I picked up a Black Miata today and I figured I would ask the experts some advice

corvetteman

New member
1. The dealer put 2 large sticker information papers on the inside of my passenger window which is tinted. How can I get the scotch tape glue off the window WITHOUT damaging the tint on the winow?



2. I have Meguiers Showcar Glaze. After I use that should I also put on a wax? I have some Mothers Yellow Carnuba wax.



3. My car is black. I'd like to paint the brake calibers. Many people use red paint with black. I was considering using yellow. Any opinions on the color?



4. The black plastic and dashboard like material in my car has a couple of small scratches. Any tips or products for improving those?
 
1. You can use Goo Gone to remove the glue from window tint without damaging it. Just apply to a mf towel, and you are good to go. You will have to clean them afterwards, though, as the Goo Gone will create a "greasy" look.



2. Glaze and then wax. The glaze will fill in any defects and the wax will "lock" it in.



3. Unless you have yellow somewhere else on your car, I would stick with black or red.



4. I have no idea here, but I would assume not much can be done to fix cracks in dashboards.
 
Street5927 said:
1. You can use Goo Gone to remove the glue from window tint without damaging it. Just apply to a mf towel, and you are good to go. You will have to clean them afterwards, though, as the Goo Gone will create a "greasy" look.



2. Glaze and then wax. The glaze will fill in any defects and the wax will "lock" it in.



3. Unless you have yellow somewhere else on your car, I would stick with black or red.



4. I have no idea here, but I would assume not much can be done to fix cracks in dashboards.



Thanks for the reply.



1. There are many kinds of goo gone. Do you have any rec on which one to use. I know window tint is delicate and window cleaners will ruin it. Is soap and water OK to clean them with?



2. I will follow your advice. Thanks.



3. I will probably go with red as you advised. I just wanted something to really pop to catch the eye so I considered yellow.



4. That is what I figured by I was being optimistic. :)
 
InvaderZim said:
what year did you get? Those things are fun, all i did was test drive one and you couldn't pry the smile off my face.



The one I got this time was a 2001. I had two other Miatas in the past as well. The short throw shifter and handling on rails effect is just something I never get over for too long. :)
 
I'd use tint safe window cleaner on the tape. Let it soak for a bit. If that doesn't work, you might move on to something stronger. Also be careful of what you use on the tint as far as rags, tint scratches pretty easily.
 
yakky said:
I'd use tint safe window cleaner on the tape. Let it soak for a bit. If that doesn't work, you might move on to something stronger. Also be careful of what you use on the tint as far as rags, tint scratches pretty easily.



Thanks for the reply. Do you know of any tint safe cleaners? Is soap and water tint safe? Should I use a microfiber cloth, a cotton ball or my fingers to try to remove the residue?
 
corvetteman said:
Thanks for the reply. Do you know of any tint safe cleaners? Is soap and water tint safe? Should I use a microfiber cloth, a cotton ball or my fingers to try to remove the residue?



Soap and baby shampoo is recommended by some tint installers, but if you go to an auto parts store, you should be able to find tint safe window cleaner. Spray lots of it on the tape and let it soak, then slowly lift the tape off, spray more, repeat. Let the chemical do the work, do not use mechanical action/scrubbing to get the goo off.
 
yakky said:
Soap and baby shampoo is recommended by some tint installers, but if you go to an auto parts store, you should be able to find tint safe window cleaner. Spray lots of it on the tape and let it soak, then slowly lift the tape off, spray more, repeat. Let the chemical do the work, do not use mechanical action/scrubbing to get the goo off.



I took the tape off last night with the sticker price information. I didnt have much choice. It was dark and I couldnt see out the window. Whats left is some glue residue. I may try soap and water but dont know what to try to wipe the residue off with. :)
 
corvetteman said:
The one I got this time was a 2001. I had two other Miatas in the past as well. The short throw shifter and handling on rails effect is just something I never get over for too long. :)



Yes, they are very addictive cars once you have driven them. I've not been able to shake my addiction for 21 years!



I'd recommend that you go with red as the color for your calipers. More contrast and a little more subtle than yellow, but of course the final choice is yours. I used Rustoleum Red out of a can applied with a simple 1/2" brush and Q-tips for the hard to reach crevices. Take a look here and the last pic: www.cardomain.com/id/miata54
 
miata54 said:
Yes, they are very addictive cars once you have driven them. I've not been able to shake my addiction for 21 years!



I'd recommend that you go with red as the color for your calipers. More contrast and a little more subtle than yellow, but of course the final choice is yours. I used Rustoleum Red out of a can applied with a simple 1/2" brush and Q-tips for the hard to reach crevices. Take a look here and the last pic: www.cardomain.com/id/miata54



Thanks for the reply. I know many people spray them but a brush seems easier to me also. Do you think it is easier? Did you use any products to clean the calipers first? I liked your rims. They show more of the caliper than my stock rims.
 
Soap, water and a cotton ball got 99% of the glue residue off. Still 3 tiny spots either remain or were imperfections in the tint. I will take a closer look at them tomorrow. :)
 
corvetteman said:
Thanks for the reply. I know many people spray them but a brush seems easier to me also. Do you think it is easier? Did you use any products to clean the calipers first? I liked your rims. They show more of the caliper than my stock rims.



Easier? For me, absolutely. Not having to mask off every exposed surface within 12" to prevent overspray was the key factor. Just take your time and work slowly and they will come out better than you ever thought. On first painting, I applied two coats. I used some TopJob to clean the entire area before I started. It will cut any oil base film and dust with ease.



Just put the wheels on this past winter. They "fit" the car really well and I don't just mean physically.
 
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