Hood Deflectors: Yay Or Nay?

"Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again." (sir-stig)
07/21/2014 at 10:43 • Filed to: None

My dad swears by them, and my accord that I bought used had some hood rust from rock chips whereas his accord of similar age didn't have any when he got rid of it. I plan on getting the clear bra but should I also spring for the hood deflector? I can't seem to find any FiSTs with one on, only lower spec ones.

DISCUSSION (32)

TheRallyStache > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 10:46

Nay. You won't get rock chips if you can manage to not tailgate. Those are hideous. Plus, as a detailer, I can tell you bras are a bad idea as well.

Mattbob > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 10:47

Do you want it to look good, or do you want no stone chips? Pick one. Or you could go with a clear wrap on the nose of some kind. That would be the best looking option.

*edit*

this: http://invisiblemask.com/

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > TheRallyStache
07/21/2014 at 10:49

Are clear bras still a bad idea? I know they used to yellow over time but they are supposed to be much better now...

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 10:51

I've always seen cars when the "bra" comes off have terribly uneven wear on their paint form sun. I'm not sure how the clear ones will effect it in the long run but I can't stand hood deflectors, especially on cars.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 10:52

do a clear vinyl wrap sticker thing. negative on the deflector in my opinion.

No Prius Needed > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 10:52

Bro they r soo cul.

Kinja'd!!!

Mikeado > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 10:54

They are absolutely hideous without exception. Transparent protector film is the only such thing I would even consider.

Scorpio GTX1 > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 10:57

Deflectors are a gimmick, they pretty much do nothing. Six inches of your hood will be chip-free, and the rest will have as many dings as usual. Not to mention the potential damage you've caused by long-term use of adhesive on paint. There is simply no point. Just pay the $500 in the future to repaint the hood if it gets really bad.

TheRallyStache > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 10:58

If you're referring to an adadhesive clear bra, the edges will collect dirt over time and you will have nice brown lines across your hood. Even if it doesn't yellow, it will eventually look awful. My recommendation is, wash and wax your car every few weeks. It will end up protecting it from bugs and scratches far better in the long run.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > TheRallyStache
07/21/2014 at 11:35

What about dropped rocks from dump trucks? I've taken a few off my accord hood and it's not pretty... I do have the option of going all the way to the edges of the hood/front quarter panels, wouldn't that prevent any buildup?

PelicanHazard > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 11:35

Nay. They look tacky and do absolutely nothing that you can't do for free. Don't want rock chips? Don't tailgate. Don't want paint stains from bugs or something? Wash off the car after a road trip or something. Cars are cars, if they're being used right they're going to show wear.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > No Prius Needed
07/21/2014 at 11:39

I'm planning on a clear bra aka adhesive backed clear protective plastic stuff, not a normal car bra.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > Mattbob
07/21/2014 at 11:40

Thats what I meant by a clear bra.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > Mikeado
07/21/2014 at 11:41

I was only going to do the protector if it was something that was deemed necessary, otherwise it's just the 3m style wrap.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > Scorpio GTX1
07/21/2014 at 11:46

What about a full hood/fender wrap? The wrap stuff is supposed to be removable without damaging the paint...

Rico > TheRallyStache
07/21/2014 at 11:47

Came in to say this too, clear bras at best cause uneven paint fade from UV light and at worst collect grime on the edges.

Rico > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 11:49

My advice beside wash and wax is to buy some paint sealant, some people swear by Wolfgang brand (check autogeek.net for reviews and different brands), seal your car and let it cure for 12 hours or so then wax.

The sealant will help keep the clear coat from getting too damaged from rocks and such. But I mean if someone throws a brick at your car or one falls off the back of a truck no amount of sealant is going to help you there.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > Rico
07/21/2014 at 11:56

The dealership has the sealant as an option as well, and I know it's an option for me to do myself but I'm a liiittle bit scared of ruining the pristine finish. My first car was a used 2002 SE-R Spec V Sentra and it came with a clear bra, it definitely yellowed and collected grime on the seam, just not sure if the trade off is worth it.

Mattbob > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 12:02

oh, I skimmed a little to lightly when reading. I'd go with the clear bra then.

TheRallyStache > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 12:10

Hah, I had an 03 Sentra Spec V. That's actually what I'm planning on using as a Group 2 car for Rally America soon.

Back to the bra/wax thing. The dealership sealant package is a rip off and a joke. It is simply top shelf wax the same as what you can buy at an auto parts store, applied with a foam applicator and wiped off with a microfiber cloth. Interior protection packages are simply spray versions of scotchguard. You won't ruin the finish, I promise. Plus, it will help you to learn how to do this kind of maintenance to your car.

Also, dropped rocks from dump trucks will mess up your paint regardless if you have the bra on or not. That's why I don't follow dump trucks by more than 150 ft.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > TheRallyStache
07/21/2014 at 12:13

Okay, sounds like I should just man up and visit an automotive store on the way home and pick some up.

Rico > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 12:33

You apply sealant like you apply wax, I've heard Wolfgang is super easy to work with. Also you can look at the video on Autogeek if you need a few tips. http://www.autogeek.net/wg5500.html

Also sealant should be put on then clayed off around the 6 month mark and re-applied.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > Rico
07/21/2014 at 12:35

Clayed off? Does clay abrade?

Rico > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 12:43

Yeah you'll want to remove any remaining sealant/wax by using a clay bar before applying a brand new coat.

Best way to do this would be wash the car, then use clay and lubricant to remove the remaining sealant/wax/contaminants it won't damage your finish as long as you don't drop it on the floor and use it again.

TheRallyStache > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 13:18

You can use the wash soap as a lubricant for the clay bar. It won't scratch your clearcoat at all if you use fine grade clay.

Dr_Watson > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 13:46

/Drive Clean on the youtubes has good waxing, sealing, clay-bar instructions.

Dr_Watson > Scorpio GTX1
07/21/2014 at 13:47

and the added Cd will probably cost you as much in lost fuel economy as it would to have a detail shop fix the chips.

Dr_Watson > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 13:49

here's an idea... leave it in the garage rather than driving it. :p

ranwhenparked > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
07/21/2014 at 16:19

Never really understood what good protecting the paint was if you had to make the car look like crap anyway in order to do it.

Either you have a few rock chips that need touching up now and then, or you have a big, ugly, plastic wall stuck on the front all the time. The cure seems worse than the disease, but maybe that's just me.

Delusion77 > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
08/05/2014 at 20:11

hell no! those things are so pointless.

PaulQ > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
08/06/2014 at 17:49

Regular application of touch-up paint on the chips after washing but before waxing; bit of rubbing alcohol on a towel to prep the chipped area first. Stone chips are going to happen, I always keep a good distance but there's always some jackass who flies up at high speed and pulls in front of me to make their exit without leaving a safe gap, and if he runs over a stone on the road, it'll end up hitting my car.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > PaulQ
08/06/2014 at 18:19

What happens if the chip is through the 3M?