I had my first nasty bumper ding from a road rock and I am thinking about buying a nose mask (bumper bra). Adding a clear plastic protective sheet is too expensive for me. So, I’m wondering about the use and care of the mask. How closely do you need to follow the instructions that Honda gives for the nose mask? Can you leave the mask on during and after rainy days? The instructions say to take it off and dry is out if it gets wet. Since I live in Oregon there will be lots of rainy days but I still want to protect the bumper and hood. My thought is to keep it on during the work week and then take it off on the weekends to dry out. Any advice on the use of these masks would be appreciated. Things to look out for, etc.

 

i have kept it on during rainy days. no problems


but the bumper part is a lot harder to remove than the hood part.

i take it off mostly on the weekends to clean and dry it out anyways.

it will be fine just keep it clean and well taken care of

 

I had one for my last car. I didn't use it all the time which is the key to keeping the car looking good. If you never take it off the paint will fade outside of the mask but not inside. It also can accumulate dirt under it and scratch the paint. I rotated mine having it on and off whenever I decided to make a change. In the end the car still looked great when I sold it. Of course my primary reason for getting it wasn't for rocks, it was for love bugs. These things come around about twice a year in Florida in droves. They are harmless to people but their guts eat paint quickly. The nose mask was great for that. I may have to consider getting one for my Fit for the same reason but I don't like the way it looks too much. If I get it, it will only be on for the love bug season.

 

I am thinking about a nose mask, too. But for ~$300 I can get the 3M job for the hood, fenders and mirror done in Vancouver, WA. It is way cheaper than a paint job, looks like stock and takes wash and wax OK.

I got in touch with Ultimatewindowtinting.com. The are the only ones to answer my e-mail. Go figure.

 

itll rub and shit and you will destroy your paint. my parents had one on their jeep.

if i were you, id get the 3m clear bra installed if you really want front end protection

 

$300??


where is it that much?

 

ebay? itll be more installed

 

if you remove it to wash the car you should be fine. Its exactly the same for roof racks, you don't need to worry about them if you take them off each time you wash your car. I have roof racks on my MK3 VR6 for almost a year and no problems so far.

 

but the leather bra doesnt adhere to the car, so when you drive, it is constantly moving, rubbing your paint. not good

 

Hi It's a little more in cost but the clear shield is the best way to go.I had mine installed last july and my Fit still looks new.The deluxe shield covers the hood,front bumpers,mirrors,front and front fenders. cost $488 total.
jimrb66

 

If mounted correctly it should fit snug so it doesn't move around when you drive. The hood part could keep more moisture and debris 'cause of the top part being open between the hood and the leather even if its tight but as I said, if you remove it regularly when you wash the car you should be fine.

 

The nosemask fits really tight and barely moves. I have trouble sometimes even putting it on cause its so tight. Its easy to take off though and brush it off. I don’t have scratches and I run my pretty much every day

 

I owned one for nearly 10 years on my last car. If it fits tightly, you take it off when washing and you take it off for extended periods of time it will be fine. It is only going to scratch your paint if you don't take care of it.

 

Did you get the 3M treatment or some other? How does it wash? How does it wax? How does it protect? Curious minds want to know.

Thanks

 

have you checked with:
Paint Protection for your vehicle. Also known as Invisible Bra. Welcome to InvisibleMask.com
Their prices are very affordable, and not as ugly as a bra.

I plan to do that on our FIT and my R32 after I sell my Integra.

 

I can pay ~$30 more and have it installed, the same thing. I'll go with installed.

 

barely moves is still moving.

 

I said it doesn't move if mounted correctly, I've never said that it barely moves...

BTW he also said it and he had one for nearly 10 years...

 

Junk on Your Trunk: 15 Terrible Automotive Accessories - Feature/Best/Worst Lists/High Performance/Hot Lists/Reviews/Car and Driver - Car And Driver

"
The Leather/Vinyl Car Bra
The Goal: Paint protection. The preservation of good looks.
The Reality: A moisture-retaining, air-catching, scratch-inducing dirt ’stache of an add-on that actually trashes your paint while you watch. No lift. No separation. No cleavage. Fail! Boo! Hiss!"

 

a dude i could kick it with