Removing a Car Dealership DECAL

[gollums_friend]

The dealership slapped their name with a decal on my trunk (and horribly crooked to boot!) before I bought my car in May.

I've decided I want this off, and need to do it soon before the paint around it fades (I don't know how long it takes for that to happen...??). Having no real "tools" so to speak (I do everything by hand), HOW do I do this safetly?? I was wondering if I should use something like "Goo Gone" made for autos (why can't you use the regular Goo Gone, I already have that stuff) and a plastic razor blade like they sell on ADS?

Any ideas, please??

[MikeGT]

I used my fingers to get a corner started and some bug&tar remover. then topped it off with some nxt afterwards

[gollums_friend]

Was it pretty easy to do? I have some bug and tar remover, so I may try that then!

[RZ Autodetailing]

I have tried goo gone and it didnt work for me ...megs body solvent works great tho.

[gollums_friend]

Ok....I've got 3 ideas to help (goo gone, body solvent, B&T remover)......but what about the other part---just use fingers to try and peel off, or the plastic razor blade idea? Nobody's given opinions on that part yet. Not a good idea or give it a try?

[Mike Phillips]

If it's a decal, you could try warming it up using a hair dryer and then after the adhesive becomes warm, slowly peel the decal off. This works for some decals, not all.

3M actually makes a tool that attaches to a rotary buffer for removing pin-striping and I think decals, but you would have to check in this, possibly stop by an established detail shop and see if they have one or know about it.

If you try the plastic razor blade, you have to be careful you don't also put scratches into the paint by using too much pressure. We've had at least one forum member post about this exact problem in that they removed the decal but were left with gouging scratches.

You could ask the dealer to remove it and express your unhappiness with what they did, it might make them think twice about the policy. The problem is they might do more damage than good.

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by gollums_friend
Ok....I've got 3 ideas to help (goo gone, body solvent, B&T remover)......but what about the other part---just use fingers to try and peel off, or the plastic razor blade idea? Nobody's given opinions on that part yet. Not a good idea or give it a try?

If it's some type of emblem, you could try fishing line or even dental floss. Afterwords use some Goo Gone to remove the adhesive residue.

Afterwards clean and wax the area.

[gollums_friend]

Decal vs. Emblem......I really have no idea what the difference is. It's just their stupid "bumper sticker" type thing stating the dealership's name that they put on every single car sitting in their lot.

The top left corner of it has started to peel away from the car *just a little bit*, but enough to give me the courage to try and finish removing it myself.

Rotary buffer tool.....not an option. I have to do it by hand. I *could* buy all these cool machine type toys you guys talk about, but I live in an apt. with no access to a garage or power outlets....

I wouldn't dream of asking the dealership to remove it.

I'm going to try with my fingers first.....and resort to the plastic razor blade--GENTLY--if needed. Thanks for all the help, everyone!

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by gollums_friend


The top left corner of it has started to peel away from the car *just a little bit*, but enough to give me the courage to try and finish removing it myself.

Try peeling it off very slowly, give the adhesive time to let go of the paint and separate. Also, give the hair dryer option a try, warming the adhesive will make it more elastic and it will then cooperate with force a little better.

Good luck!

[Snowman]

I would heat it up with a hair dryer and try to peel most of it off that way and then what I have found works wonders on getting any sort of sticky gummy gunk off is a product that 3M makes which is in a spray can that is red and white and is basically just called Adhesive Remover. I have used this on my paint with no drawbacks. Great stuff and I use it all over the house now when I have stickers that I need to get off.

[Setec Astronomy]

Just a couple quick thoughts...I don't think you have to worry about the paint "fading" around the decal...modern clearcoats don't fade that easily. Second, IMO, people get a little too excited about the difficulty of taking these things off. They're just stickers (or if they are a badge, usually adhered with some double-sided foam tape) on a smooth, non-porous surface. Just pull it off, and remove the adhesive residue using one of the methods above.

The only time I have heard of any trouble is what Mike P. described as being too aggressive with the plastic razor blade, or a large badge tipping while being pulled and smacking into the paint as it broke loose. In that case, if there's a concern, the fishing line/dental floss method will cut through the foam, and you'll have to peel/scrape/soak the residue.

[96Lude]

If I were to remove a decal, I would probably do as Mike suggested and use a hair dryer to heat up the adhesive and then carefully peel it off.

Is there any particular reason that nobody suggested using Meguiar's Detailing Clay to remove the rest of the adhesive that will remain on the surface? Since clay is non-abrasive, I would think that it would be very safe to use in this situation.

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by 96Lude
Is there any particular reason that nobody suggested using Meguiar's Detailing Clay to remove the rest of the adhesive that will remain on the surface?

That might work but the adhesive will be sticky to some degree and will be a paint to physically move off the paint no matter how you do it.

A chemical that will help to soften and loosen the leftover adhesive will make the process easer. Besides the Goo Gone product, ScratchX or Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner should remove any residual adhesive if worked against the paint and it won't scratch the paint.

[Setec Astronomy]

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner should remove any residual adhesive if worked against the paint and it won't scratch the paint.

In fact I just used this the other day to remove the residue from an individual-letter dealer sticker, after I peeled it with my fingernails and scraped it with a plastic razor blade. Worked like a charm!

[gollums_friend]

About the only other thing I can think of to add when describing this "decal"....is that it seems to look very "thin". Ack--that probably doesn't help much, lolol.

GREAT--I have Goo Gone, ScratchX and DC Paint Cleaner!! If I try the Goo Gone first----it's ok to use the regular Goo Gone, it doesn't HAVE to be the "Automotive Goo Gone", right?