bb700092

I have been looking for a nose mask (also called bra) for my 07 Maxima but haven't found anything in stores or even online that I like. The nose mask that I see in the accessories section in NissanUSA.com wasn't very nice looking. The only nose mask that I liked was the one on Greymax's car in this picture (courtesy Deus):



I do not know how to get hold of Greymax. Maybe Deus can help.

I am not interested in the clear bra which is known to fade within 2-3 years and leave stains. I desperately need to protect the front bumper from bugs and stone chips in FL.

Any suggestions?

larsim

Hmmm.... imho I don't think that black bra ^^^^ looks good on the car... but hey.... everyone has different tastes

bb700092

Did you find any black bra that looks good on our cars? I am not a fan of the black bra but within 6 months, I already have a few stone chip marks and a couple of bug stains. Don't know what else to do

S_Klass

Clear bra?

philoforlife

That specific black bra was purchased through a dealership I believe...

DeusExMaxima

iTrader: (1)

Send a PM to Greymax. He lives about 3-4 miles from me but i met him for the first time at that meet that he won. He said he got it from Canada. I wouldnt mind getting one too. It looked REALLY sharp.

bb700092

I PM-ed "Greymax" but no reply yet. I don't think he visits this forum often. BTW, is Greymax his username in this forum? I checked the list of members in this forum and there are Gray02Max, Gray305Max, gray90max, GRAY92MAX, GreyMax1, greymax2k2, greymaxima, GreyMaxSE, but no Greymax or Graymax.

The thing that I like about his bra is that it seems to fit very well and its edges are sharp and clean (unlike the ones shown here http://www.formyauto.com/display-cat...e&word=car_bra). I am not sure whether he custom ordered it or not. I have not seen a bra like that anywhere.

bb700092

Do you have any idea which dealership? I have checked a couple of Nissan dealerships here in central FL but could not find a bra like that. All they have is the one among accessories in the nissanusa.com (http://www.nissanusa.com/maxima/accessories.html).

bb700092

clear bra = transparent bra

Compusmurf

Mine's from Nissan, thru the dealership, but there is a LeBra version which is a bit different that can be purchased.

I love mine, not one stone chip, not one "love bug" stain.

tubells

STAY AWAY from the BRA's, especially the black strap ons(?) leather/plastic ones....
Had one on my previous car and it looked good (as long as it was on it)... but the scratches on the hood were horrible (due to wind and flapping and stones...etc)

As for the bra in the pic... that is a "bug deflector". I have had one since I got my max in 03... (a nissan one).... a few things abt it.

1) It was black (or very close to it when i got it)... it's now almost purplish...much like the old tints....
2) It does not help protect the bumper at all (only the front hood).... but looks good on the hood..
3) (light) stones have flown over the deflector and still hit the hood... and some the windshield as well.. but depends on how you drive... and whom you drive behind....

4) mine cost abt. 129CAD in aug 03..... there must be a newer/improved model now....

BigPete

iTrader: (2)

oh those damn love bugs are the devil.

bb700092

How long have you had that bra? Did you notice any scratches due to wind, flapping, stones, etc. that Tubells talks about?

bb700092

I do not like the looks of any bra. I like my car clean and simple but thought it would be easier to keep the front bumper clean with the bra. Your experience is making me re-think that.

Thanks for this info. I assume Greymax had it put on new (in the picture). Is that bug deflector made of leather, vinyl, plastic, ...? Does it also make scratches due to wind, flapping, stones, etc.?

It seems you are neither happy with the black bra nor with the bug deflector. I have heard the clear bras are more horrible. So is there anything else I can do other than getting my front bumper painted every two years spending $400?

Compusmurf

The bra is 2 piece. Bottom piece covers the whole front, while the top piece only covers the hood. Mine is installed and fitted correctly so I have never once had "windflap".

Bra's do have to be replaced after awhile. It's cloth/vinyl and do stretch and rot away in the elements. I mentioned before in another thread, you must take it off, wash and WAX the area the bra covers once a week, brush out the inside of the bra that makes contact with paint and re-attach it.

bb700092

Thanks. Also, as far as I gathered, both the vehicle and the mask must be completely dry. If moisture is present under the mask and is allowed to dry, it may cause the paint to cloud. If the mask gets wet, it has to be removed from the vehicle and allowed to dry completely. What this means is that after every rain, I should remove the nose mask and allow it to dry before reinstalling the nose mask. And it rains very often in FL.

All in all, its too much work even after investing $150 for the mask every 5 years and accepting the bad looks.

