[PDM5]

Originally Posted by phatmanatee

Looks good. I've been thinking about removing them, too. The decals have lost some of their initial shine. Any tips for removal?

Sure thing! If you want a clean removal, you gotta use heat. If you have a heat gun, you can set it on the lowest setting, but I wanted something a little less risky so I used one of my wife's hair dryer and set it on low heat.

Start at an edge (either front or rear) and hold the dryer a couple of inches away and go back and forth on a four inch space as if you were painting for about 10 seconds or so. Find where the decal ends and slowly start to pick at it with your fingernail until it starts to pull away from the car. Once you have enough pulled away, simply keep the dryer right in front (a few inches away) of where the decal is still attached and SLOWLY pull the decal away while moving down the side of the car. Stop every now and then to get a better grip on the decal as you pull it off the car. With this method, the decal came off perfectly without a single bit of residue. If at any point you start to see residue left behind, you're going too fast and not letting the decal heat up enough.

I can't stress enough how patient you'll need to be. I was an idiot and tried removing the decal from one side without heat or any type of liquid to loosen up the decal. You can see where the decal was from all the residue left over and of course it's magnified on a white car. I'm waiting until I can turn on the outside spigot (and sheltering in place is over) to be able to apply Goo Gone to the decal residue as I'll need to wash the Goo Gone off with soap and water after it does its thing.

[phatmanatee]

Originally Posted by PDM5

Sure thing! If you want a clean removal, you gotta use heat. If you have a heat gun, you can set it on the lowest setting, but I wanted something a little less risky so I used one of my wife's hair dryer and set it on low heat.

Start at an edge (either front or rear) and hold the dryer a couple of inches away and go back and forth on a four inch space as if you were painting for about 10 seconds or so. Find where the decal ends and slowly start to pick at it with your fingernail until it starts to pull away from the car. Once you have enough pulled away, simply keep the dryer right in front (a few inches away) of where the decal is still attached and SLOWLY pull the decal away while moving down the side of the car. Stop every now and then to get a better grip on the decal as you pull it off the car. With this method, the decal came off perfectly without a single bit of residue. If at any point you start to see residue left behind, you're going too fast and not letting the decal heat up enough.

I can't stress enough how patient you'll need to be. I was an idiot and tried removing the decal from one side without heat or any type of liquid to loosen up the decal. You can see where the decal was from all the residue left over and of course it's magnified on a white car. I'm waiting until I can turn on the outside spigot (and sheltering in place is over) to be able to apply Goo Gone to the decal residue as I'll need to wash the Goo Gone off with soap and water after it does its thing.

Thanks - that was very helpful advice!

[RoundelM3]

Upgraded NAV maps to EVO 2020-1 level and put another coat of TechShine ceramic on the car.

[BEM-S4]

Ordered a second set of Race Ramps Flatstoppers for the F23. Have a set for the F31 (there great) but since I can't go anywhere the convertible is taking a siesta until summer. Highly recommend them to anyone storing a vehicle for more than a few days, no need to do anything with tire pressure just drive into them and you're done.

[shocksim]

Originally posted in the wrong thread, yikes...

But I swapped in some new plugs over the weekend! First swap from stock plugs to some NGKs. Took me quite a while to get to 30K on the odometer...



Now I just need to get the engine steam cleaned.

[El Conquistador]

Carbon fiber alcantara steering wheel

[PDM5]

Had to make a grocery run to Whole Foods. The line was wrapped around the block, so we went to Safeway instead! I cannot wait until I can just go for drives for the hell of it. I put the summer tires back on and it's like a different car.

[designatedposter]

Originally Posted by shocksim

Originally posted in the wrong thread, yikes...

But I swapped in some new plugs over the weekend! First swap from stock plugs to some NGKs. Took me quite a while to get to 30K on the odometer...



Now I just need to get the engine steam cleaned.

how did you remove the foam and cowl without loosening the strut bar?

[shocksim]

Originally Posted by designatedposter

how did you remove the foam and cowl without loosening the strut bar?

