I have the 2012 Mini Cooper S Countryman, black with red stripes, black top and red mirror caps. For some reason lately I have been thinking of removing those red stripes and making it an all black car, except for those mirror caps and the trim around the fog lamps.

Am I crazy?

The window tint is as dark as you can get, the rims are black. I don't see anything on the original window sticker showing that striping was part of the package. For some reason I just think it would look better with the car being all black.

1. Would removing those stripes lower the value of the car in the future if I were to trade it or sell it?

2. I'll do a search on the forum to double check the process for stripe removal but my question is ... if I were to remove them should I expect any kind of possible damage to the paint underneath those stripes?

I've only had the car since December 12, 2016 but love everything about it. Yes I am trying to get my user ID changed but this place is a black hole trying to request something like that.

Thanks for any help, advice or opinions on my questions.

 

the stripes, IMO, is personal preference. I'm not a fan of white stripes, but I love the Matte Black Stripe I currently have on my R60.

Depending on where you buy it the cost varies (from $50 to $134), so if it were a deal breaker you can always order them.

 

Thanks Manny. I was just looking at pictures of yours. Did you leave the stripes on the back intentionally? Or was that your car?

 

The only downside to stripe removal is the possibility of 'ghosting' where sunlight has faded the paint and left the paint that was under the stripes darker. Black may not be as susceptible to that as say red. BTW, if there is ghosting, polishing will not change it as it is in the paint and not the clear coat. The best way to remove vinyl stripes is with a heat gun like a hair dryer then just peel them back.

 

This is my fear and probably the only reason I have not tried it. With it being 2012 it's hard to say if there is even a slight difference in the paint color. Thanks for telling me that polishing will not help if ghosting is present.

 

If you really want it off and are worried about ghosting and prior to taking off the stripes, you can talk to your local auto body place or ask a pro detailer if color correcting will remove/fix the ghosting.