Anyone have any connections at 3M?

[Rick Lee]

I'm being told to pound sand on a warranty claim for a clear bra. 3M says I voided the warranty because I DIY'ed the install. Nevermind that the kit came with a VHS on how to install. Invinca Shield is out of business now so I can't look up the fine print on their site. 3M isn't disputing my install job, as it worked great for almost four years. They even admit I probably got a lemon of a kit, but that I'm SOL because I'm not a certified installer. Please advise.

[andrew15]

Just a couple thoughts -
Maybe that's what Invinca is out of business? Basing your business model on something the supplier doesn't back up seems short sighted at best.

If 3M was not going to warranty something DIY installed, maybe Invinca started using a different supplier at some point? Possible that you have film from two different suppliers on your different cars?

[Dottore]

On what basis are you making a claim? What's the problem?

[Rick Lee]

I know the paper backing on both my clear bras had the red 3M logo all over it. 3M warranty guy didn't suggest it was fake. I have another thread asking what happened to Invinca Shield. They seemed to be well regarded on a lot of car chat boards, never heard a bad thing about them. And they just disappeared.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Dottore

On what basis are you making a claim? What's the problem?

The clear bra not only cracked and turned light maroon, when I removed it and all the residue, the paint underneath was stained beyond being able to be wet sanded out. It has really screwed up the hood and it now needs to be stripped and resprayed.

The photo below is how the hood looks with the clear bra totally gone and residue totally cleaned off. It's smooth as glass and the paint is contaminated.

[Tim Hancock]

More likely, the rest of the painted faded in the Arizona sun and the protected part is how it is supposed to look. Try color sanding/buffing the hood just above the previously covered part and see it starts to look the same.

[EarlyPorsche]

But you don't have any bugs stuck to your hood now do you?

[Rick Lee]

Tim, the car's original color is pepper white. The area under the clear bra is nowhere close to white anymore. The rest of the car looks fine, car is usually garaged or parked under cover at my wife's office. My 993's clear bra has held up great and looks new after five years.

[futuresoptions]

Maybe, you can sand that damaged clear coat off down to the color and just respray clear and then buff... if it is a chemical/glue issue it may have made it all the way down into the color... if so, then a respray....

[Rick Lee]

Eric Coffey and I tried that last weekend with 1600, then 1200, then 800, then 600, all wet. Nothing. It's contaminated way, way down. Needs a respray. I need to take a photo of some of the old clear bra. Looks like peeled skin with dried blood on it.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Eric Coffey and I tried that last weekend with 1600, then 1200, then 800, then 600, all wet. Nothing. It's contaminated way, way down. Needs a respray. I need to take a photo of some of the old clear bra. Looks like peeled skin with dried blood on it.

Yep. Never seen anything like it. Typically, clear-bra film will haze/yellow with age, especially noticeable on a white car. However, this turned a "dried blood" dark maroon color as RL mentioned. Normally, once the film is removed there can/will be some minor color fading differences, but those are usually remedied with a complete rubbing compound/polish treatment.

However on Rick's car, it isn't an issue of UV fade. The old clear bra actually stained the paint underneath, and it's not just on the surface. As mentioned we went at it with color sanding down to 600 with very little effect. It's as if the adhesive of the film reacted with the (out-gassing?) solvents in the paint (a non-metallic, single stage). Strangest auto-paint related thing I've seen yet.

[pwd72s]

After a car has been parked in the Arizona summer sun, a true color match would be a b!tch....Maybe think a custom hood spray...Union Jack or something?

[Mr.Puff]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

After a car has been parked in the Arizona summer sun, a true color match would be a b!tch....Maybe think a custom hood spray...Union Jack or something?

I have another idea.

Yo ditch dat hood, get fiber bro!

[berettafan]

That is sad to hear. Always kinda thought of 3m as one of the good co's given the great (well, other than this!) stuff they produce.

Had OE paint not completely cured before install? Is that even possible?

[Rick Lee]

Well, I asked the dealer and Invinca Shield and both said 60-90 days for the paint to cure. We ordered the car new, it arrived in June '06 and I installed the clear bra in late September. I think I'm covered there.

[n8marx]

Just a thought, maybe it wasn't the film but whatever liquid solution the installer used to place and set the film? I've installed this stuff (DIY'd) in the past and have never seen anything like this.

[Rick Lee]

I used the solution that came with the kit, which I believe was either soap or alcohol mixed with water. I used the same kit on my 993, which still looks perfect.

[Rick Lee]

I found a guy in FL who used to work for Invinca Shield and he actually returned my call this morning. He said Invinca Shield closed up shop and was not taken over by anyone. He also confirmed for me that 3M would tell me to pound sand for DIY'ing the install. I had never read a bad word about Invinca Shield before. But they were sending install DVD's out with their 3M kits, which seems pretty contradictory if DIY install voids the warranty. Anyway, he told me I'm SOL and have no chance of getting 3M to do anything for me. Steaming irate about this. Would have been a lot cheaper to use a paint pen on rock chips than to deal with this faulty 3M clear bra and now the required hood respray.

[vash]

man, i would take the one off the 993.

i just peeled one off of a friends prius. it browned. damn, i hope she isnt screwed too.

[Rick Lee]

Hell no! I'm not messing with the one on the 993. If it ain't broke.... That removal process SUCKED!!!!