Debadging gone bad!

Hollywood31 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-28-2002, 01:41 PM

This weekend I was debagging my black Tundra and everything was going well until I got to the passenger side door. After removing the badge, and using the 3M adhesive remover product I noticed discoloration and huge swirl marks. In a panic I ran to the local auto parts store and bought some product to try and repair the problem spot.

Three hours later with tears in my eyes I realized that I was going to have to take my truck to a professional to fix the problem.

First estimate:

Paint dude says, “If I can polish it out it will cost you 34 bucks, but if that doesn’t work I will have to repaint the door and blend it which will cost you 450 bucks”.

If anyone knows of anyone in the LA area that can do small paint repair please let me know.

HELP!

peid · #2 (**permalink**) 10-28-2002, 03:59 PM

I feel terrible for you man, when I took mine off, I too was shocked at the outline that it left behind, but a week or two later with constant cleaning/waxing etc it is now 100% gone. I would just continue working at it, let it sit in the sun or warm it up with a hair dryer then clean and wax etc.

Right now today, would somebody notice it from say 20 feet away? If not, I am sure it will go away eventually, just keep working it!

Good luck, I have a buffer if you want to save the $34 and bring it to South Dakota!

Might be more than that in gas though huh? Oh well, just trying to help you know!

Hollywood31 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-28-2002, 04:18 PM

peid,

Thanks for the kind words! I will try to let the guy see if he can buff it out. Im affraid to touch my ride with a buffer cause I have no skills when it comes to buffing.

FreeRideKipp · #4 (**permalink**) 10-29-2002, 08:16 PM

How exactly do you take off your decals or badges. I have a 00 4Runner Limited 4wd and was thinking about taking mine off. How would I do it.
Also...what is some safe and proven stuff to wash my car with. Towels...soap...wax???
Thanks for any help
Matt

peid · #5 (**permalink**) 10-30-2002, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by FreeRideKipp
How exactly do you take off your decals or badges. I have a 00 4Runner Limited 4wd and was thinking about taking mine off. How would I do it.
Also...what is some safe and proven stuff to wash my car with. Towels...soap...wax???
Thanks for any help
Matt

There are many threads on this board regarding "de-badging," do a search and you will find them.

As far as maintaining the exterior of your vehicle, there is only one towel that I think people should use-MICROFIBER. Any car wash soap is okay, and wax is a personal preference, I use Wizards Shine Master.

Y2kn1Tun · #6 (**permalink**) 10-31-2002, 03:46 AM

Glad I'm not the only one that ran into problems debadging. I've got some "ghost" badges, that no one ever notices, but they're the only thing that I see. I guess I better save up so I can go to a pro and try to get it polished out.

Possum · #7 (**permalink**) 11-02-2002, 09:44 PM

Sorry to hear about that problem Hollywood31.

Well this thread made me change my mind. Guess I'll leave the badges on....

Dan

TundraBear · #8 (**permalink**) 11-04-2002, 05:42 PM

sorry to hear the

news. i agree with peid, if they arn't noticable from a distance....work 'em out. hopefully that paint guy wont d!ck you around and try to squeez extra mulah for a whole paint job! wait a minute, he wants to charge $450 for just the door? i thought earle sheibb would do a whole vehicle for around $39.95??? or is my tv stuck in the 70's?

Hollywood31 · #9 (**permalink**) 11-04-2002, 07:02 PM

LOL.......

I think earle sheibb could do it for a good price, but this my truck not my 71 Pinto!

S-Man · #10 (**permalink**) 11-17-2002, 12:29 AM

Yea i think its not a good idea to debadge a truck after its a year old already. I did mine about a month after i bought it, and it still left some "ghost badges" imprinted in my paint, but they eventually faded. I guess the paint needs time to cure from the factory, and if its an older truck, the marks prolly cured in the paint. I do paint and body work for a living, and $450 for the 2 doors is rediculous. We have a family owned business and we paint a 15 foot box van, cab AND box, frame, wheels bumpers included for around $850. You need to shop around. MAACO does good work. Very good work. and they have diffrent packages you can choose from that range from cheap to ludicrous. I feel for ya bro, if you were in Houston, i'd send ya over to my shop (although we dont like doing personal vehicles, we're more of a fleet truck repair shop, big trucks like Freightliners, Macks, Peterbuilts and stuff, cars are to detailed. but we have to do them every now and then), hope this helps. Laters.

S-Man

TRDKEAU · #11 (**permalink**) 11-17-2002, 05:40 AM

debadged my truck with little to no problems. use the blow dryer to warm it up, then took to it with my hands prying it from the side. make sure no corners dig in or its paint chips for you. all the left over 3m goo, rubbed the big parts off then cleaned it with wd-40. The left over residue that elbow grease couldnt get, I used a laquer thinnner, with a cheese cloth. took it right off. After I was done. Wash my car with dish soap and a warm water mitt. Tood a clay bar and spritz wax and remove ALL of the industial fall out. first coat of wax was carnuba to clean, then last coat was teflon to make it feel like a babies butt.

Hollywood31 · #12 (**permalink**) 11-18-2002, 11:22 AM

If anyone wants to see what the damage looks like look in my photo gallery.

peid · #13 (**permalink**) 11-18-2002, 11:37 AM

What the???????????

Why is it all white-ish? Is that wax or major scratches?

Did you use something abrasive on it?

Hollywood31 · #14 (**permalink**) 11-18-2002, 06:18 PM

Those are scratches or something like that (not ruff though). I don't know what happened but it only did it on that side. I’m thinking the paint was already messed up or something like that.

The guy who tinted my windows use to detail cars and he told me that I could fix that easy with a polisher. He said to get some Wax Shop Safecut and use the polisher then use some Wax Shop Superglaze after that.

I have not had a chance to try it but once I get some time I will.

champcaracing · #15 (**permalink**) 11-24-2002, 01:26 PM

when i de-badge me tundra, the tail gate is where i found one problem, the 4WD or SR5 (can't remember) was installed that the edge of the name was rubbing into the paint, down to the metal, lucky or unlucky a truck driver from work hit the top of the bed and the tail gate got repainted. sorry to hear about your problem, but black is a color you must keep up on ALL the time, with my tacoma i let it go for a whole summer, then took me 8 hours to get it back to those high standards i keep for my truck, then every other week it got a coat of wax, it stayed looking good till i got the tundra.