Modern Armor

While a green clear bra is better than no clear bra, more planning ahead and heading out with a proper clear bra is always a good idea.

Here is to hoping this is a miss here... Stay safe!

Tornado Watch Issued for North Texas & Texoma; Stay Weather Aware! A tornado watch is now in effect for much of North Texas and Texoma. This watch goes until 11 PM tonight. An additional watch will likely be needed for areas farther west and southwest later on. Thunderstorms have begun developing from Ballinger to Strawn to Mineral Wells. The cap is weak today, so....

Have a vehicle with some chips that you want to fix prior to having us apply paint protection film? I have used this (standard kit) on a just purchased 2 yo vehicle that the first owner did not protect with PPF... The standard kit is enough for a lot of chips and the system works really well. Recommended.

SPRING SALE

Spotted yesterday waiting at a stoplight. Click photo to enlarge.

Nearly new Nissan Pathfinder with a 'clear bra', of sorts... The application used is at best an application for a different vehicle... It does not even remotely fit the . It should never been applied and sold like that. We know which dealer this likely came from as they have been putting out this type of work for quite some time...

If you are looking at a new vehicle with a pre-loaded clear bra and it fits like this, your best bet is to ask the dealer to remove it prior to the sale. Once removed verify there is no associated paint issues with the original application and move on.

Interesting article from the folks at Carfax. The readers digest version, yes you need it :) Worth a read anyway if you are still wondering if a clear bra is going to be right for you.

Do You Need Paint Protection Film? While relatively trivial in the big scheme of things, very little can be as aggravating as the first scratch or ding on a brand new or freshly painted automobile. Many times, that first blemish will happen even before you have the chance to send in the first of many monthly payments. Even in best-ca...

Saw the following on an owners group here on Facebook and thought I would share with those of you – or those who have a friend that is on the fence as to whether or not to “PPF / Clear Bra” your vehicle vs “Ceramic Coating” it.

Earlier in the thread a bunch of people were commenting on the OP’s price quote for various levels of ceramic coating the vendor offered. One of the admins stepped in and said “Everyone arguing about coatings but if you don’t have PPF then you’re doing it wrong in the first place!” Agree 100%. PPF will protect against chips, but a ceramic coating will not have the same benefit. Ceramic coatings do provide a number of benefits. Paint erosion from impacts is not one of them.

In the years we have been here in DFW (Since 2003!) I can’t tell you the number of people we have talked to that reiterate the “I wish I had done PPF sooner sentiments. Is this you? Know somebody on the fence or just with a newer vehicle that is driving around our seemingly perpetual construction zone? Show them the light.

We have coverage options for a variety of budgets. As they say, sooner is better, and some PPF is always better than none.

Click the send message button and we can let you know what your coverage options are.

Fastest, and rarest car of the week. in at Growler Motor Labs. I have yet to see one of these on the road and very cool in person!

The car was a short mile used car but did have some significant pock marks already. To preserve the factory paint and prevent further degradation we covered the leading painted portion of the hood (to the back of the vent) including the strip of paint between the stripes, matching areas of the front fenders and the full painted bumper cover. As the car is now rolling on sticky Bridgestone RE-71R tires and will see some SCCA Autocross action so we also covered the wide rear flares - the area behind the doors - from the door to the wheel well and up to the body contour line. From past vehicles the owner knew this area was going to take a beating!

All areas were covered with 3M's latest generation of self healing Scotchgard Pro Series Paint Protection film. Have you been on the fence wondering if a clear bra is right for you? Tired of seeing additional chips when you wash your car? Paint Protection will stop the erosion and provide some peace of mind. Contact us for options for your vehicle today. 😎

Yes we do SUV's too. The new owner of this temp tagged wanted the peace of mind knowing that the front of the vehicle was protected from sand blasting and went with our Level Three Paint Protection package.

In the case of this , the leading ~20" of the hood is covered with an arced section of 3M Scotchgard Pro Series Paint Protection film, along with matching front fender coverage and the full painted bumper cover.

