Clear Bra for the Bumpers and Lights
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Thanks for the info on the price too... It will be good to check on the prices...milgrad said:
I notice you also have a remote starter, what brand did you get and hows it work for you? With this past COLD winter in Boston, Ma I think I need one...
One of the best aftermarket buys for me, was the custom floor mats from HuskeyLiner... Cost was $75 for the front and $75 for the rear... The rear mat is a one piece that covers the whole floor...
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My dealer (J.C. Billion, Bozeman, MT) really pushed this since they use gravel instead of salt or de-icer up here in winter, so I had it done on Monday--covering the front bumper, my mirrors, 3/4 hood, and headlights. They did a terrible job; even the head service guy came out to tell me he felt his guys did a terrible job (even saying, "It looks like crap, and they tried it three different times"). Great. It was wrinkled in spots, bubbled in spots. My concern was what this was doing to my paint job. The dealer said they'd redo everything this coming Monday, and I said they better because I wasn't paying for this (and they didn't even wash my car!). Then I started wondering about the whole deal--does this truly protect my car? How does it age? Does it discolor over time? How might it positively or negatively affect the value of my MO? I went to my car insurance agent (State Farm) to ask what they knew or thought. Well, I guess these clear bras are too new, because State farm couldn't tell me a thing about them. I want to protect my investment the right way. I have considered just telling the dealer to remove all the crap and not replace it (the covering on the headlights is fine, though), but I'm unsure. I think my total bill for it all was in the 400s. The 3/4 hood clear bra leaves a very visible line across the middle of the hood if you have a dark-colored MO.
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Update
I returned my MO to the Bozeman dealer today so they could fix their botched clear-bra job. I told them I wanted it to look perfect or else remove everything. The service guy at the desk told me, "Well, there might be some bubbles, but those go out with the sun." I said that was unacceptable. They called me a few hours later to say they contract with some outside people to do the clear-bra job and it wasn't working out (huh?--they grant me an appointment for today, knowing the problem, and then they tell me this hours later?). They removed the whole she-bang and told me to come in and speak with my sales representative (I bought the car outright) about having the outside company do the clear-bra. At this point I don't want the thing at all, and I would like my money back. Any ideas on the odds of that happening? And I feel the need to really inspect the condition of my now de-bra-ed vehicle to make sure it is nick-free. It's sad how much dealer ineptitude can damage the car-buying experience. Good thing I love driving my MO. It'll be nice to drive it on out of this state!
I returned my MO to the Bozeman dealer today so they could fix their botched clear-bra job. I told them I wanted it to look perfect or else remove everything. The service guy at the desk told me, "Well, there might be some bubbles, but those go out with the sun." I said that was unacceptable. They called me a few hours later to say they contract with some outside people to do the clear-bra job and it wasn't working out (huh?--they grant me an appointment for today, knowing the problem, and then they tell me this hours later?). They removed the whole she-bang and told me to come in and speak with my sales representative (I bought the car outright) about having the outside company do the clear-bra. At this point I don't want the thing at all, and I would like my money back. Any ideas on the odds of that happening? And I feel the need to really inspect the condition of my now de-bra-ed vehicle to make sure it is nick-free. It's sad how much dealer ineptitude can damage the car-buying experience. Good thing I love driving my MO. It'll be nice to drive it on out of this state!
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You paid for something that's not unreasonable, or difficult for a professional to install. I would expect they should either deliver or refund.
I don't know if NNA has their act together enough to care, but it wouldn't hurt to feed back to them your dissatisfaction.
You could give them what I've heard called a uh, what's another word.... Excrement sandwich. Complement them on something like how great they are, give them the excrement, then tell them how great they are again and ask them how "we" are going to resolve the issue.
People are more likely to do things for people that appear to be siding with them.
"It's a great vehicle, and I really enjoy doing business with you, as you appear to be looking out for the customer's best interest. The bra is a great idea, as it will extend the life of my investment. However, the installation is really messed up and totally unacceptable. Now I want to ensure I'm able to keep my enjoyment level at a maximum with the vehicle and keep coming back to you for service, because you've done a great job otherwise. I've even been thinking of recommending you to associates and friends, but this one little thing is really disturbing me. How do you think we should resolve this? Would it be easier for us if you refund my money on the bra so I can source one to my satisfaction? Or do you think you'll be able to resolve your quality issues fairly quickly on this?"
