New Car Prep - Wash, Decon, Polish, Opti Coat

[3002 tii]

Picked up the car yesterday but despite my request, the dealer did a mini detail which was pretty horrendous (quite a few scratches and swirl marks). I have an appointment to get a clear bra installed so had my detailer perform new car prep and apply a layer of Opti Coat. Have to say LMB looks even better after a proper detail =)

[Marc08EX]

Looks great!!!!

[Stohlen]

Clear bra

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by Stohlen

Clear bra

Why the frown??

[Stohlen]

I think a clear bra just isn't as nice as paint. They get dirty, scratch easy, fade eventually, and the bra on my car when i bough it took some of the paint off with it when it was removed.

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by Stohlen

I think a clear bra just isn't as nice as paint. They get dirty, scratch easy, fade eventually, and the bra on my car when i bough it took some of the paint off with it when it was removed.

Only time I've heard clear bra pulling paint is when the paint job isn't original. In terms of fading, I think that happened on the earlier films but these days companies like Xpel and Suntek offer 5-10 year warranties. I did see fading once on an old 911 but it was an early 3M kit left on for over a decade lol.

Unfortunately as much as I'd like to keep the car bra-less just not an option when I have a 70 mile round trip daily commute and most of those miles are on I-95. I've learned from the past and the cost of a respray every 2-3 years just isn't worth it, not to mention down time of leaving the car at the body shop.

[Kgolf31]

Originally Posted by Stohlen

Clear bra

I have them on my Z4M and 128i. Both are flawless when done with proper film and installer.


I'd rather have a bumper that has clear bra, instead of a destroyed bumper by debris.

[Colt]

Shiny

[IEDEI]

you're killing me man!!! keep the pics coming.

i don't really care or understand much about detailing, etc.....but all i know is that your 135is looks so wicked. so any more driving impressions thus far? still loving it i assume?

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by Kgolf31

I have them on my Z4M and 128i. Both are flawless when done with proper film and installer.


I'd rather have a bumper that has clear bra, instead of a destroyed bumper by debris.

Sometimes I think you're my twin brother. You s54 / n52, me n52 / n55. Both track the Z and appreciate the same hardware from clear bra to RS3's lol.

Originally Posted by aM.

Shiny

And that's without wax

Originally Posted by IEDEI

you're killing me man!!! keep the pics coming.

i don't really care or understand much about detailing, etc.....but all i know is that your 135is looks so wicked. so any more driving impressions thus far? still loving it i assume?

Even keeping the car under 4k, it's absolute joy. My wife (newlyweds for 1 month) keeps calling it our new addition to the family haha. But my review from few weeks ago when I test drove my friends 135is remains the same. The car is not lightweight by any means and you feel it but in a good way. It's planted through both high speeds and in cornering. Experts claim the car tends to understeer but I don't see how you could experience that on public roads else you're driving like a real assclown.

Only new update would be the steering. It has very direct feedback, unlike my Z which has electric steering and has that light feel. The Z is more precise in terms of point and shoot (turn) but the response is lacking. The 1's response is way heavier which I actually prefer.

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by 3002 Tii

Even keeping the car under 4k, it's absolute joy. My wife (newlyweds for 1 month) keeps calling it our new addition to the family haha. But my review from few weeks ago when I test drove my friends 135is remains the same. The car is not lightweight by any means and you feel it but in a good way. It's planted through both high speeds and in cornering. Experts claim the car tends to understeer but I don't see how you could experience that on public roads else you're driving like a real assclown.

Only new update would be the steering. It has very direct feedback, unlike my Z which has electric steering and has that light feel. The Z is more precise in terms of point and shoot (turn) but the response is lacking. The 1's response is way heavier which I actually prefer.

nice to hear. a nice way to start married life as well---to have a nice shiny new car to drive around in! congrats on getting married too

so are you sticking to the 1200 mile break-in protocol i assume?