Deus, please suggest a mod that will keep my front bumper clean

DeusExMaxima

iTrader: (1)

I tried the bra thing to on my Spec V and my old VW vanagon and it scraped the paint on both. They look kinda cool but require a LOT of maintenance. If you are concerned about the paint, you may want to get the clear bra vinyl over lay. The only detriment is that you see a line where it ends and they may yellow over time. They can always be replaced. Other than that, repaint your bumper every 2 yrs or so, also a viable option and something Im probably going to do.

07 Graymax

this is not a bra, it a bug deflector and it works/fit just fine thank you. bb700092 sent cha a note got this plastic deflector from dealer in bc canada pretty cheap too

xoomer.com

iTrader: (19)

yeah its a bug/wind deflector, much like the ones for windows. Its made of hard plastic and will mount to the hood using clips. I installed one on my friends FX35 and I remember there were foam pads to put where the deflector meets the hood so that there are no scratches. I don't know how long these pads will stay soft and protect the hood but it looked pretty good.

07 Graymax

ok guys im pretty sure mine is from richmond nissan in bc. it comes with plastic tape for connecting the clips to the hood, very good protection and no vibrating. sorry i couldnt be of any more help to ya all

bb700092

Thanks again to all of you guys for posting.

Here is a bra from LeBra I found in eBay that is quite inexpensive (less than $65 shipped). But more importantly, it states:

Does not need to be removed when wet
Vinyl is micro-perforated so it dries itself while you drive

That reduces a lot of work as I won't have to take it off each time it rains. Do any of you have any experience using this particular bra?

Here it is: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LeBra...spagenameZWD1V

Also available here: http://www.brandnewauto.com/Shop/Con...d/0/rid/123275

redls1

iTrader: (2)

I had a lebra from ebay like that on one of my other cars. It was great protection from love bugs and rocks but still preferred the clear 3m.

bb700092

Really? I read that the clear 3M fades the color in about 2-3 years and makes it look horrible. Isn't that true?

redls1

iTrader: (2)

LOL I havent kept a car for 3 years yet so I dont know.

S_Klass

If you're that worried, change it every 2 to 3 years!

xoomer.com

iTrader: (19)

It looks horrible, or beyond that in little over a year. The section where this crap is applied looks like somebody painted it with semi-flat paint. Its on my brothers car and I've been telling dude to remove it for like past 2 years.

bb700092

Yep, thats exactly what I heard from quite a few people. Also, once it is removed, the covered part has to be completely repainted to get the original color back and match with the neighboring areas.

I guess it is the same technology as the tint but the advantage with tinting is that it is done on glasses which is colorless.

xoomer.com

iTrader: (19)

It's still on the car and it might be that he is afraid to remove it cause where is was nicked the paint will probably come right off with the "tape". As to the color not matching its very very possible. Materials like that have UV-stabilizers so that they don't turn yellow/muddy overtime. Chances are that since less light is hitting the paint it will be darker (preserved) It's pretty much like vinyl decals on commercial vehicles; once removed years later both texture and color are different.

Man, thank god I didn't get it.

tubells

the bra was supposed to protect(what it covered) , the bug deflector was supposed to "deflect"... both worked as they shd....

its (bug deflector) of plastic.... and it does not make any scratches.... it does nto touch the hood... got the nice little "rubber-plastic bubbles" that keep it off the hood!

but having said that... I still have stone chips on my hood/windshield/bumper... other than not "driving" the car, there is no way of stopping any of this......

cklamer

I have the Nissan factory version and it is black on a black Maxima so it looks fine on my car but I would stray away from using it when it rains because it will collect sand and grit just from driving in the rain and then you have to clean all of that off. But for everyday driving I love the thing and it fits very snug.

You have to remove one of the front wheel well screws on each side and replace it with a snap but other than that it's very easy to install. This one does not gover the front quater panels and I believe the LeBra brand does. I believe the factory one looks better myself. Sorry but I don't have any pictures of my car with it on but I am sure you have seen them.

Good luck,
Chris

nyc10034

Any pictures of the bra on someone's car?

po8pimp

unlike 10 years ago when the bra's first came out they have nearly perfected these things. If you buy something cheap, chances are you will experience these problems that are talked about. I live in Hawaii where the sun is practically out all the time and know a lot of people with the clear bra's that were put on by local tint shops. That's what I recommend, go to a tint shop and have them do it. Find out what the recommended time for application would be meaning change out time. Also make sure they garentee their work to include fading and paint damage due to their product being applied. This way you are covered all around and it will be done by a professional. Trust me it will save you in the long run.

Kaoman

The bra will definately save your front end from bugs and rock chips. I purchased a bra for my '08 Max over a year ago and have had no problems with scratches. Like anything else you need to take the time to prep and install them. I don't leave it on all the time, only if I am leaving town so it really depends on what your intention is for the bra. If you are going to leave it on all the time, I would go with the 3M clear bra. They have made them better than they used to be.