Is your vehicle protected with a 3M Scotchgard Pro Series Clear Bra by Modern Armor? Get at it!

Catching up after a drizzly few days. Curviest front end last week? This 2018 Mercedes Benz C43 AMG wins that prize.

This returning customer brought in his vehicle this past Saturday. As with his last several vehicles, he wanted the peace of mind knowing that the front end was protected from the inevitable. We covered the leading ~2 feet of the hood, matching areas on the front fenders, full painted bumper cover, lower spoiler and the headlights! (Headlights done in a thicker material for lights.)

All painted surfaces were covered with 3M's latest Scotchgard Pro Series Self-healing Paint Protection Film. Clearly ready to roll.

Thinking about paint protection film for your new vehicle? Don't delay, protect your car today!

Saw this video doing some research on Dr. ColorChip Automotive Paint Chip Repair

https://youtu.be/vVvBV798KUg

The person doing the review has a C7 Corvette and he picked up a stone chip in the area in front of the rear wheel. Ironically his vehicle did have (what appears to be the factory applied) paint protection film on the rocker. Nice that Chevrolet saw the value in the material – but the material is too small to be completely useful. The coverage is a little skinny – likely done to save time and cost.

The package we offer for the current covers the entire panel – not just part of it. Some protection is better than none of course, but given the nature of the vehicle covering the complete panel is advised. Attached is a render of where the factory applied material is in yellow and our more complete package in red.

Paint Chip Repair with Dr. Colorchip!!! - C7 Corvette Laguna Blue

Closing out January with the lowest mileage car in this month. 2018 SE. With just about 500 miles since new, this takes the prize! In before the miles pile on. The owner anticipated ~36,000 in the next year running all over the Metro area. With all the road work and construction around an unprotected vehicle does not stand a chance.

We covered the leading half of the hood, matching areas on the front fenders, the full painted bumper cover, the hatch load area and the headlights (in a thicker material for lights). All painted surfaces were covered with 3M's latest Scotchgard Pro Series Self-healing Paint Protection Film. Clearly ready to roll.

Setting the way back time machine to 15 years ago today. This then brand new Mitsubishi Evolution was in for a 3M Clear Bra! Hard to believe it has been 15 years!

After what seems like forever the new Supra was revealed today. Available later this year at $50K+ Will it stand the test of time like the much sought after 4th gen? who knows.

Have you ever tried autocross? Test your driving skills, memory, reactions, car set up and more in a relatively safe and controlled environment. With more than 3 Dozen local events on the schedule for 2019 - excitement awaits!

Modern Armor - 2019 Autocross Calendar for North Texas As events and venues can change at the last moment please be sure to follow the links to each clubs calendar for verification before you head out! if you notice a change before we do please let us know so we can update our list. Need Autocross Numbers?

So long 2018, hello 2019!

A couple of post install shots of an out of production 2014 Toyota that was one of the last in the shop for a to finish out 2018.

At about 35K miles this ~5 year old truck was way under typical mileage. It did have a number of chips in the paint, but now that the most vulnerable areas are covered those are no longer going to be an ever increasing issue as the miles pile on.

We covered the leading ~21" (from the grill back) of the hood and matching areas on the front fenders with 3M's latest self healing Pro Series Paint Protection Film. Ready for another 10 years. Is your vehicle ready?

Was talking with a returning customer (original application was 7 years ago) about coverage options and possibilities for his on order car due late December. He was not sure how the bumper could be covered as it was going to be a lot curvier than previous vehicles. Paint protection materials have made a lot of advancements in those 7 years and designs have taken advantage of the improvements. We have coverage options available for his new vehicle, and likely yours too. Below is a recent install on a vehicle with a lot of curves and angles.

The current vehicle design trend certainly is toward larger and more complicated bumper covers and the 2019 Toyota Avalon fills that trend!

For this vehicle we covered the full painted front bumper cover, the brow between the grill and the hood, the leading ~20" of hood, and matching areas on the front fender. We used 3M's latest self healing Scotchgard Pro Series Paint Protection Film.

