After having my Zed sprayed about year ago I finally got around to doing something about the tired grey trims on it. There had been some slight overspray on some of the grey trim that goes up the windscreen and along the targa roof panels. Also the strip that goes between the targa roof was starting to blister and look a bit tired. I had been thinking over the last few weeks how best to sort this problem out. I did not want to go to the hassel of spraying them and going over them with back to black (silicon spray) just did not last long enough. What to do....

 

I thought that an easy way out would be to use self adhesive black vinyl ( like they use for car stickers). So this weekend I bought a metre of this material and set to work. I cleaned all the trims with panel cleaner to remove any old silicon spray so the vinyl would stick. Measured how wide each strip would need to be to wrap around the trims and started to apply the vinyl. I did have to rub down the strip between the targa panels because when this stuff sticks it does show any bits of shit that may be under it.

 

I simply applied the vinyl, smoothed it out and wrapped the edges. Cut each end with a very sharp stanley knife and then used the key tool required, a hairdryer!!. The heat from the hair dryer helps the vinyl to shrink around the angles the trim goes off at. It also helps the the adhesive bond better. The result, a Zed with trims that are high gloss black and look brand new. Take it from me it makes it look like a different car. I had all of this done in just under 3 hours (including fag breaks!!). Making sure the surface well prepared and smooth will ensure you get a good finish. I also did the trim that runs along the top of the doors just to finish the job. This is one easy job anyone could do to improve the look of their car. Have a go......

 

Seez ya!!

 

Simon H

Where did you get the black vinyl from?

 

Regardz

Alternatively, drive down the M4 at approximately 80mph and be directly opposite a 4 car pile up on the other side in which one car hits the crash barrier and oh-so-nearly rolls straight over it onto your car but instead contents itself with merely spitting debris up into your windscreen.

 

Then, arrive home, call out AutoGlass and get them to come out and make a complete bodge of the job, call them out again and get a much more helpful bloke who replaces all the trims for you as well as putting in the windscreen properly

submarine,

 

I've got miles of the stuff - I've got a vinyl cutter as well. lol

 

Seriously though, the easiest way for you would be to grab the yellow pages and look up signwriters and find a small firm offering vinyl cutting, shouldn't cost much either.

 

good luck

 

Tim

hi Submarine

 

Just bought it from a local sign shop. It may all sound a bit Blue Peter but it works and looks superb.

 

That was the other option I was mulling over Ajay!! LMAO. I see you have sampled the craftsmanship of autoglass aswell!!!

 

 

autoglass have just been out to do my windscreen and door (the quarterlight not in stock yet) and the fitter did a superb job.

 

much better than the silver shield guy last time.

 

my old screen was put in in july or august this year, had loads of glue across the top, but was not stuck... you could push it open...

 

obviously, not a company problem, more of an employee problem...

same thing everywhere you go...

Mine was definitely an employee problem. He turned up and nearly parked through the French Windows in the front room, despite the size of our drive, left his engine running and the door open which put me in mind of a fast getaway and then basically attacked my Zed. He flung pieces of rubber all over the garden, threw large chunks of glass onto the drive after he had successfully shattered the screen totally, despite warnings that with 4 cats and an 8 month old puppy, we would really rather he didn't do that. At one point we found the puppy chewing one of the rubber seals with glass still attached. He chipped my paintwork in two places with judicious use of a chisel and I am still waiting for the manager to call me back on that one, he left glass all over my leather seats and I opened up the pad on my thumb on one after putting my seatbelt on.

 

He tucked the top trim underneath the left hand side trim, causing it to stop short about 1 1/2 cm away from the right hand side trim and then just filled it with gunk, in an effort to make it look ok.

 

He left the black glue stuff on the bonnett and both front windows as well as a piece on the targa tops and basically screwed the job up royally.

 

And this was all after he came out a first time and discvered that en route he had scratched the windscreen and still attempted to put it on my car with a 5 inch scratch across the driver's side. I politely informed him as to exactly what he could do with that screen but that it wasn't going on my car.

 

The second chap who came, I felt a lot more confident with. He was polite and courteous and he even said, as soon as he turned up that he had had to ring the first chap for directions and that he had said that the problem would be the top trim. Anyway, 2nd chap had new trims and did everything properly. .