Exterior 2nd Gen Most liked posts in thread: Removing OEM Bonnet Stripes

  1. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
    Lifetime Supporter

    Sep 29, 2009
    12,714
    7,659
    113
    Ex-Owner (Retired) of a custom metal fab company.
    Columbus, Ohio
    Ratings:
    +7,916 / 1 / -0
    Mine was a 2009, I used a small plastic scraper I got from a friend (a plastic credit card might work). It was used to lift the edge of the stripe to get it started. Now, when I did mine it was much warmer out. If you have a garage , take the MINI out and warm it up if the hood is cold. Then bring it back in the garage, get the edge started (I started up by the wipers) and then started pulling the stripe off pulling towards the bumper. If the tape gets cold, it'll start giving you problems, the adhesive should be warm. If you need to, add some heat with a hair dryer. It ended up being fairly easy. The tape didn't even tear, it pulled off in one fell swoop....:D

    Ahhh, if you use the hair dryer, don't add too much heat, you don't want to damage the paint or blister the vinyl stripes.
     
  2. MiniJimi

    MiniJimi New Member

    Jul 20, 2009
    35
    6
    0
    West Virginia
    Ratings:
    +6 / 0 / -0
    Thanks! I'll give that a try.
     
  3. Gutterman

    Gutterman Member

    Apr 24, 2011
    48
    0
    6
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    Why are you removing them ?
     
  4. Ernesto

    Ernesto Club Coordinator

    May 16, 2009
    573
    526
    93
    Oracle DBA
    Skokie Ill
    Ratings:
    +663 / 0 / -0
    When I removed my aftermarket stripes after 7 years, it left quite a bit of residue..


    I used goo-gone and lots of elbow grease followed by clay bar before putting the new stripes back on.

    [​IMG]

    I heard later that 3M Adhesive remover is the stuff to use..
     
  5. Friskie

    Friskie Well-Known Member

    Jul 20, 2009
    1,650
    1,333
    113
    Highly motivated retiree
    In the here and now, for now.
    Ratings:
    +1,339 / 0 / -0
    Hair dryer.
     
  6. N2MINI

    N2MINI MINI of the Month

    Dec 4, 2009
    3,349
    575
    113
    Sign Maker
    Winston-Salem, NC
    Ratings:
    +594 / 0 / -0
    Lighter Fluid works well, as does gas. Just don't be smoking as your doing it!!!!
     
  7. Firebro17

    Firebro17 Dazed, but not Confused
    Lifetime Supporter

    Sep 18, 2010
    7,820
    3,327
    113
    Retired CAL FIRE Battalion Chief
    The Great Irrigated Desert of Central CA
    Ratings:
    +3,328 / 0 / -0
    Heat Gun...
     
  8. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
    Supporting Member

    May 4, 2009
    8,767
    2,547
    113
    Bend, OR USA
    Ratings:
    +2,678 / 1 / -0
    WD 40 is also great for any residue.
     
  9. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
    Lifetime Supporter

    Sep 29, 2009
    12,714
    7,659
    113
    Ex-Owner (Retired) of a custom metal fab company.
    Columbus, Ohio
    Ratings:
    +7,916 / 1 / -0
    Ernesto
    Pretty cool "Ghost Stripes"..... You were way ahead of everyone else in the "Styling Department"....:D
     
  10. Ernesto

    Ernesto Club Coordinator

    May 16, 2009
    573
    526
    93
    Oracle DBA
    Skokie Ill
    Ratings:
    +663 / 0 / -0
    Would have been nicer if it wasn't so sticky..
    First drive during cottonwood season would have left a fuzzy double stripe