detailing a car with decals all over it....

[tripmachine]

I have a car i'm detailing that is sponsored by many different companies and has their decals all over the car..... I have never done a car like this before.... What is the process for detailing cars with decals?? Do you just wax over them?? have to go around ALL of them??? clay them? don't clay them? i sure hope i didn't sell myself short on this one due to more tedius work... any help would be great! Thanks!

-Josh

[Mike Phillips]

Re: detailing a car with decals all over it....

Originally posted by tripmachine
I have a car i'm detailing that is sponsored by many different companies and has their decals all over the car..... I have never done a car like this before.... What is the process for detailing cars with decals?? Do you just wax over them?? have to go around ALL of them??? clay them? don't clay them? i sure hope i didn't sell myself short on this one due to more tedious work... any help would be great! Thanks!

-Josh

Hmmm... this is a very difficult project to undertake. Each decal could be different thus what might work on one decal might not work on other decals.

Meguiar's doesn't actually make a product dedicated for decals. To be safe, you might want to just do what you can for the paint as you certainly don't want to make a mistake.

You might even consider not taking the job? If it looks like it's going to be very difficult, maybe pass on it? Sometimes being successful means knowing when to turn down a job.

Just an idea...

[GTBrad]

wow, for this I say the decals be removed and replaced after the detail.

Since the price for decals are rather inexpensive, plus the vehicle is sponsored, it should not be a problem.

....unless you're dealing with huge vinyl graphics

[tripmachine]

this is a friend of mine... he drives a white 350z sponsored by meguiars.... dunno if you have ever seen it mike or not? it would be a huge pain to take all the decals off and then back on.... =/ hmmm

i may just have to pass up this one..... but maybe i could just go around all the decals?? blah

[Black Bart]

Just this week I polished my Ranger pickup and it has large decals on the rear fenders that says OFF ROAD 4X4 I used M80 and a polishing pad on my PC and polished over the decals. No problem. Does that mean it will work for you who knows if the decals are the vinyl and you are careful you probably can polish over them

[GTBrad]

GO FOR IT!

Just don't use anything more abrasive than #82

[tripmachine]

was just going to use some color X i think...

[stealth]

I've done quite a few vehicles w/decals ie: police vehicles, fire apparatus, other gov't & civilian decaled vehicles & boats. MEG'S cleaner/wax has provided the best results on both the paint & the reflectivity of the public safety units. The other nonreflective decals responded well too but try to be gentle w/the applied pressure because sometimes the UV has weakened the colors & they'll smear. Easy does it & good luck. You'll do OK.

[Krazy Ken]

Re: Re: detailing a car with decals all over it....

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
If it looks like it's going to be very difficult, maybe pass on it? Sometimes being successful means knowing when to turn down a job.

Just an idea...

Good advice Mike.