I never have clear bra installed on any cars I owned until I had my first Lamborghini. I installed clear bra on my previous Gallardo and now on my Murcie. Although clear bra somewhat protects the car from flying debris on the freeways but with clear bra, you have to be very careful when cleaning to avoid scratching the film. My other concern is that the car is not as shiny compared to a car with no clear bra.

I am sure some of the Owners here installed clear bra on their Lambo. Are you satisfied with it and how do you maintain it to keep it shiny?

Thanks for your input.

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2004 Murcielago
2008 S63 AMG
www.lhlarchitects.com

I have a clear bra on my Gallardo...and I've scratched or otherwise cleaned too hard on the hood, now I have what looks like a smudge but is actually the plastic scratched, about 1/2" wide and 3" long. Wax doesn't seem to be able to get rid of it. Not sure what to do since it's not in the paint but only the bra? I have noticed on other areas that it starts to yellow a bit too with age...maybe I should have it replaced every few years. Overall I'm happy with the protection it provides though. It is a ripoff, considering what it is and how much they charge to install it.

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M. H.
Italian Car & Bike Enthusiast
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'05 Silver/Black Gallardo
MV Agusta F41000
MV Agusta Brutale 910R

Matt, although my clear bra still in pretty good condition but I missed the shininess of a waxed car like my previous Porsches and BMWs. Having said that, I am planning to remove my clear bra unless if there are any other alternate to make it shiny.

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2004 Murcielago
2008 S63 AMG
www.lhlarchitects.com

I suggest anyone with a clear bra pick up a can of "PLEXUS" online for cleaning and protection. Some waxes have dyes in them and over years can slightly change the hue of the bra. Swirls can be introduced in the clear bra as well, but just like paint, can be carefully buffed out. Mine is 4 years old and still looks good...

Thanks for the info Lou. I will order today and try it out.

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2004 Murcielago
2008 S63 AMG
www.lhlarchitects.com

Hi Walt, I had a 3M Clear Bra on my Evo VIII and it was a blessing & a curse.

I had mine installed b/c I traveled regularly through Pomona/Upland area, and the semi-trucks always threw small pebbles & rocks up off the freeways and chipped the front fascia on my cars.

The 3M clear bra protected it from damage, but was a pain to maintain...although I love what it did to protect my paint.

In my opinion, after owning one for 2 years...

Pro's
* Protects the paint
* Maintains resale value
* Allows the paint under the clear bra to "fade" with the rest of the body paint so you don't have 2 tone nose / body paint. By "fade" I mean the 3M bra would allow the paint to match the rest of the body not protected by the 3M coating.
* Cleanable/waxable

Con's
* Required regular maintenance/waxing
* Required 3m masking tape to protect the edges when waxing to prevent wax buildup at the edges and/or peeling
* Could discolor/turn cloudy if not maintained properly
* Frustrating/time consuming to maintain properly

The key, according to the installer, to maintaining the 3M clear bra is to WAX it regularly...otherwise it will scratch and possibly turn yellow/cloudy and look bad. I liked performing my own maintenance, so I waxed the 3M bra once a month...and it was a pain in the ass. The results were great, however. As I said, it was a love/hate relationship for me.

I'm glad I installed it on my car, and I was fine performing the maintenance on it once it was installed, but I'm not sure I would have another one installed again. It would depend heavily on my driving habits, the car, and the environmental elements.

I hope this helps.

I have one on all my cars and the latest materials are far superior to ones I've had put on just a year or two ago. The one on my Gallardo is virtually invisible and most people can't see it. And that car is titanium metallic which is a color where the bra would be most noticeable. You can see pics on my website. It is on the full front of the car. Yes, it is expensive (about $2k) but worth it. I am able to wax it similar to paint and have never had yellowing or paint fade from a clear bra. Sean Highland at Ultimate Auto Care does a great job for me. You can ask him what the name/brand of the material he uses. He is in SoCal in the city of Orange. He's also a good guy.

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2008 Superleggera
1991 Diablo (for sale)
1998 Lotus Esprit V8 turbo (for sale)
2002 Maserati Spyder

See photos at www.garysexotics.com

The newest clear bra material I think it is "venture shield", is far superior than 3M. I just had it applied on the full front of my G-car about a month ago. It's virtually invisible. The installer did a custom wrap and tuck the edges in, so there is no problem on wax residue.
It actually add a slight shine and gloss to the applied areas. And with the use of Plexus cleaner and polish, I am satisfied with the results.
For a car like a Gallardo, I think it is a requirement.

Walt,

I had clear bra installed on my new Gallardo. It came with a can of Plexus and I have used it with great success. It not only polishes it, but it selas it and actually penetrates the plastic material. It conditions it and provides protection against yellowing and streaking. The clear came with an instuction card and it says to use the Plexus at least twice a month and everytime you wash the car. I will use it weekly. My clear bra is almost completely undetectable and shines with the same vibrance of the paint.

Wow Russ, your car looks really pretty. I have already ordered my Plexus. Do you use a polisher?

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2004 Murcielago
2008 S63 AMG
www.lhlarchitects.com