Stripes . . . paint or decal?

[MINIsota_Cuke]

I was orriginally going to get the standard bonnet stripes on my MCS, liquid yellow, white roof, but after seeing them in person I'm not sure. I don't like the way they don't fit the entire bonnet (about a half inch too short) and I don't like that the white S stripes have black edging on them. So, I am now considerring getting them done aftermarket, but I don't know if I should go with a vinyl decal or actual paint.
I've heard you have to be careful about getting wax on the decals and that after a few years they start looking like crap. I am also thinking about putting stripes down the boot as well. Will having custom paint void the rust warrenty at all? Does anyone have an opinion on decals vs. paint?
Also, I saw an awesome Red Cooper S with custom stripes on here, but now I can't find the pictures. I think it had one wide stripe in the middle with a pinstripe on each side.
Can anyone help me find these pictures?
TIA

[Dom mini cooper]

I'd go for the decal if I were you. Easily removed when you come to sell the car. So what if they discolour after a few years...they should be fairly cheap in the first place. Mine cost me £30. www.idlegear.co.uk

[smiffy]

Get some custom made vinyl jobbies, and then you can get them to run the entire lenght of the bonnet aka hood
Monsta has custom jobbies on his cooper & they run from the base of the windscreen to the top of the grille
Plus if they are vinyl you can remove them if you dont like them or remove them should you ever sell & the buyer doesnt like them

[Keith]

I also noticed that the stripes stop short of the edge. My guess is that it is the same as never having wallpaper seams on a corner - the end of the stripe is far more likely to start coming up if it is at the end of a panel. Maybe wrapping the decal round the end and finishing inside could be a solution.

[Garfield]

Actually, if you wait several years to remove them, it's easier to remove paint, even the hardest Emron paint like mine, than it is to remove the vinyl.

Keep in mind, you won't be able to remove the stripes down the road, the body paint will already be faded. It's still a fairly permanent decision, unless you plan on putting them on and off very often.

[monsta]

That picture smiffy posted doesn't show them going up to the window....

[smiffy]

Quote:

Originally posted by monsta
That picture smiffy posted doesn't show them going up to the window....

thats the picture I was after

[GaryM]

Do the stripes in vinyl. I have had mine custom cut by a graphics company specialising in vehicle graphics. There lots of different types of vinyl with fade resistance properties and different adhesive properties.

Depending on how you prepare the roof surface you can make the graphics as hard or as easy as you like to get off as long as you are not looking at years. After this it is very likey that the paint around the stickers will have faded and effectively you would be left with shadows where the stickers where.

As for the stickers peeling, that only tends to be a problem with graphics that have thin or sharp edges. Like, hmm... my Union Jack. When washing and polishing (obvoiusly don't even think about a car wash!!) I just make sure I wash towards the edges. Your stipes should not be a problem.

Ask me again in a couple of years.

[Benfrain]

DOH! I had my Union Jack fitted at the dealer before I picked up my car 4 days ago. Needless to say I'm ****ed! I paid £210 for the Union Jack on my roof, and as mentioned here, it is peeling at the very tips!!

How do they justify that price tag when this company (idlegear) is doing them for £55 + VAT??

Also, if the flag is lifting already, am I better off asking them to remove it and keep the £210? Then, if I want I can always put one on myself at a later day...

Thanks for any info...

Regards - Ben

[scott shand]

kick up **** tell them not ask them to remove the union jack and that you want a refund, i have found that you have to be fairly hard with the dealers otherwise they will take the ****!

[Benfrain]

OK Scott, cheers for that info. I think I will tell them I want the sorting (that way if it goes wrong at a later date I can still go back there) but that I want a revision in the price I paid. Especially as the friggin thing is already starting to peel back. I'd paid the high price as I presume it would be sprayed on, or at least sealed in some way. The BMW/Mini one doesn't even cover the whole roof! GGgrrrrr!

[kb_solo2]

My local dealer said that if they fitted the roof decal it would be covered under the paint warrantee...Go complain.