I bought the car back in 2016 used and it didn't come with that foam bit in the back. The cowl took some fenangling but can slide out if you angle it to the right.

Didn't have to bother with the strut bars and plug #5 was the only pain in the ass one, but with a 1.5" and a 3" locking extension it was doable.

A lot easier than my previous WRX EJ engine, that's for sure.

[WolfGTI]

Put on summer wheels and tires - sigh no where to go.

[dradernh]

I hooked the battery tender back up since it's unlikely I'll drive it during the next couple of months.

[p912guy]

Put on my summer tires, washed off the winter dirt and grime, drove it with the top down a few miles to reset the tire pressure sensors and parked it in the garage again until I can get back into the office once this virus thing settles down. Til then, I'm driving my truck which stays outside for the limited essential runs I need to make right now.

[morriscat]

Originally Posted by WolfGTI

Put on summer wheels and tires - sigh no where to go.

Who needs a destination? My wife and go out and put about 300 miles on every Sunday. By the time this is over I'm going to know every twisty back road in the state. It's not like you can catch The Coronavirus while you're in the car, after all. It's about the safest way there is to Get The Hell Out of the House for a few hours.

I had an Amish dude in a buggy give me a SERIOUS looking over as I drove past his buggy yesterday. I guess little red sports cars don't show up around there very often.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by morriscat

Who needs a destination? My wife and go out and put about 300 miles on every Sunday. By the time this is over I'm going to know every twisty back road in the state. It's not like you can catch The Coronavirus while you're in the car, after all. It's about the safest way there is to Get The Hell Out of the House for a few hours.

I had an Amish dude in a buggy give me a SERIOUS looking over as I drove past his buggy yesterday. I guess little red sports cars don't show up around there very often.

You're fortunate that so far there's no meaningful enforcement of the Ohio Dep't. of Health's Stay at Home Order (https://www.documentcloud.org/docume...143820416.html).

[WolfGTI]

NJ doesn't exactly have inspiring roads to drive - but I will venture out in the backroads some this coming weekend.

Originally Posted by morriscat

Who needs a destination? My wife and go out and put about 300 miles on every Sunday. By the time this is over I'm going to know every twisty back road in the state. It's not like you can catch The Coronavirus while you're in the car, after all. It's about the safest way there is to Get The Hell Out of the House for a few hours.

I had an Amish dude in a buggy give me a SERIOUS looking over as I drove past his buggy yesterday. I guess little red sports cars don't show up around there very often.

[clueless18]

Got a bolt stuck in the front passenger tire!

[Julie Silver]

The alarm turned out to be very active recently for my 2 series F45, it sounded out without any touch. I went to inspect, but could not find any reason. Do you have same case?

[metzo112]

finally fitted my new wheels after sitting in my lounge room for 2 weeks

[Ron Jeffries]

Originally Posted by RoundelM3

Upgraded NAV maps to EVO 2020-1 level and put another coat of TechShine ceramic on the car.

Looked at the TechShine site and don't see ceramic. What product is it? How happy are you with it? Thanks!

[Ron Jeffries]

Originally Posted by Julie Zhu

The alarm turned out to be very active recently for my 2 series F45, it sounded out without any touch. I went to inspect, but could not find any reason. Do you have same case?

I was having that problem. Glued the alarm button on the key fob so it can't be pressed and the problem went away.

Was bumping the fob really the problem? I don't know. But it went away.

[PDM5]

Originally Posted by metzo112

finally fitted my new wheels after sitting in my lounge room for 2 weeks

Melbourne Red looks so nice, especially with those wheels!

[makrop]

Originally Posted by Julie Zhu

The alarm turned out to be very active recently for my 2 series F45, it sounded out without any touch. I went to inspect, but could not find any reason. Do you have same case?

If you had your windows down, something could have triggered the motion sensor. I leave them down in the garage sometimes and lock my car by habit. If I go back in to grab sunglasses or something through the window, it will set the alarm off.