Has anyone installed a clear bra on their CTS? I'm considering getting it done when mine arrives, before it gets any rock chips. Just wondering about the looks and cost/benefit if anyone has had it done.
For those who've had their CTS for a while: how does it hold up to rock chips, and where do they occur the most?
I've had a 3M Miracle Shield ("clear bra") installed when the car had about 60 miles on it. The choices were for one with a scalloped edge (i.e. follows the body contours), or with a straight across cut. I chose the straight across cut, since it covered more of the paint. I also had the mirrors done. I have been told that it can be waxed with the remainder of the car--although I have not yet applied wax since it was installed. It is barely perceptible, and it has held up well during our winter (lots of road debris spraying up against the front of the car, especially during highway driving). The installation plus tax came to around $725 and it took him around five hours, and it appears to be a quality job.
We had the clear bra put on our CTS at the first of the year shortly after we bought it. It seems to be working fine. We live on a dirt road in the country and after a car wash it still looks like we just drove it off the lot. (Its Diamond White). Probably the real test will be to see what it looks like after a year.
I ordered and installed the Invisi-Mask clear bra kits from http://www.invisiblemask.com/site.html and the install went pretty good. The instructional DVD and tools they send with the kit made it fairly easy to install on a long Saturday afternoon. I ordered the kit with everything covered from the front wheels forward and also the mirrors and it came out to about 425 shipped to my door. If you feel like doing it yourself, it wasn't too bad (take your time and prep the surface very well).
* I don't have any association with this company. I'm just a satisfied customer.
FWIW, the headlight protectors and mirror kit was the easiest to install and would be a good place to start with.
I highly recommend it. Great protection against chips. I had the hood, forward facing parts of the front bumper, headlights, mirrors, inside of the door handles, and splash zones behind each tire done. Some one on a similar thread also recommended the strip below the trunk lid on the rear bumper. I thought that was a really good idea. Find a good installer, makes a difference.
The clear bra is fantastic. I have it on my 911 custom fit to my bumper, side skirts, lights, hood and mirrors and it was WELL WORTH the $$. You cannot see the lines of the film in which many good installers can hide nicely
BUYER BEWARE - make sure the installer doesnt cut the film while it is on the car!! This "cut on car" is a VERY COMMON practice as many of my friends had razer marks etched in their paint from lazy installers (used by many dealers).
__________________ synergy Current Rides:2006 Porsche 997S (mod beast), 2008 Cadillac CTS DI Thunder Gray, all options (daily driver), 2008 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD (wife & baby mobile - also Motor Trend's SUV of the year so I had to buy it )
Keep a soft toothbrush handy and when washing the car, run the toothbrush along the seam. This will remove excess wax, dirt etc.
If you Don't do this, the line will be very visible after a year or two.
I've had the bra on my Murano now for 4 1/2 years and need to make the decison as to whether to do it again.
The things DOES get ratty after awhile. It takes a lot of stones, etc and over the years collects quite a few bruises and cuts.
Of course, under this coating, the paint is still pristine!
BTW the back of the Mirrors took the worst of it.
Keep a soft toothbrush handy and when washing the car, run the toothbrush along the seam. This will remove excess wax, dirt etc.
If you Don't do this, the line will be very visible after a year or two.
I've had the bra on my Murano now for 4 1/2 years and need to make the decison as to whether to do it again.
The things DOES get ratty after awhile. It takes a lot of stones, etc and over the years collects quite a few bruises and cuts.
Of course, under this coating, the paint is still pristine!
BTW the back of the Mirrors took the worst of it.
So my question is whether you replace the bra after it gets ratty so it looks great again or are living with it and just preserving the paint for the next owner?
) 
