So I just got home from a year deployed overseas, only to find that my parents (who have been storing my 2009 Rogue in their garage) decided to get me pinstripes as a "surprise". Well, I'm surprised... and now I want them off! They're pretty hideous, and my Rogue is my baby and was in perfect condition before I left.
So, how do you get these off without damaging the paint? They're the tape kind, not paint (thank goodness). I've seen online that you can use a heat gun or a hair dryer, but I'm NOT a car person, and I'm afraid I'll screw the car up. How much would it cost to get a garage to do this, or if I took it to the Nissan dealer? Or is there a "foolproof" way to get them off?
How to remove pinstripes?
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emseerogue
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2011 8:52 pm
- Car: Nissan Rogue 2009
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casperfun
- Posts: 1447
- Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:59 am
- Car: 2009 Nissan Rogue SL AWD - Indigo Blue
- Location: Mid-Atlantic States
Re: How to remove pinstripes?
Don't worry about it. Just peel it off like tape. Use goo gone or wd-40 for any remaining tape residue.
I was able to remove my side moldings with the 3M tape by pulling it away by hand, the cheap fishing line I tried using kept breaking so I just used brute strength. It was a major PITA to get the tape off that one! But no damage.
I did peel some tiny paint near my wheel well when removing some black molding before a new paint job. It was 3M tape there too.
But pinstripes is just like regular tape. I peeled some off before taking my vehicle in to get repainted once. Real easy and no damage.
I was able to remove my side moldings with the 3M tape by pulling it away by hand, the cheap fishing line I tried using kept breaking so I just used brute strength. It was a major PITA to get the tape off that one! But no damage.
I did peel some tiny paint near my wheel well when removing some black molding before a new paint job. It was 3M tape there too.
But pinstripes is just like regular tape. I peeled some off before taking my vehicle in to get repainted once. Real easy and no damage.
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harryg
- Posts: 247
- Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:52 am
- Car: 2009 Nissan Rogue SL AWD
- Location: Canada Eh!
Re: How to remove pinstripes?
Just as casperfun said you can peel them off as they are only vinyl tape. But I would use a heat gun or a blow drier to slightly warm them up to loosen the glue a little bit so it's easier to peel off. Also be sure to get off all of the residue with something that won't harm the paint, and put a coat of wax on once your done.
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kerrton
- Posts: 2161
- Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:48 am
- Car: 2008 Nissan Rogue SL FWD Gotham Gray
- Location: Southern Alberta, Canada
Re: How to remove pinstripes?
A quick shot of heat with a hair dryer will allow those pin stripes to peel off real easy, just a bit of heat will do, if you get things too hot the vinyl gets really soft and stretchy so just a bit of heat and you'll be fine.
Most of the glue should come off with the vinyl tape, any residue can be removed after with a little heat and car soap and water. "Goo Gone" works for real stubborn sticky materials but it is quite harsh, I would not use this on your paint as the first choice as the glue should come off quite easy. If by chance you end up with stubborn glue that is difficult to remove you can consider GooGone as a plan B, but it shouldn't be necessary. Good luck!
Most of the glue should come off with the vinyl tape, any residue can be removed after with a little heat and car soap and water. "Goo Gone" works for real stubborn sticky materials but it is quite harsh, I would not use this on your paint as the first choice as the glue should come off quite easy. If by chance you end up with stubborn glue that is difficult to remove you can consider GooGone as a plan B, but it shouldn't be necessary. Good luck!
Re: How to remove pinstripes?
If you are afraid of using a heat gun, then leave it in the sun for a couple of hours and it will be easier to remove. I purchased a car that had pinstripes on and I told the salesman I did not want them. They were not on the car when I first looked at it on the internet. He helped me remove them in no time while the F&I guy was completing the paperwork.