Mini Cooper Stripes & g100

[evanzrod]

I just today ordered my g100 package along with all the needed accessories from ADS. I have also done all the reading on the g100 posted on this site. In addition, I own the corvette DVD that Mr. Phillips did.

Here is my ques. - The stripes that are on my bonnet (hood) are not factory installed. They are dealer installed and are sitting on top of the clear coat. When using the g100 and #80 speed glaze, should I avoid them, tape them off? What about when I reach the wax step?

Thanks in advance!

[piebald]

dealer installed or not, stripes on the mini are always above the clear coat

i didnt tape them of for the polish but i will do it next time, i have now left some polish at the edges of the stripes which are hard to get off again. so i recommend taping them off, although you can wax them so they shine like the rest

[TrufflePig]

yes but you have to be careful.

they're not done at the factory so it might be iffy.

let's get Richard to chime in on this.

i'm going ot forward this to him.

[OctaneGuy]

Thanks Trufflepig. I believe I answered this already on ShowCarGarage.com but the most important thing to find out is whether the stripe is printed or not.

If it's solid white or solid black and not printed black on white vinyl, then you can safely buff it.

Either way, they will eventually stain and there isn't anything that will make them look absolutely clean again since most contaminants have a way of seeping into the vinyl.

But you CAN make them shine again. Whether its by light polishing with the PC or by applying a dressing to restore consistency of color. Often times black won't look so hot after a few months, so putting on a dressing like Hyperdressing will darken it and make the whole stripe even.

Taping off the edges of the stripe can be desirable to prevent wax buildup, as well as to protect pin striping. Don't press the tape down too hard. You want to be able to lift it off without damaging the vinyl.

I remove wax buildup with the Meguiar's detailing brush--the one with brushes on each end and looks like a toothbrush. Spray some QD on the brush, and gently brush the wax away, wiping the brush frequently with a towel to collect wax buildup is how I do it.

I will repeat, if the vinyl is printed, DON'T Buff on it.

[TrufflePig]

but Richard decals from the factory are GOOD TO GO right. like they can be waxed you said.

i just wanted other MINI owners to be aware of that.

if it comes from the factory its okay right?

[BuckeyeMCS]

I agree about the stain on the stripe. I had a few and could not remove them. I thought maybe the right thing to do would be to install new stripes every couple of years.

[OctaneGuy]

Yes, to the best of my knowledge the factory OEM stripes are not printed and are solid so they should be ok. Always do a test just in case!

Originally posted by TrufflePig
but Richard decals from the factory are GOOD TO GO right. like they can be waxed you said.

i just wanted other MINI owners to be aware of that.

if it comes from the factory its okay right?

Outdoor vinyl is usually only rated from 2 to 5 years and it still depends on environmental factors. Stripes are inexpensive and easy to remove! I plan to have my unistripe painted eventually.

Originally posted by BuckeyeMCS
I agree about the stain on the stripe. I had a few and could not remove them. I thought maybe the right thing to do would be to install new stripes every couple of years.