Prius bra: 2.5 years later

galaxee · 09-19-2007, 09:42 PM

with all the debate about the risk/benefit of using a vinyl bra on the front of one's car, i thought i'd take some shots of my car when i pulled the bra off it today.

it's had a bra since shortly after we got it, after we noted the shape was pretty rock-prone.

taking pictures of the paint quality on my car was HARD. i kept taking pictures of myself :P but here's the best i can do:

the hood: lots of small and large-ish rock chips. all in all, definitely showing its age as a 2.5 year old car.

(yes, i do notice those swirls

i'm getting to it ok?)

the front bumper covered by the bra: dust from the ride home from the car wash site. fewer swirls, of course, overall, 1000% better than the hood- just the occasional minor scratch from a leaf or bit of grit getting wedged under there or something.

only notable downside: the attachment point on the side of the headlight causes micro-scratches. i need to polish that out.

extremely notable upside: the bra took a major hit on a road trip recently, the debris actually punctured the bra and was still enough to cause this. i shudder to think what it would have looked like otherwise. and, the bra covers it up

for reference, i've zoomed in and this is right below the hood ornament.

overall, i'd say the benefits outweigh the minor drawbacks. the bra-covered area looks far newer than the hood and rear-fender areas where there are paint chips adding up.

we have no intent on actually selling the car, our recently re-evaluated and reaffirmed plan is to keep the car and drive it into the ground. so outward appearance to us is nothing more than a matter of pride- no concern over resale value. we're still using the bra.

**Tideland Prius** · 09-19-2007, 11:25 PM

Interesting. I might start investing in that. My bumper is pitted already.

ACORNBLUES · 09-20-2007, 01:27 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Sep 19 2007, 08:42 PM) [snapback]515068[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

overall, i'd say the minor drawbacks outweigh the benefits. the bra-covered area looks far newer than the hood and rear-fender areas where there are paint chips adding up.
[/b]

Thanks for sharing galaxee. I personally really appreciate the photos you took.

JimboK · 09-20-2007, 08:56 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Sep 19 2007, 09:42 PM) [snapback]515068[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

overall, i'd say the minor drawbacks outweigh the benefits. [/b]

Can I assume you meant the opposite?

When I was considering the purchase of a vinyl bra a year and a half or so ago, it was largely your comments then that moved me to get one. Though several had said, "Don't get one, it will scratch your paint," I had not seen any first hand reports from Prius owners actually confirming that. Then after seeing your favorable posts (and others), I figured that if it works with your black paint, it should work with my blue paint.

I rarely remove it, mainly for the semi-annual Zaino treatment. Like yours, the finish beneath the bra looks better than what's exposed. In my few short pre-bra months I had already accumulated several small rock chips. No more.

I'll have to watch that headlight attachment point. Thanks for the heads-up.

galaxee · 09-20-2007, 10:53 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimboK @ Sep 20 2007, 08:56 AM) [snapback]515198[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Can I assume you meant the opposite?
[/b]

yes- i went and fixed that. i was multi-tasking at the time.

i also take the bra off a couple times a year to wash and wax. i removed it yesterday because we're going to pull that lower grille off and put some screening behind it for a/c condenser protection. and it was too hot to do anything on the paint over the summer, so it's been about 8 months. it needed a wash.

hycamguy07 · 09-20-2007, 12:46 PM

I purchased mine from autoanything.com for $66.50 thats the same price for the tundra,prius & camry.

Again beats 400-600 for the clear, I recently saw a car with the clear bra it was cracxking off and turning yellow. Nasty..

My wife had a semi tire shrapnel hit the front bumper on the cam and I pulled the bra off and not a mark in the paint the bra had a rubber scuff on it though, try that with a clear bra. :P

**Tideland Prius** · 09-20-2007, 01:06 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Sep 20 2007, 07:53 AM) [snapback]515238[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

yes- i went and fixed that. i was multi-tasking at the time.

i also take the bra off a couple times a year to wash and wax. i removed it yesterday because we're going to pull that lower grille off and put some screening behind it for a/c condenser protection. and it was too hot to do anything on the paint over the summer, so it's been about 8 months. it needed a wash.
[/b]

so I assume it comes off every time you want to wash the car?

MSQ · 09-20-2007, 03:54 PM

"the bra-covered area looks far newer than the hood and rear-fender areas"

I'm anxiously waiting for my Touring 08' package 6 to arrive and have been wondering about the bra. I've asked for the "vehicle shield" which is supposed to help with fading and sound elimination. I have a friend who ordered it and swears it has reduced the noise level. In reference to the fading, my assumption is if you had the vehicle shield you would get a new paint job for free as it would be easy to prove. All the more reason, at least for me, to get the bra.

Has anyone had any experiece with this? Does Toyota live up to the guarantee? I think this is just a Gulf States option but I'm not sure.

It's been amazing to be able to read everyone's experience with so many different topics, what a great site!

0o0~

Raider · 09-20-2007, 04:24 PM

I have the Le Bra brand front end bra for our Prius and it includes screen/mesh on the lower and upper grill sections. It also covers more area on the hood as the hood and lower bra cover around the highest portion of the headlamp. Like a mask, rather than only covering up to the mid level of the headlamps.

This is more covered area than the dealer supplied bra. I'll try to find a picture of my car with both bras for illustration.

I paid 50 shipped for the Le Bra and 70 shipped for the Toyota dealer version. Both found on ebay in New/Unused condition in box.

