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View Full Version : MagnetBra - a warning!

marc323f
May 24th, 2010, 03:42 PM
I recently bought a magnet car bra for the BJ, from www.magnetbra.com (http://www.magnetbra.com)

looked great, and promised to protect the bonnet from any more stonechips...without damaging the paint :)

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u177/marcrs323/DSCF3905.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u177/marcrs323/DSCF3902.jpg


I fitted it a few weeks ago, and I took it off on Saturday, to give the car a good wash...

Unfortunately, this is what I found when I took it off :(

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u177/marcrs323/DSCF4227.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u177/marcrs323/DSCF4228.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u177/marcrs323/DSCF4230.jpg


Nope, it's not a reflection, it's a cloudy mess. Nothing in my armoury of products improves it, so I'd guess it's between the base coat and the lacquer.
Magnetbra comes with a 1 year guarantee...however, Bob Lefevre, who owns the company, or at least, represents it, is adamant that this damage was not caused by a defective bra, but was a defect in the paint from the factory :confused:
He states it is not caused by water retention, so the guarantee does not cover it.

So, now I have to take the car to a bodyshop, and as no one seems to be able to match the paint perfectly, it might need a front end respray :(


Don't buy or use these things, the product and the company are, in my opinion, absolutely disgraceful.

:mad:
marc323f
May 24th, 2010, 03:47 PM
Being based in the UK, I'm having trouble really fighting my case, so I thought I'd post is up for you guys to see.

If you can recommend any other good sites to post it on, please do so, or let me know - this information needs to be out there - this company should not be allowed to continue in this way - they offer a guarantee, but back away from it as soon as a problem arises!
Proteggy
May 24th, 2010, 03:50 PM
wow that sucks man you could put the bra back on lol
marc323f
May 24th, 2010, 03:59 PM
hey, just noticed your avatar...I have an 84 RX7 1st gen series 3 as my weekend toy :)
Myk
May 25th, 2010, 07:48 AM
Did you remove it on a regular basis? Or has it always been on 24/7?
991.8l
May 25th, 2010, 07:51 AM
Don't paint it, a professional detailer can remove that.. call around for some estimates.
typhoonk
May 25th, 2010, 10:13 AM
better business bureau - have you filed a complaint somewhere?
Perma
May 25th, 2010, 10:24 AM
It really does not look like the bra is defective
voy89
May 25th, 2010, 10:31 AM
that shit happend to me too(not the magnetic bra but the mazda oem one), just on the hood, and I had it on a bumper too and bumper is perfect. I cleaned under there during winter reg. basis

ps. post more pix of the car
CrazyCaker
May 25th, 2010, 10:42 AM
Looks to me more like an issue with the piss poor paint Mazda typically uses.
Junior
May 25th, 2010, 11:04 AM
Apply Elbow Grease to the affected area.

4 - 5 Litres should do the trick.
e2wJunglist
May 25th, 2010, 11:06 AM
Make sure you warm up first with some Mmmmiley pics.
marc323f
May 25th, 2010, 11:53 AM
Don't paint it, a professional detailer can remove that.. call around for some estimates.

I am a detailer - and it's not on the surface, so I don't see how I can "remove" it :confused:

It was on for a few weeks, it was clean when I fitted it, but it had lifted up around the contoured section - you can see the bit where there is no damage :rolleyes:
marc323f
May 25th, 2010, 11:55 AM
better business bureau - have you filed a complaint somewhere?


we have trading standards in the UK, I guess this is the US equivlent? DO you have any details, I'd really appreciate being able to file an official complaint ;)
burlingtonprotege
May 25th, 2010, 03:57 PM
i had something similar from my support the soldiers magnet. Waxed and buffed it out.
typhoonk
May 28th, 2010, 04:10 PM
we have trading standards in the UK, I guess this is the US equivlent? DO you have any details, I'd really appreciate being able to file an official complaint ;)

http://www.bbb.org/
marc323f
June 6th, 2010, 10:44 AM
Thanks for that :)
Well, I filed a complaint with the BBB, and the company offered a refund on the carbra.

I have a bill of approx $200 to repaint the bonnet, I've booked the car in to get the work done this month, hopefully the paint match will be ok :)
TheMAN
June 6th, 2010, 04:32 PM
Looks to me more like an issue with the piss poor paint Mazda typically uses.
I don't think you can really blame this on paint... magnetic bra is magnetic right? so why wouldn't it be possible for it to attract fine metallic particles from whatever? so with that stuck on there, it acts like sand paper as soon as you put it on the car! I heard of this shit happen before with other protege owners... I really think it's just shit stuck on the magnetic bra and/or paint impurities (that normally can't be removed without a clay bar) or dust that became sand paper as it's likely that the magnetic bra also have different expansion/contraction rates from the car's metal

after hearing many stories like these in the past is why I chose to get the mazda OEM acryllic hood deflector years ago (when it was still available)... it has protected my car well and I think it looks much better than any bra... it's not perfect but it's a good compromise :)