Hard to believe sometimes, but we stated applying 3M Paint Protection here in TX 15 years ago! A lot has changed in the world of paint protection in those 15 years.

MATERIALS:
Originally 3M was just about the only choice. In the past few years the number of ‘different’ materials is wide, varied, and sometimes questionable. We are routinely approached my new film manufactures looking to get us to switch, or at least consider adding their materials. Some are from window tint or vinyl manufactures looking to extend their product line. Some just seem like a rebranded something else. Some are from overseas and total unknowns… All seem to be fraught with risk as we get the impression we would be testing the product… Most are significantly less than 3M Pro Series. (30%-50% less in some cases). We are not interested in experimenting and hoping for the best to make a short term buck. We have tested a few different materials over the years on personal vehicles, none have compared favorably long term to 3M. 3M Pro Series all the way.

PATTERNS:
When we started in 2003 there was little choice in patterns and a number of installers applied the material in a bulk sheet and trimmed away the excess. This method still has its followers but for the most part has been superseded by one of a number of computer aided production cutting programs. We have stayed with the best pattern design company to insure we start out with the best possible pattern – despite a recent doubling of cost. In the end starting with a better material and a better pattern is going to have a better outcome.

INSTALL:
Looking back at some internal research documents from 2003 it was no surprise to us that all the installers – all of them – who were present in 2003 before we started here are now gone. Even a majority of installers from a research doc from our 10 year anniversary in 2013 have moved on. While paint protection film has gotten a lot better to work with over the years, the coverages have expanded with each new generation’s increased capability. Applying them well still takes patience, temperament, and attention to detail.

In the end a clear bra may be a generic term, but a lot goes into it and there are a lot of differences in the end result. As they say, look before you leap, and if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Starting off the first full work week of 2018 with a stunning Long Beach Blue BMW M2. This M2 was in shortly after the owner took delivery. In for the long haul the owner wanted to protect the paint right away with 3M’s self-healing Scotchgard Pro Series paint protection installed by Modern Armor.

The owner went with our level 3 package protecting the leading ~22” of the hood, matching areas on the front fenders, and the full painted front bumper cover, plus the trunk load sill out back. The main bumper section is one piece from wheel arch to wheel arch and from the hood to the lover radiator opening!

The car received a lot of compliments from the folks at Growler Motor Labs and from other customer getting a tour of the shop! Quite a few comments on the numerous large contours of the bumper and how applying paint protection to it looked impossible! Looking back over the past 15 years of installing various iterations of 3M paint protection films it is amazing to think of the progress made in all areas. Durability, conformability, clarity, forgiveness, stretchability, template design, and of course the latest self-healing properties! 15 years ago 3M put a 3 year warranty on the material, and that was about how long it was both designed to and actually lasted. The latest iteration is now warrantied for 10 years and given how well the previous materials lasted (well beyond the warranty period) we are sure the films will easily exceed the typical vehicle ownership period!

Is your vehicle protected? If not what are you waiting for? Hit the “Book Now” button, fill out the form and we will get back to you with a detailed quote with all your coverage options.

Welcoming in 2018 with a new vehicle? If so don't delay, have Modern Armor protect your paint while it is still new!

We have a variety of coverage options to fit your budget and have received a lot of new 2018 designs in the past few weeks! We feature Scotchgard Pro Series self healing paint protection film - the industry standard!

Closing out the last business day of the year. Thank you for another good year :) Treating yourself to a new this coming year? We have you covered with a variety of paint protection film packages to keep your new car looking new!

2018 Kia Stinger GT | Sports Sedan - Model Overview| Kia The 2018 Kia Stinger GT sports sedan provides high performance and superior comfort. Learn more about the model overview, design, performance and starting MSRP.

Winding down the year and making ready for 2018. Have Tesla on order? We received a quote request from somebody that has an anticipated January delivery date. Yes we have applications ready and waiting!

Model 3 Designed to attain the highest safety ratings in every category, Model 3 achieves 220 miles of range while starting at only $35,000 before incentives.

We protected the paint on this earlier this fall with 3M Scotchgard Po Series Paint Protection Film. Fast forward -> Bam.