It might not work, if they truly are inept, but if you treat them like a friend that messed up, it might get what you want.
I don't know if NNA has their act together enough to care, but it wouldn't hurt to feed back to them your dissatisfaction.
You could give them what I've heard called a uh, what's another word.... Excrement sandwich. Complement them on something like how great they are, give them the excrement, then tell them how great they are again and ask them how "we" are going to resolve the issue.
People are more likely to do things for people that appear to be siding with them.
"It's a great vehicle, and I really enjoy doing business with you, as you appear to be looking out for the customer's best interest. The bra is a great idea, as it will extend the life of my investment. However, the installation is really messed up and totally unacceptable. Now I want to ensure I'm able to keep my enjoyment level at a maximum with the vehicle and keep coming back to you for service, because you've done a great job otherwise. I've even been thinking of recommending you to associates and friends, but this one little thing is really disturbing me. How do you think we should resolve this? Would it be easier for us if you refund my money on the bra so I can source one to my satisfaction? Or do you think you'll be able to resolve your quality issues fairly quickly on this?"
It might not work, if they truly are inept, but if you treat them like a friend that messed up, it might get what you want.
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34 Posts
I had a clear bra installed on the bumpers, hood, and mirrors about a week after I bought my MO. I think it was the xpel product. The guy who came out and installed it (certified according to the website) did a great job and even came back a few days later to make sure there were no bubbles, etc. I paid $300 after calling about three different places. I found that the installers were very willing to deal to beat the other guys price.
The clear bra has been on my MO for a little over a year now and I have to say that I'm disappointed. On the plus side, the material has not changed color (even in the Florida sun) and is not pealing anywhere. What I am disappointed in is how it protects the car. I have noticed damage from the hood and bumper being hit by gravel or whatever. The bra material is intact, but the bra has an indentation in it and in some cases you can see the paint has chipped.
I guess that I can take some consolation that there is a warranty that will cover this damage, but I'm sure they will just come out with a bottle of touch up paint to fix it. Anyone have any warranty experience with these things?
The other thing I don't like is that the bugs are a lot harder to clean off of the bra than the paint.:3:
The clear bra has been on my MO for a little over a year now and I have to say that I'm disappointed. On the plus side, the material has not changed color (even in the Florida sun) and is not pealing anywhere. What I am disappointed in is how it protects the car. I have noticed damage from the hood and bumper being hit by gravel or whatever. The bra material is intact, but the bra has an indentation in it and in some cases you can see the paint has chipped.
I guess that I can take some consolation that there is a warranty that will cover this damage, but I'm sure they will just come out with a bottle of touch up paint to fix it. Anyone have any warranty experience with these things?
The other thing I don't like is that the bugs are a lot harder to clean off of the bra than the paint.:3:
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I had the bra on my '95 Taurus SE and while it did get a bit ripped up by gravel off the road, I know it would have been worse without it. Didn't have one on the Maxima and it was obvious. Don't have one on the Murano and so far, it's not been too bad, but I don't live near those gravel trucks anymore! Both the Max and the MO were/are leases, so in a way, it's not my problem... 
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133 Posts
Jakk..............Really??
Really??
Hey Jaak, I thought that one has to bring back a lease in somewhat
the same condition as "new". To have pit marks or rust areas from
"debri" doesn't count??
For one, I had friends with leases that had to pay extra for wear
and tear like the ones you mentioned as "not my problem".
Thats the reason I stayed away from leases........hidden fees when the term is up along with milege caps. You know......."read the FINE print".
:12:
Really??
Hey Jaak, I thought that one has to bring back a lease in somewhat
the same condition as "new". To have pit marks or rust areas from
"debri" doesn't count??
For one, I had friends with leases that had to pay extra for wear
and tear like the ones you mentioned as "not my problem".
Thats the reason I stayed away from leases........hidden fees when the term is up along with milege caps. You know......."read the FINE print".
:12:
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4,601 Posts
You can't expect a vehicle to come back in new condition if it's 3-4 years old! I would expect it to come back in 3-4 year old condition. So that means if they normally rust from chips on the front, so be it. If Nissan wanted to change that, they would ship them with the plastic on there, just as they have with the rear doors.
