Does anyone else miss a vinyl/fabric car bra?

[PDong]

I sure do.

I had one for my previous car for longer trips when I knew I'd be running into crappy conditions (ie, the 1300 round trip to Nebraska in the middle of winter). Around town, I'd take it off, but if I knew I'd be exposed, I'd use it.

By the time I traded my GTI in to make room for the A4, I had 40,000 miles on the clock, and not a single rock chip to show for it. I've got 18k on the A4, mostly from the previous owner, and TWO nice, down to the primer chips...

(please save the clear bra thoughts, not happening)

So... I've been pricing the items needed to make my own. If all goes to plan, would anyone else be interested?

[hender]

i'm going to be brutally honest, please don't consider it being an asshole...

they're fugly.
most people leave them on forever
which means when they take them off, their paint is significantly different and it looks like a tan line
they're just fugly.

why are you poopooing a clear bra idea? they're just as good, except they aren't eyesores. i don't have one, but i see the use.

[PDong]

Because your thoughts on a vinyl bra are EXACTLY my thoughts on a clear bra, that and I don't like the idea of something permanently on my car soaking up UV rays in the South.

[windsorblue]

http://www.colgancustom.com/

If you use a traditional bra properly, paint wear is not an issue. I've used them on multiple cars with good results. FWIW, I do have a clear bra on our GTI; its not bad either and like the black vinyl ones it needs to be taken care of properly as well(sealant once or twice a year, wax/polish like the rest of the paint.) It is not totally permanent and can be removed when it is worn to the point of looking like crap, downsides are cost of the product and cost of installation, I did the one on our car and it wasn't too hard but I'm detail oriented and I did a bunch of research before I tried the project.

I have a funny/cool and worthwhile story about Colgan that I'll post-up later, I've got to run now.

[PDong]

Interested in the story, but Colgan doesn't have any specific fitments for 2010+ A4s. (they have 2008-2009s)

[windsorblue]

Interested in the story, but Colgan doesn't have any specific fitments for 2010+ A4s. (they have 2008-2009s)

I'm not an expert on B8s, were there any changes in front of the car between the 09 and 10 model years?

Colgan wrote the story for me: http://www.colgancustom.com/history.shtml A good friend of mine was the main instigator in the group of Lockheed engineers, and the one who brought the piece from Germany(his homeland). He's still kickin' today in his late 80s, and only just "retired" from track days and racing in 2004/5; last track car was an RS4d S4 Avant. One of my only heroes and the person responsible for getting me into track days.

[SeaBlue]

Because your thoughts on a vinyl bra are EXACTLY my thoughts on a clear bra, that and I don't like the idea of something permanently on my car soaking up UV rays in the South.

It's a lot harder to see a clear bra then a big black bra. Also the better clear bra's have a uv block built into the material. There was/is a company in CA, I think that will build you a color matching vinyl bra. I priced one for my Porsche a few years ago and it was in the area of $500 or $600 dollars.

[BMWBig6]

I don't miss 'em when you can get this...



Or other auto undergarments...



I actually saw these for the first time a few months ago...