Push up Bra!!!!

[FlySri]

I'm going to try and sorce out a car bra for my Sri T. Just wondering what people think of them and any helpfull tips on using them. I'm so sick of stone chips :( (2 and counting) :oops:

[RK]

I personally dont see a point.. UNLESS youre going on long drives interstate or something. If youre gonna hide the front end and the paintwork with a car bra.. i dont see a point in protecting the paintwork in the first place. i just think it totally ruins the look of the car.

[FlySri]

I do agree, but I have to drive to work and back with concrete trucks every day.

[RK]

ahh. in that case, yeah. it would be beneficial.

[My04SRi]

i think its a waste of money and they look f.ugly

[FlySri]

I just found out that there worth $330 and $352 to your door.

[anicorsa]

What about those plastic bonnet protectors?? they look better... 8)

[FlySri]

I don't like the look of them!! :roll: Not on a turbo......

[anicorsa]

Better than a CarBra though. IMHO.

[sunny]

i think its a waste of money and they look f.ugly

very true ....

unless you do a lot of outback travel or highways miles then its not worth it

[Anonymous]

These was a discussion a long long time ago here about car bra's... check the early post if you can be bothered.

[blackSRi]

Yeah, try 3M Automotive film - subtle - can't tell its there if you match panel seams and rocks just bounce off it - your resale value will be better and it comes off without paint damage.
You can also do your headlights with the optically-clear heat and UV-proof headlight film.
You can even do your expensive foggies. Just need to find an experienced automotive film techhie - pinstripe/decals. (easier in VIC or NSW than lil ole WA)

I am getting a quote for some with my new vehicle cause I will probably buy the next car after next lease (SRi or SRiT) - the current SRi is a classic and I like the shape better than the new H.

[sribear]

I had a carbra on my last vehicle, did a whole heap of interstate trips in it and thought it was a good idea till I took it off.
When removed, I found that it had rubbed through the duco in certain spots that werent exactly a snug fit. Be very very careful :cry: :cry:
I like the auto film idea

[em]

I'm going to try and sorce out a car bra for my Sri T. Just wondering what people think of them and any helpfull tips on using them. I'm so sick of stone chips :( (2 and counting) :oops:

Do your research first, the car bra rub's paint in certain areas, depending on the fit, they also get a damp condensation build up as it doesn’t let the paint breath and these can both cause major damage to your paint work.

Is it worth saving a few stone chips for $350 or a front end respray $$$$ ???

[Anonymous]

I'm going to try and sorce out a car bra for my Sri T. Just wondering what people think of them and any helpfull tips on using them. I'm so sick of stone chips :( (2 and counting) :oops:

Do your research first, the car bra rub's paint in certain areas, depending on the fit, they also get a damp condensation build up as it doesn’t let the paint breath and these can both cause major damage to your paint work.

Is it worth saving a few stone chips for $350 or a front end respray $$$$ ???

From what i've heard, car bras are ok, but can damage your car, as said above. From whats being said... in the end, you might just have to get a re-spray either way.

[FlySri]

I think it may just be better to save the money and just fix the chips :?

[FreeRide]

I think it may just be better to save the money and just fix the chips :?

get a turtle wax chip stik and coloured polish. I have a similar situation as i work at Pt Kembla steel works. I bought one of these packs from auto1 (but you could prob. get it from K mart) about 3 weeks back and it works damn well once you get the hang of using a crayon on your car! I had a few larger chips plus at least 20 tiny chips that have disappeared. It even worked well on a section about the size of a 5 cent coin where the paint had been attacked by some nasty-assed steelworks fallout.

If you must get a bra i suggest www.victoriassecret.com

[blackSRi]

Em, yep it is - who wants to pay for removal, respray and clear coat - original paint is best.
Once you put film on you never need to fix chips, and as as soon as you fix chips at any point, you know you will just get more.

My lease company supports film cause they have the finish maintained and they have fines for excessive damage be it chip, dent or scrtaches in the body work - $200 per breach. (my fault or not - and my insurance excess is $500).

Also matching paint is a pain - who want to take a risk on Arden Blue?
I had my bonnet and bumper done last Oct by a spraypainter who specialises in Astras, and I know my respray wasn't as good as original on my SRi - the black colour looks fine but there are now:
drip lines,
bubbles in the clearcoat,
and texture that looks like roller painting.

Each to their own I guess, it's same as people I know who take a new car and let the upholstery go cause they don't vacuum the sand out of the creases, or spill stuff in the car etc, and never clean it.
It's your choice - and it's your depreciation if you want to sell your car later. Nice vehicle = better resale value or trade-in (as I found with the mazda I did last - taking the time to get the 40-odd dents taken out and the 5 hrs detailing it meant $2K more profit on on private sale - based on offers I got).

