need help removing mk4 side strips

[AviTurbo]

hi
i want to remove my side strip so i can colour coded them by myself

i know a place that sells a spray can with every color code you want

how hard is it to remove them there is any guide on here show it step by step

here is a picture of my ibiza i think colour coded side strip will look much better then those black strips
what do you think?

 

[ibiza_adam]

I think on silver it will make a hell of a difference!!! On black they don't stand out quite so much tho... Sorry can't help with removing them tho, wouldn't have thought it would be a hard job, usually some adheasive and clips!!!

 

[knight85]

i can help! makes the biggest difference on a silver car

before

After

they are adhesive strips, with i think one or two locator pins...but cant remember...so you will have to buy new adhesvie pads to reattach them..also they are a bugger to get off...as they leave a load of gluey residue behind...and also you may bend and break them when taking them off..

i bought new ones from seat...just under £20 quid for all 4 (2 for each side).....and then got a mate to spray them...slight sand down then primed then sprayed and laquered.

 

[ibiza_adam]

What a diff!!! Totally changes the look of the car!!!

 

[AviTurbo]

definitely big change

i think i will take the car to someone who deals with it

by the way knight85 your windows are tinted?

 

[knight85]

yea they are...

ye strongly advise getting someone who knows what they are up to....its an easy enough job...

would reccomend buying new ones, therefore u dont have to worry about damaging the old ones

 

[AviTurbo]

from a little research in google i've discovered that once you remove those strips they never came back again you need new ones like knight85 says

you think it's a good idea to paint them while they are still fitted on the car?

the windows looks great mate may i ask you if they are tinted in the oven or by sticker?

 

[knight85]

up to you whether or not you want to paint them whilst on there...but i would do the job properly and get new ones, as i said they were cheap...and a bodyshop would do it cheaply i presume

the tints are film, but the glass was taken out and applied like that, so no gaps/bubbles/hairs etc...

 

[AviTurbo]

looks great it's reduce the heat in the car also? or maybe in uk you don't suffer from heat like we are in israel (almost 40 degrees today)
tinting front windows in israel is ilegel

one thing for sure the stealers in isreal won't charge 20 pounds for the strips they will ask for much more!

 

[knight85]

order them here then ship them to israel? you would hyave to see the savings of doing that?

its illegal here too, but its a light smoke so doesnt attract attention

was really hot here today too...almost 31!!!

where in israel are you, i have family in tel aviv

 

[AviTurbo]

haha good to know mate
i'm from petah tikvha if you know israel it's 10 minutes driving from tel aviv
as you know israel is a little country with so many problems and enemies

 

[knight85]

yep know it well mate!

hope u get it sorted...how much is postage to israel? could order them here and get them shipped....try sere motors on here...very good delivery and postage!

 

[AviTurbo]

i'll check it out
thanks mate

 

[RaggedLob]

Do it, really modernises the car, regardless of colour


The side strips take a good pull to get them off, it should be done on a hot day, as the adhesive won't be as strong..


Be brave, the retaining clips have to be broken as you take them off anyway, so new rubstrips will be needed- only a few quid from the dealer


If necessary, use white spirit and elbow grease to get any adhesive left- an absolute b***h to get off!


Then take the new rubstrips, filler prime them once or twice, leave to dry, rub down with wet and dry until perfectly smooth, then spray... don't worry about the "orange peel effect", if done well enough it shouldn't happen.. didn't to me

 

[RaggedLob]

Also, DO NOT paint them while they are still on the car, bad idea..

won't get good enough coverage, and will be impossible to rub down.. bear in mind the new side strips have that stupid textured coating that needs to be filled

 

[Mikey_H]

has anyone ever removed them completley?

 

[depresion]

I've seen some photos (posibly on tunedbe) with them off and it looks realy good (actualy isn't there an ice blue on TH lines in Scotland that has removed them?).

 

[RaggedLob]

It is possible to do without them completely, but difficult to do, as there are several holes left in the body after they are taken off

I imagine some sort of filler compound or something is needed?

in my opinion, much easier to just paint