The owner had a run in and the fender took a sharp hit. A small dent in the fender, scratches in the plastic flare and several tears and disturbances in the paint protection. We were not sure how the paint on the fender fared.

After peeling off the damaged section of 3M Clear Bra we found NO noticeable paint damage from the impact! Score a big one for paint protection film!

We removed the damaged section and replaced the section with a new piece of the paint protection film and the owner preserves all of the original factory paint! The fender is still dented, but it was not creased and it is highly likely that the dent could be mitigated by a skilled PDR technician.

While installing paint protection film on your vehicle can't protect the finish from all that comes its way; it will go a long long way toward keeping the car looking great!

A preventable sight... Clear coat peeling all over the front end of this not so old car we saw recently. Not sure the history on it but my guess is it was the unfortunate victim of one of those 're-sprays'.

Over the years we have had a number of people think they can easily get the front end 're-sprayed' a few times for what the paint protection costs up front. A cheap re-spray is just that cheap. Repainting properly is not a cheap process. On top of that you loose the value of the OEM paint, and plant a question in the future buyer's mind - why was the car repainted???

Keep the OEM paint you have and invest in a clear bra!

Hot off the lot. This 2018 Subaru STI Limited was driven from the dealers lot straight to Growler Motor Labs for a bunch of upgrades including just about all the Modern Armor paint protection we have to offer for the vehicle! We applied 3M's latest generation self-healing Scotchgard Pro Series Paint Protection Film to the hood, fenders, a pillars, and leading portion of the roof, and the full front bumper cover. Know somebody who's vehicle could use some paint protection too? Give it a share

A fine shot to brighten your day. New vehicle in the garage? Road trip planned? Protect your paint with Modern Armor Paint Protection before you hit the road. As you know the road hits back ;)

in Hell's Canyon, Oregon (photo courtesy: Tanner Cundy)

Close-up of a current project being worked on Growler Motor Labs Yesterday we applied 3M's latest generation self-healing Scotchgard Pro Series Paint Protection Film to the hood, fenders, a pillars, and leading portion of the roof. Once the shop techs have done more of the project we will be back to apply the same self healing paint protection to the bumper cover. Know somebody who's vehicle could use some paint protection too? Give it a share ;)

At the end of October we received a quote request on a new SUV. In the comments he said he was pitched a clear bra at the Nissan dealer but turned it down A- Because it was “crazy money” and B- looked like it was not going to work well.

A few weeks later a coworker came in to work with a new vehicle and was showing it off. It had a clear bra that both covered more area and was in his words much better fitting.

Curious we went to the Nissan dealer this past weekend. Below are a couple typical examples. Not only are the sections skimpy and the poorly designed they are applied well away from the edge of the panel – in some cases INCHES away from the edge! Additionally there was no coverage for the bumper cover included! Which given the price you would hope so, but given how badly the hood and fender sections were applied it was no wonder.

While no clear bra is ever God’s creation perfect these are not even what you can expect from a DIY attempt! Before you get your paint protected know what you are getting. We have included a full zoom shot of a recent install we posted the first of the month on a much more complicated vehicle.

LOL Parked for winter. Clear Bra, winter tires + Focus RS = great car for your snowy drive to the mountains to enjoy snow!

Instagram post by Ford Focus RS • Nov 1, 2017 at 6:12pm UTC 1,142 Likes, 9 Comments - Ford Focus RS (.focus.rs) on Instagram: “Parked for the winter ❄️ 🚫 ⚜️Be…”

Welcome to November. October was a busy month and we got a bit behind posting. Here are a couple of install shots from both the newest vehicle in last month and the one with the most complicated shape for the bumper cover!

2018 Subaru Crosstrek. The owner went with our Level 3 Paint Protection package shortly after taking delivery. We covered the leading ~20" of the hood, matching areas on the front fenders, area between the grill and the hood, along with the full painted bumper cover - wheel arch to wheel arch! Lots of curves and contours! We covered everything with 3M's self-healing Scotchgard Pro Series Paint Protection Film. Clearly protected now!