[em]

Em, yep it is - who wants to pay for removal, respray and clear coat - original paint is best.
Once you put film on you never need to fix chips, and as as soon as you fix chips at any point, you know you will just get more.

My lease company supports film cause they have the finish maintained and they have fines for excessive damage be it chip, dent or scrtaches in the body work - $200 per breach. (my fault or not - and my insurance excess is $500).

Also matching paint is a pain - who want to take a risk on Arden Blue?
I had my bonnet and bumper done last Oct by a spraypainter who specialises in Astras, and I know my respray wasn't as good as original on my SRi - the black colour looks fine but there are now:
drip lines,
bubbles in the clearcoat,
and texture that looks like roller painting.

Each to their own I guess, it's same as people I know who take a new car and let the upholstery go cause they don't vacuum the sand out of the creases, or spill stuff in the car etc, and never clean it.
It's your choice - and it's your depreciation if you want to sell your car later. Nice vehicle = better resale value or trade-in (as I found with the mazda I did last - taking the time to get the 40-odd dents taken out and the 5 hrs detailing it meant $2K more profit on on private sale - based on offers I got).

Ok well, I might be slightly bias, my dad is a spray painter so I don’t pay for anything when it comes to repainting, but for the aesthetic appearance I wouldn’t get a car bra because of damage they do to the paint. I would prefer a few chips here and there then the top coat rubbed off in certain places.... your right everyone is entitled to there own opinion I just urge you to make sure you have done your research...

hey also if your colour doesnt match you have the right to take it back and demand it to be repainted... after all you are the customer

[blackSRi]

Too true Em, you are lucky having a dad who can spray paint your car!!
Your's must be fully colour-coded by now?

Last respray result acceptance was up to the insurance assessor - what he/she thinks goes I guess, they just don't really care... I mean if they checked out the $20 mounting bracket for the bumper that was re-bent and not replaced, they would know why the bumper keeps slipping down and pulled through the rivets - I complained and was told "we will simply say that you have hit stuff with it (cause you have a low lip and curbs are high *points our old scratches on the lip*) or others have hit you when you weren't at your car in the car park - and cause your bumper is springform, no dent or scrape will show.... and thanks for the excess when we fix it again for you - our word vs. yrs pal - and we are your preferred insurance repairers"... nice.. so car change coming up before the glue fails again and the lease company see the bumper slipped and blame me.

[Dregger]

no offence blacksri but people who say they "specalise" in a car type or brand is pulling both your legs.

a car has panels on it with paint..... much the same with a desk is wood with sealer on it.

basically how good the job is depends on the skillset and techniques/process the actual panel beather and/or painter does.

doesn't matter how good of a panel beater he is, if he can't colour match....then the job will still look awful.

[Jass]

I agree, ive met some awful panel beaters, until i found my current one, who does a very good job and he is also a NRMA authorise panel beater :mrgreen:

[em]

Too true Em, you are lucky having a dad who can spray paint your car!!
Your's must be fully colour-coded by now?





hmmmmm no not really, mine is totally stock except for badges, about to sell her so dont really want to put time or money into it...

[blackSRi]

Hey Dregger, you might say that, but, I trust my eyes and references.

I never chose them, my insurer and fleet control did.
If their ad and sign say they are Euro specialists and I see Beemers, Merc, Audis, Pugeots parked out front when visiting 3 times, plus other Astras I would say they are who they say they are.
If I ask 2 Holden dealers (fleet sales) in Perth, and my Company fleet manager (we have over 500-600 cars, of all makes), and my fleet control centre (who manages most lease cars in WA) and my insurer, and they all say these guys, then I tend to believe them - wouldn't you?
I agree with you -

yes how good the job is depends on the skillset and techniques/process the actual panel beather and/or painter does.
Doesn't matter how good of a panel beater he is, if he can't colour match....then the job will still look awful.


as the colour was matched spot-on (not hard as the bumper was a full respray and the bonnet new and a full paint job), it was the clearcoat and finish mainly (apart from the drip lines) and stressing the bumper to make it curve without bracket support causing mounts to push through and the rivets to pop and the need then to glue it, then not fixing it cause the assessor said it was ok for fleet. They can have it back - I will get a new car in 2 months.

Hey Em, just remember to fix those chips b4 selling ;-) lol

[FlySri]

Luckerly my naighbour is a bang up spray paintier, I'll sling him a slab and we'll get the chips off !!!! Good reason to have a drink too!!

[blackSRi]

Man, I move in the wrong circles - everyone seems to know spraypainters! I Just know sales people, IT geeks, lawyers and a few models ;-)
I could fix a coupla PCs for a work swap I guess.