Paint protection
 

Is it worth investing in clear bra for paint protection on a 911? Is covering the front end sufficient. Drove my new 991 first time and it has a rock chip.

Yes, you'll get you're money back at trade-in time.

If you are anal and hate to see paint chips the only ongoing solution is the bra. Or, you can get the front end repainted after you have accumulated enough chips where you can't take it anymore.

Nobody will pay you extra $ for a car that has a clear bra. It's basically to see your car chip free.

Don't want a blade near my car Razor cuts? No Thanks.

The reasoning is a car with less chips is worth more than one full of chips.
991 paint chips very easy.
Those wide hips, collect a ton of chips, so it makes sense to do the whole car.

Ask any dealer and they will tell you the same thing... The clear bra is for your enjoyment. Adds no value to resale.

No private party individual is going to pay thousands extra for no chips on a new car. Not going to happen.

You are right.
But "new" car?
The car would be used.

The point is, a 911 full of chips is unsellable, or at best, worth far less.
A chipped 911 will need a repaint before selling, which is a big cost, that is even harder to recover.

The only other way to avoid chips is to not drive your car.
Which is what many choose.

I meant used.. Anyways very few cars out on the road have a clear bra. Nobody is going to pay thousands above value.
Any dealer worth anything just goes by manhiem when giving a bid on car.

Unsellable? Go look at you local p car dealer and see how many of their used cars have a clear bra.

Agreed, "Above Value" is a pipe dream.
Its a matter of protection from going Below Value, due to excessive chips.
Just one of many ways a car can be worth even less-than-less.

Im figuring the chips, that I would have collected, w/o PPF would cost me more in reduced value (below normal value) than the PPF.

Dealers repaint cars, which is part of their reconditioning budget, from acquiring the cars dirt cheap.

I thought like you before, as PPF is expensive.
However, I am very happy how Xpel maintains the finish.
I know I would be chipped, swirled and worth less-than-less, without it.

Now I want to keep the car longer, which is also a savings, compared to starting another depreciation cycle.

Xpel does great work. They know their nice cars. But make sure you get it installed at a place that's clean and you trust. If you're anal about rock chips, you're going to be anal about how it's installed. Don't even think about doing it yourself.

http://www.motoroso.com/XPEL

Wouldn't drive mine until I got the xpel on the full front. Had a chip in my bumper immediately just on one drive on the interstate. The front bumper is especially soft with the paint. Worth it to me to keep it good looking. Have xpel on all my (modern) cars now.

My whole car is covered except the engine cover and spoiler. I love the fact that I don't have to worry about chips.

After having done mine and I might add I am very happy with the work my guy did.

I think from a $ Value perspective (Higher resale value be cause of less chips) is probably something of a push... I hardly doubt it is thousands in difference. Although It may depend on the kind of driving you do.

I've taken a couple of road stones that bounced off my hood and the Suntek saved me.. And for the most part after a year an a half I have a perfect paint in terms of no chips even driving with the rash kicked up by trucks on the freeways in SoCal. But was it worth the Price of the clear bra..? I'm not sure..

I'm going to think about it pretty hard before my next new car.. I'm guessing I won't get it as I do think the problem is a little overhyped.

What is the typical expense of the clear bra ... I know it will vary depending on what parts of the car you decide to have done but what is the general range let's say from doing just the front to doing the whole car.

Maybe I am wrong but aren't you basically covering your paint with a film so any imperfections in the paint are now covered ... I think that would drive me crazy knowing that there is an imperfection that I now can't correct in the paint since it's covered.

The other part of the film that I don't understand is the reason for waxing over the film ... does it add any protectant to the plastic or are you just trying to get the contaminates off that have accumulated over time.

I'm on the fence with this for my next car, I love the fact that it protects against paint chips but don't know enough about the product plus it really bothers me my car gets taken apart when it is brand new during the install ...

+1 Xpel does make a great product. Seen this installed on a lot of vehicles.