Printable View
Back before I had a vx (not long ago) I read a post where a owner had put a clear bra on the front of the vx....if I remember right it was a 3M product and was held in place via static electricity. Anyone out there know what I am talking about and could point me to the original post or a place to buy them? Also comments by anyone who has tried it would be helpful as well.
Thanks
I believe the product is by Teflon. MotorTrend did an article on it awhile back. They did the entire hood, mirrors and front fenders. Although it seemed like a good idea I thought it was quite expensive. It was well over $1,000 and you could repaint for that kind of money. There may be cheaper do it yourself kits out there now though.
Ty
You might have seen Moncha's site: http://www.moncha.com/vxframe.html
I had the 3M invisible bra installed on our Proton. The product is only sold to certified installers - but can be had over the internet for self installation. It is quite expensive. I sought a local installer because I did not want to screw up the installation and waste the film. It performs as advertised and looks fine. I would not install it if you already have paint chips or poorly touched up chips. Any pit or bump is highlighted by the film. Many high end (Lexus, etc.) auto dealers are offering it as an option now so you might want to contact them. One window tint shop also offered it. I had my done by Ziebart, a rust protection shop. They did a nice job but did not use as wide a film strip as I had expected/desired. They were not willing to cover any other part but the front of the hood. The cut edges under the hood are slightly frayed now but do not appear to be peeling back. I would definitely consider this for any new vehicle. Hope this helps.
Search on Stone guard.
This is one old post
The nose kit consists of three parts - Two triangular corners and one center hood piece. The plastic thickness is about 10 mil on a paper backing. The material is made to stretch and to bond to the paint. A liberal spraying with a water alcohol mix is used. The application temperature range is from 60-80 degrees. The hood was hot and the air was about 80. The hood was washed and cooled. Turpentine was used to remove the wax and any tree sap specks on the paint but not on the headlights. The temperature makes the stretching go with little force, but the temperature also makes the bonding set up fast and strong. This combination of conditions and installer Brian having never tried the curves of the VX before, resulted in a failure to align on the last side down. Pulling off for another try damaged the film. He should have started in the center and worked out. Installer Brian had to get another part from Stoneguard and have another go at no cost to me.
Brian went ahead and put on the corners. The film needs to be stretched into the form of a blister without stretching the edges or excess material will result. It does not stretch back. The second corner went on better than the first, but both are fine.
The finished appearance can best be described as follows:
Look at the reflection of a neon light in your clean paint, like in your garage. You will notice some slight texture - orange peel typical of a production paint job. View a coated area in the same manor. About a two times increase in texture will be seen. Not bad, IMHI. From 5 feet, no difference can be seen.
The biggest disappointment was that the hood center piece was 2 1/2" short of the hood insert. I called Kevin at Stoneguard and asked if the hood piece could be made to cover the whole painted area between the insert and the front hood edge and then angle over to meet the existing corners. He said he would consult the designer and a VX would have to be found in Seattle to proof the change.
The headlight covers are 1/16" thick and they do not stretch. The pattern should be started 1/8" in from the horizontal edge to get the cutout for the horn bump to align equally. They are really heavy-duty protection and are not noticeable additions.
Phase 2--
Thanks to Techart for his visit to Stoneguard for a measurement of the new larger piece. The original three piece set cost about$173.00 and the new set costs about $227.00. My installer charged me $110.00. He was cheap, as installers go. As far as doing it your self - I watched twice and I would estimate my chances of getting it right the first time at about 60%. After spending over $200.00 for the material, I wouldn't take the risk.
Phase 3--
Still on and perfect after 14 months. I would do it again.
Roy