Vinyl roof... Pics, not asking advice.

[Jimmy Filth]

by the time you've got the primer, clearcoat and all the sanding paper.  Cost me about £55 to do my front bumper

[shepgti]

by the time you've got the primer, clearcoat and all the sanding paper.  Cost me about £55 to do my front bumper

did you buy from halfrauds?

i sprayed my mk3 roof white with primer and laquer for 29 quid all in inc some sandpaper by buying from 2 difernt independant retailers

[Jimmy Filth]

I got the colour from Halfords as it was colour match, but everything else was from a small place round the corner from me.  I may have bought a bit much, I think I had a can and a bit left of the colour, primer and clearcoat.

[shepgti]

yeah halfords colour matched stuff can be pricey

[Wayne]

A signwriting company would have been about the same cost or less for cash, it looks ok but the creases spoli it a little for me plus the sticker looks all wrong.

[Gash]

60 does seem a bit much but does look ok.
iv decided to do it myself (can get vinyl for about £30) as was qouted £90 to do it
how easy was it when doing the sunroof and ariel?

[Jimmy Filth]

I've seen a lot of Vinyl for cheaper, but I went for the 3M stuff as has been told it's the best stuff by a long way.  I had to lift and re-stick it in numerous places several times and it never lost its stick, which I've been warned the cheaper stuff does.  As I was an amateur I decided to go for that stuff as I guessed I would be lifting it a lot.

As for the sunroof and ariel;  I removed the ariel completely, which took all of about 20 seconds (using the Haynes manual.  I then opened the sunroof and stuck it all down.  Once I had got it flat and laid I cut out out the sunroof hole, leaving about a 4mm edge which I stuck down (using heat).  I then cut n X over the hole where the ariel went and reinserted it.

I kinda guessed the sticker wouldn't be to everyone's taste, but I like it so I'll keep it for now.  I spoke to about 5 sign writing companies that all wanted similar prices to what I paid, but I've still got a load left over.  I've now done both mirrors and have enough to do the bonnet if it takes my fancy.  I bought 2x3 metres.

[Gash]

how does the ariel come off?
i guessed the sunroof might be as easy as what you said you did

[Jimmy Filth]

A signwriting company would have been about the same cost or less for cash, it looks ok but the creases spoli it a little for me plus the sticker looks all wrong.

Yeah, it is a shame with the creases, but I console myself with the fact that it was my first ever time using anything like this.  I'll probably redo it in the future, learning from my mistakes, but for now I'm happy with it.  Plus the worst of the creases will be covered soon enough by a design my mate is printing for me onto some gloss vinyl.

[Jimmy Filth]

how does the ariel come off?
i guessed the sunroof might be as easy as what you said you did

Open the boot and there is a piece of plastic trim that holds the back of the headliner up, it runs between the two rear pillar pieces of trim.  That just clips out and you can pull the headliner down leaving just enough space to get your hand in the gap.  Under the ariel is a large nut that I initially loosened with a monkey wrench, then undid with hand.  Then about 3-4 inches from the bottom of the ariel is a plug that has a plastic cover over it.  Move the plastic cover, then pull the two pieces of wire apart and voila, it just pulls out of the roof leaving a square hole of about 1.5cm x 1.5cm.

My advise is, use heat otherwise it'll crease, by the time I learnt that I had already laid most of it and couldn't undo it.  Plus, once the vinyl is creased you can't really remove them.  I found a decent hairdryer actually worked a lot better than the heatgun.