To Clear Bra or Not?

Buying a new car and keeping it in a like new condition is tough. One way is to simply not drive the car and keep it stashed away in a garage. The other and most likely choice would go for a clear bra or clear wrap. There are many different types of clear wraps and it varies from shop to shop. The general idea is to place a protective plastic coating around the entire body of the car to shield it from rock chips, minor bumps and scratches. Some of the wraps have a "self healing" feature that allows it to reform upon certain scratches. 

I personally did not put a clear wrap on my car when I first got it. Having the M3 be my first high value purchase of a car, I didn't know whether or not I should invest in a wrap. The nice thing is that the BMW paint shows through better without a wrapping but the downside is that there will be rock chips everywhere on the front of the car. Since I got a gray exterior, I cannot really see the chips until I get up close (thank God). But upon closer inspection I do see them. If I could go back in time I would definitely wrap my entire car with a clear film or at least the front fascia. The full body wraps are usually around 3k while the front is usually around 1k. If you are looking into getting your car wrapped, be aware of the quality of the workmanship. Some shops actually take the body panels off and wrap them on the inside so the wrap seams are not noticeable while others may just cut the film at the edges of the body panel leaving seem marks. Depending on how importable the clean look of the car is to you and the cost of it, this is definitely something to consider. 

The resale value is going to be better with the wrap, and I suggest wrapping the car immediately after delivery if you are going to go this route. No point wrapping a car with rock chips already right? Taking the highways is definitely a risk, no matter how far you are from the car in front. Something there are things out of your control and unfortunately events do happen so if you really care about the paint job and how it looks I would definitely consider a clear bra. The thing with a front fascia clear bra is that the panels with a clear bra and those without can be told apart. From a distance there usually won't be a big difference but upon closer inspection there might be some color distortions. Back in the day, clear wraps usually would turn yellow from decomposition due to the sun but nowadays this usually isn't a problem. There are some spray on peelable dips from HomeDepot or Walmart, and I suggest staying away from those if you have never used it before. It says that it's removable but I personally would just ask a professional to wrap my car with a peace of mind.  Wrapping the vehicle with another color such as blue or red etc will also achieve the same effect of protecting the car with an added bonus of getting a new cool color. Wrapping the car is usually cheaper than going BMW Individual so keep that in mind.

Long story short, wrap the entire car if you have the cash. It's definitely worth the time and money. ​