So I am in the market for some standard cooper stripes. I was looking at MightyStripes.com but have heard mixed reviews. I loe the price but are they any good? minimotoringgraphics.com doesn't have the prices so I am not sure about them. Do you guys have any suggestions for some standard MINI Cooper stripes (bonnet and boot)? Thanks!

 

Mighty is OK. Not done business with them but they've been around for quite a while. When ordering bonnet stripes, specify 'laminated'. You'll be glad for the extra protection from suicidal bugs. Otherwise the little beggars will leave white scars on the vinyl. After you get them applied, give them a couple of good coats of carnuba wax. If you ever machine polish be sure to mask them off but it is OK to machine wax over them.
Here's a URL for a quick tutorial on applying boot stripes. I used his ideas to re-do the bonnet stripes and add the boot strips just recently and they went on easy. Scroll down to the #1 post.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ictures-5.html

When applying the vinyl just be patient, don't try to hurry and don't let anyone distract you. Once they stick, they're stuck so you want to keep them wet 'till you're dang sure. Blue painter's tape works great for getting them lined up the way you want them then start from the middle and work to each end.

 

Dont want to thread jack but can you take stock stripes off? Or would the paint be different color or peel with them

 

They are very easy to remove with a hair dryer. Heat the back edge and peal up a corner to get it started then pull straight back while heating where it is coming loose. If you MINI has been parked outside, there well could be ghost stripes caused by fading by the sun. You won't know 'till the stripe is removed. If there is and you want to replace the stripes, the ghost stripe makes it real easy to align the new ones correctly. I've replaced twice and my '06 does have ghost stripes.

 

Go and find a graphics shop in your area, they can cut design and install what ever you want.

 

I hope mine don't I really wanted to do something different

Sent from my iPhone using NAMotoring

 

I'm a *huge* fan of House of Grafx (houseofgrafx.com). It's a small Mom & Pop vinyl shop. Their prices are silly-cheap and the quality is great. They're not using 3M (they use Oracal 751 series High Performance cast vinyl), and it feels a little thin, but I put my stripes on during last summer and they still look brand-new through a Seattle winter. They'll also customize vinyl to your specs. Customer Service is also top-notch (talked to them regarding some custom work - they always responded within a day).

I just took some pictures this past weekend of my MINI. The bonnet and side stripes were from them. Look here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/psbales...7632957083365/


-Paul

 

Would you find out if they can provide a clear laminate over the vinyl for extra protection from bugs? I got my last set laminated from AC just before he closed up shop and they don't have a blemish on them. I'm not in the market for a while but when I am again sooner or later, I'd like to have another resource to explore.

 

Hmm... I checked their website, and don't see any mention of it. I'll shoot them an email and see what they can do.

-Paul

 

TY

 

Thanks for the lead, Paul. I'm also in the market for stripes, for the first time in going on 7 years of MINI ownership...

 

No worries!

So the answer is "No we do not laminate over the top. We use vinyl with an outdoor rating of at least 7 years. The vinyl itself, if installed correctly and maintained, will last at least that long in various climates (sun, snow, cold, hot etc)."

For the 9 or so months I've had mine on, it still looks like I put it on yesterday, FWIW.


My 1st Cosmos Black/Black MINI had nothing and my 2nd (BRG/Grey) had the factory installed 'u' stripe. When I got my Eclipse Grey/Red MINI, it just looked like it was 'missing something'. I played around with a pack of construction paper and did some google searching, and ended up picking up the side stripes first. Still thought it wasn't done, so played around again, and come up with the final result of the bonnet & side stripes. The design of the side stripes 'inspired' the hood stripe. (They now sell them as a set after they saw he final pics of my MINI! )

I was surprised how relatively easy it was getting the stripes on myself, too! It took some patience, but I went *very* slowly, and got them on perfect.


-Paul

 

I created my own design using the Forza Horizon videogame - 4 works as well. I gave it to a paint shop and $450 later (painted hood scoop included) the guy put em on just how I wanted it. That's a small price to pay for paint that'll outlast vinyl, literally exactly what I wanted and best of all I didn't have to deal with paint or vinyl myself.

 

Plus, you don't need to go to some fancy custom paint place. All they're doing is putting on straight lines.

 

Is Mightystripes still in business? Their website is up but I emailed awhile ago (I think that's the only listed method of contact?) and haven't received any response.

 

I emailed them numerous times last week and they answered my question within 24hrs.

 

Interesting - what email address?

 

superbgraphics@comcast.net

 

Ah yes. I was emailing mightystripes@comcast.net.

Thanks!

 

houseofgrafx still around? I get forbidden error message

Thanks

 

Well they helpfully sent me matte vs gloss samples last week, and shipped my stripes over the weekend. Very responsive.

 

I just got stripes from StripeMyMINI.com They were very easy to deal with and even recommended that I go with gloss stripes as opposed to satin, since I wanted to match the JCW Chili Red. I have a 2012 Countryman (Cosmic Blue/White), and right now, I have the white bonnet stripes (not the Viper style, the others that are a combination of a wide and a narrow stripe). I want to replace them with the same style, but in Chili Red. I ordered the stripes on Monday of last week, and had them on Wednesday. I have not yet installed them, but they appear to be good quality.

 

Have you installed these yet? I am on their site now, and wanted to know what you thought of the quality.

 

So who else is good these besides the two sites mentioned. Haven't seen anything exciting from either company

 

I just order from www.mini-graphics.co.uk

They seem to have a good rep. I was going to order from StripeMyMINI.com, but I had emailed them with a questions, and still never received a reply.

I ordered: https://www.mini-graphics.co.uk/mini...tripes-thinner

I will update and post pics when they are on the car