The OEM half mask bra will have the same gap. I had the half mask bra, sold it used on ebay and got the Perfect Fit deflector.

 

I purchase full mask for my 05, but can't install the hood bra due to lack of proper mounting wholes under the hood. And like andrew28 said, the gap is there because of the shape of the hood. My full bra will be returned.

 

The question is what looks good to you and future buyers? Once a bra is installed IT CANNOT be removed or you will see where it was, no paint fading underneath, paint "rubbed" underneath, etc.

 

I disagree:

Once a bra is installed IT CANNOT be removed or you will see where it was, no paint fading underneath, paint "rubbed" underneath, etc.

I had a bra on both my 99 CR-V and my 03 VW Passat and neither showed any signs of "bra damage" after I removed them.

All I did was make sure to put an extra coat of wax in the area of the hood under the bra everytime the whole car got waxed.

 

No Bra!

Since you are in an are which receives snow the roads will be treated with salt and sand. No matter how you wash the bra, small amounts of sand will be in the material. And no matter how tight you make the bra in the garage once on the highway it will move slightly - this works like sandpaper.

I tried everything to prevent this, from constant washing to an extra coat of wax. One the car was a few years old you could see a difference on the hood.

Stick with the OEM deflecter, it come sits high enough to allow you to wash under it and comes off easy when waxing.

 

If anyone prefers the bra over a deflector, here's how to prevent scratches on the hood. Check out page 4 of this link.

http://www.piloteers.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5717&highlight=solving+problems

 

I agree with the "no bra" folk. My experience with these things is that they will scratch the paint on the hood where they rest. My wife's Toyota had one and there was nothing we could do to stop the slight scratching that occured in the center of the hood from dirt and grime getting under the edge and then working on the paint. Bug shields don't do this, but they are hard to wash behind unless they sit out from the body a ways and then, to me, they look goofy.

 

Get both

I started out with a full bra and did not like the daily hassle of it. Got the Weathertech deflector and use it most the time alone. On trips I'll install the lower bra to protect the nose. Thanks to Jopat's advice it looks and works out great.
http://www.piloteers.org/forums/sho...thread.php?s=&threadid=8060&perpage=15&highlight=bra bug deflector&pagenumber=2

 

I have an 05 Nighthawk Black that came with an "invisibra" It is great! It lays right on top of the hood. Any thing that hits it bounces off and protects the paint.

This is supposed to be the bra of the future.

 

Congrats on your new '05 - I just got mine about 2 weeks ago.

If you're going to go with a deflector, I recommend the WeatherTech Deflector for the Pilot (http://www.mats.com). The OEM unit is more of a permanent install and many people complain of excessive wind noise/whistling. Installation on the WeatherTech unit requires no tape or any other permanent modification (basically install two plastic grommets and two trim clips) - it looks great too, not transluscent like a lot of them are.

I've also heard many people say that the Perfect Fit deflector is pretty decent, but hadn't ever heard of the company or seen the product.

I'm really happy with the WeatherTech unit, installation took about ten minutes and there is little additional wind noise - but usually not unless you exceed about 70 mph (they ALL make noise, don't believe anyone who tells you different).

I'd also like to echo the sentiment that bras will damage the paint. Even if you don't drive in sandy/salty areas, the constant vibration and rubbing will marr your finish. It might not be terribly obvious, but can reduce your resale value. Why risk it? The deflector performs basically the same function and doesn't require near as much maintenance.

Just my $0.02