Fellow Gurus! I need your opinion!!

**mustangtx63** · 01-13-2007 12:02 PM

Unfortunately, my car came equipped with painted on pinstripes. The pinstripes are not ugly, don't get me wrong, but they just do not belong on a wrx.

So in my valiant search for an effective and unharmful method of removal I found this. Apparently a bunch of guys over at the Lexus boards do not like the pinstripes that the dealer put on their cars. This method seems to work fine for them and supposedly will not harm the finish.

I just wanted everyone's opinion on this method and if you thought it might be safe to attempt.

Thanks guys.

**Redline927** · 01-14-2007 08:49 AM

Holy crap. There is NO way, EVER, that I would use that technique. Easy Off? is that a joke?

I used to use Easy Off (which is an oven cleaner) to remove anodizing from aluminum (rc cars), thats how powerful it is. And when I did, I used heavy duty rubber gloves. That is very, very, very nasty stuff, and whoever decided to try that on their paint had some huge cajones and/ or an equally large bank account in the event it ate through the paint...

All I know is I would never do it. I'd keep looking for other, safer solutions first.

You're sure its painted on,and not a sticker?

**mustangtx63** · 01-14-2007 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by Redline927

Holy crap. There is NO way, EVER, that I would use that technique. Easy Off? is that a joke?

I used to use Easy Off (which is an oven cleaner) to remove anodizing from aluminum (rc cars), thats how powerful it is. And when I did, I used heavy duty rubber gloves. That is very, very, very nasty stuff, and whoever decided to try that on their paint had some huge cajones and/ or an equally large bank account in the event it ate through the paint...

All I know is I would never do it. I'd keep looking for other, safer solutions first.

You're sure its painted on,and not a sticker?

Yes I'm sure they're painted on.

I searched through many detailing forums (autopia.org) and the Easy off method is the most commonly used. The other method is wetsanding, but I wouldn't trust myself with that...

**Redline927** · 01-14-2007 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by mustangtx63

Yes I'm sure they're painted on.

I searched through many detailing forums (autopia.org) and the Easy off method is the most commonly used. The other method is wetsanding, but I wouldn't trust myself with that...

Good luck. Report back.

**mustangtx63** · 01-14-2007 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by Redline927

Good luck. Report back.

I don't think I have the marbles to do it.

**wrx wagone** · 01-14-2007 09:02 AM

I like my pinstripes. I wish they were painted on.

Close up pics of said pinstripes?

**speedDman1** · 01-14-2007 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by mustangtx63

Yes I'm sure they're painted on.

I searched through many detailing forums (autopia.org) and the Easy off method is the most commonly used. The other method is wetsanding, but I wouldn't trust myself with that...

Story time- My dad and I were looking at an s4 for my brother. We really liked it a lot from the outside, unfortunately we were seeing it at night. Went back like a week later, and there were awful wetsanding marks on the body where the pin stripe had been removed. This was a dealer car. I would take it to a professional, and just get an estimate. If dealer can't get it right...you may want to go to a specialist.

**mustangtx63** · 01-14-2007 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by speedDman1

Story time- My dad and I were looking at an s4 for my brother. We really liked it a lot from the outside, unfortunately we were seeing it at night. Went back like a week later, and there were awful wetsanding marks on the body where the pin stripe had been removed. This was a dealer car. I would take it to a professional, and just get an estimate. If dealer can't get it right...you may want to go to a specialist.

I think that's what I'll do.

...or I might just leave 'um..

Originally Posted by wrx wagone

I like my pinstripes. I wish they were painted on.

Close up pics of said pinstripes?

I don't have extreme closeups, but you can get the idea from these.