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I know that painted stripes are going to be more durable and last longer but they're about 4 times the price of vinyl stripes and that's including having a professional install vinyl. I feel like the vinyl could be a band-aid that gets me 5ish years until I'm ready to drop money on painted stripes but I can't pull the trigger. I'd like the extra money just to do some performance mods as well. I'm also considering a thing stripe of yellow outside of the dual matte black racing stripes I'd get.
Opinions always help the decision so thanks for the input!
I know that painted stripes are going to be more durable and last longer but they're about 4 times the price of vinyl stripes and that's including having a professional install vinyl. I feel like the vinyl could be a band-aid that gets me 5ish years until I'm ready to drop money on painted stripes but I can't pull the trigger. I'd like the extra money just to do some performance mods as well. I'm also considering a thing stripe of yellow outside of the dual matte black racing stripes I'd get.
Opinions always help the decision so thanks for the input!
I would just do vinyl and if you have any mechanical skills I'd just do them myself and save even more money.
I did a super snake stripe 18" wide with two 1" pin stripes for $90.
Any suggestions on where to get vinyl from? I know 3M and Big Worm(?) are two producers and AM has them on their website too. The problem with AM is they are all pretty standard options and I want the possibility of the yellow pinstripes as well. I would love to do them myself but I'm definitely nervous about messing up or making them look terrible. I have the patience but not the steadiest of hands for finessing stuff like that.
Any suggestions on where to get vinyl from? I know 3M and Big Worm(?) are two producers and AM has them on their website too. The problem with AM is they are all pretty standard options and I want the possibility of the yellow pinstripes as well. I would love to do them myself but I'm definitely nervous about messing up or making them look terrible. I have the patience but not the steadiest of hands for finessing stuff like that.
Check out http://www.vinylgiant.com
*Buy a good 4ft metal ruler to use as a straight edge.
*Have a smooth surface like pc of wood to cut the vinyl on.
*Buy a good break away razor blade and break the blades away every few cuts.
*Buy a clothes tape measure that's tailors use to measure where your stripes will go and it won't scratch your paint.
*Buy some cheap pin stripping and once you measure use it to layout where your outer stripes will go. You'll use this to lay the stripes on to keep them straight.
Those items will make it easier and the vinyl giant has a good how to on its site.
This is where I bought my stripe kit over 4 years ago. High-quality 3M vinyl precut for your Mustang. Did the install with no help at all. I think there were 26 individual pieces. There still flawless. Although my car is garaged. http://www.graphic-express.com/
I would recommend paint if you can pull it but i know it can be pricey.
The matte black ones i got from american muscle faded pretty quickly but i don't garage my car. My car is completely wrapped now so will see how this holds up to the michigan weather.
All great advice and I definitely appreciate the input! So the consensus is that if I do get vinyl, I should definitely do it myself rather than pay to have it done?
I'm also leaning more toward vinyl now since I'm considering some options that if permanent and I don't like them, I'm kind of screwed. I like the idea of the dual matte black stripes down the car and then a thing stripe on the outside of the stripes in some sort of accent color (was leaning toward orange...thought of yellow but black and yellow reminds of Pittsburgh I'm from Philly) If I order a kit that has plain black stripes and orange accents and I don't like it, its pretty easy to just not install them but if they're painted, I'm kinda stuck with whatever happens.
The car is garaged so hopefully that will help reduce the fading although it's a daily driver. I have a motorcycle too so I don't have to have the car out all the time but it will always be the vehicle I use when it rains.
Painting would definitely be the better permanent choice but I can spend a fraction (1/4 - 1/10) the price on vinyl and try some things out.
I'm actually surprised to see that most (if not all but I haven't look at every brand) of the wraps from Metro Restyling are dry application wraps that are just an adhesive that you have to firmly press to activate instead of a piece that you soak in a solution and can slide around the surfaces of the car until you're happy with their placement. my friend had a vinyl striping kit and it was like that where it was a soapy solution of some sort that made repositioning easier and when he was happy, he just let it sit and dry.
the plasti-dip idea isn't bad since it's easily removable but i don't like the fact that if something catches it and pulls, it can tear it so easily.
