Is the Clear Bar WORTH IT?
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Benz
Is the Clear Bar WORTH IT?
I just called Clear Solutions and they quoted me for 595.00 + tax (626.50) And I was wondering if thats worth it. I had a black RSX-S that had a lot of chips in the front hood and I would hate for that to happen to the c300. So, if you've got clear bra installed, how do you like it? Worth the money? If you're thinking about getting it, whats holding you back? And if you want to state the obvious advantages or disadvantages about the clear bra that would be much appreciated. Thanks for your input. 
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Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Long Island, NY
06 CLS55 AMG
Is the clear bra "stuff" worth almost $600??? In one answer NO! In fact, when you buy it at wholesale, a whole role (which will do about a dozen vehicles) of the brand name 3M tape they use costs you about a quarter of that amount, but what you're paying for is a time intensive labor installation. It takes a skilled individual hours to get a clear bar on right. Many think it's easy to do, but depending on the application, getting it on without air bubbles, and wrinkles, not to mention even with the lines of the body, is a pretty grueling task.
Now on the other is $600 worth a little extra piece of mind knowing that you won't have to repaint your bumper ($250-$400) after a years worth of driving, I think it is. A good quality clear bra should give you at the very least 3 years of solid use (they're not made to last forever) if not longer. Eventually, even with a clear bra, you will get chips, scrapes and scratches.
Last but not least, if you find an independent retailer / installer, you can usually get a clear bra done for about $300-$400. When you purchase it through a dealer, don't forget, they also make a little $$$ on the back end of the purchase...
Now on the other is $600 worth a little extra piece of mind knowing that you won't have to repaint your bumper ($250-$400) after a years worth of driving, I think it is. A good quality clear bra should give you at the very least 3 years of solid use (they're not made to last forever) if not longer. Eventually, even with a clear bra, you will get chips, scrapes and scratches.
Last but not least, if you find an independent retailer / installer, you can usually get a clear bra done for about $300-$400. When you purchase it through a dealer, don't forget, they also make a little $$$ on the back end of the purchase...
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Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Long Island, NY
06 CLS55 AMG
I forgot to mention, be sure whomever installs your clear bar, they use 3M brand tape and not some other "cheaper" brand X. The cheaper brands are known to turn yellow or haze up, due to poor UV protection.
And one disadvantage to a clear bra, when you wax your car, and depending on the wax you use, you will get "white edges" around where the clear bra ends, so that can get annoying at times... Not a big deal, but those of you who have a clear bar on know what I'm talking about and how on those days when you just want to finish the job - how annoying it can be....
And one disadvantage to a clear bra, when you wax your car, and depending on the wax you use, you will get "white edges" around where the clear bra ends, so that can get annoying at times... Not a big deal, but those of you who have a clear bar on know what I'm talking about and how on those days when you just want to finish the job - how annoying it can be....
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2014 Ghibli S Q4 & 2008 C350
I had it done for $399 at the dealer. It was a fair price when compared to other installers in my area. I think it's a very smart investment for your car. I didn't get the bumper covered since they are easier to have redone and less likely to get dinged then the metal parts (hood & fenders). The bumpers can absorb impacts better than metal, but will certainly get dinged over time. What I found was about $400+ just to have the bumper covered so I held off on that and went with just the hood, front portion of fenders and courtesy strips on the door edges.
My dealer uses the 3M ClearBra product, but I would also consider Venture or xPel's new film (which I read was made by Venture??). Each has pro's and con's but these are the best products on the market from what I was able to find in my research. Neither will yellow or harm your cars paint and should last several years. The detailer that works on my cars has had a ClearBra on his car for 5 years and it looks like new. Once they start to get scratched, there are polishers you can apply to freshen them up.
Good luck!
My dealer uses the 3M ClearBra product, but I would also consider Venture or xPel's new film (which I read was made by Venture??). Each has pro's and con's but these are the best products on the market from what I was able to find in my research. Neither will yellow or harm your cars paint and should last several years. The detailer that works on my cars has had a ClearBra on his car for 5 years and it looks like new. Once they start to get scratched, there are polishers you can apply to freshen them up.
Good luck!
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