What's the first thing every car-guy does after they get a car from the dealership?

"Metal-maro" (metal-maro)
08/17/2017 at 21:28 • Filed to: tags, Dealerships, Stickers, emblem

What’s the first thing every car-guys does when they get a car home from the stealership?

Take off this,

or this,

or one of these if equipped.

This is especially true if your experience with the dealer wasn’t a pleasant one. They sure as hell aren’t paying me to advertise for them.

DISCUSSION (40)

TractorPillow > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 21:30

When I bought my last car from a dealership I told them I wanted it off before I paid for it.

Takuro Spirit > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 21:35

My wife and I got vehicles from the dealer I work for, a week apart.

Mine has no stickers or plate frames, hers has all the stickers and plate frames.

lol.

Funktheduck > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 21:35

I still have the plate frame. No real reason. They didn’t put the badge/sticker on mine

Metal-maro > TractorPillow
08/17/2017 at 21:36

Good idea, but how much of fight do they put up? It’s easy enough to take off at home. Especially when it’s a recent install.

TractorPillow > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 21:37

They put up zero fight. Anecdotal evidence based on exactly one experience.

Nibbles > TractorPillow
08/17/2017 at 21:38

When I bought a car a few years back they had the dealership emblazoned on the front and rear glass, full width. Unsurprisingly they fought me tooth and nail about getting it removed.

E90M3 > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 21:38

Once you get it home? Don’t you mean once it’s been delivered?

Kinja'd!!!

Metal-maro > Takuro Spirit
08/17/2017 at 21:38

Odd, I’ve never seen a dealership not mark a vehicle they sold.

Takuro Spirit > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 21:42

It was the perfect storm.... It was a dealer trade, the dealer it came from didn’t put a sticker or front plate bracket on it, we got it late at night, and when I came in to work the next morning I talked to the detail guy and told him no front plate bracket, no plate frame, and NO STICKER.

My wife’s came in on a Friday and by the time we got there on a Saturday they already had it halfway cleaned up and sticker’d. I put the front plate bracket on because she wanted to be 100% legal for her job.

TractorPillow > Nibbles
08/17/2017 at 21:44

ridiculous

Stephenson Valve Gear > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 21:48

Yup, this is one of the first things I did to my newest Mustang, and the one before that as well. Fortunately, they both had vinyl stickers that came off without too much trouble... just a bit of time and patience.

Metal-maro > E90M3
08/17/2017 at 21:48

So you had it delivered to an apartment complex you didn’t live at? Kidding...

Did it have anything on it since it was a delivery? Is this typical of a BMW experience?

Wagon Guy drives a Boostang > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 21:53

My last two new cars came to me with no more than the dealer plate frame. If they had the stickers I would have asked for them to be removed before I took delivery. I left the plate frames until I got real licence plates...

E90M3 > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 21:54

I got it from a Porsche dealer in Dallas and the only thing that it had on the back was a license plate frame.

I actually saw a car here in Savannah, 1000 miles away, wearing the same plate frame and I was like hey neat that’s where I got my car from.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 21:55

I’ve had my truck for 4 months now and just recently took the plate frames off. Dealer sticker is still on the back. But, I work at the dealership I bought it from so they’re kinda paying me to advertise...

fintail > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 22:09

I must be lucky, that kind of thing is pretty rare in the PNW. Seldom goes beyond license plate frames.

Nerd-Vol > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 22:25

I sold cars for three years. We never minded taking the sticker off.

ranwhenparked > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 22:30

I just ask that the dealer not paint or glue anything onto the car, or that they remove it themselves before I pick it up (if its something already on the lot).

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 22:31

Speaking of! The one on my car I’ve meant to take off for years and was to lazy to do so....but now it’s getting really bad looking. Can anybody give me some suggestions as to how to go about it and not leave any residue on there? :/

His Stigness > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 22:41

I think some dealers are starting to realize that customers do not appreciate being used as free billboards, and are starting to offer benefits of keeping dealer things on. My sister bought a Mazda and she gets free car washes as long as she keeps the dealer plate frame on. That seems pretty fair.

But when I got my Golf I took the paper plates off as soon as I got home, even though it looked dumb, but I do not advertise for free. If people ask me I will tell them, along with whether or not I would recommend someone going there.

It actually irritates me that sheeple allow this shit to stay on, especially the decal. The longer that stays on the higher the chance of paint fading happening. I don’t get why people are okay with this. And I honestly would not go to a dealer that added things onto the paint*.

*The exception being that they were the only one with the car I want, but the sale would absolutely be contingent on them taking off warts, and a guarantee that there is no damage, or any damage be fixed first.