So I considered it to be normal wear and tear on the vehicle. I didn't have huge marks, just some chips from normal usage. Now I think about it, there were some big marks...
Now if you are ending the lease and they aren't getting your business on the next vehicle, they're more likely to try to nail you on every little thing. At that point, I would expect them to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it was not normal wear and tear, otherwise I would suggest to them that our lawyers discuss it instead of us.
But the result was, it wasn't an issue for me.
Of course, I was also 3 months away from the end of the lease, so I could have walked from that dealer if I wanted. He wanted my business. Especially in January, as he was hurting for business in that month. I got $500 back from him as well, when I told him I had just made a payment on my existing lease and didn't want to take delivery of the Murano for another 3 weeks.
So you could be right.
Hmmm... Lesson learned, negotiate the next one, a few months before this one is up, so you're not desparate!
So I considered it to be normal wear and tear on the vehicle. I didn't have huge marks, just some chips from normal usage. Now I think about it, there were some big marks...
Now if you are ending the lease and they aren't getting your business on the next vehicle, they're more likely to try to nail you on every little thing. At that point, I would expect them to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it was not normal wear and tear, otherwise I would suggest to them that our lawyers discuss it instead of us.
But the result was, it wasn't an issue for me.
Of course, I was also 3 months away from the end of the lease, so I could have walked from that dealer if I wanted. He wanted my business. Especially in January, as he was hurting for business in that month. I got $500 back from him as well, when I told him I had just made a payment on my existing lease and didn't want to take delivery of the Murano for another 3 weeks.
So you could be right.
Hmmm... Lesson learned, negotiate the next one, a few months before this one is up, so you're not desparate!
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Advice appreciated, jaak. I am trying that approach. Thanks.
When I got my MO back yesterday afternoon, they hadn't totally removed the clear bra (they removed it from the headlights and hood 3/4 but left it on the lower bumper, still bubbled and wrinkled, and left it on the mirrors. Additionally, there were chips to the hood surface that were not present the morning I dropped it off). The explanation that was given to me was that they (dealer) tried to redo the clear bra again but it didn't work and so I would need to go through my sales rep to contact the outside company that now does the clear bras for them (the service guy added that the dealership was "getting out of the clear bra business"). Okay. So I pointed out the still shoddy work and the paint chips, and I told the service guy that all this stuff would need to be taken care of. He said okay. I said that I'd like to be able to recommend them to other people so I was hoping they would do the right thing. He agreed. I spoke with my sales rep, who said he would contact the outside clear-bra/body shop company they use and he'd get back to me today. He didn't get back to me today, so I called the dealership. The secretary told me that my sales rep isn't in on Wednesdays (!). I left a voicemail message for him to call me on the Clear Bra Issue as soon as possible.
I can't say I have come to any clear conclusions on the clear bra. My related problems on this count really stem from the dealership not handling things well. Once I get the clear bra accurately applied we'll see. I hope anyone else thinking about the clear bra has a better experience than I have had so far.
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2004 Nissan Murano SE AWD, Midnight Blue, Charcoal Leather, Stainless Steel MAO Grille
When I got my MO back yesterday afternoon, they hadn't totally removed the clear bra (they removed it from the headlights and hood 3/4 but left it on the lower bumper, still bubbled and wrinkled, and left it on the mirrors. Additionally, there were chips to the hood surface that were not present the morning I dropped it off). The explanation that was given to me was that they (dealer) tried to redo the clear bra again but it didn't work and so I would need to go through my sales rep to contact the outside company that now does the clear bras for them (the service guy added that the dealership was "getting out of the clear bra business"). Okay. So I pointed out the still shoddy work and the paint chips, and I told the service guy that all this stuff would need to be taken care of. He said okay. I said that I'd like to be able to recommend them to other people so I was hoping they would do the right thing. He agreed. I spoke with my sales rep, who said he would contact the outside clear-bra/body shop company they use and he'd get back to me today. He didn't get back to me today, so I called the dealership. The secretary told me that my sales rep isn't in on Wednesdays (!). I left a voicemail message for him to call me on the Clear Bra Issue as soon as possible.
I can't say I have come to any clear conclusions on the clear bra. My related problems on this count really stem from the dealership not handling things well. Once I get the clear bra accurately applied we'll see. I hope anyone else thinking about the clear bra has a better experience than I have had so far.
