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**Mobilejoe** · Jun 16, 2006, 06:44 PM

Sounds like a moisture issue, as you said on the hood only which is cool and then when you drive the car it gets hot and the bra is just trapping the heat and moisture. I have seen the same type of situation from people using the magnetic signs on their vehicle.

As far as suggestions I would leave the area uncovered, it might clear up and it might not.

Another issue that would go along with the cloudiness is the paint could not be fully cured, I know some people say if it is factory paint there is no way this could happen but the hood could of needed a repainting for one reason or another, if it did need the repainting it would not go through the same baking cycle as the rest of the car did.

**Toady** · Jun 17, 2006, 01:19 AM

I agree, it sounds like moisture became trapped between the hood surface and the bra. I've heard of this happening with other people who use bras or nose masks. I'd try leaving the bra off for a couple of days and see if the moisture dissapates on its own.

**gollums_friend** · Jun 17, 2006, 02:03 AM

I thank you both for your opinions!

I was originally going to put the bra back on today--until I saw what had happened. I was so angry last night I almost threw the bra in the garbage, but changed my mind to just leaving it off for the time being.

Now that you mention "moisture"....you know what? That is EXACTLY what these cloudy areas remind me of. Just like when you leave a glass on a nice table without a coaster and get a "waterspot".

So, if it doesn't go away on it's own in a couple days.....do you know if there anything I can do about it?

**Mobilejoe** · Jun 17, 2006, 02:31 AM

Another thing I was thinking about last night is you would want to remove the wax from the areas that has the cloudiness. The wax is going to act as a thin barrier that might not let the moisture out. I would suggest using a product designed just for wax removal or you could clay the area. A cheap way that the graphic companies use is Isopropyl Alcohol and wipe the area down.

**maxpower** · Jun 17, 2006, 05:38 AM

if you want to protect your front from rock chips, I would suggest a 3M clearbra over your current setup

**gollums_friend** · Jun 17, 2006, 10:39 AM

Would it hurt to try ScratchX on the cloudy areas?? I remember reading somewhere that "water spots" was included in things the product might remove. ScratchX won't add MORE wax to the areas if I use it, will it? I still haven't figured out how to remove the NXT Generation wax I originally placed on the car.....the thought of using Isopropyl alcohol scares me

As for a 3M Clearbra.....I've never heard of it. Besides these whitish colored cloudy spots where the hood cover was, I just discovered about a half dozen rock chips on other parts higher up on the hood. I've had the car about 7 weeks and already feel as though it's ruined beyond repair.

**Mobilejoe** · Jun 17, 2006, 11:34 AM

No I would hold off on the ScratchX for now, is there a Wal-M*** close by, if so they sell a wax/adhesive remover where the auto touch up paint is located. It is made by 3*. You don't need to use much of it.

**maxpower** · Jun 18, 2006, 10:34 AM

Originally posted by gollums_friend
Would it hurt to try ScratchX on the cloudy areas?? I remember reading somewhere that "water spots" was included in things the product might remove. ScratchX won't add MORE wax to the areas if I use it, will it? I still haven't figured out how to remove the NXT Generation wax I originally placed on the car.....the thought of using Isopropyl alcohol scares me

As for a 3M Clearbra.....I've never heard of it. Besides these whitish colored cloudy spots where the hood cover was, I just discovered about a half dozen rock chips on other parts higher up on the hood. I've had the car about 7 weeks and already feel as though it's ruined beyond repair.

I am surprised you have never heard of this product (Clear Bra), try Google.

note the comments about the clearcoat and trapped moisture:

3M Protective Film Clear Bra Test
By Dezoris - M.Sanew
Dec 17, 2004, 23:30

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Welcome to the review and test of the a 3M product called:
Scotchgard™ Paint Protection Film.

It's not too long ago that I was strapping down my giant blank vinyl bra, on the front of my car. Six years ago I wanted to keep my car spotless, and keeping the front end out of harms way was a tough task. Most of us don't have a garage queen that sits in a custom showroom, or that gets trailered to the local track on weekends. With the new breed of "daily driver" sports cars on the market, the need for a better way to protect the front end of the car has been a long time in the making.

The "clear bra" system is nothing new, in fact it has been on the market for quite sometime. Protective films have become very popular, in fact many dealers are offering it as an option. Ferrari and a few other manufacturers have also started applying it before customers take delivery. The fact is, paint and body work are expensive. Random touch ups and dent removal can cost nearly $100-200 per panel in some areas. The average enthusiast is still yet unaware of how far these clear bra systems have come or that they exist. This is why this article is here, to educate and help the car lover to, enjoy driving without fear of the annoying chips and nics from daily driving.

