Considering a dual-stripe look - purchase/install options?

[mikes2017gt]

Been thinking about doing the dual-black-stripe mod on my car for a long time. Pic of what I'm considering attached.

I cannot install this myself...zero skills in that department. Assuming I bought the Ford Accessories kit (found it on Tasca for $288), what would a fair price for a reputable shop to install it be?

Also, said shop probably does vinyl/graphics themselves. Would it be cheaper to just have the shop provide the materials and the labor? I know the Ford kit uses 3M vinyl and that's the good stuff (as far as I know).

Aside from getting the stripes put on the car, is there anything else I should ask for to make the stripes last? (Please don't say paint them on. ) I obviously don't know squat about this kind of stuff. I do (carefully) use a pressure washer sometimes to wash my car and would hate to blow the stripes off or tear them.

Thoughts/advice please? Thanks.

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[BlueThunder]

3M and Avery are probably the best. I had Avery on my 2015 and aside from rock dings, they looked great as long as I had them. They were gloss which are much easier to take care of because you can seal and wax them just like the rest of the car which helps protect them from the sun and other crap (literally, crap), and it makes them easier to clean off.


Around here, having a shop order stripes and install them ranges anywhere from 850-1200, and you usually get what you pay for. If you buy them yourself, it's still probably around the same price. I had a shop quote me 75$ an hour to install a purchased kit and 8+ hours for all of the work including cleaning/claying/installing.


Don't buy the Ford kit. Go with BigWorm. https://www.bigwormgraphix.com/mustang.html


Dude, you're in Texas. They'll install what they sell for 140. It's a bit of a drive but you'll save way more on installation than in gas.

 

[Blue Moon]

I did my own rocker panel stripes, 3M brand, and they've held up well through 2 Canadian winters driving on salted roads.

 

[mikes2017gt]

This is SUPER helpful! Thanks very much. I had no idea this place even existed. They have a really good selection of different looks/stripes too, which is nice.

If I go with them, I'd have to stay at a hotel overnight, but even that cost plus gas is a lot less than $850+. I will email them and ask who manufacturers the material they use. They don't say on their website and that may be intentional. I'll email them and see what they say. Thanks again.

3M and Avery are probably the best. I had Avery on my 2015 and aside from rock dings, they looked great as long as I had them. They were gloss which are much easier to take care of because you can seal and wax them just like the rest of the car which helps protect them from the sun and other crap (literally, crap), and it makes them easier to clean off.


Around here, having a shop order stripes and install them ranges anywhere from 850-1200, and you usually get what you pay for. If you buy them yourself, it's still probably around the same price. I had a shop quote me 75$ an hour to install a purchased kit and 8+ hours for all of the work including cleaning/claying/installing.


Don't buy the Ford kit. Go with BigWorm. https://www.bigwormgraphix.com/mustang.html


Dude, you're in Texas. They'll install what they sell for 140. It's a bit of a drive but you'll save way more on installation than in gas.

 

[mikes2017gt]

I did my own rocker panel stripes, 3M brand, and they've held up well through 2 Canadian winters driving on salted roads.

You have better skills than I do, then. LOL! I have attempted to tint my own windows twice. Both times it was a disaster. I can wrench well enough, but there's something about that flimsy film that I just can't wrap my head or hands around. Window tint and the stripes are pretty much the same thing AFAIC.

 

[mikes2017gt]

So far, BigWorm are great folks to deal with. Had a nice email exchange and he answered all my questions. As to what brand vinyl they use, here's the response I received.

"3M, Hexis, KPMF or Avery - depends on which color you select, different manufacturers do a better job at certain colors"

I appreciated the honesty. For what I want done, it'll probably take 4-6 hours. Would be a long day. Will probably find a hotel up there to crash at. I think the install prices are very fair, considering what's involved. That stuff really is an art...it's like mudding and taping sheetrock. It looks easy until you try and do it.

Now the hard part will be deciding what stripe pattern and what colors to choose. https://www.bigwormgraphix.com/2015-17-mustang-full-length-stripes.html

 

[Weasel1]

https://www.bigwormgraphix.com/?_vs...MI7cC_rtvz2wIVh7jACh02ywKeEAAYASAAEgLzE_D_BwE

Look here

 

[jimmybuffit]

You can pay to have the stripes wrapped over with a PPF like xpel if you want them 100% protected. A way less expensive option would be a ceramic coating

 

[BlueThunder]

You can pay to have the stripes wrapped over with a PPF like xpel if you want them 100% protected. A way less expensive option would be a ceramic coating

Just have the front and hood done with PPF. It's what I'm doing. Ceramic isn't really doing much to protect vinyl from rocks and dings. You can coat the entire thing though, but it starts to get pricey.

 

[mikes2017gt]

Thanks [MENTION=31789]jimmybuffit[/MENTION] and [MENTION=25248]BlueThunder[/MENTION]. Those are helpful suggestions. I already have a bunch of rock chips in my front end that I've filled in with touchup paint. Doesn't do such a great job on a white car, unfortunately.



I do wish (now) that I would've gotten the front end protected with clear vinyl when the car was new but it's too late now.

 

[Dalas]

I bought my car 2 weeks ago and it came with the stripes already, as well as the mirrors and hood vent
done it. have a look.

[/IMG]

 

[mikes2017gt]

[MENTION=35580]Dalas[/MENTION]: NICE!!! I've always liked the Stormtrooper look and thought about doing my car that way too. Do you know if your mirrors are painted/wrapped or if they are mirrors off a black Stang?

 

[dgc333]

This stripe kit cost me $80 on eBay and it's 3M vinyl.

I installed these my self but if it's not something you want to tackle I think I would go to a shop that does window tint, I think you will find them much more reasonable than a graphics shop.

 

[mikes2017gt]

Those stripes look totally badass, [MENTION=12702]dgc333[/MENTION]. You did a great job installing them yourself! I don't have such skills and I know the adhesive on this stuff is "one time use, put it down and it's forever" stuff. I'd never get them straight on my first try.

AFA taking the self-bought stripes to a tint place; I have a dozen tint places within 20 mins of my house. My worry with "tint shops" is that they may or may not have the proper experience to do the striping work, especially in my city. Whereas a graphics place, that's all they do. The installation prices at least at Bigwormgraphix are very reasonable IMO, considering they are pros and that's all they do.

If you look at my OP, I've considered buying the kit myself but never installing it myself. I've never been any good at "finish work" such as mudding/taping sheet rock, painting anything or tinting windows. I can build, wrench and fix stuff but that's it. Ironically, I'm really good at soldering and electronics, so you would think those skills "with delicate work" would carry over. But nooooooooo. :headbonk:

 

[Dalas]

[MENTION=35580]Dalas[/MENTION]: NICE!!! I've always liked the Stormtrooper look and thought about doing my car that way too. Do you know if your mirrors are painted/wrapped or if they are mirrors off a black Stang?

I haven't figured it out yet, for sure not painted, is either wrapped or plasti dipped. looking at the texture I would say plasti dip.

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