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2004 Nissan Murano SE AWD, Midnight Blue, Charcoal Leather, Stainless Steel MAO Grille
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133 Posts
Jaak
You have to make sure that the lease you sign is suitable for you.
Or run the risk of paying the price. Literally.
:twak: They will whip you good.
Your right, normal wear should be considered, but like I said...
read the fine print.
Bozemanite..........I sincerely hope that this dealer rectify this hideous predicament they put you in.
What a mess, good luck bro.
Leasing a car is tricky. One has to consider all the details in a leasing contract. Milege caps (if you happen to go over it), body condition or damage, engine conditon, ect...
You have to make sure that the lease you sign is suitable for you.
Or run the risk of paying the price. Literally.
:twak: They will whip you good.
Your right, normal wear should be considered, but like I said...
read the fine print.
Bozemanite..........I sincerely hope that this dealer rectify this hideous predicament they put you in.
What a mess, good luck bro.
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38 Posts
Warranty on xpel
Nachomama:
I just looked at the xpel site. The warranty only covers payment of the deductable on an insurance claim to repaint the damaged area. Plus you have to submit proof you did submit the claim
Nachomama:
I just looked at the xpel site. The warranty only covers payment of the deductable on an insurance claim to repaint the damaged area. Plus you have to submit proof you did submit the claim
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Update
The final straw was this: the dealer here in Bozeman sent me A BILL for the clear bra that was never properly installed on my car and 3/4 of which was removed pending a rescheduling to reapply it by some affiliated party who had been trained to do it correctly. I went to the dealer with the bill and asked to have the situation rectified right away. The dealer made a copy of my bill and said it was a mistake (I should add here that he did not say, "...and I'm sorry about that"). He said he would call me once he had figured out "what the situation was." I waited seven days with no word from the dealer, so I called his cell phone. By this time I had decided to have the entire affair settled once and for all. I had my dealership remove all the remaining clear bra mess. The guys in the garage were nice about everything, they usually are. Once everything was removed and cleaned off I was given a free pass for a local auto wash and detail place and was told I could come into the dealership for free oil and filter changes. But I don't think I'll be paying the dealership any more visits.
Thank goodness, though, that my VEHICLE is fantastic--a joy to drive. I expect it to stay that way.
The final straw was this: the dealer here in Bozeman sent me A BILL for the clear bra that was never properly installed on my car and 3/4 of which was removed pending a rescheduling to reapply it by some affiliated party who had been trained to do it correctly. I went to the dealer with the bill and asked to have the situation rectified right away. The dealer made a copy of my bill and said it was a mistake (I should add here that he did not say, "...and I'm sorry about that"). He said he would call me once he had figured out "what the situation was." I waited seven days with no word from the dealer, so I called his cell phone. By this time I had decided to have the entire affair settled once and for all. I had my dealership remove all the remaining clear bra mess. The guys in the garage were nice about everything, they usually are. Once everything was removed and cleaned off I was given a free pass for a local auto wash and detail place and was told I could come into the dealership for free oil and filter changes. But I don't think I'll be paying the dealership any more visits.
Thank goodness, though, that my VEHICLE is fantastic--a joy to drive. I expect it to stay that way.
I'm confused... My Mo came with a clear bra on the bumper, lights, hood, mirrors, and kick pannel in front of the rear wheels.. When I purchased the car I thought that was pretty cool and looked at all the cars on the lot. They all had them. I just figured Nissan was doing this by default. There was nothing built into the sticker price on any of these cars that I could find...
Is this not really the case??
Is this not really the case??
04Mo
That is definitely not the case. I know they are shipped from port with the White plastic all over but they do not come with Clear Bra's. Consider yourself very lucky because that is a nice little feature that many have paid quite a bit for. I looked at the Invinca Shield website today and if I were to do it myself, the kit for the bumpers, hood, and mirrors would cost me over 350.00. To have it installed is over 600.00 (Including material). Good for you. Enjoy it.
That is definitely not the case. I know they are shipped from port with the White plastic all over but they do not come with Clear Bra's. Consider yourself very lucky because that is a nice little feature that many have paid quite a bit for. I looked at the Invinca Shield website today and if I were to do it myself, the kit for the bumpers, hood, and mirrors would cost me over 350.00. To have it installed is over 600.00 (Including material). Good for you. Enjoy it.
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