I’m getting a Honda Reflex Scooter next spring http://www.seanweems.com/reflex/
and I’d like to put some decals and such on it. I thought of having some custom paint done, but I think that will affect it’s resale value, especially because I’d like a nice “Zette” put across part of it. In any case, I’ve decided that stickers or decals are the way to go if I feel like decorating then at some point changing or removing them altogether.
What are the facts on this? I live in the south and it’s sunny here a LOT. Will decals or stickers ruin my paint? Will the paint fade and leave a spot where the decal used to be? Can you use a cling decal instead of a sticker, and what are the effects of that?
I see people all the time driving around with a flag sticker slapped right on their paint and I think “Damn, it seems like in a few months, they’ll have a darker spot where that decal was.”
Am I mistaken on this? How long would it take to notice a difference in paint shade from using decals? If I switched them around every 6 months or so, would that prevent trouble?
I had vinyl zebra stripes on my white truck for a couple of years and when they were finally taken off by the car dealer who worked the trade his boys uncovered a paint job that was unaffected by the sun.
I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadnt seen it myself.
One note: spring for the high performance vinyl. It wont shrink like the cheaper stuff did on my truck( popped out of the convex areas along the length ).
Lemme know if you want me to send you the “amazing zebra truck photo”!
As Weeks decals do leave obvious marks where the decal protected the original paint from sun, road salt and all other forms of corrosion.
It depends on the quality of the original paint job and your climate. Some colors degrade faster than others too (red paints seem to fade worse than other colors – but that opinion is based on observation only, no science to back it up).
As a student, I worked for a pharmacy that got bought out by a competitor, they changed all the delivery truck decals, but the old names was still awalys perfectly obvious on the side. You could see polished shiny areas that spelled out the former company name.
Like Eats_Crayons said, it comes down to the quality of the paint/sealant and the climate where you live.
The biggest factor is UV rays. If the car isn’t under direct sunlight constantly and has a clearcoat sealant on the paint the paint shouldn’t fade for several years, if at all.
Thanks Frank- I’m in the south, so there’s LOADS of sunshine, but I think I would keep it parked in the shade the majority of the time. I’ll check on the clear coat finish when I buy, and if it doesn’t have it, I’ll get it put on.
