I am about to put stripes on my car and I'm a little nervous about how long they will last. I live in Michigan and I do drive this car everyday. I am going with the Pewter stripes on my black GT. After 5 years will I have a problem taking them off if they need replacing? I am using Avery vinyl if that matters... Fist post for me...Great forum! Thanks for the input!

Jim

 

First welcome to the site! Second there have been quite a few discussions about stripes. From what I remember I've heard people say they last anywhere between 5 to 10 yrs. The only problem with removing them would be paint fade but if you do a search you could probably find out more.

 

Thanks for the reply. I have read a lot on the subject but I have to admit.....I have been paying attention to the pictures of the cars more than the context! BTW...This is my first post, not fist post! Gotta work on that!

 

Welcome to the site. As for stripes, the longevity all depends on the vinyl being used. If it is 3M automotive 2 mil vinyl, you should expect 7-9 years with no issues. If you decide to remove them after a few years, you will notice that they actually protected the paint from UV and oxidization, so you would have to polish the panels to get rid of that "faded" look.

Since you are going to use Avery vinyl, just make sure it is 2 mil, and not 3 mil calendared vinyl. That stuff won't last long and it is not meant for vehicle installs.

 

Regarding vinyl stripes, my stripe installer told me not to put car wax on the stripes. It hardens them. Use a vinyl protectant like 303 protectant to protect from UV damage, too.

 

Actually, that is not accurate information. You can definately wax stripes. Do not use a vinyl protectant. This is not the same sort of material that vinyl protectant is made for.

 

I agree. I was told to wax the stripes . Vinyl protectant is a big NO NO!!

 

I am afraid, so I will be removing clear coat, painting the stirpes on, and then clearcoating over the paint and stripes. Definately the best way to go, but it will set a guy back 2-3K.

Jon

 

When I got my vinyl i was not sure if i would like it and did not want to pay for paint and not like it. Had I known ahead of time that I would like it I would have done stripes in paint also, now I am looking forward to them to go bad so I have an excuse to paint.

 

Thanks for all of the advice. I was told the Avery was very comparable to the 3M. I was also told the same thing about using a 2 mil thickness. The guy has been doing this for 25 years so I do have confidence in his judgement. I thought $400 for everything was a fair price. I painted stripes on my 67 shelby (GT350) this year but that was a little easier to justify the cost... at least in my mind. Thanks again!

 

I have a question. How much of a lip above the paint does the 3 mil vinyl have? Can you clear over the vinyl stripes to get a more smooth appearance?

 

I'm not sure if clearing over the vinyl is a good idea. I know that if you paint ontop of the factory clear and then clear over everything there is still a lip to the stirpe that can be felt. I would worry about the sun fading the vinyl under the clear and then not being able to remove it for replacement.

Just my 2 cents.

Jon

 

You can clear over the stripes but it would take a fair amount of clearcoat to complete hide the "lip". In the end it would not be worth it. It would be cheaper to remove the vinyl and paint the stripes on than it would be to clear over the vinyl.