im going to have a dent taken out of my rear fender in a couple weeks (dont ask) and while i was getting an estimate, i asked the bodyshop guy how much hed charge to take off the pinstripes, he said nothing. so ive been thinking about doing it.

my car is silver with a burgundy stripe, its a 124. what do you guys think? i think the car would look newer.

thanks

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1991 300 D 2.5 Turbo, 220k
also in the family:
1981 240 D 185k
1991 350 SD 185k
2006 S 500
2005 SLK 350

I like the pin stripes but they are usually fadded in places in these 20+ yr old cars. You can remove them off with rubbing compound.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

If you decide to remove them there is a special rotary wheel that the detailers use to do it. This strikes me as a job where some previous experience counts. I think it's like a big round eraser. I'd check a high end detail shop for advice.

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The Golden Rule

1984 300SD (bought new, sold it in 1988, bought it back 13 yrs. later)

Are you not afraid you will have fading on the paint and leave a line?

I thought about doing a dentless paint repair on one dent that I have. The dent guy said the stripe would need to come off do do the repair, but I had planned to restripe fearing faded paint....

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~shell
As of 2/2010:
2001 CLK55 0o\=*=/o0
13.6 @ 106mph
10K mi
1984 300SD
260K mi and going and going...
97 S600
46K miles
1991 Sentra SE-R (extremely dorked with)
www.se-r.net

bodyart27

My daughters boyfriend had a nice "80" SD. His striping was faded in places so he rubbed it off with rubbing compound, no sign of it, no problem.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

the location of the dent that needs to be repaired requires that some of the striping be removed and put back on(if i want to keep it). thats what made me think about having it taken off completely.

the car is only a '91 and it has spent 3/4 of its life in covered parking so im not too concerned about faded paint.

i guess ill go ahead and get it done for free by a pro while i can.

thanks for the input

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1991 300 D 2.5 Turbo, 220k
also in the family:
1981 240 D 185k
1991 350 SD 185k
2006 S 500
2005 SLK 350

Is it a tape stripe or a paint stripe? Tape will be FAR easier to remove and reinstall. If it is paint, you will be smart to have a pro take it off--PLEASE do not attack your paint with compound, it's far too aggressive and the wrong tool for the job.

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Richard Detoy
'84 300SD
'76 Moto Guzzi 850 Le Mans