I'm actually surprised to see that most (if not all but I haven't look at every brand) of the wraps from Metro Restyling are dry application wraps that are just an adhesive that you have to firmly press to activate instead of a piece that you soak in a solution and can slide around the surfaces of the car until you're happy with their placement. my friend had a vinyl striping kit and it was like that where it was a soapy solution of some sort that made repositioning easier and when he was happy, he just let it sit and dry.
the plasti-dip idea isn't bad since it's easily removable but i don't like the fact that if something catches it and pulls, it can tear it so easily.
My wrap was the 3M dry loc but I used a few drops of baby shampoo is water to apply some of my stripes with no issues.
It helps out greatly with getting them positioned.
So I think I'm going to go with the 3M 1080 brand wrap. I've worked with it before on my interior with the carbon fiber wrap (see pics below) and I've watched several videos where they've all used the 3M wrap and with time and attention, it looks like i'll be able to do it. I'm going to do dual 10" matte black stripes and then maybe a 1/2" stripe of orange on the outside to accent it. Might have to go with a different brand of vinyl for that since 3M's orange looks a little more yellow than I'd like.
I also think I'm going to use the knifeless tape to cut it. Seems to be easier to lay down an entire 2' sheet, and then use the knifeless tape under it to cut out the center of the two stripes and then peel and remove. Seems to be easier to make the lines straight in the first place instead of trying to precut the piece.
I installed my stripes yesterday. I bought them from American Muscle and went with the gloss black double 8" stripes. The front bumper and spoiler were a pain due to the curve on them, and I ended up doing both in two pieces. Luckily the seam is hard to see. The entire project took about 8 hours, and it came out good.
Yea i ended up ordering 4 sheets of 5' by 2' 3M 1080 series matte black vinyl from metrorestyling.com. That should be enough to give me dual 10" stripes from bumper to bumper. I also bought knifeless tape. After reading reviews and watching a ton of videos on wrapping and using vinyl for decals/stripes/whole hood or roof wraps on cars, the knifeless tape seemed clutch. Gonna give it a shot sometime this week probably and see how it comes out. I'm thinking I'll have to do it over the course of a few days but i was thinking i could knock out the hood and roof relatively quickly and then worry about the bumpers.
Yea i ended up ordering 4 sheets of 5' by 2' 3M 1080 series matte black vinyl from metrorestyling.com. That should be enough to give me dual 10" stripes from bumper to bumper. I also bought knifeless tape. After reading reviews and watching a ton of videos on wrapping and using vinyl for decals/stripes/whole hood or roof wraps on cars, the knifeless tape seemed clutch. Gonna give it a shot sometime this week probably and see how it comes out. I'm thinking I'll have to do it over the course of a few days but i was thinking i could knock out the hood and roof relatively quickly and then worry about the bumpers.
Use the knifeless tape on the curved surfaces to keep the stripes straight.
Be different and don't get stripes like everyone else.
Comments like this don't feel productive. I'm not getting stripes 'like everyone else' or because other people have them. Plenty of people don't stripe their car too... I'm getting them because I like the way they look and want them. I was merely asking for suggestions on how to get them done...not if I should or not.
In other news, I got my vinyl in and started installing. I'll post the final product when it's finished. It's not too hard but definitely measuring 50 times, cutting once lol
I always wanted a car with stripes and that's why I couldn't wait to slap them on my 2014. I wanted then on my 2000 but never thought they looked right on that style.
I think if you're anything like me you go vinyl. Much easier peeling of vinyl than paint.
A quick teaser...not quite done the back but you get the idea. hopefully finishing up tomorrow and i'll post pictures of the rest of it too. Learning some lessons along the way but it's getting easier and I'm loving it the closer i get to being done!
Looking good and it looks like a different car. It may be a pain to do, but you'll enjoy it that you did yourself and saved some cash.
Thanks! It's definitely rewarding to know I did it myself and like it so much. Plus, like you said, I saved a SIGNIFICANT amount of money doing it myself which can go into other parts Probably gonna order my CAI/tune soon. I hear for a V6, especially auto's, it's one of the single most noticeable performance mods you can do
5/19/16, 03:14 PM
I'm from Philly) If I order a kit that has plain black stripes and orange accents and I don't like it, its pretty easy to just not install them but if they're painted, I'm kinda stuck with whatever happens. 
Probably gonna order my CAI/tune soon. I hear for a V6, especially auto's, it's one of the single most noticeable performance mods you can do