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I've not had it on a car of mine, but i've detailed a bunch of cars with them and I know several people who have them. I think its a must with today's low VOC paints since they chip so easily...

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  • 3 weeks later...
Do a search ;)

I had paint protectin film applied to my new 08' today. Complete front of the car and about 1/3 of the way up the hood, as well as both rear view mirriors. From 2' feet away you can't see it at all and even then if you're not looking for it it's invisible. This is the third car I've had done - highly recommended.

DaveGee

08' LS460

07' AM Vantage

99' NSX (sold)

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Do a search ;)

I had paint protectin film applied to my new 08' today. Complete front of the car and about 1/3 of the way up the hood, as well as both rear view mirriors. From 2' feet away you can't see it at all and even then if you're not looking for it it's invisible. This is the third car I've had done - highly recommended.

DaveGee

08' LS460

07' AM Vantage

99' NSX (sold)

Which Brand did you have applied? Ever hear of Clear Shield? Is 3M the only brand to go with in confidence?

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I have the 3M material on my business car, a '06 Chevy Malibu. I put it on in November '05, about a week after I got the car. It still looks new, excellent stuff. I've worked with VentureShield, Avery-Dennison, and X-pel and out of the 4 mentioned here, X-pel is a good film, but I still belive 3M is by far the best. I've been a film installer for 4 years, done thousands of installs and we've only had a couple return with a problem, and those came back because they had been damaged or because of an installation problem.

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I have had the 3M clear Bra on my Pewter Grey 2001 Corvette for 4 years. The 3M film has a clear coat finish similar to clear coat paint. My car still shines the same as the when the film was first installed. I would have it done again in an instant.

My son has a clear bra on his 2 year old Dark Blue Infinity G35 and while it shines very good, it has a tendency to get waterspot marks that are extremely difficult to remove. I do not know what film is on his car, but I know that it is not the 3M film.

A friend has a clear bra on his 2 year old Black Infinity M35 and the film looks terrible. It was shiny when new, but now it is dull - basically a semi-gloss finish. It looks as if someone used electrical tape on the front of his car. It is a different film than my son has on his Infinity.. I keep telling my friend to complain to the dealer, but he does not. He is planning to have the film removed right before he trades the car in next year. I am sure that his paint will look perfect after the film is removed.

A word of caution however. The 3M film has a tendency to slightly discolor over time. In the right lighting conditions, I can see a slight yellowing on my Corvette.

My cousin has the 3M film on his 8 year old non-metallic White Mercedes E320 and you can clearly see the yellowing. However, the film is still very shiny. I do not plan on using the 3M film on my 2008 Starfire Pearl LS460 because of the yellowing problem. However, on almost any other color, I would definitely consider having the 3M clear bra installed.

Hope this helps.

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A word of caution however. The 3M film has a tendency to slightly discolor over time. In the right lighting conditions, I can see a slight yellowing on my Corvette.

My cousin has the 3M film on his 8 year old non-metallic White Mercedes E320 and you can clearly see the yellowing. However, the film is still very shiny. I do not plan on using the 3M film on my 2008 Starfire Pearl LS460 because of the yellowing problem. However, on almost any other color, I would definitely consider having the 3M clear bra installed.

Hope this helps.

The discoloring problem doesn't seem to happen all the time. But it does happen. I've had discussions with other installers and have gotten information from X-pel and 3M and everyone seems to have a different opinion on why it happens. Mine is almost 4 years old and still looks perfect. Some belive it occurs from dirt and contaminates in the air settling on the film and staining it. One thing I do know is that some waxes may contain dyes that stain the film. I had a customer with a white 'Vette who called me several months after the install to tell me the material was turning blue. I was puzzled so I talked with someone at 3M. They asked me to find out what wax the customer was using. He was using a wax that was light blue in color and it was staining the film. Many of the other waxes are light tan in color, and may cause a yellowing effect. One wax that seems to be highly recommended for the film is Zymol cleaner wax or Zymol cream wax. I don't have any experience with either of these products yet. Also if you take your Lexus through automatic car washes the cleaning chemicals that are sprayed on it may also have an effect. One guy who repairs equipment and delivers chemicals for touchless car washes told me that the cleaning solution sprayed on at the beginning of the wash cycle is similar to a diluted oven cleaner. It can be pretty nasty on not only the film, but the paint and rubber parts themselves. If you ever notice cars that have been through automatic washes many, many times, you can see that rubber components, such as window seals and weatherstrips will have taken on a grayish appearance.

Most film manufacturers have warranties against yellowing. 3M warrants it's scotchgard protective film against defects in material, including yellowing, bubbling or cracking for 5 years. The film is great for protecting against stones and bugs but, unfortunatly it's not perfect.

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I've not had it on a car of mine, but i've detailed a bunch of cars with them and I know several people who have them. I think its a must with today's low VOC paints since they chip so easily...

I appreciate your experience with this topic (and many others). There are other products out there such as ClearShield, Venturshield, and Inivisble Mask, probably more. They seem to be less expensive than 3M. Do you have any insight into their quality differences or do they all use the same basic materials? Thanks!

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