Which is better and why? Im thinkin cheapest costing but i wouldn't want to look ricerish, so maybe splurge and paint them on? What are some options for the striping?

 

Paint looks better and will last longer, while vinyl is considerablly more affordable.

From what I've read on the forum, if you want a good quality paint, with a couple layers of clear coat, you can expect to pay around $1200 or so. If you've got money burning a hole in your pocket, this is the way to go.

If you don't have the cash, http://www.baltimorestreetmods.com/ sells stripes for around $100 or so (it'll cost you around $200, give or take, to have them installed - free if you do it yourself). Vinyl will look good for a couple to a few years (not nearly as good as paint, though). The color will fade on you, and the vinyl will inevitably tear, rip, bubble, peel.

I went with the vinyl and was happy. From 10ft away the car looked great. The closer you got to the car, you could see all the imperfections of the vinyl, which bothered me (spots slighty off center, small bubbling...). If your not too nit pickey, go with the vinyl. If your a perfectionist, save up for paint.

 

For quality painted stripes you would splurge about $2500+ and though I say go painted I understand people have a budget and vinyl stripes do not look bad IMHO and they are much less expensive, I would have them professionally installed though. It is not that they are hard to put on but you will spend alot of time on it, better to let someone who dose it all the time do it that way you do not get any bubbles or wrinkles.

At $1200 they are painting the stripes over the factory paint which means they will ALWAYS be raised up, see for them not to be raised they have to be even (sounds like common sense huh) so it really depends there are basically three choices. The reason flush stripes cost more is because there is more work involved they have to sand down the surface of every panel getting the stripes then they have to paint the entire panel then clear and wet sand. Another factor that can raise the price is type of paint, amount of clear used and custom finishes.

 

if you plan on keeping your car for a while invest the extra money and have them painted you will enjoy looking at your car more instead of nit picking all the imperfections of the vinyl stripes.

 

I have the Baltimore 10" stripes on mine. They look great but I'm considering taking them off in the spring and getting them painted on (with clear coat) in the spring. From a distance the vinyl looks great and even close up but there's no comparison to painted on stripes done correctly!

 

I'm a cheap bastard and spend about $40 on vinyl (shipped) - Personally, I think they look pretty good

http://www.colebrothers.com/graphics/stripes.html

 

Honestly Iv'e had both....don't waste you time with vinyl.

 

If your not a perfectionist get vinyl if you are then get them painted ull be a lot happier that way

 

I designed my side stripe and had a local guy do the work. (check the link)

But if I was going to do over the top stripes - I'd have them painted.

Good luck.

Ruf -

http://www.stangsunleashed.com/forum...topic=3814&hl=

 

get mattblasi to send you his pixs man ... youll not even think twice about the way to go... painted all the way