The Compromiser > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 22:49

I’ve never bought anything that has this shit on it. I actually had them peel it off before we took delivery on the last one. Plate frames are whatever in my books. I just took them off our last purchase and it’s been over a year.

The thing that makes me chuckle is that I used to be the detailer who had to put this shit on. One day I had to run overy to the delivery lineup and strip a Cadillac because the buyer said if that shit was on there he would turn around and leave. I didn’t know you could do that. It became a personal requirement for me that day.

jvirgs drives a Subaru > Metal-maro
08/17/2017 at 23:02

I was lucky that the dealership group I bought my car from only uses license plate frames and its the same frame no matter the dealership you purchase the car at.

DrScientist > His Stigness
08/18/2017 at 00:53

thats a good idea. i imagine if i ever came to my senses and bought a new(ish) car from a dealer i’d take that offer of free car washes.

His Stigness > DrScientist
08/18/2017 at 01:26

I think it’s worth it if you’re not Larry Kosilla , or a detailer like him and are obsessive and require a perfect car finish.

Most people aren’t. I am, but most aren’t so it’s okay.

DrScientist > His Stigness
08/18/2017 at 01:31

you have to admire larry for all his neuroses though.

Buick Mackane > His Stigness
08/18/2017 at 02:37

How would a paper plate or decal make the paint fade?

Buick Mackane > Metal-maro
08/18/2017 at 02:45

First things I would do is Scotch Guard the upholstery and apply my choice of a quality paint sealer/protectant to the bodywork. Why pay the dealer almost $1000.00 or more when you can do it yourself for $30.00 ?

Buick Mackane > Metal-maro
08/18/2017 at 02:56

I recently had my car windows tinted here in Los Angeles, I noticed that the tint shop put a license plate frame on the rear plate advertising their tint business, I immediately removed it for one reason. The cops here love to give window tint fix-it tickets, meaning you have to take time off from work and have the car inspected to prove you removed any illegal window tinting.

jmedarts > Metal-maro
08/18/2017 at 07:00

I picked one up last saturday, they took $1400 off because I took the car as-is (broken fog light, no final detail) so all I got was a license plate frame and even that was because the plate screws frame on my trade in were stripped and we couldn’t get my frame off. Service was closed on sat night, needed an impact gun, they are mailing it to me. Happy guy

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > Metal-maro
08/18/2017 at 09:30

I have required no markings on the last three new car purchases, and made it clear up front that I would not accept the car if they were there.

No fights, it was done. My last car still had the plate surround on when I arrived, and that was quickly removed before the deal was done.

yitznewton > Metal-maro
08/18/2017 at 10:09

Just look at this shit. I couldn’t wait and tore it off on the (1o-hour) drive home from the dealer. Thankfully the adhesive came off without visibly damaging anything.

Kinja'd!!!

His Stigness > Buick Mackane
08/18/2017 at 10:27

Paint fades over time unless you constantly keep it waxed and protected, so if you leave a decal on the paint what’s underneath will stay the same color, so once you do take it off there will be a hologram of the decal because the paint around it has faded.

His Stigness > DrScientist
08/18/2017 at 10:30

I do. I’ve learned so much from his videos. My Golf still looks brand new and has very few defects in it thanks to his videos.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Metal-maro
08/18/2017 at 11:07

My new truck came only with dealer license plate frames and no badges or stickers. I actually left the rear frame one on until the plates came because it did a good job of holding the paper temp tag in place in a state with 80mph speed limits.

Buick Mackane > His Stigness
08/18/2017 at 16:48

Ok , I get it, a decal does not make paint fade, as you posted earlier. It will save your paint from fading.

His Stigness > Buick Mackane
08/18/2017 at 17:05

I phrased it incorrectly. Leaving it on there will permanently mark the paint because paint naturally fades over time.

Metal-maro > yitznewton
08/18/2017 at 20:22

That one is pretty obtrusive. Nice purchase!

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Metal-maro
09/12/2017 at 10:25

These and some goo-gone are a wonderful thing for removing unwanted stickers:

Kinja'd!!!

Also remove the front plate bracket and fill in the holes with some of these. Nearly every car I’ve owned with a front plate drilled into it was in the black plastic so it worked OK:

Kinja'd!!!

Arrivederci > Metal-maro
09/12/2017 at 10:30

Zero fight for me too. When I bought the S3, I told the saleswoman that when they prepped it for delivery, I wanted the front license plate holder removed and no dealer stickers on it anywhere. I should’ve also said no tire shine, but forgot about that. She had no problems with that and the car was delivered as requested.

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > Metal-maro
09/12/2017 at 10:34

I remove that from all my friends and family cars. They don’t get it