Just bought Yaris. Q about removing dealer added pinstriping?

[twowheels]

Just picked up my new '09 Yaris on Saturday. It was the ONLY one in Northern CA with cruise control -- in fact the dealer that I got it from had previously traded it from a dealer in NV, which is the only reason that there was even this one. I manged to get it @ invoice, minus the current $1000 rebate. $1000 under invoice seemed like a good deal.

It's an '09 2 dr, manual, in meteorite metallic. Has cruise, power package with steel wheels, keyless entry, all weather guard, center armrest, mats...

Anyhow, the dealer in NV had added their own "Mountain Package" or some such garbage that was basically two pin stripes and some plastic along the edges of the doors to protect against dings. The original dealer's paperwork was in the glove box and it said that they'd added $1500 for this package!!! Yikes! Don't worry, I didn't pay for their $20 worth of plastic.

Anyhow, we don't like the pinstripe. I'm inclined to remove it, and being as the car is new I probably don't have to worry about fading around the pinstripe, but reading the various threads here about bad paint has me wondering if I'd be best off just leaving it alone.

Opinions? Will heating the pinstripe to remove it and removing the residue with some sort of bug/tar cleaner do anything nasty to the paint?

Thanks!

[HTM Yaris]

Yo , try the 3M "stripe off wheel " (part # 07498 on package , 07499 on actual wheel ) . You can get it at Napa . I have taken hundreds of stripes and stickers off with this wheel . Its the shizzle Don't worry it wont mess up your paint at all . Unless of course you hold the wheel in the same place for 5 min while it is turning

P.S. It even gets the residue ....

Here is the mailing address

Automotive Aftermarket Division
3M Center , Building 223-6N-01
St Paul , MN 55144-1000

[Bob_VT]

If it is a sticky stripe just peel it off. 2009 should not be faded yet!

[PetersRedYaris]

Listen to HTM yaris, I also have one... They're really cool, kinda like eraser rubber. It's an autobody tool the body shops don't want you to know about. Put it in a cordless drill and spin off any decal, adhesive, sticker, residue, anything. A local guy here charges people $200 to remove pinstrips, then he gets out the wheel and does it in less than an hour. I paid like $8 for mine at an autobody supply store and it's lasted 5+ years and LOTS of use.

[Thej3sta2]

dude just peel it off,
my wife peeled it of in like one minute. . .

[kimona]

Pulll it off in just seconds, then apply a light wax. You should be all done in 10 minutes.

[eht13]

Yeah, I've removed them myself from previous cars. Once you get it started and lifted up with your fingernail, just pull it off slowly as you walk back and it should come off in one piece. Little to no residue either, especially if it was just put on recently.

Edit: meant to add that I think these are the same material as the lettering that some dealers put on the back of the car with their dealership name... basically to use your car for advertising. I always take those off too, but that is letter by letter usually.

[Cutie Pie #2]

All I did was just removed them with my finger nails and it took about 15 mins.Also it was a warm day.