I have a new 2008 Prius, dealer put his vinyl sticker on the back, ugly as hell. Any tips on safely getting it off?
You already missed the best tip, which is to not let them put it on in the first place. Since I didn't have one, I'll defer to some other unfortunate Prius buyer. Tom
Got a photo? Different stickers come off in different ways. Mine was a vinyl transfer...each letter was seperate. I just used my fingernail and it scraped right off.
In the past i have used a blade and a hairdryer... There where vinyl stick ons... Heat long enought to melt glue and LIGHTLY SCRAPE Off... otherwise go back to dealer and ask them to take off..
Don't use a metal blade! Use heat and wood or plastic or fingernail. Any decal will come off with the right amount of heat. Just don't heat enough to damage the paint. Just go until the adhesive is soft. Keep testing, and eventually it'll let you pull it off cleanly. Follow with wax and it'll be as good as new.
Steamboatsig or someone else just recently showed us pictures of their car and the tip was to use dental floss in a gentle sawing motion. It sounds like a pretty neat trick but I didn't get to use it since I bought my Prius just before closing and insisted on driving it away without the dealer sticker.
I suppose methyl ethyl keytone might be a bit harsh. I was thinking perhaps that and some 40 weight sandpaper <rolling eyes, since my smilies aren't working well> Tom
I have had success using medical adhesive remover... It is available from most any medical supply. Although I have never had a problem, I would test on an area under the car to make sure it doesn't mess with the paint/plastic. It is also great for removing decals from glass...
I cannot believe dealers put stickers on cars they sell. Must be a regional thing, becuase I have never seen this done on the west coast. I think everyone who lives in an area where dealers place stickers on cars should refuse to buy a car unless it is without a sticker or badge, and refuse delivery if the sticker is added after the sale is made.
Is it a sticker or is it a badge. I can't believe people drive around with dealer badges on their cars. The first thing I do when I get a new car is remove the dealership license plate frame. Now if they paid me to advertise for them...that would be a different story.