Setec Astronomy said:
Vinyl pinstripes? I thought those went out in the 70's. I guess maybe on lower end cars.
Nope, AFAIK, the biggest majority of pinstriping you see is vinyl. My local Ford dealer installs pinstripes on every new SUV, pickup, and most cars they have on the lot (if they didn't already come with them from the factory), and they are all vinyl. I can't tell you how many vinyl pinstripes I've pulled off for friends. Most think they are painted on and can't believe it when I show them it's just a sticker. I used to be one of them. On my old 99' Eddie Bauer Expedition it had these tan pinstripes that went all the way down the side of the vehicle. It looked like two stripes above one another with the black of the vehicle showing between the two. Well, when the day came that I built up enough guts to take them off, I found out that it was actually ONE BIG STICKER! The tan, the black, everything. The sticker was almost 3/4 of an inch to 1 full inch wide. :shocked
Anyway, I personally, hate pinstripes and take them off any chance I get.
TXredEDGE said:
My feelings exactly, but my wife likes them.
Yes, they are painted. On the window sticker it said "hand painted pin stripes". They have the little Hyundai "H" in the stripes by the front fenders.
Thanks for all your help. I was just worried that they might come off with clay or PC polishing.
Brian
My fiance and I get into this debate all the time about her brand new Explorer. It came with the same vinyl pinstriping that I just mentioned, she loves it and I hate it.
Anyway, I know exactly what you are talking about with the H on the front fenders, I've just never realized those were painted on. I always thought they were stickers.
The question is, if they are painted, is the clear coat over them or are they over the clear coat. The clear coat *should* be over everything which would make it perfectly safe to do anything you want. Now, if the cc isn't over it, then you need to be a little delicate with them, but I doubt that is the case.