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

nice to hear. a nice way to start married life as well---to have a nice shiny new car to drive around in! congrats on getting married too

so are you sticking to the 1200 mile break-in protocol i assume?

Definitely, and will also pay for my own oil change then. Going to treat her as if she's a keeper.

[roadcarver]

Looking good. I waxed mine last Wednesday and it looks even better than off the lot last Saturday. I am having xpel ultimate done tomorrow morning. I know the film can get a little marked up from bugs over time but it beats the hell out of having a pitted up front end after 1year. They guarantee it will not pull the paint off and with regular maintenance it will look good for years. Having paint chips all over the front end just really drives an OCD car owner such as myself crazy.

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by roadcarver

Looking good. I waxed mine last Wednesday and it looks even better than off the lot last Saturday. I am having xpel ultimate done tomorrow morning. I know the film can get a little marked up from bugs over time but it beats the hell out of having a pitted up front end after 1year. They guarantee it will not pull the paint off and with regular maintenance it will look good for years. Having paint chips all over the front end just really drives an OCD car owner such as myself crazy.

+1

[Kgolf31]

Originally Posted by 3002 Tii

Sometimes I think you're my twin brother. You s54 / n52, me n52 / n55. Both track the Z and appreciate the same hardware from clear bra to RS3's lol.


Only new update would be the steering. It has very direct feedback, unlike my Z which has electric steering and has that light feel. The Z is more precise in terms of point and shoot (turn) but the response is lacking. The 1's response is way heavier which I actually prefer.

You forgot I went from Red to Silver, where you went from Silver to Blue

So when are we going to hit the track together, run away and get married? LOL. The Z will quit being the track car once my 1er is paid off, in which I'll turn into a track rat and prep it for SCCA STX and NASA TTD

Don't expect that for another 5 years though

Don't want to derail, but just want to show how clear-bra looks (or doesn't look because you can't even see it).

Unedited camera photos (and fresh Wolfgang 3.0 Sealant Applied )







It is noticeable, but you gotta be ontop of the car. In the end, it is good money spent considering it is my DD car which sees a lot of highway, and it already has protected me from an attack of stones from a semi.

PS - The steering is exactly like the E86M of mine. Very heavy and direct. I love the feel.

[3002 tii]

I was thinking of putting my Z in TTD but it would require me to remove all my oem Aero trim (both bumpers, sides and diffusers) because they all count towards aero points which we know is bs, not worth the hassle. If I need my TT fix I'll probably run with EMRA. Till then it'll be a DE car

Btw I'm covering same spots, full bumper, partial hood and fenders but will also throw on mirrors too.

Oh yea I like how your m-sport bumper allows fog lights!

[Kgolf31]

Originally Posted by 3002 Tii

I was thinking of putting my Z in TTD but it would require me to remove all my oem Aero trim (both bumpers, sides and diffusers) because they am count towards aero points which we know is bs, not worth the hassle. If I need my TT fix I'll probably run with EMRA. Till the it'll be a DE car

Btw I'm covering same spots, full bumper, partial hood and fenders but will also throw on mirrors too.

Yep, NASA points can get weird.

I have mirrors too, it is apart of the "standard kit". Usually kits don't cover much area on the mirrors, but surprisingly all of the paint area is covered, which you usually don't see.

[mb135is]

Beautiful! And I agree about finding the understeer on the street - you'd have to be driving like an idiot.

[trafficalert]

Sorry dealer didn't follow your directions. I told mine to pull it off the truck and then don't fkin touch it until I get there. It was made very clear that if my conditions weren't met, I would reject the car. I did all my own prep and I mean everything. Wash, detail, pulling plastic, remove suspension blocks. I even cut off old spoiler and installed the performance carbon spoiler before signing the papers. My delivery was over 10 hours long, but I can say there is not one single nick, scratch, or swirl mark on the car. No employee that was there will ever forget me

[Gray_Panther]

5 months since application of OC.....No regrets!