Q. Why the clear bra, why not just use the standard vinyl bra covers, they have to protect the car better.

A. The truth is the old vinyl bras that cover the car like a shield are much thicker, and will deflect larger objects. However, it is very difficult, to remove and install them. They should never be left on for extended periods do to moisture being trapped between the paint and the cover. In so many cases, people tend to leave them on too long or use them when it rains, which causes clouding or hazing the in the paint's clear coat. Even worse they trap dirt and debris between the cover and the paint, which during movement, or removal can cause scratching of the clear coat as well. Aside from that, most people have a problem with the vinyl bra's aesthetics. Back in the day, we all understood, that it's better to have the black bra than paint damage.

Q. Just how much can a film like the 3M actually protect?

A. You will find loose claims about this. Testing from 3M reveals that the protectant will deflect road debris without film damage at up to 60MPH with the standard film. Reading further on will demonstrate some of this with some in house testing. My personal testing and from talking to other owners reveals that this film will take some serious abuse without showing signs of it. There are limitations, the film is designed to protect against chips and small dings from small rocks and road debris, not 4" hail or a baseball bat to the car. It may still prevent paint damage but it won't stop large dings and dents

**Mobilejoe** · Jun 18, 2006, 01:51 PM

Is the hood looking any different ?

Can you post some pictures of the problem also ?

**Mikeyc** · Jun 18, 2006, 05:16 PM

I bought a bra for my last car. I stopped using it when I had the same thing happen to me. You can see almost like condensation in the paint. Sometimes you can get rid of it and sometimes you can't. I actually found a suggestion in the instructions for the bra about how to fix the issue. Here's what I did and it worked for me.

First, strip the wax off like everyone else suggested. The wax is helping to trap the moisture in the paint. Use a non-abrasive paint cleaner. I think there is one in the Deep Crystal line. Alternatively you could use Bug & Tar Remover, adhesive remover, or diluted rubbing alcohol. Next heat the area with a hair dryer. As you apply the heat you should start to see the cloudiness evaporate before your eyes.

Last steps of the process are to re-apply wax and finally to throw away your bra. Go with a clear bra instead as others have suggested.

**gollums_friend** · Jun 19, 2006, 01:30 AM

I couldn't contain myself and tried using ScratchX on the cloudy areas yesterday. There was absolutely no change after 3-4 applications, and I rubbed plenty hard enough.

As for posting pics......I'm not very computer savvy, so no I can't. Besides, everyone here seems to know what I am talking about anyway.....

I did not locate the wax remover at the local store that was sugested on page 1.....maybe they were out of it because I was definately in the right section of the store. I also looked at a local big brand car parts store, and two employess could not locate any kind of "wax remover" products for me.

I'd like to try using the diluted alcohol that two of you have now mentioned. Should it just be 50/50 concentrate with plain water? I hope so, because that's what I'm going to try later this morning while at work if I have time to run out to the parking lot.

As for using a hair dryer afterwards....I wish I could try the idea, but I live in an apartment complex with no access to power outlets in the parking lot. I have one friend with a garage, I will see if she'll let me come over one night this week and try it out.

**Mikeyc** · Jun 19, 2006, 06:06 AM

If you used Scratch-X then the wax is gone. The reason why people are telling you not to use Scratch-X is that it removes a tiny amount of paint as well which is unnecessary (plus it won't fix the problem). I would go to the store and buy the Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner. This will remove wax with less risk of removing paint. 99% of the auto parts stores I've ever been in sell it.

Trust me when I say you'll need the hair dryer or a very hot, sunny day to get this done.

**gollums_friend** · Jun 19, 2006, 02:37 PM

So far, I've tried Scratch X (yesterday) and gently wiped some diluted alcohol on the areas (today), because I hadn't realised the ScratchX already removed the wax from those areas for me...

The car sat out in the parking lot at work all day.....sunny and at least 82 degrees. There has been no change in the appearance of my much hated cloudy areas. Do I still need to try a hair dryer?? If so.......can I do it anytime without "prepping" the areas again to try to take more wax off first? (Like if I find an outlet to use this friday....just have at it with the dryer right off the bat, or do I need to alcohol it again just beforehand?)

**Mikeyc** · Jun 19, 2006, 08:02 PM

You need to remove the wax first because that is what is trapping the moisture in the paint.

A hair dryer fixed the problem for me. So, hopefully it will work for you as well.

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