I live in rural Illinois and between the damm bugs and the trucks my cars take a beating on the front end.
I have heard that bras can help, then I hear that bras ruin the finish. I will get one if I can be reasonably well assured that it wont wreck my front bumper clearcoat etc...

thanks

oh yeah, what bra would you recommend?

 

Personally I like the Bra's from victoria's secret. They just "feel" better.

 

It really depends on what vehicle you have and how well the bra fits. I'd say don't do it because it will mark up your clear coat, possibly severly. Instead of a bra just keep the nose of your car waxed really well and reapply it every 3-4 weeks. This will protect your paint for the most part and the bugs will wash right off.

Back to the bra issue. If the bra can cover the entire nose of your car without having openings for fog lights, etc then you'll probably be okay with one - as long as you take the bra off often and clean/wax underneath. I had an 89 IROC-Z and a solid bra on the nose of it and it never really damaged the paint (I took it off when it rained though). Now, on my '96 TA I once put a bra on it for a long-distance trip from Orlando, FL to Knoxville, TN and when I got to Tennessee and removed the bra I noticed that the clear coat at the bottom edge of the front bumper cover was worn down to the paint! I almost cried (in fact, I think I did). This happened because the fog light openings allowed small particles of dirt to get lodged behind the bra right behind and below the fog light openings. Needless to say, I had the nose repainted and have been using the wax trick every since - works perfectly. Also, don't follow other cars to close...that'll give you nice rock chip marks in your paint.

 

Yea, that's because you need that push-up bra...

 

thanks
I guess I'll nix the bra idea and just live with the stone chips and bug plastering and occasionally consider repainting the front of the car
thanks

ps this will be my new baby
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6427

 

I got my bra from carbras.com and there is the clear plastic over the fog light holes, so nothing gets in. You can still see the lights with the plastic on, or cut if off if you'd like

 

that is what I think of bras. I put one on mine for a long trip and it rubbed underneath the grill and their is like a little line running all the way across the front bumper. Also the paint rubbed all the way through by the wheels and I had to touch that up. I would just keep the front end waxed really good and don't follow close.

 

if the front of the car looks like crap and you dont have the money to get it repainted ide buy a bra, if your paint on the bumper is in good shape as said before leave it alone

 

you know i personally would never get a bra again....i owned a mustang gt few years ago, it was white, i bought a hood bra for it, not the full nose bra, and i was always kinda lazy to take it off when i wash the car, so one day i decided to take it off because i noticed lots of dirt was traped underneath it, so i did and almost wish i didnt, the color turned yellow , the car looked so stupid with half the hood yellow and the other white, i was really upset...when i sold the car i made sure it was on a nice sunny day where the guy didnt notice it. , go get yourself the 3M tape put on instead, you can get it from shops where they tint windows.

 

Bugs and stone chips are beauty marks on a car. It shows it has been driven. Too many times have I repainted the front end only to have some guy pass me on the highway and kick up a rock to gouge the bumper or hood again. I just deal with it. I don't enter show and shines anymore, but i'm sure I'll deal with it

As for the 'bra', Victoria Secret does make some good supporting bra's. Comfort and styling in my opinion.

 

I live in Florida and we have a severe Love Bug problem down here a couple times a year. Love Bugs are very acidic and eat through paint and clear coat. For the first like 4 years I owned my 94 I had a Wolfe brand bra (just a cheap bra from AutoZone) on my car for several months a year. I'd take it off each time I washed the car (sometimes only once in three months! ) and clean behind the bra. Did this for 4 years and the paint was still perfect.

If you buy a really crappy bra and don't install it correctly and it "slaps" the crap out of the paint all the time then, yeah, you're going to have problems. But, if installed correctly and it's a decent fit, I don't see why you couldn't keep your paint looking good like I did.

 

I had a LeBra, and not only did it kill my clear coat, but it altmost killed me. The strap on the drivers side let loose and underneath the hood started to tear from windshear (i was on a 2 hr road trip) an the constant wind force just tore it apart, needless to say it managed to pop the hood latch and my hood was fluttering up and down if it wasnt for that release button underneath i dunno i prolly woulda been in some serious trouble. I know this isnt a practicle mishap, but it still happened and i still never put another one on since.

 

The previous owner had a bra on it for the whole life of the car. The front bumper is completely ruined. clear coat is gone, there are chips and cracks all over. going to need to get it repainted

 

Damn, really feel sorry for that guy