How not to Install a Pin Stripe...

[automobiliben]

Thought some of you guys might like this issue I am dealing with on my new Ex Sport. The car was a dealer transfer that the dealership wouldn't transfer without a Bill of Sale, so I actually bought the car sight unseen.

Nonetheless, the first thing I saw on the car when it pulled up at the dealership was a pin stripe down the side of it that definitely wasn't Factory. I debated on the pin stripe for a bit, and thought that I would leave it as I always had the option to remove it. The Dealership even offered to remove it the day after I took delivery.

Fast forward to when I am getting my clear bra installed, they tell me that they would have to install it over the pin stripe, that definitely won't fly as I would than no longer have the option to remove it. So I had the clear bra installer remove it.

I get the car home from the clear bra and notice a small chip in the paint above the Passenger tail light. At first frustrated that the clear bra installer nicked my paint, I quickly realized it was from the person that installed the pin stripe. It appears that they laid out the pin stripe down the entire side of the car, than took a KNIFE and cut the stripe and into the clear coat! There is literally a cut in the clear coat at every location the stripe passed over a door gap...

Chip (above smudge, sort of blurred)

Cut in Clear Coat (at edge of round from the light, straight line)

Luckily the Dealer agreed to take a look at the car tomorrow and I will see what happens!

Ben

 

[jran76]

Pinstripes should be illegal on all cars. I think I have seen one or two that looked decent in my entire life. They are one thing all cars could do without; almost without question. Sorry you have to experience that.

 

[Ajar]

Pinstripes were cool..... In the 70s and early 80s.....

So sorry man...! That truly stinks. GL at the dealership.

 

[MikeCallery]

Pinstripes should be illegal on all cars. I think I have seen one or two that looked decent in my entire life. They are one thing all cars could do without; almost without question. Sorry you have to experience that.

Should be illegal? How ridiculous. I have seen some beautiful custom pin stripe work done and it has accented a car quite well. The question always falls to who did the work and an amateur's work is just that.

 

[13Sport]

I get the car home from the clear bra and notice a small chip in the paint above the Passenger tail light. At first frustrated that the clear bra installer nicked my paint, I quickly realized it was from the person that installed the pin stripe. It appears that they laid out the pin stripe down the entire side of the car, than took a KNIFE and cut the stripe and into the clear coat! There is literally a cut in the clear coat at every location the stripe passed over a door gap...

It's possible the car was repainted (for damage), or clear coat was shot over the stripe. I put some vinyl door stripes on my wife's Camaro, and when there was some door damage, they reshot the car w/out removing the stripe first. A few months later we went to apply new stripes (different color), and the old stripe was "etched" into the clear as you describe here. I was able to compound it down enough that it's "fairly" smooth, but it was lazy workmanship for sure.

 

[pingbling23]

Pick up those papers lol.

 

[13Sport]

Pick up those papers lol.

What papers?

 

[pingbling23]

What papers?

Touché hahaha.

 

[Trac Marks]

Anyone remember the Yankee edition Explorer? "Drive One Home" sweepstakes, a lucky fan sort of won the truck. Technically they won a 2 to 3 year lease, never actually owned the vehicle, just got to drive it... for a limited number of miles, as is with any lease..

Me? Huge fan of hand painted custom pinstripes. Dislike cheap vinyl for the obvious reasons OP reports.

Link to old contest page:
http://maplecrestfordlincolnunion.com/Ford-Explorer-NY-Yankees-Sweepstakes/



Ben: What was the outcome on this?