Our car is Metallic Silver so the swirls and scratches, like dirt and dust, may not be as noticable as a darker paint color. (.02)

galaxee · 09-21-2007, 03:59 PM

the bra only comes off the car a couple times a year. i haven't bothered to pull it off every time i wash, that would be a serious PITA. you probably need to pull it off at least every 6 months to wash the bra and the paint underneath.

everything shows up on black. dust, dirt, scratches, swirls, pollen, fingerprints, if you breathe on it... you get the idea.

09-19-2007, 09:42 PM	#1
galaxee running WOT until out of fuel Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: central NC/ western WI Posts: 9,075 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #5 Nominated 5 Times in 3 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 21	with all the debate about the risk/benefit of using a vinyl bra on the front of one's car, i thought i'd take some shots of my car when i pulled the bra off it today. it's had a bra since shortly after we got it, after we noted the shape was pretty rock-prone. taking pictures of the paint quality on my car was HARD. i kept taking pictures of myself :P but here's the best i can do: the hood: lots of small and large-ish rock chips. all in all, definitely showing its age as a 2.5 year old car. (yes, i do notice those swirls i'm getting to it ok?) the front bumper covered by the bra: dust from the ride home from the car wash site. fewer swirls, of course, overall, 1000% better than the hood- just the occasional minor scratch from a leaf or bit of grit getting wedged under there or something. only notable downside: the attachment point on the side of the headlight causes micro-scratches. i need to polish that out. extremely notable upside: the bra took a major hit on a road trip recently, the debris actually punctured the bra and was still enough to cause this. i shudder to think what it would have looked like otherwise. and, the bra covers it up for reference, i've zoomed in and this is right below the hood ornament. overall, i'd say the benefits outweigh the minor drawbacks. the bra-covered area looks far newer than the hood and rear-fender areas where there are paint chips adding up. we have no intent on actually selling the car, our recently re-evaluated and reaffirmed plan is to keep the car and drive it into the ground. so outward appearance to us is nothing more than a matter of pride- no concern over resale value. we're still using the bra. __________________ black 2005 prius, tweaked just the way i like it my diagnostic guy on electronics: "lack of troubleshooting ability is due to a high common sense rejection ratio."

LinkBacks (?) LinkBack to this Thread: http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-modifications/37826-prius-bra-2-5-years-later.html
Posted By	For	Type	Date
Mi Toyota Prius - ¿Cómo veis la mascara protectora frontal? - Tuning Prius - foros.miarroba.com	This thread	Refback	09-21-2008 02:46 PM
Mi Toyota Prius - ¿Cómo veis la mascara protectora frontal? - Tuning Prius - foros.miarroba.com	This thread	Refback	09-20-2008 07:52 PM

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Ten Years of the Prius article	roperld	Prius and Hybrid News	3	11-20-2007 06:17 PM
Are all Prius Model Years the same?	Trinimd	Prius Main Forum	4	10-09-2007 10:53 PM
About to get my Prius after years of waiting....	priusprints	Prius Main Forum	17	07-24-2006 02:40 PM
how about 113 mpg Prius in a few years?	plusaf	Prius Main Forum	5	04-19-2006 09:35 PM
5 years ago, I took my first photos of a Prius	john1701a	Prius Main Forum	0	04-01-2005 11:10 PM

09-19-2007, 11:25 PM	#2
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 13,909 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 11	Interesting. I might start investing in that. My bumper is pitted already.

09-20-2007, 12:46 PM	#6
hycamguy07 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Central Florida Posts: 2,707 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: N/A Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I purchased mine from autoanything.com for $66.50 thats the same price for the tundra,prius & camry. Again beats 400-600 for the clear, I recently saw a car with the clear bra it was cracxking off and turning yellow. Nasty.. My wife had a semi tire shrapnel hit the front bumper on the cam and I pulled the bra off and not a mark in the paint the bra had a rubber scuff on it though, try that with a clear bra. :P

09-20-2007, 03:54 PM	#8
MSQ Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 19 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	"the bra-covered area looks far newer than the hood and rear-fender areas" I'm anxiously waiting for my Touring 08' package 6 to arrive and have been wondering about the bra. I've asked for the "vehicle shield" which is supposed to help with fading and sound elimination. I have a friend who ordered it and swears it has reduced the noise level. In reference to the fading, my assumption is if you had the vehicle shield you would get a new paint job for free as it would be easy to prove. All the more reason, at least for me, to get the bra. Has anyone had any experiece with this? Does Toyota live up to the guarantee? I think this is just a Gulf States option but I'm not sure. It's been amazing to be able to read everyone's experience with so many different topics, what a great site! 0o0~

09-20-2007, 04:24 PM	#9
Raider Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 86 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I have the Le Bra brand front end bra for our Prius and it includes screen/mesh on the lower and upper grill sections. It also covers more area on the hood as the hood and lower bra cover around the highest portion of the headlamp. Like a mask, rather than only covering up to the mid level of the headlamps. This is more covered area than the dealer supplied bra. I'll try to find a picture of my car with both bras for illustration. I paid 50 shipped for the Le Bra and 70 shipped for the Toyota dealer version. Both found on ebay in New/Unused condition in box. Our car is Metallic Silver so the swirls and scratches, like dirt and dust, may not be as noticable as a darker paint color. (.02)

09-21-2007, 03:59 PM	#10
galaxee running WOT until out of fuel Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: central NC/ western WI Posts: 9,075 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #5 Nominated 5 Times in 3 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 21	the bra only comes off the car a couple times a year. i haven't bothered to pull it off every time i wash, that would be a serious PITA. you probably need to pull it off at least every 6 months to wash the bra and the paint underneath. everything shows up on black. dust, dirt, scratches, swirls, pollen, fingerprints, if you breathe on it... you get the idea.