miles on it in 3 weeks during a cross-country trip. As a result, the paint on the nose and rear view mirrors was horribly pitted and it "had" to be repainted. It looked like a gravel truck had been tailgated for half the trip. OK, a bug at 130 mph might even cause damage but our new Lexus doesn't need the aggravation.

As an aside, black hulks at the side of the road at night in Nevada might turn out to be open range cattle. That realization dropped the speed to 100 since the headlights were being overdriven. Halogen lights were used after that experience. The Lexus high beams are rated very well by Consumer Reports and the top speed is electronically limited to 112 mph -darn.

One last thing. A double coat of Turtle Wax ICE was used on the Savannah Metallic RX350 and it looks wonderful. Does anyone else have experience with this wax regarding protection, longevity, opinions, and so forth?

Thanks,

GDixon

[dcfish]

I have a Colgan bra that I use for long trips ( for the mirrors too ). Saves the front end. And bugs wipe right off, No rock chips etc... Gotta have it. I really don't care what people think when they look at it. Better than a worn out/chipped/sandblasted front end.

[SW03ES]

As long as you're only using it for trips I see no issue. Just make sure the paint and the bra are both perfectly clean when you put it on.

[Rya]

I have a Colgan bra that I use for long trips

Colgan is the best made bra in the accessory industry - it has a very tight fit, has the softest underneath side that goes against the vehicle & is made of the best materials. There are other brands such as Covercraft or Wolf, but if you can find Colgan, it's the best bet. Make sure to take it off if it's raining so your hood doesn't get scratched. It's a good idea for long trips to protect your investment. Colgan doesn't show any years on their website, but you could email them & ask if they have fitted their 2 pc bra (so you can open the hood) on an '08 yet. http://www.colgancustom.com/shop_vparts.php#1 :)

[GDixon]

Thanks for the feedback. Now that I am a bit more informed, there are a few more questions about the Colgan bra and mirror covers.

1) Is the Carbon Fibre Vinyl option an advantage in any way? If it looks better with the same protection then that is enough for me.

2) The "T-style" for the hood appears to attach to the hood near the wiper blades and looks like it would flap less while covering the sloped hood even more against damage. What are the thoughts about that option? It seems to be available for the RX.

3) In searching the Colgan website for a 2008 Lexus RX350 bra, the results come up with a RX330 bra. They have not replied to a questioning email yet so I'll try here. Is there any difference in the front end design of the RX330 vs the 2008 RX350? They look the same but a half inch here or there could cause a problem. An ill-fitting bra is not acceptable and may cause more damage than not having one at all.

Thanks again for the information. I'll post this on the RX forum to see if someone there has the details as well.

[Rya]

There is no advantage to the Carbon Fiber look, it's just a style prefernce.

The Colgan products fit very tightly against the vehicle. I have not used one on my RX, but my hubby had one for his old 94 Mustang & it took him a good effort to get the product on. Very tight fit tolerance. You won't have any "flap" trouble with any Colgan products. They are the best in the industry.

Sorry, I can't help with the fit question. You could also try looking at Covercraft's website just for fitment info. See if they have a different part number for the 350 & 330. If there are 2 different numbers, then the 330 won't fit.

Good luck!

[dcfish]

Contact Colgan and they will custom fit a bra to any vehicle.

[Rya]

Contact Colgan and they will custom fit a bra to any vehicle.

Coooool! Problem solved! :)

[Manolo1]

Haven't you thought of the invisible bra?

The 3M plastic cover?

I have it in my Lexus and I am very happy with it.

It is more expensive but it is the definitive solution...

[GDixon]

Thanks to those that have responded to my "bra" question.

Colgan finally answered my email. They do not stock the 2008 RX 350 bra but will make it over a 3 week period after ordering. It will be a "T style" hood cover. Mirror covers will be ordered as well. Since I have a two month window, the time frame works very well. The order will be put in on Monday when they open.

Once again, I appreciate this forum and the informed people that frequent it.

[Rya]

So ends the discussion of using a bra or not.... so much for this being a car forum. Just kidding! Enjoy you new FRONT END COVER!!

[dcfish]

Happy to be of service

[BMWWW]

Have you considered opting for a clear-bra?.. Protection 100% of the time, with no risk of scratching/micro-marring your paint during the applying/removing process. -- This would be my number one choice.

Also, with regards to the durability of Turtle Wax ICE: It will not last long; not nearly as long as other products, that are available both online, and locally. It will last ~2weeks tops, less if you encounter rain showers.

- For a durable wax available locally, try Meguiar's NXT, or the elusive Collinite (476/845) brand waxes.

Good luck!

[kpearson56]

Have you considered opting for a clear-bra?.. Protection 100% of the time, with no risk of scratching/micro-marring your paint during the applying/removing process. -- This would be my number one choice.

Also, with regards to the durability of Turtle Wax ICE: It will not last long; not nearly as long as other products, that are available both online, and locally. It will last ~2weeks tops, less if you encounter rain showers.

- For a durable wax available locally, try Meguiar's NXT, or the elusive Collinite (476/845) brand waxes.

Good luck!

I am interested in the #M bra. anyone know where i can get one and cost?

[kpearson56]

Have you considered opting for a clear-bra?.. Protection 100% of the time, with no risk of scratching/micro-marring your paint during the applying/removing process. -- This would be my number one choice.

Also, with regards to the durability of Turtle Wax ICE: It will not last long; not nearly as long as other products, that are available both online, and locally. It will last ~2weeks tops, less if you encounter rain showers.

- For a durable wax available locally, try Meguiar's NXT, or the elusive Collinite (476/845) brand waxes.

Good luck!

I am interested in the #M bra. anyone know where i can get one and cost?

sorry, I meant 3M

[Cory]

http://www.automotivearticles.com/Clear_Bra_3M.shtml