Dirt buildup under edges of clear bra?

[philipdistefano]

I got a Venture Shield clear bra kit professionally installed about a month and a half ago, and I'm starting to see dirt building up under the edges of it (not near the edges where it can be easily cleaned off; I mean literally under the edges). I can't bring myself to believe that this is normal. Is there a way to fix this or clean this? Should I bring it back to the shop that did it and ask them to fix it?

Thanks in advance for the help.

[IBM 2SS]

That doesn't sound normal to me, I would take it back and get them to fix it.

[htp autoworks]

That is not normal. I am guessing that your installer dicd not heat seal the edges with a heat gun to ensure they do not come up in the future. You need to take this back to the installer and have them redo the areas of concern. Watch them while they do this so they dont simply cut off the areas that have lifted... since they could cut your paint up.

[philipdistefano]

Is it possible for them to fix it without completely removing the bra and installing a new one?

[scythezo6]

That is not a good install. It is supposed to fit entirely snug so dirt or anything else cannot get under the edges. I highly doubt it can be fixed properly with out taking it of and redoing it. If the bra and install are under warranty I would consider getting it redone. You don't want to risk paint damage from the dirt later on donw the road.

[mtcwby]

Yes they can fix it. They will simply score the edge and peel off the part with dirt under it, leaving a nicely adhered edge with no dirt under it. By just scoring the edge, there is no chance of cutting into your paint.

[vdevine]

Venture Shield has a lifetime warranty. Take it back in.

[Waco]

Originally Posted by mtcwby

Yes they can fix it. They will simply score the edge and peel off the part with dirt under it, leaving a nicely adhered edge with no dirt under it. By just scoring the edge, there is no chance of cutting into your paint.

No way I'd settle for this...have it completely redone if under warranty.

[philipdistefano]

Just so I completely understand what to say when I bring it in, if they score the edges, that would mean removing a small sliver of the protective shield, and thus leave more of my car's paint exposed, correct?

[scythezo6]

Originally Posted by philipdistefano

Just so I completely understand what to say when I bring it in, if they score the edges, that would mean removing a small sliver of the protective shield, and thus leave more of my car's paint exposed, correct?

Yes. They would cut about an inch off the edge leaving and equal amount of paint exposed.

[htp autoworks]

That is ridiculous. You pay for a full kit and you should recieve just that. Just because the installer didnt know what he was doing and did a poor job would I give him the chance to "score" the film. I have been isntalling film for 7 years now and I can tell you if he wasnt smart enough to heat seal the edges that he DOES NOT have the skill to score the film without cutting the paint. You should demand that he replace the film... and tell him he HAS TO heat seal the edges with a heat gone. By the way, this really isnt a warranty issue... its an installer issue and the installer should stand behind his work.

[philipdistefano]

Thanks so much for the help so far guys.

htp autoworks: Yeah, definitely an installer issue. I love the clear bra kit, and I'm hoping that this installer is honest enough to admit that he made a mistake and fix it. I'm going to head over there on Monday and see what happens.

[Coop]

Hey HTP sent you a pm.

[philipdistefano]

Okay clear bra experts, here's where I stand on my situation. I apologize that this is kind of long, but I SINCERELY appreciate your advice.

I took my car to the installer and explained that I'd asked some other installers (you guys) why the edges were coming up, and I suggested that maybe he missed a few spots with the heat gun or something, and he proceeded to tell me that he didn't know what I was talking about, so I explained what htp autoworks suggested and he said that he didn't do that, and that doing that would somehow evaporate the water used in the install and make the film not apply properly or something.

He started saying that he could cut the edges off like you guys said he would, but I told him I'd rather have the entire piece replaced, which he didn't hesitate in agreeing to. After you guys mentioned that if he didn't use a heat gun that I probably couldn't trust him not to be able to score the film properly, I went and looked and sure enough, there was a slight marking from him trimming a piece of the film in my paint in one place that I knew he trimmed. He said he would buff it out. I think this might be why he agreed to just replace the film.

He was really nice about it (which I guess at that point I would've been pissed if he hadn't been), but I'm still scared that this will just happen again if he doesn't use a heat gun.

His solution when I kept bringing up the heat gun was that he'd leave my car out in the sun for a couple of hours to make sure that the install was dried, and at that point, I was completely unsure what to do, so I just agreed to it and set an appointment to get the front bumper piece replaced this Saturday.

So there's where I stand. What should I do? Should I let him just apply the thing? I really want him to fix this, but in the meantime, I don't want him to score ANYTHING against my car anymore and I'm thinking if he doesn't use a heat gun, it'll just cause the edges to come up again.

Is there any way I can seal the edges myself, like with a blow dryer or something? Would this be advisable for a complete newbie like myself?

I know you guys are going to be like, "WTF, DO NOT LET HIM WORK ON YOUR CAR!!!" but I feel like I should give him a chance to fix it, and I really doubt he's going to refund my $600, and even if he would, I don't want to drive around without a clear bra on my car. :( What to do, what to do? :( :(